Pubs

Bristol

ADAM & EVE
7 Hope Chapel Hill, Hotwells, BS8 4ND
Tel: 0117 929 1508
● Attractive pub nestling at the bottom of Hope Chapel Hill, where the food gives anything found in the Garden of Eden a run for its money. Check chalkboards for the weekly changing menus: Old Spot sausages, roasted butternut squash & gorgonzola risotto, Thai wild mussels with naan bread, crispy belly of pork with bubble & squeak, and the renowned 28-day-aged steak with garlic butter and hand-cut chips. Bar snacks and puddings ensure all bases are covered. Monday quiz. Food Tue-Sat 6-9pm, Sat 12noon-3pm, Sun 12noon-4pm

ALBION
Boyces Ave, Clifton Village, BS8 4AA
Tel: 0117 973 3522, web: www.thealbionclifton.co.uk
● Pub dining doesn’t get much better than this, as is proved by Michelin and Good Food Guide mentions. Menu depends entirely on what’s available from suppliers, and uses local best produce. The Bath chap, which appears periodically, is a must-try signature dish for inquisitive carnivores. Or try foie gras, goose, ham & figs for starters, turbot, samphire & palourdes for mains, and venison rump with its own cottage pie with pickled cabbage. Desserts include the likes of rhubarb sundae, and meringue with Seville orange curd, almonds and Bristol sherry. Forthcoming events include a taster menu with matching wines. Book at least a week in adv for Fri-Sun dining. Food Tue-Sat 12noon-3pm & 7-9.30pm, Sun 12noon-3pm

ALMA TAVERN
18-20 Alma Vale Rd, Clifton, BS8 2HT
Tel: 0117 973 5171
● Menu changes every two months at this attractive pub with an upstairs theatre. Enjoy 21-day-aged sirloin, Doom Bar-battered fish & chips, fillets of sea bream, and mixed bean kiev. Plus soup of the day, and bangers & mash and weekly changing risotto. Five real ales include the aforementioned Doom Bar and Spitfire. Sunday roasts, quiz every Mon, cable and terrestrial sports on TV. St Patrick’s Day celebrations lasted for four days here. Food Mon-Fri 12noon-2.30pm & 6-10pm, Sat 12noon-10pm, Sun 12noon-4pm

ANCHOR
323 Gloucester Rd, BS7 8PE
Tel: 0117 924 1769
● Atmospheric venue in which to catch the footy, in the heart of UWE studentland. Traditional pub grub includes lasagne, all-day breakfasts, sausage & mash, steak & ale pie, chilli, burgers, chicken tikka masala, wraps and desserts. Mon is student night, Thur brings curry bargains, and it’s quiz time on Sun. Food Daily 12noon-9pm

APPLE
Welsh Back, BS1 4SB
Tel: 0117 925 3500, web: www.applecider.co.uk
● ‘Pipes with attractive curvature beside rivets, girders and portholes beneath a cobalt and honey ceiling lend downstairs a funky functionality…’ wrote Venue’s man of this boat-based boozer, quite possibly serving more ciders than any other boozer on earth. In September 2009 the Apple beat eight other regional finalists to bag the prestigious Golden Onion as national champion at the Great British Cheese Festival. Create your own bespoke dish from 28 different components including cheddar, Cornish yarg, pork pies, duck pate and Wiltshire ham, or choose from options ranging from ‘Cheeseroller’s Lunch’ to the ‘Farmhand’s Banquet’. Open Mon-Sat 12noon-12midnight Food Daily 12noon-10pm

BANK TAVERN
8 John St, BS1 2HR
Tel: 0117 930 4691, web: www.banktavern.com
● Modestly sized 255-year-old boozer with William Morris patterns, a picture of the Queen and fake khazi door among its decor. Homemade pies come in flavours like steak & ale and chicken & fennel. Lasagne, burgers, steaks and salads, too. Sunday roasts feature three kinds of meat and three kinds of gravy. Live music Thur. Food Daily 12noon-4pm

BARLEY MOW
39 Barton Rd, St Philips, BS2 0LF
Tel: 0117 930 4709, web: www.bristolbeerfactory.co.uk
● Historic boozer that received a major transformation following the Bristol Beer Factory’s arrival a couple of years back. Purpose-built in the 1820s with an impressive, authentic cellar, its walls show photographs of bygone boozers. You’ve missed the first of the four fetes it stages in the school field across the way, but the next won’t be too long a wait. Enjoy homemade beef/veggie lasagne for a fiver, and bangers & mash or gammon, egg & chips for £5.50. Pieminister pies, too, and baguette fillings include chorizo, cheddar & onion, bacon, stilton & cranberry, and brie, apple & walnut (all £4). Tue is steak night (£7.50 gets you 8oz rump or sirloin plus sauce), and the Sunday roasts are so good, they have their own Myspace page. Three Bristol Beer Factory ales plus guest on draught. Food Tue-Thur 12noon-2.30pm & 5.30-9pm, Fri-Sat 12noon-2.30pm & 5-9pm, Sun 12noon-4pm

BELL
Hillgrove St (off Jamaica St), BS2 8JT
Tel: 0117 909 6612, web: www.bell-butcombe.com
● ‘Tucked away up a Stokes Croft side-street - you’re unlikely to stumble upon its handsome tiled exterior by accident, but once inside you’ll find its understated nature ensures an unpretentious air,’ wrote Venue’s reviewer. Distinctly affordable menu includes baguettes for £3.50 (tuna & cheese, brie, olive & tomato, roast beef & horseradish) wraps £3.50, tartlets (with sauteed potatoes and side salad) £4.50, and mains like beef/vegetable nachos (£5), farm shop burger with sauteed potatoes and salad (£4.75) and fish pie (£5.50). DJs spin 9.30pm-12midnight weekdays, till 1am weekends. ‘Seriously funky’ (according to our man) courtyard garden is one of Bristol’s best-kept secrets. Food Sun-Fri lunchtimes, daily 6-8pm (sometimes 9pm)

BISHOPS
Cheltenham Rd, BS6 5QP
Tel: 0117 944 5169
● ‘Regulars travel from Downend, Mangotsfield and Kingswood, passing numerous pubs en route, to join students, businesspeople, diners and ale and wine aficionados enjoying a well-run operation offering something for everyone,’ wrote Venue’s reviewer of this classy biggie down by the Arches. Screens show sport year-round, but there’s also a female-friendly mood prevailing, a Sunday quiz and spinning by DJ Derek four times annually. Varied burger menu plus stalwarts like lasagne and ham, egg & chips, alongside a spring menu arriving in May (with lighter dishes like salads and sandwiches). Free Wi-Fi, students enjoy food and drink discounts, and there’s an executive suite for private hire, with buffet and waiting service. Food Daily 12noon-9pm

