In the heart of Leicester city centre, The Rutland & Derby is a shining example of what happens when a much-loved pub is given the attention it deserves.
Part of Sam Hagger’s Beautiful Pubs Collective, this city centre boozer underwent a top-to-bottom refurbishment in early 2025 – and it’s stunning. The design is sophisticated yet welcoming, with soft leather seating, warm lighting, a bold colour palette and beautiful details throughout. Even the bathrooms – cleverly extended by stripping back decades of tilework – are worth a mention.
The team took inspiration from some of London’s most celebrated pubs, including The Audley in Mayfair. And that same attention to detail flows into the food and drink. The menu is built around sociable, high-quality eating – pretzels, scotch eggs, lamb samosas, duck fries, paneer fries, chuck steak burgers and Krakauer hot dogs all feature.
Every element is well thought out, from the homemade gunpowder chilli sauce to the style of sauerkraut accompanying your sausage. There’s also a pizza shed in the rear garden and a roof terrace above it – perfect for warmer evenings.
This is a pub with history. It was Sam’s late father’s favourite, and one where Sam himself worked tirelessly behind the bar in the early days of Beautiful Pubs. Today, it’s a beautifully finished, much-improved hub for the city.
Each year, The Rutland & Derby also hosts a popular Stout & Oyster Festival – an event born from a family connection that now draws a crowd and serves hundreds of oysters alongside pints of the black stuff.
If you appreciate a thoughtfully run, brilliantly executed city pub, The Rutland & Derby should be high on your list.
Sister pub to Knight & Garter and Old Horse in Leicester, and The Forge in Glenfield , The Rutland & Derby is a sociable, busy place – superbly run – where the team take genuine pride in their levels of service and professionalism.
