CAMRA - Campaign for Real Ale logo
Pubs & Clubs
Beers & Breweries
Pubs & Clubs
Beers & Breweries
CAMRA - Campaign for Real Ale logo
Join Us

Kings Head, Norwich

You have visited this venue
View all visits
Directions
You want to visit - You have this in
Open
Operator: Norwich Taverns
42 Magdalen Street, Norwich, NR3 1JE (View on Google Map)
None
Website
X (Twitter)
Facebook

Awards

Won 1 award

This venue won an award in 2022.

CAMRA’s prestigious awards are given to recognise the very best in pubs, clubs, beer and cider. See current champions, learn more about what our awards mean and see how to make nominations.

Find out more

Finalist, CAMRA National Pub of the Year 2022 - one of the top 4 pubs in the country!

A traditional two-bar city pub which has been a mandatory stop on the Norwich cask ale trail since 2005, serving up to a dozen beers, mostly from Norfolk breweries, plus a few selected guests such as Mighty Oak, Green Jack, and Derby Brewing, always including a dark beer or two. There are also two local ciders (one occasionally replaced by a perry), plus a large range of bottled European beers, but no keg beers at all.

Four times CAMRA Branch Pub of the Year, there's no food provided except snacks and (very good) pork pies, but there are plenty of local takeaways, and plates and cutlery can be provided. The pub also supports three teams in the local bar billiards league.

Owned since 2013 by Stephen and Lesley George, also owners of the Humpty Dumpty Brewery, the range of beers remains eclectic, and only rarely includes more than a couple of their beers. Previously owned for nine years by Jon Smith and Roland Coomber, who converted it from a bikers pub into the destination real-ale pub it remains today.

The 'main' bar is at the back of the pub, accessed via a side entrance in the courtyard. The large table opposite the main bar is a communal table for sharing, and the pub is open on Christmas Day from 12-2pm.

Closing time refers to last entry - drinks are served until midnight on Sunday, and later Monday to Saturday.

Follow the Kings Head on Instagram

Information for this venue is provided by the Norwich & District Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
Local Authority
Last updated
26/06/2025
Last surveyed
11/02/2025
Leasehold owner
Norwich Taverns
Freehold owner
Colston Trustees
Pub ID
NOR/813
Asset of Community Value
Premium Access Required

You must be a Digital Subscriber or CAMRA Member to be able to view specially curated GBG descriptions

Premium Access Required
Monday
Noon - Midnight
Tuesday
Noon - Midnight
Wednesday
Noon - Midnight
Thursday
Noon - Midnight
Friday
Noon - Midnight
Saturday
Noon - Midnight
Sunday
Noon - Midnight

Current beers

This Pub serves 9 changing beers and 0 regular beers.

Regular and recently seen
Derby - Hop Till You Drop
Derby - Hop Till You Drop Session Blond Ale • 3.9% Spotted once
Derby - Hop Till You Drop
Derby - Hop Till You Drop

Session Blond Ale

ABV: 3.9%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No
Spotted once recently. Last spotted 6 days ago
Earl Soham - Albert Ale
Earl Soham - Albert Ale Premium Bitter • 4.4% Spotted 7 times
Earl Soham - Albert Ale
Earl Soham - Albert Ale

Premium Bitter

ABV: 4.4%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No
Spotted 7 times recently. Last spotted 6 days ago
Earl Soham - Brandeston Gold
Earl Soham - Brandeston Gold Premium Golden Ale • 4.5% Spotted 4 times
Earl Soham - Brandeston Gold
Earl Soham - Brandeston Gold

Premium Golden Ale

ABV: 4.5%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No
Spotted 4 times recently. Last spotted 1 week ago
Elmtree - Burston's Cuckoo
Elmtree - Burston's Cuckoo Session Golden Ale • 3.8% Spotted once
Elmtree - Burston's Cuckoo
Elmtree - Burston's Cuckoo

Session Golden Ale

ABV: 3.8%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No
Spotted once recently. Last spotted 5 days ago
Mighty Oak - Oscar Wilde
Mighty Oak - Oscar Wilde Mild • 3.7% Spotted twice
Mighty Oak - Oscar Wilde
Mighty Oak - Oscar Wilde

Mild

ABV: 3.7%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No
Spotted twice recently. Last spotted 6 days ago
Mighty Oak - Captain Bob
Mighty Oak - Captain Bob Session Bitter • 3.8% Spotted twice
Mighty Oak - Captain Bob
Silver Award
Mighty Oak - Captain Bob

Session Bitter

ABV: 3.8%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No
Spotted twice recently. Last spotted 6 days ago
Mighty Oak - Kings
Mighty Oak - Kings Session Golden Ale • 4.2% Spotted twice
Mighty Oak - Kings
Mighty Oak - Kings

Session Golden Ale

ABV: 4.2%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No
Spotted twice recently. Last spotted 6 days ago
Humpty Dumpty - Broadland Sunrise
Humpty Dumpty - Broadland Sunrise Session Bitter • 4.2% Spotted twice
Humpty Dumpty - Broadland Sunrise
Humpty Dumpty - Broadland Sunrise