BRIDGE INN
16 Passage St, BS2 0JF
Tel: 0117 929 0942, web: www.bathales.com
● Pound-for-pound (or cubic foot for cubic foot) the best pub in Bristol? Drop in to this little wonder and decide for yourself. Specials at an extraordinarily reasonable £3.95 change twice weekly: bangers & mash, prawn marie rose tortilla wrap, vegetarian spaghetti bolognese. Enjoy pub classics (ham, egg & chips, chilli, cheesy chips), all-day breakfasts (£5.95) and real ales at £2 per pint on Mon. ‘These are humble, not highfalutin dishes,’ said our man. ‘But they come in big portions and are made and served with genuine warmth, in their own way beating anything at the Ritz.’ An eclectic vinyl collection – everything from Led Zeppelin to the Wombles – is yours to spin on the record player at this lovely boozer punching way above its weight. Look out for more frequent Sunday food offerings, and signature dishes like burgers and pizza on Sat lunchtimes sometime soon. Food Mon-Fri 12noon-3pm, last Sun monthly (lunchtime roasts)

NEW
BRISTOL CIDER HOUSE
8-9 Surrey St, St Pauls, BS2 8PS
Tel: 0117 942 8196, web: www.bristolciderhouse.co.uk
● What was the Surrey Wine Vaults has become the Bristol Cider House since last year’s guide. Drinking options and decor are very much (but not solely) based on the juice of the apple, and the food is designed as accompaniment: homemade beef stew, vegetable stew, ploughman’s, gert big baps with fillings like beef, cheese and pickle and ham going into four-seed bread. Pork pies continue the bucolic theming. It plays its part in the St Pauls Carnival and other local shindigs, and has 345 Facebook bezzies at time of going to print, so these are cyberheads as much as ciderheads. Eight ciders on draught and at least 12 in bottles, with much sourced from North Somerset farms. Cider and wine tasting evenings proving popular, and a cider festival is due for May 2010. Open Mon-Thur 5-11pm, Fri-Sat 12noon-late, Sun 12noon-10.30pm Food Mon-Thur 5-8pm, Fri 12noon-2.30pm & 5-8pm, Sat 12noon-4pm & 6-8pm, Sun 2-9pm

BRISTOL FLYER
96 Gloucester Rd, Bishopston, BS7 8BN
Tel: 0117 944 1658, web: www.theflyerbristol.co.uk
● A former Venue Top Banana bronze-bagger serving up all things to all people when it comes to food, drink and entertainment. The feel is very much like being at home, with comfy sofas dotted within dark nooks and crannies an invitation to relax unconditionally. Quizzes on Mon, and books, board games and even a craft corner to keep you busy. There’s a belter of a garden out back, too. Chef Bertie’s CV includes time at Giraffe in Hampstead, Beach Blanket Babylon in Notting Hill and the former Stark in Bristol. Food features the likes of pork belly with honey-glazed apples, scampi & chips, fish & chips, falafel flatbread, and rib-eye steak sandwiches. Food Mon-Sat 12noon-11pm, Sun 12noon-9.30pm

THE BRISTOL RAM
32 Park Street, Bristol BS1 5JA
Tel 0117 926 8654, web: www.bristolram.com
● Contemporary pub grub classics constitute the order of the day at this lively, welcoming pub. Find Riverford Farm sausages, Pieminister pies, boisterous burgers and perfect chips on seasonal, freshly cooked, largely locally sourced menus alongside a bar selection that includes plenty of real ales and continental lagers. Meanwhile, live music every Fri/Sat evening and live sporting action on big, high definition screens keep attention levels up while you feast and quaff. Price ALC: £5.50 (sandwiches etc)-£11 approx. Wine list Extensive selection of globally sourced wines, real ales, continental lagers, English ciders. HW approx £14 btl Open Mon-Thur 11am-midnight, Fri-Sat 11am-2.30am, Sun 12noon-11pm Food served Mon-Fri 12noon-2.30pm & 5pm-10pm Sat-Sun 12noon-10pm Disabled access - call in adv. Parties welcome; private hire party rooms & buffet menus available.

CADBURY HOUSE
68 Richmond Rd, Montpelier, BS6 5EW
Tel: 0117 924 7874
● Montpelier institution, with a top garden, where delicious homecooked food at affordable prices is the order of the day. Fine beers, ciders and spirits selection, too. A friendly vibe is always guaranteed.

CAMBRIDGE ARMS
Coldharbour Rd, Redland, BS6 7JS
Tel: 0117 973 9786
● Fullers’ ace ales end up in the grub here, with that lovely London Pride enhancing the steak & ale pie’s gravy, and Discovery added to the batter for a better fish (hake) & chips. Some changes are in the air here – with lunchtime panini due to arrive – but expect dishes along the lines of spaghetti bolognese, homemade burgers, pork loin, mussels, ham, egg & chips, and sausage, mash, liver & onions and mussels appearing on the main menu or specials board. Quiz on Sun. Food Mon-Fri 12noon-3pm & 6-9pm, Sat all day, Sun 12noon-2.30pm/3pm (roasts) with main menu resuming after a 45-min break

CLIFTON
16 Regent St, Clifton, BS8 4HG
Tel: 0117 974 1967, web: www.thecliftonbristol.co.uk
● Wilfully eclectic furniture and admirably diverse drink options. Homemade burgers in 8oz/10oz sizes (toppings include chorizo, goat’s cheese, onion relish), steak & ale pie with mash and veg, mini pies and HP sauce, Tuscan bean cake and lentil burgers, plus snacks and sharers. Sunday roasts bring beef, pork, chicken and nut roast in epic proportions and everything’s conjured up in an open kitchen. Excellent booze options include seven draught lagers (Paulaner, Peroni, Staropramen, Amstel), with Hogan’s Cider and Clifton Ale from those lovely Bath Ales people also on draught. Tue sees the Clifton Factor quiz, the Grab My Grapes promo on Wed brings major discounts on bottles of wine, and there’s live music on Thur. Food Mon-Thur 12noon-3pm & 5-10pm, Fri-Sat 12noon-10pm, Sun 12noon-9pm

NEW
CLIFTON COW
33-37 Gordon Rd, Clifton, BS8 1AW
Tel: 0117 923 7542
● You can tell a Bristol Uni graduate’s age by the name they use when referring to the boozer across from their student union building - formerly the Richmond Spring and Clifton Sports Bar, then the Two Magpies, and now the Cow. Fill up on traditional pub grub (bangers & mash, pies, burgers, sandwiches) amid traditional decor with modern smartness. Food Mon-Wed 5-9pm, Thur-Sat 12noon-9pm, Sun 12noon-6pm

