Bars & Pubs

This small, rather awkwardly shaped bar with worn floorboards, rough brickwork and the vague air of a Parisian bistro could do with being double the size, so perennially popular is its mix of decent drinks, late hours and a generally convivial atmosphere. Punters settle in for the duration at one of the scrubbed wooden tables either upstairs or down (only early birds will bag the couch at the very back). Or else they perch at the bar, which focuses heavily on bottled Belgian beers (Duvel, Belle Vue Kriek, Delirium Tremens et al) while also offering draught Litovel (both strengths), Hoegaarden, Adnams Bitter and blonde Fuller's Discovery. There's also a full selection of spirits, the Fentimans range and a good wine list. A blackboard menu advertises both snacks and mains such as sausage and mash, beef burgers and crab cakes, with a superior jukebox pulling it all together in fine style.

Time Out Bars, Pubs & Clubs Guide 2008/9