Zerodegrees, Bristol

Very well described by PSM below. I like the quirkiness of the building, though the décor is a bit garish. They had their 4 standard beers on, plus four specials. I thought the beer was too cold for my liking, aimed at a different clientele perhaps. Freshly made pizzas were a bit overpriced, as was the beer. Staff were a little brusque, again perhaps because we’re not their usual demographic to some of whom they appeared much more welcoming. I enjoyed the beer, but I’m not sure I’d be rushing back when there is so much good ale to be had nearby.

This is one of four Zerodegrees outlets dotted around the UK, but by my reckoning it must be the largest. Situated on the side of a steep hill next to the famous Christmas Steps, the pub is split over two levels with a loud, raucous bar area downstairs and a slightly more sedate restaurant above. If you’ve been to one of their other bars, you’ll know what to expect in terms of décor – lots of steel and chrome, exposed pipes and ducts and the chance to view their in-house brewing plant. The main bar sees the servery tucked away somewhat in the rear right corner, with a long counter facing ample standing space and basic seating. There is a slightly raised seating area over to the other side of the room with dining-style tables and an open kitchen. This area was packed on our Saturday evening visit, including a couple of large parties who were making lots of noise, so not the ideal spot to enjoy a quiet meal. The restaurant area upstairs looks down over the main room below and offers formal seating with someone waiting to show you to your seat and full table service. The whole room has a vast array of fashionable light shades and fittings, some of which looked quite stylish and improved the otherwise utilitarian styling of the interior. Loud disco music prevailed throughout the visit and I did wonder whether tables would be cleared away after the diners had all finished eating, to create additional dancing space. All of the beer is brewed in-house, with five regular brews – Pilsner, Black Lager, Mango, Pale and Wheat – supplemented by a couple of seasonals in the shape of Vienna Pilsner and Milk Stout. We sampled the Milk Stout, which I enjoyed very much, and the Mango, which I expected to hate but actually found surprisingly well balanced. We also ate here and I enjoyed a pretty decent pizza whilst the other half worked her way through a pretty epic pile of mussels. I was worried that we’d visited here at the wrong time of day, but I actually think a livelier atmosphere works well in this type of bar and perhaps explains why I liked this place more than the other Zerodegrees bars I’ve visited previously. It won’t suit everyone, but if you’re looking for something a bit different this is an interesting place to spend a bit of time.