Pubs and Bars / A-Z Bristol pub crawl
A-Z Bristol Pub Crawl: The Dark Horse, Redfield
There’s one punter who was stealing the show on the terrace of the Dark Horse.
A floppy-eared dog trotted up a staircase and swaggered onto the wood-panelled patio with views of tawny rooftops and chimneys, only too happy to lap up all the attention.
On a recent afternoon, the cosy confines of the watering hold on Church Road in Redfield offered a tantalising glimpse into the promise of warmer seasons.
Sat next to the scraggly pup’s owners, a woman wearing sunglasses perused a book and smoked cigarettes. Meanwhile, a young couple sat in comfortable silence and sipped pints of cider, soaking up the rays in the late-March sun.
This boozer offers a vast selection of ales, ciders, wines and spirits behind the well-stocked bar and a simple menu of Pieminister pies or tapas (and roasts on a Sunday)
The Dark Horse opened in 2016 as a refit of the Black Horse, freshened up with blue walls, framed pictures, wood everywhere, lots of dried flowers and a light, open, family-friendly bar.
Hand painted chalk dusts the walls, with signage reading ‘We all make a bloody good… BLOODY MARY’ as well as advertising that Sunday roasts have officially returned. Choose from pork, beef and lamb, the triple threat or a smokey Italian ‘meatloaf’, along with special Yorkshire puddings and cauliflower cheese for vegans and vegetarians.
A smiling member of bar staff with pink hair enthusiastically advised on drinks and snacks. “We’ve now got olives, if you’re interested,” she says, talking through the drinks menu too, which includes local brews from the likes of Lost & Grounded just down the road in St Anne’s.
We order two of the three flavours of Oloves Olives, at (£1.20) each, half a pint of Guinness and a pint of Butcombe’s Goram IPA Zero, altogether coming in for less than a tenner.
Ambling back up the roof terrace, it is not hard to imagine spending hazy summer evenings out there, as the first of spring’s rays shone down.
The Dark Horse, 172-174 Church Road, Redfield, Bristol BS5 9HX
www.thedarkhorse-bristol.co.uk
All photos: Betty Woolerton
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