A-Z Bristol pub crawl: Zero Degrees, Colston Street

If you’re coming from the centre of town, ascending the historic Christmas Steps is no mean feat in an unprecedented heatwave.

However, if you’re climbing with the intention of reaching a bar thats name teases the best air conditioning in Bristol, then perhaps you’ve made the right call.

As humidity hung low over the city on a recent Wednesday, a handful of after-workers discovered that the name is not to be trusted when it comes to the ambient temperature inside Zero Degrees. After swapping suit jackets for sunglasses they retreated, pints in hand, to the crescent shaped terrace in search of the faintest whisper of a breeze.

The many beers and ales on offer from Zero Degrees’ microbrewery however, are perfectly chilled. The array of lagers and ales are cold and brewed in giant silver tankards on site, just behind the lady pouring ‘lageritas’ at the bar.

The bar at Zero Degrees is well stocked. Photo: Meg Houghton-Gilmour

Passers-by on Park Row peer through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the vast interior which stands on a triangular site formerly used as the horse drawn tram sheds during the 1800s.

Bristol’s rich history and culture is evident across the rooftop view from the terrace. On the left, the entrance to the Christmas steps and Bristol’s signature look; a row of coloured houses. Front and centre are the remainder of the Christmas steps, atmospheric enough to have had a whole song written after them by Scottish post-rock band Mogwai and to feature in the late great Terry Pratchett’s novel ‘Dodger’. Further in the distance is just a glimpse of one of Bristol’s most recognisable and possibly biggest pieces of street art, the bowler-hatted gentleman tipping a paint bucket by artist Nick Walker.

Towards the right, the top third of the 14th century St Stephen’s church and beyond that the spire of the 18th century rebuild of St Nicholas church.

Don’t be fooled by those clouds, the temperature was still comfortably over 30 degrees. Photo: Meg Houghton-Gilmour

The moment of historic appreciation is interrupted by the slurping of a baseball-capped man dwarfed by a two-pint stein.

An old, terrier-like pooch wobbles slowly between the patches of shade cast by tables, in search of generous patrons willing to donate delicious-smelling pizza crusts.

Inside, those that haven’t managed to nab a spot on the terrace sweat over tables of varying heights. Some slouch defeatedly into brightly coloured armchairs. Their plight is nothing compared to that of the valiant chefs in the open kitchen, staring down the pizza oven, who might as well have taken up a residency in a sauna.

Watching them defiantly making pizzas for the steady flow of people trickling in after work is enough to make you realise that the sweat-inducing walk up Christmas Steps really wasn’t so bad after all.

Zero Degrees, 53 Colston St, Bristol BS1 5BA
www.zerodegrees.co.uk/restaurants/bristol/

Main photo: Meg Houghton-Gilmour

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