COACH & HORSES
Highland Square, Clifton, BS8 2YB
Tel: 0117 974 5176
● Neighbourhood pub enjoying a reputation for fine food and drink: sweet chilli pork belly, lasagne, ploughman’s, half-roast chicken, baked camembert and pork in stilton sauce. Eye-catching decor includes an impressive array of signed sports shirts, wherein Flintoff and Vaughan line up beside Dallaglio and Johnson. Up to five real ales at any one time, open mic on Mon, monthly quiz. Food Mon-Wed 6-9pm, Thur-Sat 12noon-2pm & 6-9pm, Sun 12noon-3pm

COLSTON YARD
Colston St, BS1 5BD
Tel: 0117 376 3232, web: www.colstonyard-butcombe.com
● “We’re not an arsey style bar!” the manager of this city centre boozer, grill and restaurant with a rural pub’s charm told our man. This incarnation is unrecognisable from its time as the (Smiles Brewery) Tap, but the commitment to decent beer remains, with Camra Cask Marque recognition bestowed last year. Superb array of beers from around the world and nearer to home - and those drinking a yard of ale in under a minute win T-shirts. Food takes in starters and light bites (whitebait, smoked mackerel pate, soup of the day, French bread pizzas, mussels, scallops) and mains (fish & chips, liver & bacon & homemade pie of the day), plus steaks, salads, pasta, burgers, jackets and baguettes. Comfy sofas inside; light, continental seating on the pavement outside. Food Daily 12noon-9.30pm

COTTAGE INN
Baltic Wharf, Cumberland Rd, BS1 6XG
Tel: 0117 921 5256
● Traditional and homecooked food enhances the homely ambience at this harbourside wonder. A full menu and daily changing specials include lasagne, chilli (plus veggie option), scampi, bangers & mash, gammon steak, hunter’s chicken, jacket potatoes and a couple of kinds of rosti, with fish pie an occasional special. A beautiful spot for Sunday lunch, either indoors beside the fire or outside overlooking the water. Friendly staff, and quizzes in winter. Food Mon-Sat 12noon-9.30pm, Sun 12noon-9pm

ELDON HOUSE
6 Lower Clifton Hill, BS8 1BT
Tel: 0117 922 1271, web: www.theeldonhouse.com
● Charming boozer off the beaten track. Extensive recent refurbishments include a modern, glass-roofed conservatory and greater integration of front and back rooms. Wherever you’re eating, choose from dishes like fish & chips, sausage & mash, ham, egg & chips, burgers, baguettes and panini, while Sunday brings a roast. Games night Mon, quiz on Tue, and Wednesdays have seen themed food nights taking in the likes of sausages and curry. Food Daily 12noon-2.30pm & 5-10pm

FARM
Hopetoun Rd, St Werburghs, BS2 9YJ
Tel: 0117 944 2384, web: www.thefarmpub.weebly.com
● Nestled between the City Farm and St Werburghs’ allotments, the Farm is a short walk from the M32 and Gloucester Road. Its friendly and relaxed atmosphere, spacious garden, mural-covered exterior and cosy interior welcome young and old. Food reflects the clientele – drop in for a filling meal after a hard night’s partying or a Sunday lunch with the in-laws. Traditional dishes (bangers & mash), a taste of the Med, the ever-popular pitta platters, homemade ‘St Werburgers’, and renowned Sunday lunches – get there early! All meat and veg is locally sourced where possible, and veggies and vegans are well catered for. Recent addition of a coffee machine is a good idea for those who aren’t drinking. Food Mon 12noon-4pm, Tue-Fri 12noon-8pm, Sat-Sun 12noon-4pm

FULL MOON & ATTIC BAR
1 North St, Stokes Croft, BS1 3PR
Tel: 0117 924 5007, web: www.myspace.com/atticlivesessions
● Multi-functional operation with eating and drinking, backpacker accommodation, DJs and bands. It’s quite the place for a shindig, too - Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry chose the Attic Bar for his afterparty following a Bristol gig. Buffets for parties of 20-plus. Seasonally changing menus use high-quality organic and free-range ingredients: steak, chicken breast, lamb shank, bangers & mash (with vegetarian option), vegetarian lasagne, fish of the day. Two courses for £10 daily (5-8pm), daily changing specials £5. DJs spin at weekends, and there are 2-4-1 drinks offers daily 9-10pm. If you’re in no fit state for the journey home, 70 onsite beds with eco-friendly organic cotton linen await. Open Mon-Fri 12noon-2am, Sat 11am-2am, Sun 11am-10pm Food Mon-Fri 12noon-8.30pm, Sat 11am-8.30pm, Sun 11am-5pm

GOLDEN GUINEA
19 Guinea St, Redcliffe, BS1 6SX
Tel: 0117 987 2034, web: www.thegoldenguinea.co.uk
● A major refit has brought a funkier feel to this tucked-away tavern where Blackbeard was alleged to have drunk. Footy fans longing for terraces will find three here – one out front, two out back – with the downstairs lounge leading to the lower terrace. Food is West Country tapas (pate, cheeses), ciabattas, pies, etc. Graffer Cheo has dropped in, the Nowt 2 Do DJs provide cool tunes, and Sunday acoustic sessions recently featured Maddie Jones – one to watch. Food Mon-Fri 12noon-3pm & 5-8pm, Sat-Sun 12noon-8pm

GRAPES
2 Sion Place, Clifton, BS8 4AX
Tel: 0117 914 9109
● Recently extensively refurbished, with food (24-hour slow-roast pork, mushroom strudel) now in the hands of a chef who’s cooked for royalty. ‘That might have been one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten,’ sighed our reviewer’s companion. Simple but good pub food is the order of the day. Things are headed in a Mexican-ish direction (chilli ‘cowboy’ beans, kebab wraps, burgers) at the moment, but they’re just as likely to head towards Italy or Greece when the chef fancies a change of course. Keep an eye on what you’ve ordered, mind - our man enjoyed some priceless eavesdropping as the barmaid told one punter, “Paul McGann ate your enchilada.” Rock ‘n’ roll bingo Wed, music pretty much every Fri, cutting-edge artwork always on the walls. Check the Facebook group to keep updated on one of Clifton’s coolest places. Food Wed-Sat 6pm-12midnight, Sun: open 1-5pm, food usually sold out by 4pm

GREEN MAN
21 Alfred Place, Kingsdown, BS2 8HD
Tel: 0117 930 4824. web: www.dawkins-taverns.co.uk
● Name reflects its MO, serving only organic and natural drinks where possible. Six real ales (Dawkins’ Green Barrel Organic Best Bitter a permanent fixture), and a different guest arriving roughly weekly. Grub is organic, traditional English pub fare (sausage & mash, stews, pasties, cheese platter), with ‘Stewsday’ on Tue and fish & chips on Fri. Pub cats George and Mr Bingley are always gently entertaining. Organic beer fest in Sept 2010 promises 25 different brews. Formerly the Bell. Food Tue-Sat 5-9pm, Fri 12noon-2pm, Sun 12noon-4pm