Session Bitter

ABV: 4.2%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No
Spotted twice recently. Last spotted 6 days ago
Mr Winter's - Vanilla Latte
Mr Winter's - Vanilla Latte Flavoured Speciality Beers • 4.6% Spotted twice
Mr Winter's - Vanilla Latte
Silver Award
Mr Winter's - Vanilla Latte

Flavoured Speciality Beers

ABV: 4.6%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No
Spotted twice recently. Last spotted 6 days ago
Nuttycombe - Hunky Dory
Nuttycombe - Hunky Dory Session Bitter • 3.9% Spotted once
Nuttycombe - Hunky Dory
Nuttycombe - Hunky Dory

Session Bitter

ABV: 3.9%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No
Spotted once recently. Last spotted 6 days ago
Moon Gazer - Cheeky Jack
Moon Gazer - Cheeky Jack Premium Pale Ale • 5% Spotted twice
Moon Gazer - Cheeky Jack
Moon Gazer - Cheeky Jack

Premium Pale Ale

ABV: 5%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No
Spotted twice recently. Last spotted 6 days ago
Changing

Mostly a mix of local beers and East Anglian micros, but also including specials from favoured breweries from outside the area, such as Mighty Oak and Derby Brewery.

Changing beers typically include: Elmtree (varies) , Moon Gazer (varies) , Mr Winter's (varies) , Shortts (varies) , Tindall (varies)

The venue's range of changing beers regularly includes the following rare beer styles: Stout , Porter , Mild

Source: Regional

Your scores

Join CAMRA to access beer scoring and view scores for other pubs. Become a member.
Retrieving scores
You have no beer scores submitted.
Facilities
Garden Garden
Cobbled area under the old coaching inn archway, no seating
Dog Friendly Dog Friendly
Games Games
Bar Billards
Lined Glasses Lined Glasses
Newspapers Newspapers
Separate Bar Separate Bar
Wi Fi Wi Fi
Features
Cask Ale Cask Ale
Real Cider Real Cider
Two local ciders (or occasionally a cider and a perry) served cooled on gravity
LocAle LocAle
Quiet Quiet
Transport
Close to bus routes (150m)
Various: (Anglia Square)
All northbound services from the city centre at Anglia Sq
Closest station (1500m)
Norwich

Help keep our information accurate!

Notice an error or missing details? Help us keep our pub & club information accurate by sharing any corrections or updates you spot.

Suggest an edit

Nearby

(Pub, External). Published on 31-05-2013
Open
Mischief Tavern
Easteye Pub, in Norwich
2 Changing Beers
Merchants, Norwich. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 01-07-2021
Open
Merchants House
THE ANTEROS ARTS FOUNDATION Pub, in Norwich
Beer
Ribs of Beef. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 01-09-2019
Open
Ribs of Beef
Pub, in Norwich
3 Regular, 4 Changing Beers
Plasterers, Norwich. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 01-04-2025
Open
Plasterers Arms
Pub, in Norwich
1 Regular, 2 Changing Beers
Beer Hatch, Norwich. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 01-11-2023
Open • Closes in 58 minutes
Beer Hatch
Pub, in Norwich
Beer
Chambers Cocktail Company. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 01-08-2018
Open
Chambers Cocktail Company
Pub, in Norwich
Cask Ale not available
Green Room, Norwich. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 01-05-2024
Open
Green Room
Ecobars Ltd Pub, in Norwich
Cask Ale not available
Weaver's Arms, Muspole St, Norwich. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 01-07-2023
Open
Weavers Arms
Pub, in Norwich
4 Changing Beers
Glass House, from Elm Hill. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 01-08-2018
Closed • Opens Sun at 8:00am
Glass House
Wetherspoon Pub, in Norwich
3 Regular, 3 Changing Beers
  • CAMRA voucher scheme
(Pub, External). Published on 14-06-2014
Closed • Opens Mon at 8:00am
Olive's
Restaurant, in Norwich
Cask Ale not available

Recently Viewed

(External, Bar, Key). Published on 25-11-2023
Open
Kilder
Pub, in Birmingham
Beer
(Key). Published on 10-03-2021
Open
Consortium Micropub
Independent Pub, in Louth
5 Regular Beers
Pub Walk Shoes Icon

Love Cask Beer?

Join CAMRA to support the campaign to access more features plus access to a range of different benefits.

Become a member
© Campaign for Real Ale 2023 - 2025 (ce-9)
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube
Home

Privacy Overview

We use cookies, which are small text files, to improve your experience on our website and to show you personalised content. You can allow all or manage them individually.

Necessary

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-Necessary

These cookies help us to improve your web experience. They allow us to gather feedback on your behaviour and to show adverts relevant to you. You can turn this off here.

Cookies

We use cookies, which are small text files, to improve your experience on our website and to show you personalised content. You can allow all or manage them individually.