It's finally happened. The clouds have cleared, the sun is out, and dare we say it, the weather is toasty. There's only one way to celebrate a glorious day and that's with an ice-cold drink outside in the balmy heat. From tiny courtyard gems to pubs with whopping great stretches of grass, we've rounded up the best beer gardens in Bristol so you can bag yourself a spot as soon as the blue skies are showing.
Last edited by Scarlett Welch
Last updated on 20th November 2024
With an award-winning restaurant, regular live music acts and a great cocktail bar, The Square Club has got it all. Add in the gorgeous sun-drenched summer terrace and this is one beer spot worth adding to the bucket list if you're looking to get comfy among fairy lights over a refreshing tipple. On the menu you can expect to devour moreish plates like braised lamb shoulder or three-cornered leek gnocchi, followed by banana tarte fine alongside rosemary ice cream for dessert.
Racks Bar & Kitchen are serving up alfresco sips on their outdoor terrace, decked with floral fixtures dangling over wooden beams and wrapped around elegant light fixtures. Along with heaters to keep you toasty on the cooler days, the joint also has £7 lunch deals, indulgent Sunday roasts and a brunch menu featuring Belgian waffles with berry compote.
Head to North Street where you'll find this fun boozer with a lush outdoor area, complete wooden tables and vibrant murals. When night comes? The Spotted Cow's fairy lights turn the space into an enchanting retreat. This cosy venue is one of the best pubs in Bristol for food too, with its Sunday roasts being a major draw. Tuck into Hereford Cross beef sirloin or Wye Valley lamb, served with potatoes, braised red cabbage and lashings of rich gravy.
If you're searching for somewhere to have a drink outside then we have the ideal destination for you. With a three-tiered patio space covered in swaying plants and fairy lights, The Mall has got to be your first port of call. Nab yourself a table and settle in for an afternoon of spirits and craft brews. Catch them on a sunny day and wolf down the likes of juicy burgers topped with smoked cheddar and pan-fried hake, served alongside gunpowder potatoes.
Searching for Bristol's best pub gardens? Head to Gloucester Road for The Anchor, a charming boozer that has an extensive fairy-light-covered outside area, grass to sink your feet into and dark wooden benches to perch on with a pint. Catch some sun rays during halftime or spend a relaxing afternoon sinking beer and chomping on meaty burgers at this gorgeous den.
After an alfresco locale? The Old Post Office is hands down one of our favourite places for a pint. The venue has a bustling beer garden, complete with high-top tables, wooden beams and a sprinkling of fairy lights that make it a more intimate affair come nightfall. Here at this Fishponds Road joint, you can bag a scrumptious burger and a drink from just £8.29, as well as a cracking lunch for under a tenner.
For those well-deserved alfresco pours, venture to the Prince Of Wales. Located on Gloucester Road, this cool drinking den boasts a rustic outdoor area that's equipped with wooden benches and a fabulous mural. It's certainly a haunt that'll look fab on socials and as for the food? Think tasty tacos filled with grilled halloumi cheese and guacamole, hot honey buffalo wings and stone-baked pizzas.
With a waterside outdoor terrace and a second-floor balcony overlooking the multicoloured houses on the edge of the river, Riverstation is in the running for the most picturesque place to drink in this city. But it's not just the views. This beauty also cooks up delicious food for brunch, lunch and dinner using seasonal British ingredients, whipped together by head chef Garreth Ball. Tuck into the likes of Devon crab and crayfish cocktails, plus heritage mushroom and truffle risottos.
With venues in the city centre and on the Harbourside, Slug and lettuce is a fun, lively bar that also boasts beer gardens at both locations. Soak up the sun while sipping two-for-one cocktails, available all day, every day.
This Instagrammable pink venue also serves a cracking selection of food, ranging from Italian-style chicken burgers to steak and fries or cheesy nachos - with bottomless brunches available too.
For a tropical and eclectic escape, head to The Cocktail Club Corn Street for its pretty beer garden and soak up the sun surrounded by oasis-inspired painted walls and foliage. Nab two for £12 tipples during happy hour seven days a week and enjoy the likes of a creamy Lychee Colada, made with Takakma Extra Nior rum and pineapple juice, or a Bramley Apple Smash.
The Royal Oak is a cosy Bishopston pub that boasts a gorgeous beer garden, complete with pale blue picnic tables and plenty of space to soak up the sun. Enjoy locally brewed ales at this location, alongside three sharing plates for £13.40 or five for £18.4. Tuck into the likes of cheesy button mushrooms, Southern-fried chicken goujons and Doritos topped with garlic and herb sauce.
