LCBO Food & Drink Travel 2025

HOP CULTURE

EXPERIENCE The Temple Bar pub (below) has been a hub for Irish food and drink since 1840, earning high marks for its vast selection of beer and Irish music. Your visit wouldn’t be complete without a tour of the 300-year-old Guinness Storehouse , one of Dublin’s top tourism attractions. Dublin, Ireland One of the world’s best-known and bestselling beers, Guinness hails from Dublin. It was introduced in 1720, inspiring a dynamic pub and brewery landscape. Though the dark porter style of beer originated in London in the 1700s, Irish brewers finessed it with nitrogenation and unmalted roasted barley to create a less acidic stout. If you’re timing a visit, keep in mind that few cities (or countries!) do St. Paddy’s Day grander.

London, UK England gave the world some of its most beloved beer styles, as London is the birthplace of porter and IPA. The city’s pub culture started with the departure of the Romans, and London was considered one of the world’s top cities for beer production in the 17th century. Today, pubs are a backbone of the city’s social scene with more than 2,000 in Central London alone.

TASTE

Hobgoblin IPA LCBO 16430, 500 mL, $3.35

Set your expectations high. This golden ale was winner of the world’s best IPA award. It highlights intense tropical notes of citrus and honey.

Iron Maiden Trooper Ale LCBO 522615, 500 mL, $3.30

Yes, that Iron Maiden: England’s beloved heavy metal band. Its namesake beer rocks the taste buds with zesty citrus flavours.

TASTE

EXPERIENCE Discover almost 2 miles of craft breweries, taprooms and pubs in South London along the Bermondsey Beer Mile . Or head to historic pubs, like The George Inn (1676), above, and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese (1667). On the posh side, enjoy an afternoon tea service where tea is swapped for beer pairings at The Rosebery in the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park .

Harp Lager LCBO 271619, 500 mL, $3.35 Brewed by Guinness, this is a European pale lager with a straw gold hue. It brings notes of vanilla and citrus, plus mild bitterness to the forefront.

Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale LCBO 442731, 4 pk, $12.65 Its maker, Smithwick’s, has been brewing since the 14th century. That expertise has gone into a red ale with toasted bread, plum and prune notes. Serve with grilled steak.

O’Hara’s Irish Nitro Stout LCBO 20013, 440 mL, $3.75 This well-crafted stout has complex aromas and a full body. Pour a pint and enjoy those aromas of coffee and sweet malt alongside beef stew.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGELAFOTO/ISTOCK UNRELEASED VIA GETTY IMAGES (TEMPLE BAR); BY STEVE CHRISTO - CORBIS/CONTRIBUTOR/CORBIS NEWS VIA GETTY IMAGES (THE GEORGE INN)

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———————— TRAVEL 2025