Bristol has plenty of beer gardens where you enjoy an ice cold pint in the sunshine. On the Redcliffe side of Bristol Harbour, The Ostrich takes pride of place on the water's edge with one of the biggest outdoor seating areas in the neighbourhood.
As well as a refurbished interior and a new restaurant upstairs, the popular quayside beer garden was also given a makeover. It includes an alfresco bar, picnic benches and the Portside BBQ serving up American-inspired street food.
Dating back to at least 1745, The Ostrich on Lower Guinea Street was built into the sandstone cliff face of Redcliffe Hill. It is steeped in history having been a popular spot for sailors, shipyard workers and merchants around the time of the Bristol Slave Trade.
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It was acquired by the Somerset-based pub group Butcombe in 2017 and has had several makeovers since, now offering several cosy seating areas spread across two floors. Both the inside and outside bars are well stocked with the brewery's award-winning beers including Goram IPA, Bohemia craft lager and Gold Golden.
The pub kitchen also has an extensive list of bar snacks, main courses and Sunday roast options, with an emphasis on food that can be shared. You can graze on chicken wings, mezze and calamari or go all in one of the pub's burgers, flat iron steak or its signature fish and chips.
Perhaps most notably, a slice of its past has been left exposed as one wall is partially demolished revealing one of the many secret caves that lie beneath Redcliffe. Legend has it that this smuggler's cave was most likely used to house prisoners of war during the slave trade era.
Since its modern-day transformation, the pub moves from strength to strength. In 2020, The Ostrich was shortlisted as the best new pub in the UK and took the south west title at National Pub & Bar of the Year in 2022.
The pub prides itself on being a welcoming space and is LGBTQIA+ friendly, as well as being suitable for children and dogs. Bookings can be made online but the outdoor seating is only available on a first come first served basis.
The Ostrich, Lower Guinea Street, Bristol, BS1 6TJ.
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