The Old Vine, Winchester

best pint of the night - an excellent Otter. I wanted to eat here again, but came in at 5:30pm. They change to the evening menu at 6:30pm, but I had a train to catch. Shame - as I had a great meal here last time. I think I may have even been at the same table.

A small classy gastro pub well described below,visited briefly for a pre- beer festival drink, the four beers on were Purity Mad Goose, Botley- Mill, Alfreds Saxon Bronze and Long Man APA, a nice selection I thought and my APA was in good nick,worth popping in for a pint and I imagine the food would be good too.

Again, there are some thorough and accurate reviews below which I'll try not to replicate. The appeal of the Old Vine is instant as an attractive building overlooking the cathedral close. Inside you have a dedicated restaurant behind a heavy velvet curtain to the left and you walk into the bar, which is where we based ourselves. As others have highlighted it's furnished in contemporary fashion with soft brown seats and odd squares of textiles on the walls amongst the traditional fabric of the building with wooden floors and beams. It's very much the metropolitan gastro bar. But don't let all this modernism put you off. The welcome is warm and the bar staff are efficient and friendly. We visited at lunchtime so inevitably many were taking advantage of the well thought out menu. Lunchtimes see a selection of imaginative smaller dishes available as well as sandwiches. Our brie and grape sandwich and chorizo, pepper and potatoes went down very well and were each around the fiver mark. The real highlight here though has to be the beer. The four handumps had on: Hogs Back TEA, Flowerpots Perridge Ale, Ringwood Best and Hop Back Lightening. An interesting selection of fairly local beers and everything I went for in very good nick. A really nice spot to enjoy a decent pint and I'll certainly be back if in Winchester.