What makes a pub great? And what makes it underappreciated? Of course, both are heavily subjective, which is fine because this is a blog and not a newspaper or the BBC, so I get to be as partisan as I want.
Rather than be a list of ‘hidden gems’, I’ve instead decided to big up some pubs that I think don’t get the attention they derserve.
Continue reading 20 Underrated Pubs in BristolAs the cold, dark nights draw in and the rain gets more frequent, I figured it was time to round up some of the best places to get comfy until the sun reappears!
Here are the best places to snuggle up with a mulled beverage whenever it gets nippy…
I realise that what started as a genuine intention to get people to enjoy the sights and spectacles of Bristol has instead turned in to a series of rather irresponsible pub crawl posts. Oh well, if Bristol does one thing better than most places in the UK it’s provide an amazing variety of drinking establishments, whether your tipple of choice be a fine craft beer, a rich Bordeaux or a cloudy pint of scrumpy.
St Michael’s Hill in the centre is probably the highest concentration of great pubs in this fine town of ours, and therefore perfect for a pubcrawl. I’d advise starting from the top, mind. It’s a wee bit steep, so not the most appealing route if you’ve imbibed a few strong ales.
Continue reading Pub Crawl Bristol #2: St Michael’s Hill
There are many things that Bristol can be proud of, but one of the biggest is the overwhelming support for independent local businesses, along with the diversity of choice on offer. Nowhere in the city is this more apparent than on Gloucester Road; still one of the longest stretches in the country consisting mainly of thriving independent shops, bars and restaurants, which obviously makes it ripe for a good ol’ pub crawl.
I’ve started my list from the top end nearer to Horfield (although just beyond is The Inn on the Green, which is a fantastic pub), just because I think it makes sense to end your journey nearer to the centre of town, but the choice is yours! Here are my top tips for boozing in BS6.
Continue reading Pub Crawl Bristol #4 – Gloucester Road
Bristol is a great city for so many reasons, but one of the big ones for me is that it’s such a lovely place to go for a scenic amble of a weekend afternoon. There are lots of routes I like to take through the city, but my favourite by far is around the harbour.
The richest part of Bristol’s history starts here – some of the oldest and most beautiful buildings in the city can be found by the water and there is always something exciting going on no matter what the hour or time of year. So the next time you’re stuck for something to do of a weekend, I suggest you gather some friends and go on a cider or ale quest around the water’s edge. I’ve even put together a suggested route, because I’m nice like that.
Continue reading Pub Crawl Bristol #1: The HarbourHere it is, the most requested guide I’ve done so far! People have asked me to write a list of country pubs near Bristol for years, and after visiting a fair few of these and also getting a handful of extra recommendations, here are some of my top picks.
Continue reading Country pubs near BristolWe all know that any meal or drinks can be enhanced by a fantastic view. Luckily, with most of Bristol resting on a ridiculous gradient, impressive views over the city and beyond are not hard to come by. Sometimes though, it’s just nice to sit in a good pub garden and take in your surroundings, whether it be on a river bank, on a busy high street or up a behemoth hill. Continue reading Bristol’s Best Pub Gardens
Credit: http://www.bristolpubs.co.uk
Despite its handy location situated between the affluent residences of Clifton and party-going student houses of Redland, Whiteladies Road has always proved to be a bit of a hit and miss in terms of bars and restaurants.
With this in mind, I decided to organise a pub crawl with the aim of discovering the delights of the upper end of Whiteladies Rd (more commonly known as Blackboy Hill), focusing on the stretch between Clifton Down station and the downs. Surely there’s more to it than furniture shops? Our intrepid group set out on our beery quest to answer the question once and for all…
We all have times when we’re in need of a night out to make us feel a bit special, or wanting to find a place that feels a bit more quiet and hidden away.
Bristol has become famous for its variety of speakeasies and secret bars, all of which offer something a bit different, without being pretentious or too exclusive. With that in mind, here are some places where you can imbibe the finest cocktail concoctions in Bristol…
Continue reading Bristol’s Classiest Cocktail Bars
Beer has a rich history in the UK. In the olden days, people would drink beer in the place of water, as the latter was likely to give you cholera or something. We could’ve had a nice civilised national drink like wine, but our damp and overcast shores have never welcomed grape cultivation. We’re also not cold enough to justify living off strong spirits like those tough Scandinavians and Russians.
Not only has there been an explosion in the amount of small breweries and independent bars opening across the UK, but home brewing, real ale and beer festivals are more popular than ever. So, what better time to get acquainted with this diverse and exciting drink? Here are my tips for where to go in Bristol. Continue reading The Craftiest Bristol Beer Bars
For the fifth pub crawl on this site, I thought it only fair that we head south of the water to Bedminster.
Continue reading Pub Crawl Bristol #5 – North Street, Bedminster
*Updated April 2017*
If there’s one thing that everyone can agree on when they think about the West Country, it’s cider. For that is what this oft-forgotten end of the country does well; fermented apples, and sounding like pirates.
I’m not much of a cider drinker these days, mainly due to overindulging when I first moved to Bristol and never quite being able to shake the memory of those first few vicious hangovers. But I still think that you can’t beat a good perry on a sunny day, or a dirty mulled scrumpy on a bitterly cold evening.
If you want the real deal when it comes to cider, the best thing I can suggest is a tour of Bristol’s establishments. Just watch out for the stronger varieties (quite a few can be over 8% volume) and whatever you do, stay away from Thatcher’s Cheddar Valley. Continue reading Cider I up! – Where to get your cider in Bristol
Bristol is known for many things; Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the Clifton Suspension Bridge, colourful houses, hot air balloons, boats, slavery, a ridiculous accent and lethally strong cider. But Bristol has also come to the fore in recent years as the epicentre of some of the best urban art in the world.
As well as the numerous festivals and arts events every year (including See No Evil and Upfest) you can see world-class graffiti all over the city, but nowhere is more of an open air gallery than Stokes Croft, also known as The People’s Republic of Stokes Croft.
Allow me to illuminate a more artistic and less-likely-to-lead-to-liver-cirrhosis route, through Bristol’s most alternative and artistic neighborhood.
A Life Less Organised 