Bristol’s best pubs

Spend an evening in one of Bristol’s best pubs:

The Alma Tavern
18-20 Alma Vale Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2HY
www.almatavernandtheatre.co.uk
After a recent refurbishment and a change of ownership, this pub is serving up hearty Italian food seven days a week, alongside infamous pub classics and traditional Sunday roasts. They also have ever-changing gins and beers, and a theatre upstairs that regularly hosts local productions.

Bag of Nails
141 St George’s Road, Hotwells, Bristol, BS1 5UW
www.m.facebook.com/TheBagofCats
It’s a mystery as to whether people flock to this Bristol pub for its beer, its atmosphere or its cats – but it’s probably all three. The Bag of Nails shares its space with over half a dozen felines, and offers an extensive selection of bottled beer and real cider. A quiz takes place every Tuesday, and board games for the punters and toys for the cats make the pub a fun place to spend the evening.

The Christmas Steps
2 Christmas Steps, Bristol, BS1 5BS
www.thechristmassteps.com
With a focus on fresh, local ingredients, the kitchen delivers a quality lunch and dinner menu. The craft beer and ale rotation policy showcases the best creations from local breweries, as well as an extensive top-shelf selection and wine list and the hardest pub quiz in town, run by Crack magazine.

The Coronation 
18 Dean Lane, Southville, Bristol, BS3 1DD
www.facebook.com/thecoronation
A cosy and friendly local, The Coronation offers competitively-priced real ale, traditional cider and pizzas. The pub serves five regular beers, and there are occasional jazz and blues nights.

The Drapers Arms
447 Gloucester Road, Bristol, BS7 8TZ
www.thedrapersarms.co.uk
As the first micro-pub in Bristol, The Drapers Arms sells real ale and traditional cider straight from the cask, which are sourced from independent producers mostly based in Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset or Wiltshire. They shun electronic entertainment and promote conversation, so put your phone on silent and enjoy the old fashioned pub atmosphere. If you like this, try Bristol’s other micropubs: Chums in Redland, Snuffy Jack’s in Fishponds and the Wooden Walls in Staple Hill.

The Eldon House
6 Lower Clifton Hill, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1BT
www.theeldonhouse.com
Just a stone’s throw away from the hustle and bustle of the Clifton Triangle, this traditional watering hole offers beers from near and far, classic pub grub and live music all at the same time. With well-kept ale, reasonably priced quality cuisine and a friendly atmosphere, The Eldon House is a student favourite.

The Farm
Hopetoun Road, St Werburgh’s, Bristol, BS2 9YL
www.facebook.com/thefarmpub
Spitting distance from the goats and sheep at St Werburgh’s City Farm, The Farm houses a wide selection of spirits, beer and cider on tap. With a delicious Sunday roast and a gorgeous garden, The Farm is a colourful and welcoming pub with a one-of-a-kind atmosphere.

The Grace
197 Gloucester Road, St Andrews, Bristol, BS7 8BG
www.thegracebristol.uk
The Grace offers real ales, craft beers, tasty cocktails and one of the best wine lists on Gloucester Road, as well as freshly made tapas dishes, homemade bar snacks and an authentic Sunday lunch. On sunny days, be sure to venture into the secret garden out the back to enjoy it all in the fresh air.

The Greenbank 
57 Belle Vue Road, Easton, Bristol, BS5 6DP
www.thegreenbankbristol.co.uk
The Greenbank, sister pub to the Grace, is a proper community pub situated in a redbrick building with a courtyard. Serving real ales and stone-baked pizzas, it’s a great place to eat, drink and socialise close to the foodie hub of St Mark’s Road.

The Green Man
21 Alfred Place, Kingsdown, Bristol, BS2 8HD
www.facebook.com/thegreenmanbristol
Located in the back streets of Kingsdown, this snug local, offers rotating guest ales, over 100 gins, delicious food, a pub quiz and a Sunday roast. Not to mention Lego.

