It's always tough to try and choose a best pub, or top three, or whatever, but the following stood out for me this year:
Cheshire Cheese in Buxton - my first cask ale of the year and despite being outdoor seating only at the time of my visit, felt like a welcome slice of normality.
The Smithfield Market Tavern in Manchester - again, this gets credit for running a very smooth operation (in terms of friendliness and efficiency of table service) with a decent beer selection when indoor seating was finally allowed.
The City Arms in Manchester - where other pubs have reduced their cask ale selection or let it suffer in terms of quality, this pub has maintained a good variety on the pumps and no issue at all with quality.
It's a tough call, but my Pub of 2021 would probably have to be
The City Arms and it is somewhere I should probably make a point of visiting more frequently.