For a Sunday pint in Bath that isn't full of tourists, head for The Salamander just off Queen Square, The Old Green Tree near the Abbey, or The Marlborough Tavern by the Royal Crescent. All three sit close enough to the centre to walk to, but draw a mostly local crowd rather than a coach-trip one. Here's what each is actually like on a Sunday afternoon.
The Salamander
Just off Queen Square at 3 John Street, The Salamander is a genuine city pub with a well-stocked bar of local Bath Ales, wines, ciders and an extensive gin, whisky and rum selection. It's open Sunday 12pm to 11pm, with food served until 6pm, and its Sunday roasts come up repeatedly in reviews as a reason to go rather than just a side note. The dining room seats up to 32, so it copes well with a Sunday lunch crowd without feeling rammed, and it's a two-minute walk from Queen Square if you want to combine it with a stroll through Royal Victoria Park beforehand.
The Old Green Tree
A proper heritage pub near the Abbey, the Old Green Tree keeps things deliberately old-fashioned: no music, no fruit machines, just real ale served in small wood-panelled rooms. It's the kind of place that rewards turning up without much of a plan, a few real ales on rotation and a quiet corner to read the Sunday papers rather than a food-led destination. See our best pubs in Bath guide for how it compares with the city's other heritage pubs.
The Marlborough Tavern
A short walk from the Royal Crescent at 35 Marlborough Buildings, the Marlborough Tavern has what one review calls "a totally local, not touristy feel, despite being around a stone's throw from the Royal Circus and melee of Bath beyond." It's open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with food built around West Country ingredients, and a courtyard strung with fairy lights for warmer Sundays. Parking is genuinely easy here too, in Royal Victoria Park (under 5 minutes away) or Charlotte Street Car Park (around 10 minutes), which is rare for anywhere this close to the centre.
The Star Inn
If you want Bath's most unreconstructed pub, the Star Inn is it: no food beyond crisps and baps, no contemporary decor, just local beers and jugs of draught Bass served in a series of wood-panelled rooms and snugs with a fire in winter. It's less than half a mile from the centre's main sights but feels like stepping back decades rather than into a tourist-facing venue, which is exactly the appeal if that's what you're after on a quiet Sunday.
The Bell Inn
On Walcot Street, the Bell is a community-owned free house with a genuine live music scene rather than a quiet-pint pub, so it's the pick if you want some atmosphere with your Sunday session. Its bar and beer garden are open Sunday 12pm to 10.30pm, with live music typically 1pm to 3pm on Sundays, and it serves local ales and pizza in a covered beer garden if the weather's against you.
A bit further out: The Moorfields
If you don't mind a short bus ride or taxi from the centre, the Moorfields in Oldfield Park is worth knowing about as a proper neighbourhood local, built around Sunday roasts, sharing plates and a suntrap garden, with a crowd that's almost entirely Bath residents rather than visitors.
Comparison
| Pub | Area | Sunday hours | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Salamander | Off Queen Square | 12pm-11pm (food to 6pm) | Sunday roasts, central |
| The Old Green Tree | Near the Abbey | Check current hours | Heritage, real ale, no music |
| The Marlborough Tavern | Near Royal Crescent | 7 days, lunch and dinner | Local feel, easy parking |
| The Star Inn | City centre | Check current hours | Unreconstructed, beer only |
| The Bell Inn | Walcot Street | 12pm-10.30pm | Live music, community-owned |
| The Moorfields | Oldfield Park | Check current hours | Neighbourhood local, Sunday roast |
Getting there
All of these except the Moorfields are within a 15-minute walk of the Abbey and Roman Baths, so you don't need a car for a Sunday session in the centre. If you are driving, the Marlborough Tavern's nearby parking at Royal Victoria Park or Charlotte Street is the most straightforward of the group; see our Bath parking guide for the fuller picture. For the wider list of pubs across the city by category, heritage, food, music and views, our best pubs in Bath guide is the one to check next.
Frequently asked questions
Which Bath pub is best for a quiet Sunday pint away from tourists?
The Old Green Tree near the Abbey and the Star Inn are the two most deliberately old-fashioned, local-feeling options, both close to the centre but away from the main tourist flow.
Where can I get a Sunday roast in a Bath pub that isn't touristy?
The Salamander, just off Queen Square, and the Marlborough Tavern, near the Royal Crescent, both have strong local reputations for their Sunday roasts, and the Moorfields in Oldfield Park if you don't mind heading slightly further out.
Is there a Bath pub with live music on a Sunday?
Yes. The Bell Inn on Walcot Street typically runs live music around 1pm to 3pm on Sundays, alongside a longer bar and beer garden opening from 12pm to 10.30pm.
Which Bath pub has the easiest parking?
The Marlborough Tavern, near the Royal Crescent, with Royal Victoria Park under 5 minutes away and Charlotte Street Car Park around 10 minutes, both straightforward compared with most central options.
Are these pubs within walking distance of the Roman Baths and Abbey?
Yes, The Salamander, The Old Green Tree, The Star Inn and The Marlborough Tavern are all within about a 15-minute walk of the centre. The Moorfields, in Oldfield Park, is further out and better reached by bus or taxi.
What's the most traditional, least modernised pub in Bath?
The Star Inn, which serves no food beyond crisps and baps, has no music or contemporary decor, and pours local beers and jugs of draught Bass in wood-panelled rooms largely unchanged for decades.