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Bath Bars

ALL BAR ONE
11-12 High St, BA1 5AQ. Tel: 01225 324021
• Relaxed, comfy, with a laidback vibe and good food, including burgers and ham and eggs alongside an excellent soup, wrap and tapas/mezze range, making for an abundant mix’n’match selection. A huge, well-stocked bar features continental beers (including Erdinger, Amstel and Leffe Blond) and an extensive wine list plus coffee, tea etc all day long.
Over-21s only. Wine tasting weekdays 12noon-3pm.

BEAUBAR
34 Monmouth St, BA1 2AN. Tel: 01225 444770
• A busy, stylish and intimate wine bar with a private, table-service lounge catering for groups of up to 12. The décor, all chocolate and red, lends an air of cosiness to the place, and the decent wine selection attracts a fair number of Bath’s sophisticated young professionals. Beaubar knows its audience: they take their cocktails very seriously here, and you won’t find the lurid, double-entendre named concoctions of more gauche establishments on the extensive list. Great coffee, premium brand spirits, unusual bottled beers and lagers, plus organic cider and Urquell on draught.
If you want a Manhattan or a Cosmopolitan in a relaxed atmosphere, this is the place.

THE BELVEDERE
25 Belvedere, Lansdown Rd, BA1 5ED. Tel: 01225 330264, web: www.belvederewinevaults.co.uk
• What a place to relax the Belvedere is. With Bellringer and Gem on tap, a fine selection of premium spirits, a champagne and cocktail selection and two simple menus to choose from - one tapas (three dishes for a tenner, four for £12) and one made up of more substantial dishes - it’s got just about everything you could want. Add to that mix landlord Andy Fitzmaurice’s plans to screen old movies on the newly-built patio wall, their extended summer opening hours and Sunday afternoon barbecues and you may never want to leave. Smoking area.
Regular live music fortnightly on Mon, DJs every Thur, Fri and Sat playing familiar soul and funk sounds.

THE BLUE ROOMS
George St, Bath. BA1 3EB. Tel: 01225 470040, web: www.bluerooms.net
• Busy club, open from 7pm until 2am (Fri until 3am, Sat until 4am). A cosy sofa area offers the comfort of cushions, and there are no less than three bars - a bustling main one, a quieter, chilled back bar with leather seating and the downstairs vaulted cellar and bar where the resident DJ spins tunes all night long.
Members get priority entrance at a reduced fee.

BONGHY BO
2 Barton Court, Upper Borough Walls, BA1 1RZ. Tel: 01225 462276
• The lovely terraces of Upper Borough Walls surround this unique, airy place, which operates as a café during daytimes, offering shoppers respite from their busy day, and a wine and noodle bar in the evenings with a great, reasonably priced menu. Carling and Stella on tap. Restaurant open 6-11pm. Smoking area.
Regular monthly salsa nights.

BROWNS
Orange Grove, BA1 1LP Tel: 01225 461199, web: www.browns-restaurants.com
• Formerly a magistrates’ court and police station, this massive Georgian building is decked out in true Browns elegance and style. A spacious 160-seater restaurant serves up dishes from light bites to timeless mains. Plenty of dining options to choose from, from brunch and pre-theatre specials to a full, all-day menu. Enjoy alfresco drinking in comfort (the area is heated) as you choose from an impressive wine selection. Heated smoking area.
Nice stop-off for afternoon tea, served Mon-Sat 2-5pm.

CAFÉ ROUGE
15 Milsom St, BA1 1DE. Tel: 01225 462368, web: www.caferouge.co.uk
• Lively, upmarket, authentic French café-bar/brasserie/restaurant serving high-quality food in convivial surroundings, from morning coffee and continental pastries till late. Huge menu and daily specials board, superb classic French delights (moules/steak-frites, tarts, salads) and excellent bar.
Good disabled facilities; braille menus available.

CAFFE BAR
Francis Hotel, Queen Square, BA1 2HH. Tel: 01225 424105
• Wicker furniture and a black and white colour scheme give this establishment an uncluttered, relaxed vibe inside. Waitress service and traditional British/French cuisine, which might include grilled sea bass, rib-eye steak or a simple club sandwich. A sophisticated professional clientele enjoy the good range of beers and the great wines.
Outside is equally relaxed if you’re lucky enough to get one of the few tables in the beautiful herb garden.

CENTRAL BAR
Upper Borough Walls, BA1 1RG. Tel: 01225 333939
• This easy-going, city centre wine bar was recently refurbished by new owner Jack Lawrence. The ground bar has a vibrant, bright, contemporary look and specializes in cocktails, decent wines and top-end lagers on draft (Hoegaarden, Staropramen, Beck’s Vier and so on) while the upstairs lounge has comfy sofas and separate pool room. Good food, with the emphasis on affordable, fresh dishes, from what you might loosely call a pan-European menu, is served lunchtimes throughout the week, with light snacks and nibbles at night. Sunday sees roasts as well as a selection of chef’s specials.
Currently open from midday until 11pm, and 2am on Fri and Sat; Jack is currently considering opening for breakfast soon too.

