Pubs and Bars / Pub of the Week
Pub of the Week: The Hope & Anchor
The Hope & Anchor is an apt name for a pub that has gone through many changes in fortune and each time risen up fighting.
It helps of course that it has all the trappings of a really great watering hole, complete with cosy interior, secret beer garden that sprawls across several levels and a well-stocked bar, with plenty of local brews on tap.
The location on Jacob’s Wells Road is barely more than a stone’s throw from the University of Bristol, so the latest landlords have wisely gone all out to attract a student crowd, with cheap drink and meal deals and a teetering tower of board games.
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Judging by a recent busy Sunday lunchtime, it is succeeding in its endeavours to appeal to a younger clientele, but is far from exclusively a student haunt.
People of all ages are chatting over hearty roasts, while a pair of older men settle in a corner with a pint and a packet of crisps.
Bikes safely secured to the handy railings outside the pub, the inside beckons with an engulf of warm air, tinged with the tantalising scent of roast.
“Depends on how hungover you are,” comes the cheery reply from behind the bar in answer to a question of whether to indulge in a lunchtime tipple or not.
It seems there are plenty on a Sunday who come in slightly worse for wear and power through with some hair of the dog.
The décor is punctuated with old pump clips, bottles and the odd nautical paraphernalia, with plenty of greenery to add a dash of healthy cheer. Old black and white photos of days gone adorn the walls of a smaller area, round the side of the bar.
Wooden furniture and comfortable bar stools make for an unpretentious, easy-going traditional pub vibe, perfect for lingering throughout a Sunday afternoon – or indeed, any evening prior.
While the pub stays true to its promise of offering vegan and vegetarian roast options, the dishes – at £12.95 – do not offer the same value for money as their carnivorous counterparts for the same price, which are piled high with succulent meat.
Nevertheless, it is a tasty and satisfying meal, with crisp puff pastry tarts, fresh vegetables, crunchy potatoes and plenty of condiments, including as much horseradish sauce as you can fit on the plate to accompany.
The idyllic, sheltered, sun trap garden means the pub really comes into its own in summer, but in the meantime, friendly staff, special dining offers and a regular quiz should keep customers coming back for more.
The Hope & Anchor, 38 Jacob’s Wells Road, Bristol, BS8 1DR.
0117 929 2987
Read more: Pub of the Week: The Merchants Arms
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