Phoenix, Dundee

This is a proper traditional pub. Lots of dark wood, a superb ornate bar servery with etched glass mirrors, dark leather banquet seating divided by stained glass snob screens, interesting beer and brewery decor collection including several neon drink signs interspersed with more eclectic pieces such as stuffed deer and bison heads. Varied drink offerings including all the usual Scottish keg suspects but also including five functioning real ale pumps which makes the Phoenix one of the better Dundee pubs for choice for the ale drinker. Alongside a couple of regional’s in the form of Deuchars IPA from Caledonian and Timothy Taylor’s Landlord were three from smaller Scottish breweries in the shape of Redcastle Brewery Nobleman, Strathbraan 80 bob and Wooha Brewing Porter. I visited on a couple of occasions during my stay in Dundee and found the beers to be well kept with the 80 bob being a decent beer and the Porter was superb. After the Speedwell bar this was probably my second favourite Dundee pub for the ale and ambience.

This is a nice single room traditional pub within easy striking distance of the city centre and train station. The room has a nice terracotta tile floor and a chunky dark wood servery along the left hand wall. The bar sports some excellent etched glass mirrors in the bar back, topped with a bold decorative frieze and lined with an encouraging amount of CAMRA awards. There is also the obligatory pump clip collection in one corner, near a TV screen which was showing a muted football fixture whilst a decent selection of indie tunes played in the background. A row of tables and chairs runs opposite the bar whilst some marvellous deep, curved banquettes follow the right hand wall, separated by some attractive dark wood and stained glass screens with brass hand rails. There are nice little details pretty much everywhere you look, from the attractive decorations of the lintels to the smart Phoenix-themed stained glass windows which are offset by a selection of modern neon signs dotted around the room. Elsewhere, various items of breweriana, a large stag's head and some old sketches and paintings round out the pub's satisfying decor. On the bar, five fully operational handpulls offer one of the city's wider ale ranges, with options on this occasion comprising Fulers London Pride, MoR Ticia, Strathbaan Eighty Bob, Taylor Landlord and Caledonian Deuchars IPA. My pint of Eighty Bob was well conditioned, backing up all those CAMRA certificates, and I enjoyed supping it in a calm environment with a modest mid-week crowd. I liked the feel of this place and thought it was the sort of pub that you could easily while away a few hours in, aided by a reasonable ale selection. It has the feel of a classic local's pub but offered a warm welcome to a new face and I would say this is a solid addition to any crawl around Dundee.

Doesn't look that much from the street, but the heritage interior of this corner pub is rightly recognised. There is a splendid decorated bar-back, alcoves with low part-glazed screens, a line of coloured mosaic tiles around the walls, iron columns, interesting lanterns and mouldings around the ceiling. Four of the five handpumps were in operation, offering Deuchars IPA, Landlord, Ticia from the local MòR Brewery and a decent Strathbraan Eighty Bob (£3.55). Regular local Camra award winner, and you can see why.

Definitely one for the pub interior brigade this one, it's an old fashioned single room with a red tiled floor. I thought the old lager neon signs on the windows looked rather tatty but then again I think modern art is rubbish. It was quiet on an early Tuesday evening. The bar has five hand pumps which had one unused, Deuchar's IPA, Taylor's Landlord, Strathbaan Due South and Mor Mor-Ticia! I went for the Mor-Ticia! (£3.30) which was in good nick. This one's in the 2016 GBG.