The Best Pubs in Bristol

Small Bar has been pouring beer since December 2013 and boasts 31 taps featuring the worlds best beers, with a strong focus on the best breweries from the south west. The bar is also home to Wings Diner, serving juicy buttermilk fried chicken with an Asian inspired twist. With outdoor seating and a reputation for awesome service, local beers, and spirits, this spot offers a brilliant and great value food menu that pairs perfectly with its crafty and interesting beer selection.

The Barley Mow is a brilliant flagship pub, described as a "proper little boozer" with an ever changing beer lineup and a "pub for all" ethos. It boasts 8 cask and 10 keg lines showcasing quality local beer, plus a stunning range of cans and bottles from around the world and a cracking selection of wines and spirits. Cord Kitchen keeps you fed seven days a week with banging burgers and your favourite Sunday roast, and the pub hosts a weekly quiz every Tuesday at 8pm.

The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer, known locally as 'the Volley', is a Grade II* listed historic pub built in 1673 on King Street. It showcases only UK independent breweries, cider makers, and spirit producers, with 36 lines of constantly changing beers and ciders. The pub serves hearty, traditional British food with a modern touch, including a Sunday lunch officially named the city's best. It also offers two private function rooms and a games room with a pool table, darts, and shuffleboard for hire. Regular events like live music, a weekly quiz night, and live sports screenings make every visit unique.

Step into the Bag O’ Nails, a truly authentic pub where a rotating lineup of excellent cask ales and international beers takes center stage. This is a place of genuine character, where friendly cats roam freely among the tables, adding to the wonderfully casual spirit. You can settle in with a board game, listen to music spinning on vinyl, or discover an upstairs room that feels like a hidden secret. It’s a vibrant, unpretentious spot built on great beer and a warm, welcoming energy.

Step into Left Handed Giant Brewpub and you will find a huge, lively space that buzzes with a fantastic mix of great music and good times. They pour an incredible rotating selection of beers in every style imaginable, all perfectly paired with seriously delicious, reasonably priced pizzas. The quick table service and genuinely dog friendly attitude make it an absolute joy, and you can even snap a memory in the photo booth. This place is a total winner.

Step into The Alma Tavern & Theatre and discover a proper local boozer with a surprising countryside soul right in the city. This is the perfect spot for a relaxed Sunday roast that patrons rave about, served without any rush or pressure. With a great selection of beers and a wonderfully chilled vibe, it’s an ideal place to gather with friends for good food, laughter, and even a bit of entertainment. Whether you’re catching up over lunch or celebrating a birthday, the lovely staff make every afternoon feel like a special occasion.

Welcome to the Cornubia, a much loved real ale house offering up to 8 different real ales from across the UK each day, including its own bespoke seasonal beer. This dog friendly pub serves traditional Cornish pasties and handmade pork pies, plus famous home made fiery pickled eggs, all enjoyed in a beautiful secluded beer garden with frequent BBQs. It hosts a free light hearted quiz every Tuesday and summer Sunday jazz from the Cornucopia Trio. Originally built in 1775 as a wig maker’s shop, it is the only building in the area to have survived the Second World War bombings and is now run by award winning landlords Phil and Jacki.

The Royal Oak is a fantastic family friendly local where the massive beer garden, complete with its own pizza oven, is the star of the show. You can find quality drinks like a stellar Independence cask ale from Bristol Beer Factory, and the Sunday roast is a true bucket list experience. The friendly staff create great banter, making it a perfect spot for groups, dates, or families, though it gets packed on match days.

Welcome to the Volly, a flowery little pub that blends tradition with a modern, community focused flair. It commits to sustainability, inclusivity, and empowerment, fostering a sense of community where everyone feels valued, safe, and celebrated. The pub has a fantastic garden, described as a cozy little paradise full of light and flowers, and offers a decent spread of real ales alongside its own house brewed beers like the Tiptoe’s Tipple. Visitors rave about the amazing Sunday roasts and even the best Ploughman’s they have ever had. With 5 venues and 8 stages for 15 hours of global music, this pub is a hub for big energy and big community vibes.

This craft beer pub and brewpub is the perfect place to enjoy freshly brewed, hyper local, award winning beers. You can join for lunch, dinner, a buffet, or what they believe is the best Sunday roast, perfect with a proper pint. The menu features a signature beer infused dish, a whole British free range chicken roasted over a can of their American pale ale. There is always something going on, from a weekly quiz night and musical bingo to special offers like burger therapy and prosecco Fridays.