CHAZZ BAR
Above Clarke’s Restaurant, 7 Argyle St, BA2 4BQ. Tel: 01225 444440
• This is one of Bath’s most unique, laidback, chic hangouts, all about elegantly understated luxury and almost decadent comfort. Aimed at a 25-plus age group, it’s small but perfectly formed, with nothing frantic or bustling to detract from the feeling that you’re at one of the hippest private house parties in the city. The Chazz is heaven on earth for canoodling couples, cool 30somethings, or those who need some serious chilling-out time after indulging in the restaurant treats on offer downstairs.Vast wine list, fantastic cocktails.

THE COMMON ROOM
2 Saville Row BA1 2QP. Tel: 01225 425550, web: www.bathcommonroom.com
• It’s been four years since brothers John and Phil Smisson opened The Common Room, now firmly established as part of Bath’s nightlife: a casual members bar where guests are always more than welcome. Comfy leather sofas, stripped wooden floors, red brick walls and funky lightboxes made by John himself plus a snug upstairs lounge with a fabulous bay window all add to the relaxed atmosphere. Entertainment comes courtesy of a DJ booth and small dance area, utilised Thursday to Saturday for a party-friendly mix of soul and funk sounds. The cocktails have gone, but there’s a decent, affordable wine list, plus premier lagers including Baltika, a Russian lager which is not unlike a summer ale. Smoking area
Open 7pm-2am Mon-Sat, closed Sun. Membership £10 per annum.

DELFTER KRUG
Sawclose, BA1 1EY. Tel: 01225 443352
• Friendly, funky café-bar by day, hip groove emporium by night, Delfter Krug attracts fun-loving party people raring to push on through until the early hours. Downstairs is a lounge bar, with stacks of tables and style. The extensive wine list and wide range of draughts (including Hoegaarden, Leffe and Stella) keep everyone happy. Upstairs it gets a bit more lively, with DJs laying down the beats every night and an area to dance in, too. Large terrace with a great mix of sun and shade. Smoking area.
The menu now features those brilliant Pieminister pies.

NEW
GASCOYNE PLACE PUBLIC HOUSE
1 Sawclose, Bath BA1 1EY. Tel: 01225 445854, web: www.gascoyneplace.co.uk
• Opening last July, Gascoyne Place replaced the long closed, collapsing Broadley’s Wine Vaults. Much has been spent on transforming this historic building into a truly spectacular bar and restaurant. Erdinger White and Malt, Grolsch, Coors. Butcombe Bitter and one guest real ale on tap, plus Stowford Press cider and a huge range of wine by the bottle or the glass.
Seriously top-notch food: daily changing menus with ingredients sourced locally.

GRAPPA WINE BAR AND PIZZERIA
3 Belvedere, Lansdown, BA1 5ED. Tel: 01225 448890
• Cosy, chic cocktail bar where polished wood and a vaguely Mediterranean look mix to create a very sophisticated venue.Highly tempting food (including antipasti) and an excellent, authentic pizzeria upstairs.

GREEN PARK BRASSERIE AND BAR
Green Park Station, BA1 1JB. Tel: 01225 338565, web: www.greenparkbrasserie.com
• The Braz is dedicated to serving reasonably priced quality food and wine in an informal yet professional style. Open for coffee, cakes and paninis from 10am, lunch is served from midday - offering local organic burgers, salads, daily specials and more. From 6-7pm a fixed price menu offers great value with three choices or more per course, or you can choose to peruse the à la carte selection. Drinkers are welcome at the well-stocked bar, with Budvar, San Miguel and Butcombe Bitter on draught, 10 wines by the glass, 40 by the bottle and an extensive range of spirits. The newly extended covered area provides a great space to relax in. Live jazz Wed-Sat evenings. Smoking area.
Open Tue-Sat 10am-11pm.

HA! HA! BAR AND CANTEEN
Tram Shed, Walcot St, BA1 5BD. Tel: 01225 421200, web: www.hahaonline.co.uk
• Housed in an original tramshed building and set into a courtyard, what once housed Bath’s Sat flea market has been brought up to date with quirky design features set off by indulgently comfy chocolate-brown leather sofas. There’s extensive outside seating, accommodating up to 70, with large umbrellas for those who prefer shade, plus outdoor heaters for cooler nights. All food prepared from scratch, without a microwave in sight. Heated smoking area.
Now featuring DJ sets on
Saturday nights.

