An extremely popular public house with a staggering range of up to 30 ales, that has twice been selected as CAMRA's National Pub of the Year.

The pub stocks about fifteen regular beers, including many from the Fat Cat Brewery range, a dozen or more guest beers from around the country, covering all the styles from session pale ales to dark and strong stouts, a good range of real ciders, and a number of foreign beers, both on draught and in bottle. Keg versions of the Fat Cat beers are also often available.

The long single bar is festooned with handpumps and beer fonts, with plenty of standing room to the front, and two seating areas at either end of the pub. The tiled floor and wood panelling, bar and screens are typical 'proper pub' décor, but are complemented by a huge range of local brewery and pub signs and adverts going back decades.

Previously the New Inn, the pub was bought and renovated by current owners Colin and Marjie Keatley in 1991, opening as the Fat Cat in December with a then-incredible 20+ real ales on sale. Colin had previously run the White Lion in Oak St, and was believed to be the youngest publican in the country when he ran the New Savoy Inn (now the Savoy Tap) near Waterloo Bridge in London.

The Fat Cat name had first been used by Dave Wickett, founder of Kelham Island Brewery in 1990, for his pub in Sheffield, and in return for 'borrowing' the name, the Norwich pub stocked Kelham Island's Pale Rider as a permanent beer.

The name has since been used for several other related (in the family-run sense) pubs, firstly when Colin bought the Wherry in Sprowston Rd, Norwich, established the Fat Cat Brewery in the building and converted it to the Fat Cat Brewery Tap (now The Brewery Tap, independently run, but the brewery is still there). Colin's brother John opened the Ipswich Fat Cat, then Colin bought the Mustard Pot in Thorpe and renamed it the Fat Cat & Canary, due to it's proximity to Norwich city's ground, and his sister-in-law and nephew opened a Fat Cat in Colchester.

Awards Branch Cider Pub of the Year 2024 National CAMRA Pub of the Year 1998 and 2004 CAMRA 50th Anniversary Gold Award