Urbanary City Guide

Best Bars, Pubs and Restaurants in Hitchin

Name: Hermitage Rd Bar and Restaurant
Rating: 4.4

Hitchin has one of Hertfordshire’s best small-town food and drink scenes, with independent restaurants, cosy pubs, cocktail bars and casual places to eat packed around Market Place, Bucklersbury, Sun Street, Bancroft and Hermitage Road. Whether you’re planning dinner, drinks, brunch, a date night, Sunday lunch or a relaxed pub crawl, Urbanary helps you find the best places to go out in Hitchin based on ratings, reviews, venue type and local intent.

venues: 174
restaurants: 64
bars: 28
pubs: 26
spotlight: 1

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★ Urbanary Spotlight

Hermitage Rd Bar and Restaurant

Historic ballroom restaurant, cocktail bar, wine bar and brunch spot in the heart of Hitchin.

4.4· 1,624 reviews

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Spotlight: Hermitage Rd

Why we’re backing Hermitage Rd Bar and Restaurant

Hermitage Rd Bar and Restaurant interior

Hermitage Rd is one of Hitchin’s standout places to eat and drink, set inside a historic ballroom with a restaurant, bar, wine bar and coffee space under one roof. It works for brunch, cocktails, dinner, private hire, casual drinks and a more polished night out in the town centre.

“One of Hitchin’s strongest all-day venues: brunch, cocktails, dinner and wine under one roof.”

Best for: BrunchCocktailsDate nightsGroups
Vibe: Polished, buzzy, historic
Area: Hermitage Road
Good to know: Restaurant, wine bar and coffee space all under one roof.
Rating: ★ 4.4 from 1,624 reviews

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Best restaurants in Hitchin

Independent kitchens, modern British, Mediterranean and Asian — the strongest restaurant rooms in town.

Best pubs in Hitchin

Proper old-school locals, gastropubs and beer-garden picks for a relaxed pint.

Best bars in Hitchin

Cocktail bars, wine bars and late-night drinks across Hitchin town centre.

Best for date night in Hitchin

The rooms that feel special without being formal — cocktails, considered menus, the right kind of low light.

1
Hitchin Priory
★3.8· 322 reviews

Where to eat and drink in Hitchin

Hitchin’s food and drink scene clusters around five connected stretches in the town centre. Each has its own character.

Hermitage Road

Hermitage Road is the heart of Hitchin’s eating-and-drinking scene, anchored by Hermitage Rd Bar and Restaurant and surrounded by independent kitchens and drinks spots. Strong for date nights, brunch and a more polished evening out.

Market Place

The classic Hitchin centre. Market Place gives you old-school pubs, casual cafés and easy meeting spots, all walking distance from Hermitage Road.

Bucklersbury

A short pedestrianised stretch off Market Place packed with independent restaurants, smaller bars and date-night options. Best for quieter dinners.

Sun Street

Sun Street runs from Market Place down to Bancroft and brings together a mix of restaurants, casual eats and drinks. Useful for a relaxed weeknight or pre-dinner cocktails.

Bancroft

Bancroft is Hitchin’s longer high-street stretch, with a broader sweep of pubs, cafés and family-friendly restaurants. Reliable for Sunday roasts and casual lunches.

Frequently asked

What are the best restaurants in Hitchin?

Hitchin’s strongest restaurants cluster around Hermitage Road, Bucklersbury and Sun Street. Hermitage Rd Bar and Restaurant is our standout pick for a polished sit-down meal; the city’s full restaurant list is ranked by Urbanary based on rating, review volume and local intent.

What are the best pubs in Hitchin?

Hitchin has a healthy pub scene mixing traditional locals with gastropubs. Look around Market Place and Bancroft for the most reliable pints. Browse the full Hitchin pubs guide on this page for the current ranked list.

Where can I go for cocktails in Hitchin?

Hermitage Rd has Hitchin’s most established cocktail bar and is a strong default. Market Place and Sun Street also have a handful of cocktail-led venues; the bars rail above ranks the current best.

Where is good for brunch in Hitchin?

Hermitage Rd is one of the standouts for weekend brunch — historic ballroom setting, seasonal menus and a coffee + bagel bar next door. The brunch rail above ranks the rest of Hitchin’s strongest brunch spots.

Where is good for date night in Hitchin?

Hermitage Rd is the obvious date-night choice in Hitchin — historic room, cocktails-then-dinner flow, and easy to extend the evening around the town centre. The date-night rail on this page covers the rest.

What are the best places for a night out in Hitchin?

Start with cocktails or wine at Hermitage Rd, move to dinner around Bucklersbury or Sun Street, then continue at one of the bars or pubs around Market Place. The full ranked lists for each are on this page.