The Atrium, Bristol

Not quite as trendy as you might infer from the name, but nonetheless a pleasant enough place even if it is slightly lacking in character. In may ways it seems more like a private members club, with dull red carpet, dull red bench seating and a wooden bar area that just seems a little bit old fashioned. Being a wine bar, you may expect to see a good selection of wines chalked up on a board, but although there used to be just such a board to the left of the bar that has now been replaced with a plasma. There was a selection of wine visible in the ‘fridge, but presumably you have to squint at it to try and make it out, or enquire of the bar staff. No such problems if you’re after a coffee though, there were plenty of mugs hanging from the bar and a selection of different cuppa’s chalked up on a board above the bar. Is this a wine bar or a coffee shop we ask ourselves? Besides the aforementioned dull red colour scheme, there’s a number of marble topped tables scattered around which all came with some fresh carnations and a lighted candle. The wall is regular painted plaster on one side and exposed brickwork on the other, although the brick is of a quite modern variety so doesn’t have quite the visual appeal that you get in some pubs. There’s a curious wood stripwork on the ceiling that really looks as though it would be more at home cladding the floor. A few pictures are dotted around and there are some large windows overlooking the courtyard from whence this bar takes it’s name. Outside there are a couple of tables and benches. The menu is mostly baguettes, sandwiches, jackets, omelettes, etc., although there were also a few regular meals, all with chips, and a few specials which were all fish. Barmaid seemed pleasant enough, and it soon filled up with a crowd of locals early on a Friday evening. The solitary beer on tap was Doom Bar. Ciders were Blackthorn and Thatcher’s Gold.