HARE ON THE HILL
Dove St, Kingsdown, BS2 8LX
Tel: 0117 908 1982, web: www.bathales.com
● It’s farewell to Hannah and Alex but hello to new boss David (with new chef in tow) keeping the food and drinking coming at this hillside beauty. Drop in for dishes like chilli or steak & Barnstormer pie with homemade chunky chips, all washed down with Bath Ales beers (£2.45-£2.95 a pint at time of going to press). Roasts on Sundays, and homemade desserts are always on at £2.95. Other drinks include organic lager and cider. All major sporting events shown (Sky Sports, ESPN), live music Sun eves, quiz 8.30pm Mon. Food Mon-Fri 12noon-2pm & 6-9pm, Sat 12noon-9pm, Sun 12noon-4pm

HEN & CHICKEN
210 North St, Bedminster, BS3 1JF
Tel: 0117 966 3143, web: www.henandchicken.com
● A steady stream of punters ordering drinks in French means that local language group Alliance Française is staging another of its performance nights at this Bedminster boozer with its second-floor function space. Smiling punters indicated that the Comedy Box is packing them in, thanks to a calendar of top-name comedians. If you’re dropping in to dine, starters include hummus and flatbread mezze, with impressive choices across breakfasts, grills, pasta, pizza and salad menus. Live music on the horizon. Food Mon-Fri 12noon-3pm & 6-10pm, Sat-Sun 9am-10pm

HIGHBURY VAULTS
164 St Michaels Hill, BS2 8DE
Tel: 0117 973 3203
● Made the news a while ago when a Nick Walker mural appeared on one of its walls. Depicting a graffiti artist climbing up Rapunzel’s hair, it’s an image not a million miles from how some punters ended up here – this is the place where condemned prisoners spent their last night before finding themselves on the end of a rope. On the food front, think sausage & mash, pies, chilli (which has been rated by Egon Ronay), curry, nachos and soup. Most dishes start around £5, with rolls and jackets among the bargains. Veggies catered for admirably amid the constantly changing specials. Guaranteed to be rammed come August when St Michaels Hill stages its annual Party on the Hill. Food Mon-Fri 12noon-2.30pm & 5.30-8.30pm, Sat lunchtime

HOPE & ANCHOR
38 Jacobs Wells Rd, BS8 1DR
Tel: 0117 929 2987
● An absence of TVs, games machines and pool tables, and the presence of leaded windows and bountiful Worcestershire hops, flags, wooden flooring and a British racing green-and-cream colour scheme lend the front bar a traditional boozer feel. Eclectic specials and traditional English grub offer up everything from pies, pancakes, soups, sarnies and breaded haddock to lasagne, lamb curry, fresh whole trout and organic falafel. A glorious celebration of our nation’s culinary treasure – the Sunday roast – sees them queuing before opening. Equally folkloric are the ploughman’s lunches, with a tasty trio of items selected from a staggering 36 different potential components. A refurb in recent years brought some smartening-up without losing any of the character. Out back there’s a quirky terraced garden where ivy-covered stumps, runaway creepers and a veritable sewing-machine graveyard create a friendly vibe. Open Mon-Sat 12noon-11pm, Sun 12noon-10.30pm

HOPHOUSE
16 Kings Rd, Clifton, BS8 4AB
Tel: 0117 923 7390
● Tucked away off a Clifton side-street and frequented by professionals and students, this grade ll-listed great exudes a classy air. Food options include rustic baguettes, homemade burgers, sharing boards and fresh fish dishes. Enjoys a strong reputation for wine, with ale given admirable presence amid the stylish surroundings. Food Daily, all day

INN ON THE GREEN
2 Filton Rd, BS7 0PA
Tel: 0117 952 1391
● Big, rambling old boozer that functions very much as a proper, solid community pub, and Camra Bristol and District Pub of the Year 2006. Restaurant onsite, and a regularly changing, well-executed menu influenced by cuisine from across the world while maintaining British classics (including liver & bacon). Saturday night brings you two mains and a bottle of wine for £20. Our reviewer wrote that the goose comprised thick slices of tender, superbly seared bird nestling against generous dollops of sweet sloe berry jelly, and that the steak was beautifully cooked and nicely blackened on the outside, with a real depth of flavour. Lunchtime sarnies use a range of Herberts breads, roast on Sunday, quiz on Sun in aid of charity, and music twice monthly. Keep an eye out for the annual May beer festival, with around 100 ales plus 60 ciders likely to be served to up to 1,000. Food Tue-Sat 12noon-3pm & 6-9pm, Sun 12noon-4pm

JERSEY LILY
193 Whiteladies Rd, BS8 2SB
Tel: 0117 973 9037, web: www.jerseylily.co.uk
● Enduringly popular and serving Roma coffee, starters, sandwiches, jackets, regular mains (ham, egg & chips, chilli, lasagne, sausage & mash, gammon, burgers) and specials. Beer and wine options above pub average, but what’s particularly special is the whisky range - around a half-century of sublime sups. The Six Nations was watched by fans enjoying drinks promos and food themed to competing teams; winners of the Monday quiz were given time behind the bar as a prize. Check website for live music details. Food Mon-Fri 10am-2.30pm & 5-9pm, Sat-Sun 12noon-9pm

KELLAWAY
138-140 Kellaway Avenue, Horfield, BS6 7YQ
Tel: 0117 924 5368
● New manager has upped what was an already upped menu, all of it freshly cooked: excellent fish options smoked haddock, cod, prawn & chive fishcakes, Cornish beer-battered cod), beef & ale pie, panfried marinated supreme of chicken. The beer range is worthy of much praise, with between seven and nine real ales always on. Events have included a Wickwar and Bristol Beer Factory breweries tasting day and hog roast. The attractive south-facing garden is perfect for alfresco eating and drinking. Back indoors, the lounge and snug come with traditional fireplaces. Happy hour Tue-Fri 4-7pm and all day Mon, quiz on Wed, and live music staged once the licence has been sorted. Definitely one to watch, this place is on the up-and-up. Open Mon-Sat 12noon-11pm, Sun 12noon-10.30pm

KENSINGTON ARMS
35-37 Stanley Rd, Redland, BS6 6NP
Tel: 0117 944 6444, web: www.thekensingtonarms.co.uk
● Head chef Daniel Snelling brings experience gained at riverstation and elsewhere to bear on food that’s been consistently excellent since the Kensington got its tasteful refurbishment and revitalisation a few years ago. Huge picture window in the dining room lets you sneak a peek into the drama going on in the kitchen. Starters include Cornish crab bisque & crab on toast (£5.50), Bath chaps, salsa verde & crispy pig’s ears (£6.50), and warm smoked wood pigeon, parsnip fondant & cumberland sauce (£7). The famed Kensington burger, made from prime White Park beef, costs £11.50. Other mains include risotto (£10.50), spiced confit duck leg (£12.50), and fish stew with griddled bread and rouille (£12.50). Dine leisurely or get comfy on a cheerful sofa or slinky chaise lounge with a glass of wine or pint. Colourful street parties have been held in recent years, with a hog roast on the horizon for 2010. Outside terrace perfect for alfresco summers, quiz nights on Sun. Open Mon-Thur 12noon-11pm, Fri 12noon-12midnight, Sat 10am-12midnight, Sun 12noon-10.30pm Food Mon-Fri 12noon-3pm, Sat 10am-3pm, Sun 12noon-4pm, Mon-Sat 6-10pm

