The Minerva, Hull

Riverside pub with a number of different rooms. I spotted 3, but suspect there were more, as I didn't wander too far. There is a podium near the entrance where you are greeted and shown to your reserved table if you have one, or fitted in somewhere if you don't. We created confusion as we were meeting people already present. Tetley's Cask is the regular ale. 4 Guests were Abbeydale Reveller, Tapped Brew Co. Sorsby Stout & Allendale Hop On & Golden Plover. Tasting paddles are available. A cosy and comfortable place where meals are served and families are welcome.

Occasionly on your travels you hit on a bit of a classic and this is one. Even with the too young/uninterested bar staff and the rancid smell from the bogs you can't hide this is a beautiful building in a fine setting with a big choice of good beer. Split into various spaces and sizes its a lovely pub to visit.

This historic pub and former hotel has a great location overlooking the Humber and offers a fine traditional multi-room venue in a part of the Old Town that is otherwise lacking in this type of venue. The front porch leads you into a corridor with the main bar room to the right. This is a carpeted room with a nice curved dark wood servery along the back wall. The bar has a smart canopy that matches the counter and a simple mirrored bar back. Low stools and settles run opposite, along the front wall and offer some of the best views out towards the river. There are a couple more tables and the far end of the room in front of a fireplace with a City of Culture sign above and a board advertising various whisky options to one side. A TV in one corner was turned off, with some practically inaudible music floating around in the background somewhere. Elsewhere, a high shelf runs along the front wall, stacked with old beer bottles, whilst the pub's prominent nautical theme is evident from knot displays, old maps and various black and white photos of river life. To the left of the entrance is a small room in the thin end of this wedge shaped building, with light coloured walls and comfy banquette seating under more old photos of local industry. The corridor, which has a lovely coloured tile floor, leads on past a tiny snug which has room for three people to squeeze into its V-shaped space on fixed benches. Beyond are a couple more rooms, both smartly furnished but full of diners on a Sunday lunchtime, preventing me from having a proper nose around. There was a wide ale range on the bar comprising North Riding Milk Chocolate Stout, Yorkshire Brewing Mutiny and Old Ebeneezer, Tetley Cask, Ossett Silver King and Great Newsome Frothingham Best. An extremely friendly barmaid served up a first class pint of the Milk Chocolate Stout and, not wanting to sit down with all the diners, I propped up the end of the bar and marvelled at the large quantities of ale flying out of the pumps. This is a quality pub in a part of town that seems to be dominated by warehouse conversion cafes and bars. The pub has a very appealing layout that I was a little disappointed to not be able to fully explore, and must be a great spot for a drink in the summer with its views over the river. I found it a welcoming place with bags full of character and accept that I was unlucky to time my visit with peak food serving period. Another top Hull ale house to include on any crawl around town.

Very attractive riverside pub in the old dock area, established in 1829, with a thoroughly nautical theme as you would expect. Retains a multi-room layout comprising the bar, lower room, semi-open back seating area, side lounge and apparently the smallest snug in Britain. Six real ales on handpump, ranging from Tetley's Cask and Pedigree, through Big Shed Battlefield Gold and Great Newsome Sleck Dust, to two from Saltaire - Raspberry Blonde and Triple Chocoholic (£1.75, half). First rate.