Red Monkey, Redland, Bristol

Bristol’s second micro-pub, this opened a few months back as part of the burgeoning Chandos Road food and drink scene and is actually quite a reasonable size, certainly bigger than many non micro-pubs that I have been in. Clearly converted from a former shop unit, it still has that look about it, complete with suspended ceiling tiles and slatted wooden boards on the walls were items for sale were presumably hung. They have however etched the glass windows at the front, and this included a number of logos from their suppliers such as Butcombe, Wye Valley and Gwatkins. Internally it’s all one open plan room, although it narrows at one point where the bar counter has been built. Oddly the bulk of this area is walled off to make a separate room rather than all being open as is normally the case, with just a small counter area at the front. A couple of chalk boards just next to this displayed the current selection of ales and ciders, as well as a “coming soon” board. Decor wise there is little of any note, with rough wooden boards on the floor and a mixture of battleship grey and cream paintwork on the walls. Some chunky wooden benches had recently been installed down one side of the pub, and I understand these are to be covered with some sort of fabric at some point. A few colourful watercolours were for sale, and there was a good selection of board games on a shelf next to the bar. It was very quiet on a recent Friday evening visit with only two or three other punters in, and the lack of any music made it slightly too sombre, I thought. That said, it was somewhat busier when we walked by again a couple of hours later. The food offering looks to be restricted to a jar of pickled eggs and a selection of crisps displayed on the bar counter. Beers on this occasion were Butty Bach, Flying Monk Elmers, XT13, Rudgate Battle Axe and Butcombe Brunel IPA, as well as a stout of some sort. Ciders fared well with Gwatkin’s No Bull and Silly Ewe, Aston Press Still, Cheddar Valley, Brislington Brain Twister and Orchard Pig Explorer.