The Very Best Bristol Pub Crawls
Think you know Bristol? Well, you’ve not really got a grip on what thnis city is about until you’ve visited its various localities, and what better way to do that than sampling a few pubs along the way? Here are the routes I think are particularly good for that time old tradition of pub crawling.
Harbourside
The original, and arguably still the best. The harbour boasts some of the city’s best watering holes coupled with some great views (I mean, who doesn’t love boats and multicoloured houses?).
Suggested route:
1. The Ostrich
Take advantage of that big terrace overlooking the water
2. The Orchard
Try to pick from their extensive cider selection
3. The Cottage
What this pub lacks in space inside, it more than makes up for outside – try beating that view!
4. The Nova Scotia
Cosy and traditional inside, with their small terrace overlooking the Cumberland Basin outside.
Top notch food, another great terrace and the biggest gin stash in Bristol.
A bar on a boat! And they do music! And good grub! What more do you need?
See the full Harbourside route: http://lifelessorganised.com/2013/05/01/walk-bristol-1-the-harbour/
St Michael’s Hill
A more condensed route, but the clue’s in the name here – it’s on a steep bloody hill, so make sure you start at the top.
A cosy ale pub with good pub grub, real ales and a great garden out back, plus a bar billiards table, in case you’re feeling competitive!
2. Beerd
A craft beer bar with a large selection of beers, which also serves tasty pizza.
A large and comfortable pub with boardgames and plenty of cosy corners.
This pub may be small, but it’s packed with interesting beers and often has a good pop-up in the kitchen.
4.b The Green Man
Not technically St Michael’s Hill, but it’s such a good pub and tucked around the back, so worth popping around before rejoining the hill!
End your jaunt with a top traditional local. They show sports, have a cute beer garden and do top roasts too.
See the full St Michael’s Hill route: http://lifelessorganised.com/2013/05/10/walk-bristol-2-st-michaels-hill/
Stokes Croft
An edgier route but arguably more ‘culturally enriching’, ie. you can look at some good graffiti and buy a PRSC mug. The pubs here all a bit different and it’s worth veering into Montpelier for some extra hidden treats!
A proper party pub with a huge front terrace and shisha garden!
2. The Bell
A quirky little pub with home cooked food & a cute garden out back, plus DJs at the weekend.
3. Canteen
The cultural hub of Stokes Croft, with excellent food & live music and a good front terrace for people watching.
A fun craft beer and live music bar, it also has Ray’s Pizza in the kitchen if you’re in need of stodge.
Two minutes up the hill behind The Crofters, but worth the detour. Great ales & they usually have an interesting pop-up in the kitchen, plus events on throughout the week.
If you made it to the Hare on the Hill, walk a few doors down and you’ll find one of the city’s best pubs (in my opinion). They’ve got a ridiculous amount of beers on tap for such a small pub, including a great range of real ales and local craft beer.
See the full Stokes Croft route: http://lifelessorganised.com/2013/06/04/pub-crawl-bristol-3-stokes-croft-the-urban-art-scene/
Gloucester Road
The most ambitious pub crawl there is – I’ve yet to meet anyone who has completed the whole stretch from Horfield Common down to the Arches (around 20 pubs, eeek). Still, it’s arguably the best single stretch for eating and drinking in the city.
I’ve started this crawl from about halfway down, so just the Bishopston section – but I’d recommend a visit to The Royal Oak, Sportsman and Inn on the Green further up!
A small and lively pub with a great mural out front. Keep an eye out for their gig listings!
3. The Grace
A sophisticated pub which can feel more restaurant-like inside, but their large beer garden is brilliant in summer.
3. The Flyer
Spacious and comfy, with a decent bar selection too. They have a bar and BBQ in their garden in summer, handy!
More of a chain pub but cheap and cheerful, plus they have live bands on at weekends if you want to get in the party spirit.
A harmless enough pub to break up the middle part of the crawl, with some good beers on tap.
If you’re in need of some hearty food at this point in the pub crawl, the mighty burgers and dirty fries here should sort you out!
A friendly lounge bar with excellent food, a sunny front terrace and free live music every night.
A good little pub to end on, with a nice relaxed atmosphere and some solid beers & ciders on tap.
See the full Gloucester Road route: http://lifelessorganised.com/2013/09/30/pub-crawl-bristol-4-gloucester-road-and-bishopston/
North Street, Bedminster
A more residential area, but made more lively recently by an influx of top notch bars and restaurants.
This is a proper local pub to kick off with, they have pub cats and Natch in cans!
A large pub with board games and an impressive beer list, plus live music at weekends.
3. Kask
More of a wine bar than pub, but it’s still well worth popping in and trying a glass or two!
A weird and wonderful bar; the food is as impressive as the décor, and they’ve usually got fun events on throughout the week. The roasts are great too.
A good all-rounder; good drinks, great food and a huuuge sunny garden.
See the full North Street route: http://lifelessorganised.com/2014/05/06/pub-crawl-5-north-street-bedminster/
Next on my list of pub crawl routes to conquer are Totterdown and Clifton Village – wish me luck on my daring quest!