The Hole in the Wall doesn't disappoint as one of the fab beer gardens in Bristol with a menu that's on par with its wholesome exterior. Think gastro delights such as pan-roasted lamb rump and freshly battered banana blossom. The traditional boozer has several areas to choose from, fronting everything from picnic benches to swish sofas; add in their selection of real ales and you've got a perfect Sunday afternoon.
Steam Bristol is home to a humungous alfresco terrace that's perfect for drinking and dining outside with your mates. It's full of charm thanks to its ribbons of bunting, large windows and exposed brick walls. Ideal come rain or shine, this covered space will see you digging into cocktail bottomless brunches packed with cheesy slices of pizza and jugs of Steam's pilsner and cider.
What makes a drinking terrace even better? Keg-fresh pints and stone-baked pizza, obviously. And that's exactly what's on offer at Zerodegrees, a seriously cool microbrewery, bar and kitchen that's popular with pint fanatics. If you're on the hunt for the best beer gardens in Bristol city centre, you should certainly swing by this swish seating area, decked out with palm trees and benches to give a tropical feel while your feet stay firmly on Bristolian soil.
When it comes to locating a pub garden in Bristol city centre, The White Harte boasts an intimate offering, fab for any occasion with a few friends. It feels private thanks to its baby blue panelling and cosy seating arrangement. Situated along Park Row, the sports and gaming site also cooks up a menu of tasty American-inspired food such as chicken wings and serves real ales, wines and spirits.
If you haven't yet been to No.4 Clifton Village, then what are you waiting for? Not only is it home to several secret walled outdoor areas, and one of the most luscious-looking beer gardens in Bristol with a restaurant boasting an AA Rosette, but it also has an intimate wine bar. This gem is available for private hire, but if you're inclined to spend a casual day basking in the sun with friends, it's the perfect place to do so with elegance. Cast your eyes on the stunning Georgian mansion from the confines of its green space, with a margarita in hand.
While it might be more of a patio than a garden, The Flyer's courtyard is a beauty. Who needs greenery when you've got cosy booths to shelter in and plenty of character thanks to graffiti-adorned walls? Hit them up for cauliflower wings, fried chicken tenders, or a leisurely brew as you soak in the sunshine. Get your lips around a cracking cocktail menu too, boasting the likes of their signature Wray's rum punch, made with Fever-Tree ginger ale.
The White Hart is a gorgeous country pub in the charming village of Littleton-upon-Severn - only 25 minutes from the city centre. Escape the hustle and bustle with a trip to this 17th-century watering hole where real ales and and comfort food await in its expansive beer garden. If you're visiting on a Sunday, you won't be disappointed as this quaint place serves up an epic feast featuring premium sirloin of British beef, plus vegan options with all the trimmings.
One of the best pub gardens in Bristol, The Lock Keeper is a gorgeous green gem, boasting craft beer and seasonal wines. You can make yourself at home in its expansive outside area and enjoy the tranquillity of being removed from the hustle and bustle of it all, as the sound of the water from the weir trickles into your ears. In addition, the venue has delicious grub on offer - think gooey camembert for sharing and a 'butcher's board' featuring scotch eggs and fennel crackling.
Known for being a buzzing beer garden, The Canteen has it all. The outside area is bursting with leafy plants and communal tables, and entertainment-wise you'll be spoilt, as it has live music nights six times a week. Whether you're in the mood to tuck into a fresh, fluffy sandwich made with focaccia, a couple of sharing plates or wanna sink some pints with friends, it's a top-tier place for whiling away your weekends under the sun in Stokes Croft.
The Christmas Steps comes alive when the warmer weather rolls into town. As well as playing host to a roster of DJs and day festivals, the historical pub dishes out refreshing pints and vino, as well as scrumptious grub from its menu like sausage and mash with seasonal greens, plus beer battered haddock alongside chips. Its outside seating area is full of character thanks to its exposed brick walls and the towering old houses peering over behind them.
Located inside a Grade II-listed building, this Clifton Village pub is a popular place to drink. And it's not hard to see why. Along with a courtyard and social outdoor seating, The Albion hosts regular sports fixtures and is dog-friendly, so you can bring your pooch for a sprinkling of sunshine while you kick back and enjoy the joint's tempting menu. Share a Ploughman's board with your friends or enjoy a veggie burger all to yourself.