KING WILLIAM
20 King St, BS1 4ES
Tel: 0117 926 8672
● Gloriously characterful and quirky historic beauty rambling through numerous rooms over five floors. Seating ranges from gentleman’s club armchairs in the loungey areas to wooden booths beside the main bar. Food takes in pies, lasagne (plus veggie option), fish & chips, chilli, macaroni cheese and caesar salad. Service is impressively fast. Much-loved by punters for its easygoing air - conversation is king here. You won’t find TVs, music or multinational branding, but you will find Soil Association-approved and Fairtrade drinks on draught and in bottles, with vegan and vegetarian quaffers well catered for. Organic wheat beer, cherry beer and cola, and ale starts at an excellent-value £1.83 a pint. Dartboard, three pool tables (free pool Tue, comp every first Mon in the month) and Fussball. Food Daily 12noon-8pm

KINGSDOWN VAULTS
31 Kingsdown Parade, BS6 5UE
Tel 0117 924 9134, web: www.kingsdownvaults.com
● You’ll find between two and four real ales, 20 wines by the glass and excellent ploughmanesque (their word) dining: platters, toasted sandwiches (ham & cheese, hummus, artichoke & aioli). Landscaped courtyard garden for alfresco chilling, cosy fire indoors for toasting marshmallows. Fondue party fans can make like Bristol University’s Cheese Society and arrange a booking, and wine lovers get a club, membership of which brings special offers. Friendly staff who know their stuff, an impressive array of board games, a book exchange scheme and regular quiz nights and musical events add to the appeal of this boozer’s undoubted charm. Poker due to start Tue. Free Wi-Fi. Open Mon-Thur 5pm-12midnight, Fri-Sat 12noon-1am, Sun 12noon-10.30pm

LANSDOWN
8 Clifton Rd, BS8 1AF
Tel: 0117 973 4949
● In an age when the wine bar and even the overly refurbished pub threaten to deprive Clifton of its character, this place is steeped in the stuff. This enduring charmer on the edge of Clifton Village consistently comes up with the drinking, dining and entertainment goods. Pub food is the order of the day: soups, calamari, hand-cut chunky chips, bangers & mash, chilli, a renowned New Yorker hamburger, lamb burger, roast beef with stilton ciabatta. Beers from independent local breweries, and popular decking out back - the marquee comes and goes with the seasons, and there will be alfresco viewing of the World Cup. Upstairs function room plays host to bands, and poetry, short story and Shakespearean events. Much-loved quiz on Wed. Food Mon-Wed 5-10pm, Thur-Sat 12noon-10pm, Sun 12.30-4.30pm

NEW
LAZY DOG
112 Ashley Down Rd, Ashley Down, BS7 9JR
Tel: 0117 924 4809, web: www.thelazydogbristol.com
● So-new-the-paint’s-still-wet boozer, third in the Pipe and Slippers/Windmill family, and standing where the Ashley Arms once stood. Expect echoes of its siblings, with a family-friendly feel enhanced by baby-changing facilities and a jukebox playing 45rpm records. Extensive refurbishment saw a new entrance and upstairs bar (suitable for private hire) created, freeing wood from upstairs to be used downstairs, with other facilities including dartboard, smoking area and large garden. Food will start simple – halloumi salad, bread & hummus, homemade tomato & thyme soup, mezze platters, bangers & mash – before heading towards English tapas like potted shrimps and pigs in blankets. Sunday roasts till sold out. Food Daily 11am-10pm

THE LION
19 Church Lane, Cliftonwood BS8 4TX
Tel: 0117 926 8492, web: www.thelionclifton.com
● Legendary Cliftonwood hostelry with a decent selection of wines, cask ales and cider on tap plus homemade gastropub dining. Family-run and child friendly, with a beer garden overlooking the adjacent children’s park. Check out the Wednesday quiz – not for the faint-hearted, we’re told. Open daily 11am-11.30pm. Food Mon-Fri 6-9.30pm, Sat all day, Sun 12.30-3.30pm (booking advised) and 6-9.30pm

MARKET PLACE
20 St Nicholas St, BS1 1UB
Tel: 0117 929 3561, web: www.themarketplacebristol.co.uk
● Decent, hearty, traditional pub food served up with a smile in the city centre. Starters include chicken liver pate with pickles and squash chutney, soft herring roes with garlic butter and parsley, and gypsy eggs with smoked ham hock and black pudding. Mains include jacob’s ladder (ribs), braised veal cheek, and faggots. For dessert, try bitter rich chocolate pot with chocolate chip cookie or vanilla rice pudding with spiced apple compote. Food Tue-Sat 12noon-3pm & 6-10pm

MASON’S ARMS
124 Park Rd, Stapleton, BS16 1DT
Tel: 0117 939 3919
● ‘We enjoyed a flavoursome stilton ploughman’s and some filling cheesy chips in an extraordinary rear garden rivalling Babylon’s hanging version,’ wrote our reviewer of an easily-missed mid-terrace marvel. ‘Its exterior promises little, but on entering you find the dinkiest of snugs and a larger main bar complete with natty model motorbikes.’ There’s even more colour, come Bonfire Night’s extraordinary fireworks. Tasty pub classics include banger & onion baps, fishcakes, chilli, spag bol and scampi. Open Mon-Sat 11am-close, Sun 12noon-close Food Tue-Sat 12noon-2.30pm

MERCHANTS ARMS
5 Merchants Rd, Hotwells, BS8 4PZ
Tel: 0117 904 0037, web: www.bathales.com
● Hotwells hop haven. Being part of the Bath Ales family, they take their beer seriously here, with at least three of the brewery’s beers plus guest always on. The food’s top, too - the handmade pork pies are the best this side of Melton Mowbray. Steak, kidney & ale pies, cheese & onion pasties, sandwiches and baguettes are the perfect accompaniment to a pint or two. Quiz every Thur. Open/Food Mon-Thur 4-11pm, Fri-Sun 12noon-11pm