The Hare
57 North Street, Bedminster, Bristol, BS3 1EN
www.theharepub.co.uk
In a building used as a pub for 150 years, The Hare is simple and modern. It has a wide selection of draught beers, ciders and cask ales, as well as international bottled beers and ciders. There’s also a classic wine list, an extensive collection of gin, whisky, rum and more, plus soft drinks and amazing pork-pies.

The Hen & Chicken 
210 North Street, Bedminster, Bristol, BS3 1JF
www.henandchicken.com
The Hen is home to famous stone-baked 12-inch pizzas, of which you can enjoy two for £12 on Mondays. There are always three or four real ales on the bar which tend to be local, with the guest ale changing bi-monthly. On Saturdays, they host new and established talent at the Comedy Box upstairs.

The Knowle
Leighton Road, Knowle, Bristol, BS4 2LL
www.theknowlebristol.com
This former hotel in south Bristol is now a classic neighbourhood pub with a recent makeover to its building and its menu. At The Knowle you are able to enjoy real ales, lagers, ciders and wines, with a list to suit all tastes.

The Spotted Cow
139 North Street, Bedminster, Bristol, BS3 1EZ
www.thespottedcowbristol.com
Dating back over two centuries to Bedminster’s agricultural past, this pub has one of the best-stocked back bars in Bristol. With an extensive range of whiskies, rums and gins, they support local breweries with a regular change of cask ales, and they have a varied selection of cider and wine, including many from small French vineyards.

The Steam Crane
4-6 North Street, Bedinster, Bristol, BS3 1HT
www.thesteamcrane.co.uk
An ale house, kitchen and live music venue that boasts a range of on-tap and bottled beers, as well as a delicious menu featuring a traditional Sunday roast. Friday is live music night,  and on the first and third wednesday of every month they open the stage up to new musicians for the Bedminster Blues Jam.

The Victoria
2 Southleigh Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2BH
www.dawkins-ales.co.uk
A traditional pub over two rooms that’s light and airy in the summer and cosy with a real fire in winter. The Victoria houses up to seven real ales and an ever-growing craft beer range, with three craft beer keg lines currently including rotating imported French craft beers. They also have a dozen whiskeys and two dozen gins. Be sure to check out the Lido next door for a swim or an upmarket meal if your parents are visiting.

The Westbury Park
Northumbria Drive, Henleaze, Bristol, BS9 4HP
www.westburyparkpub.co.uk
Another pub that has just undergone a recent refurbishment, the Westbury Park is back with a contemporary new look and a menu to match, offering a range of homemade pizzas and a quality Sunday lunch, with craft beer, real ale, a large selection of gin and a well-travelled wine list. Fans of The Young Ones will recognise it as the Kebab and Calculator.

The W.G Grace 
71-73 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2NT
www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/bristol/the-w-g-grace-bristol
Who doesn’t love a Wetherspoons? This skylit pub sports exposed brick and contemporary furniture, a friendly outdoor area, real ales and all-day pub grub. It’s chic, cheap, and a true student’s paradise.

The White Bear
133 St Michael’s Hill, Kingsdown, Bristol, BS2 8BS
www.facebook.com/thewhitebearbristol
Selling this pub on its free pool and darts would be a disservice to its drinks menu, but this doesn’t stop the available activities being a fantastic draw. With carefully selected and frequently changing cider boards, The White Bear is good for many a return visit and a selfie with the enormous polar bear standing guard outside the door.

The White Lion 
Passage Road, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS9 3HN
www.emberinns.co.uk/nationalsearch/southwest/the-white-lion-bristol
A traditional pub with an open-fire, The White Lion offers real ales and classic, British comfort food. You’ll find a hand-picked range of perfectly conditioned cask ales on tap, a selection of international fine wines, and a weekly quiz to partake in. It’s the perfect place to meet up with friends.