HUDSON BAR AND GRILL
14 London St, BA1 5BU. Tel: 01225 332323
• Richard Fenton, of the Firehouse Rotisseries and Grappa, launched chic new steakhouse Hudson Bar & Grill in 2005, replacing the Hat and Feather with a stylish addition to Bath’s restaurant scene. The décor (wood, leather, subtle lighting and scatter cushions, nothing brazen) invites you to unwind over a classic cocktail: a mojito, a martini or maybe a Hudson Mule, made with bison grass vodka. You’ll recognise Hudson if you’ve ever skimmed through a Hemingway tome, but for the less cocktail-inclined there’s Sharp’s Doom Bar on tap and a handful of premier lagers.You can enjoy the full restaurant menu at the bar.

LAS IGUANAS
12 Seven Dials, Sawclose. Tel: 01225 336666, web: www.iguanas.co.uk
• See Pulp listings, overleaf, and Bristol Las Iguanas entries.

LOUNGE
43 St James Parade, BA1 1UQ. Tel: 01225 424321
• A lively, popular cocktail bar that has a real party atmosphere. Serves up a huge range of cocktails, but they’ll still concoct one to your own specifications if you wish. Food is only served at lunchtimes. The weekend brings a livelier feel, but the music never stops the conversation.
Bright, sophisticated café-bar popular with shoppers, suits and students.

MOON AND SIXPENCE RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR
6a, Broad St. Tel: 01225 460962, web: www.moonandsixpence.co.uk
• Currently closed, due to a massive refurbishment, and set to reopen in August 2007. Check Venue for
further details.

PORTER CELLAR BAR
George St, BA1 2QS. Tel: 01225 424104, web: www.moles.co.uk
• Nestling like a mole underneath The Porter pub (see Pubs, Bath, for more details), this subterranean bar offers free live music Mon-Thur, DJs Fri and Sat, and the weekly Comedy Cavern every Sun. Enjoy an excellent range of drinks, including fully vegetarian wines, organic lager and Abbey Ales’ Bellringer.
Real highlight for non-carnivores is the strictly veggie menu, with all main meals still a mere £5.75.

PULP
Monmouth St, BA1 2AN. Tel: 01225 466411
• Pulp is the bar off-shoot of Bristol’s Las Iguanas cacharia chain. A Latino paradise for party-goers at the weekends, with a more relaxed, intimate feel midweek and an extensive and all-encompassing cocktail list. Food comes from a menu including burgers, steaks, salads and light bites available all day.
Pulp’s trademark tipple, the Caipirinha, is mixed with cachaça harvested from Las Iguanas’ own sugar cane plantation outside Rio.

REVOLUTION
George St, BA1 2EB. Tel: 01225 336168
• Part of the UK’s premier vodka bar chain: enjoy a welcome respite from shopping and a bite to eat during the day, or at night kick back and listen to some of the city’s top DJ talent while you peruse the massive vodka and cocktail menu.A Revolution privilege card gives you discounts on bottled beers and pints.

RING O’BELLS
Widcombe Parade, BA2 4JT. Tel: 01225 448870, web: www.ringobellsbath.com
• This family-owned gastropub is widely acknowledged as one of Bath’s finest, with their French chef and his kitchen creating a short, well-presented, honest monthly menu based on seasonal fresh produce. Boasts a large wine list, real ales from the Milk Street microbrewery in Frome, and a good draught lager selection. Planning underway for a small patio to provide space for smokers.
A neighbourhood bar/restaurant with a relaxed, natural and lively atmosphere.

SLUG AND LETTUCE
5-6 Edgar Buildings, George St, BA1 2EE. Tel: 01225 789050
• Until last June this was RSVP, but one month later it re-launched as the Slug and Lettuce. Housing a new, stylish, wood-panelled cocktail bar, lots of premium beers and lagers, and stocking a couple of real ales. The garden has being extensively renovated - and comes complete with day beds - and you can enjoy the luxury of table service, too. Smoking area.
The new function room has a plasma screen and can be used for both private parties or corporate functions.

SUB 13
4 Edgar Buildings, BA1 2EE. Tel: 01225 466667
• This classy bar has a small but progressive cocktail menu featuring fresh fruit rather than garish-coloured bases, an impressive wine list and excellent range of champagnes. Popular with professionals who like quality and don’t mind spending a little extra, this sumptuous little oasis has a big following. Draught beers, plus a range of bottled varieties; lunches and antipasti platters for evening, too. Smoking area
The Sub 13 boys are also involved with the revamped Chequers in River Street.

THE WHITE HART
Widcombe Hill, BA2 6AA. Tel: 01225 338053, web: www.whitehartbath.co.uk
• Affordable hostel with a rather good, fully licensed bar and restaurant (much loved by locals for the superb Sunday lunches), all stripped wood and leather sofas, serving tasty tapas and excellent, affordable, mains. The old outbuildings have been demolished to make way for a really sunny beer garden. Smoking area.
The deer above the front door features in ‘The Pickwick Papers’, but originally belonged to the long-gone White Hart in the city centre.

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