MOUSE
Waters Lane, Westbury on Trym, BS9 4AA
Tel: 0117 940 5554
● ‘Charming, homely and female-friendly but not twee,’ wrote Venue’s reviewer of this Westbury-on-Trym wonder presided over by a Glaswegian-Dubliner couple, with English and Welsh bar staff. October’s annual chilli night is a ‘last man standing’ evening when the brave and the foolhardy work their way up to tasting a toothpick with 1,000,000 Scoville-rated capsicum on its end. Combos and pub grub include Thai fishcakes, steak & kidney pudding, hunter’s chicken, gammon steak, and cumberland sausage & chips. A TV set is to arrive in the beauty of a beer garden in time for the World Cup. Poker on Wed and Sat, quiz on Thur, live music every couple of months. Mon-Thur 12noon-2pm & 5-7.30pm means dishes like cottage pie or all-day breakfasts for less than £4. Food Mon-Tue 12noon-8pm, Wed-Sat 12noon-9pm, Sun 12noon-6pm

OLD FISH MARKET
59-63 Baldwin St, BS1 1QZ
Tel: 0117 921 1515
● Handsome city centre biggie at premises that, as the name suggests, formerly sold the sea’s bounty. There’s still a tunnel leading from the cellar to the river, and a splendid mural depicts a bygone shipside scene. Sport is shown on sizeable screens in an atmosphere that’s always passionate but never excessively so. Beer is also big, with Camra holding meetings and using the venue to sell tickets for their beer festivals. It’s a Fullers pub, so there’s that mighty fine London Pride among the brews on draught and in bottles, with London Porter delighting many as went to press. Varied food options range from westernised Thai fusion (pad Thai noodles, green curry & spicy chilli basil stirfry) to pub grub (burgers, Bangkok sirloin, fish & chips) on a regularly tweaked menu. Food Mon-Fri 12noon-3pm & 5-10pm, Sat 12noon-10pm, Sun 12noon-5pm

OSTRICH INN
Lower Guinea St, Redcliffe, BS1 6TJ
Tel: 0117 927 3774
● Friendly historical pub standing back from Bristol’s bustling harbourside. A daily curry club offer comes complete with a free drink, and English pub classics include scampi, burgers, gammon, fishcakes, and bangers & mash, with a veggie bake ensuring all bases are covered. Feed your inner Canuck with a Canadian melt (the dish formerly known as a chicken & bacon melt). Food Daily 12noon-9pm (in summer)

PIPE & SLIPPERS
118 Cheltenham Rd, Stokes Croft, BS6 5RW
Tel: 0117 942 7711, web: www.thepipeandslippers.com
● Mixes local pub feel with an impressive drinks selection, ace grub and wicked staff. Homecooked, wholesome pub grub takes in chicken, saffron & chorizo stew with homemade bread, cumberland sausage with mash, onion relish and parsnip chips, and slow-roast belly of pork with savoy cabbage and mashed potato. Rammed every Sunday for mighty fine roasts, with hand-reared meat from Windmill Hill City Farm. Splendid real ale and cocktail options, plus DJs on Sun. Events have included their Easter Sunday Soul Session, with the decks manned for 10 hours of heavenly tunes. Open/Food Mon-Wed 5pm-12midnight, Thur-Fri 5pm-1am, Sat 12noon-1am, Sun 12noon-12midnight

PORT OF CALL
3 York St, Clifton, BS8 2YE
Tel: 0117 973 3600
● There’s exemplary thought going into celebrating saints’ days here - St Patrick is toasted with beef & Guinness pie, Irish stew, Irish potato bake for vegetarians and Baileys & chocolate cake for dessert, while St George gets fish & chips, steak, a traditional pie, stilton & broccoli soup, and possibly even a pigeon. Roger and wife Carol preside over this nautically themed beauty just off Whiteladies Road, with fishing nets and lobster pots testimony to their desire to run a pub on the coast. Son Martin stars in the kitchen, with a solid regular menu featuring traditional pub fare like homemade lamb casserole, chilli, pork casserole, pies and roast chicken. Five real ales are always on, with Doom Bar, Otter and Wickwar Bob regular fixtures. “Don’t write anything good about the place,” the chap in the Lundy Island sweatshirt told our reviewer. “It’s busy enough as it is…” Food Mon-Fri 12noon-2pm & 5.30-9pm, Sat all day, Sun 12noon-4pm

PORTCULLIS
3 Wellington Terrace, Sion Hill, Clifton, BS8 4LE
Tel: 0117 908 5536
● Runner-up Camra Bristol Pub of the Year 2010. Up to nine real ales on at any time, with four major beer festivals annually adding to the admirable variety. Food takes in Pieminister pies, homecooked dishes and Sunday roasts. Alas, a sign by the fire – her favourite spot – requests no feeding of pub Jack Russell Daisy. At least that way she’ll stay just like the pub – small and perfectly formed. Food Tue-Thur 5-9pm, Fri 12noon-2pm & 5-9pm, Sat 12noon-9pm

POST OFFICE TAVERN
17 Westbury Hill, Westbury on Trym, BS9 3AG
Tel: 0117 940 1233, web: www.post-office-tavern.co.uk
● This traditional local was originally a mail coach house. Visit today and see the old jail across the road where prisoners were locked up on their way to court as the mail man and his nags got their respective nosebags. Fascinating post office imagery is dotted throughout, including an old telephone box within the pub itself. Sky and terrestrial sports shown. Find pizzas famed city-wide (with 2-4-1 offer on Mon) plus light bites like baguettes and salad. Happy hour all day on Wed, quiz on Thur. Food Mon-Sat 12noon-2pm & 6-9pm

PRINCE OF WALES
5 Gloucester Rd, BS7 8AA
Tel: 0117 924 5552, web: www.powbristol.co.uk
● Good, rich, nourishing fare using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients: chilli beef, bacon & cheese burger, 180g rump steak with rosemary roast potatoes, glazed beetroot & spinach, vegan cashew nut & date tagine with coriander couscous & beetroot relish. Lighter dishes include nachos, halloumi, and bang bang chicken with mojo sauce. Adhering to the Soil Association’s Food, Service and Catering Code of Practice requires them to disclose the origins of anything they’re using in the kitchen. There’s some neat variation in the Monday quizzes: those on the first Mon monthly, in aid of a local music charity, are for serious, clever types, while others get punters making stuff out of newspaper and drinking various tipples. Acoustic music Wed. Food Mon-Sat 12noon-9.30pm, Sun 12noon-4pm

PRINCE OF WALES
Stoke Lane, Westbury on Trym, BS9 3SP
Tel: 0117 962 3715, web: www.princeofwales-butcombe.com
● Lively, friendly local with open fires, where a rugby-loving clientele scrum down for scrummy chow amid an old, classic-style pub mood. Dishes include baguettes (try the bacon & brie), wraps, Pieminister pies, fish & chips and soup. Excellent garden with its own TV. Food Mon-Sat 12noon-2pm

PUMP HOUSE
Merchants Rd, Hotwells, BS8 4PZ
Tel: 0117 927 2229, web: www.the-pumphouse.com
● A former Victorian pumping station housing a handsome dockside boozer, making for a place for top eating, drinking and music. Suntrap patio, too. It’s quite the spot for private functions: the water out front lends itself to some beautiful wedding-day photography. It’s enjoyed great success since Toby Gritten, formerly the Albion head chef, began cooking for the upstairs restaurant operation and downstairs gastropub. Renovation restored original features (brickwork, wooden beams) and brought in Victorian period colours. Good-quality, modern, British food features on the menu - look out for innovative, seasonal dining using foraged ingredients: chanterelle, slippery jack boletes, autumn berries and wild apples. Booking generally advisable when dining. Music on Sun from 4pm. Food Daily 12noon-3pm & 6-9.30pm (6.30-9.30pm Sat)

QUADRANT
2 Princess Victoria St, Clifton, BS8 4BP
Tel: 0117 974 1025, web: www.quadrantbar.com
● ‘The look is classy and smart but the feel sufficiently pub-like for a sole chap to nurse a pint with his novel during Venue’s visit,’ wrote Venue’s reviewer. The Quadrant may be among Bristol’s smaller pubs, but it covers many bases admirably. With at least 35 plonks, its wine bar credentials are impeccable, but you’ll also find real ale lovers in here regularly. Must-visit wine cellar is perfect for private parties and stages popular wine tastings. Bar snacks (pizzas, nachos, homemade sausage rolls, baked whole camembert) are ideal for sharing. Open/Food Daily 11am-12midnight

REOPENED
QUINTON HOUSE
2 Park Place, Clifton, BS8 1JW
Tel: 0117 909 3857
● This dinky one-roomer re-opened mid-Nov 2009, and is looking better than ever. It was closed for a year and a half before Patrick and Annie – formerly of the now-demolished Artichoke – brought their experience to bear at a boozer already known for its beer. Pub classics are going down a treat at lunchtimes.

REOPENED
ROBIN HOOD
56 St Michaels Hill, BS2 8BX
Tel: 0117 929 4433
● Reopened in February after being shut for around four months. A la carte homemade pub food takes in ham hock terrine, sea bream, goat’s cheese, leek tart, fishcakes and homemade desserts. Cut-above drinks include draughts from Belgium, Germany and the US, plus an Avery’s wine list. Sky Sports, function room, quiz on Sun, live music Thur. Beer and cider fests in the pipeline. Food Mon-Fri 12noon-2.30pm & 5-9.30pm, Sat all day, Sun all day

ROBIN HOOD’S RETREAT
197 Gloucester Rd, BS7 8BG
Tel: 0117 924 8639, web: www.robinhoodsretreat.co.uk
● A silver Top Banana award in 2008 followed on from a silver Top Banana in 2007 at this benchmark-setting gastropub with its attractive back garden. Seasonal menu changes every 10-14 days. ‘The Shetland Island scallops were spot-on,’ wrote Venue’s reviewer, ‘paired with the bloody warmth of black pudding and a tangle of creamed leeks, shoots and cresses. For mains, evaporatingly soft and yielding organic calves’ livers and roast rump of lamb come accompanied by a separate dark and sticky pile of braised mutton with turnip and anchovy gratin.’ Enjoy Cornish pollack, steak & chips, and lamb shank with mushroom & chive dumplings There’s always a real sense of excitement over what’s coming out of the kitchen here, not to mention around eight real ales that change on a regular basis. Food Mon-Sat 12noon-3pm, Mon 6-9pm, Tue-Sat 6-9.30pm, Sun 12noon-3.30pm

ROSE OF DENMARK
6 Dowry Place, Hotwells, BS8 4QL
Tel: 0117 940 5866, web: www.theroseofdenmark.com
● When God invented pubs, he created the Rose of Denmark as a temple of excellence: a big, shouty, friendly neighbourhood boozer with bags of atmosphere, good beer and unpretentious but top-quality cooking. Landlady Jess and hubby Gary take an honest approach to dining: “There’s a bloody great big rumbler for the spuds, which are then chipped and cooked.” Pub grub of the ham, egg & chips variety is enjoyed at lunchtime, with evening delights including ribs, Thai green curry, toad in the hole, risotto and fishcakes, and a roister of a roast on Sunday. Early breakfasts, too. Open mic Wed, quiz Thur. Food Mon-Fri 7am-2.30pm, Sat 8.30am-2.30pm, Tue-Sat 5.30-10pm, Sun 8.30am-4pm

RUMMER HOTEL
All Saints Lane, BS1 1JH
Tel: 0117 929 0111, web: www.therummer.net
● Rightly considered a Bristol institution – if not legend – for many decades now, the old place is still at the top of its game, with a new downstairs cocktail lounge, The Cellars (see Bars). Food spans brunch, smaller plates and sandwiches to modern English/European-influenced dining later on: pan-roast duck breast, Devonshire braised beef, panfried monkfish. You’ll find spirit and bottled-beer selections of breathtaking breadth, as befit the surroundings, which ooze class from every pore. That said, the mood is admirably relaxed – guests have been known to fall asleep on the sofas after making themselves at home. Private parties catered for. Food Mon-Fri 11am-3pm & 6-10pm, Sat 11am-5pm & 6-10pm, Sun 1-5pm & 6-9.30pm

SCOTCHMAN & HIS PACK
20 St Michaels Hill, BS2 8DX
Tel: 0117 373 0138, web: www.thescotchman.co.uk
● Serving up light bites, baguette deals, jackets, dishes of the day, specials, burgers and sides, plus fish and curry options, alongside good ale and cider range. Wed quiz, free Wi-Fi. Food Mon-Sat 12noon-3pm & 6-9pm

SHIP INN
7-9 Lower Park Row, BS1 5BJ
Tel: 0117 929 4390
● Limited eating options here are pizzas served as opening times, with roasts due to be sold on Sundays 12.30-5pm. Wi-Fi, Sky Sports and ESPN, folk music Mon. NUS/NHS 10% discount. Open Mon-Fri 4-11pm, Sat 3pm-12midnight, Sun 12noon-10.30pm

SOMERSET HOUSE
11 Princess Victoria St, Clifton, BS8 4BX
Tel: 0117 973 6831, web: www.thesomersethouse.co.uk
● Wonderful pub under the safe stewardship of Rose of Denmark stars Jess and Gary. Visitors to both pubs will recognise echoes like the handsome woodwork, reclaimed slate, Brasso optic and platform clock. Rugby is particularly popular here, with free half-time Six Nations scran. Flounce-free food made fresh in house includes breakfasts, faggots, curry, ham, egg & chips, and sandwiches. Open mic Tue, 80s night Thur, live music Fri and an onsite Joanna if you’re after tinkling the ivories. Food Daily 10am-3pm, restricted menu till 12noon

SPOTTED COW
139 North St, Bedminster, BS3 1EZ
Tel: 0117 963 4433, web: www.thespottedcowbristol.com
● Many of us here have fond memories of The North, ex-of Gloucester Road, once owned by James Savage, so we’re delighted that he and fellow Bristol music scene stalwart Dave Smeaton’s Spotted Cow boasts a similarly smooth vibe south of the river. Neat touches include gold-leafed Bath stone, logo-etched frosted windows, eye-catching mirrors and a garden out back. Summer 2010 should see food incorporating herbs and vegetables grown in the newly installed roof garden. Food changes fortnightly - expect ham hock terrine with fresh bread, West Country lamb hotpot, homemade faggots, and butternut squash & blue cheese croquettes. Quiz Tue, DJs Fri and Sat night and Sun afternoon; exemplary disabled access. Venue bronze Top Banana winner in 2008. Draughts are Gem, Butcombe Gold, Wickwar Bob, Addlestones, Thatchers Gold, Amstel, Red Stripe and Kronie. Food Mon-Thur 12noon-3pm & 5-9pm, Fri-Sun 12noon-9pm

NEW
SPRING GARDEN TAVERN
188 Hotwell Rd, Hotwells, BS8 4RP
Tel: 07886 799630, web: www.spring-garden-tavern.co.uk
● Once the Spring Gardens, the French bistro and pub was replaced in September 2009 by this boozer, housed in a building dating back 500 years. Regulars drink Gem, Doom Bar, Kronenbourg and Thatchers. Grub comes in the form of fish & chips, steak & ale pie, ham, egg & chips, curries, tortilla wraps and vegetable lasagne. Very much used as a local centre for music and drama (UWE students have staged plays; the Hotwells panto used it for read-throughs) - look out for music up to four times weekly, including the likes of punk/reggae icon Don Letts and DJ Queen Bee. Interior mixes sleekness and modernity with class and tradition, and there’s a pond in the back garden. Weekend food serving may be in the pipeline. Open Mon-Sat 12noon-11.30pm, Sun 5-10.30pm Food Mon-Fri 12noon-7.30pm

THUNDERBOLT
124 Bath Rd, Totterdown, BS4 3ED
Tel: 0117 373 8947, web: www.thethunderbolt.net, www.myspace.com/thethunderboltpub
● Music has been the top draw at the Thunderbolt since it reopened in 2007 under new owners David and Sophie. As last year, food details remain sketchy, although roasts in the hands of a particularly good chef are going down a treat on Sundays. Contact the pub for more food details.

VICTORIA
2 Southleigh Rd, Clifton, BS8 2BH
Tel: 0117 974 5675, web: www.dawkins-taverns.co.uk
● Venue’s reigning Top Banana when it comes to Bristol boozers. ‘Endearingly dinky,’ wrote our man, ‘its Fisher-Price dimensions currently extending to one U-shaped room.’ The long-anticipated kitchen and upstairs function room remain works in progress, with technicalities related to this Victorian structure delaying proceedings. There’s more space outside than in, with an adjoining road set to become pedestrianised. Look out, too, for a street party worthy of a queen’s coronation. Pork pies and olives are served in conditions that recently bagged five stars for cleanliness, and the annual St George’s beer festival brings pub grub like chillies and curries. Landlord and landlady Paul and Dee’s selfless research trips to Belgium ensure a reliably eclectic array of continental beers. Much making of mirth, including witty spoof beer ads. Quizzes, silent comedy on Mon, ‘Crap Prize Bingo’ last Thur monthly, and even a pub copy of Viz adding to the mirth. We are very much amused. Open Mon-Fri 4-11pm, Sat 12noon-11pm, Sun 12noon-10.30pm

WELLINGTON
Gloucester Rd, Horfield, BS7 8UR
Tel: 0117 951 3022, web: www.bathales.com
● Stalwarts like the renowned organic Welly burger and sausage & mash represent the gastro end of English pub grub at this Bath Ales beauty. Roasts every Sunday, and specials change daily but always offer plenty of variety (roasted monkfish with sauteed wild mushrooms and red wine jus, organic pork chop with spring onion mash and cider apple puree), with fresh baguettes maintaining similar standards. Restaurant and terrace garden to rear of pub. Parties and buffets catered for, and live music Sun as the Wellington continues to raise the bar. Food Mon-Fri 12noon-2pm & 6-9pm, Sat: breakfast 9.30am-12noon, lunch 12noon-6pm, dinner 6-9pm, Sun: breakfast 9.30am-12noon, roasts 12noon-4pm

WHITE BEAR
133 St Michael’s Hill, BS2 8BS
Tel: 0117 904 9054, web: www.whitebear-bristol.co.uk
● A major refurb here saw the staff painting the walls, “until stupid o’clock” but their hard work has paid off, with a clean, contemporary feel amid classy surroundings, with local artwork and attractive stained glass, though the classiness isn’t accompanied by stuffiness. The pub bristles with cutting-edge technology (Twitter, Facebook and Spotify are all here), but the food is more traditional: fishfinger/bacon/sausage sarnies, breakfasts (including veggie option), tarts, fishcakes, bangers & mash, fish & chips, gammon, egg & chips, burgers (8oz handmade West Country beefburger with vintage cheddar and chorizo). ‘My hearty and handsome Sunday lunch brings forth style and substance,’ wrote our man. ‘Afterwards, every spoonful of sublime, cinnamon-flavoured apple crumble lingers long on delighted taste-buds.’ Food Mon-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 12noon-6pm (usually sold out earlier)

WINDMILL
14 Windmill Hill, BS3 4LU
Tel: 0117 963 5440, web: www.thewindmillbristol.com
● By the time you read this they may well have found the winner of the annual moustache competition at this, the sister pub to Stokes Croft’s Pipe & Slippers. Climb the hill for around nine specials - anything from rolled pork belly, mussel, clam & tiger prawn risotto to yassa, an African stew. Bangers and pies, too, and kids get their own wide-ranging menu - they’re welcome in the pub till 8pm, and the family room has toys and board games. The drinks selection is what you’d expect from a decent bar. Wi-Fi, and Mondays alternate with a quiz and Stitch ‘n’ Bitch. Food Daily 11am-10pm

YE SHAKESPEARE
78 Victoria St, BS1 6DR
Tel: 0117 949 7708
● ‘Whether or not he visited the nearby Guildhall in 1597, drop in today and you’ll hear jovial banter’s cut and thrust as punters and bar staff do battle, the English language their weapon,’ wrote our man of a central boozer with a neighbourhood feel at its heart. The food’s as warm as the welcome, with dishes like chilli, hickory buckaroo chicken, cod, scampi and lasagne being very much ado about something. Pool table out back, poker nights, and cheeky Vimto to up the party ante. Food Mon-Thur 12noon-3pm, Fri 12noon-2pm, breakfast: Thur 9-11am, Fri 8-11am

Eating Out West - Bristol and Bath's best restaurant guide, including extra sections on Pubs, Bars, Sandwich Shops, Takeaways, Wine Merchants, Caterers, Dining Clubs and Cookery Schools. To order your copy ring 0117 942 8491. Only £4.95. Yum.