Fifteen real Bristol beer gardens, harbourside pubs and taprooms, from a Grade II listed dockside tavern to a tropical-themed courtyard, each with what to expect, what’s on tap, and whether dogs are welcome.
Highbury Vaults (164 St Michael’s Hill, Kingsdown)
A university-area local dating to the early 1840s, keeping its original snug bar and leather bench seating, and a favourite of students, doctors and academics from the nearby hospital alike.
- Historic pub dating to the 1840s
- Original snug bar
- Popular with Bristol University crowd
Zerodegrees (53 Colston Street, Old City)
A microbrewery, bar and kitchen with a tropical-feeling terrace decked out with palm trees and benches, pouring its own keg-fresh beer alongside stone-baked pizza.
- Own-brewed keg-fresh beer
- Palm-tree terrace, tropical feel
- Stone-baked pizza kitchen
The Nova Scotia (1 Nova Scotia Place, Spike Island)
A Grade II listed dockside pub from 1811 where the Bristol Docks meet the Avon Gorge, with dockside benches under large parasols and views of the boats moored outside.
- Open daily, midday to 11pm (Sun to 10pm)
- Dockside seating with harbour views
- Dog friendly
- Cask ale and Thatcher’s cider
The Cottage Inn (Baltic Wharf, Cumberland Road, Harbourside)
A former Baltic timber storehouse from 1868, now a Butcombe pub with a mostly unaltered 19th-century exterior and a terraced beer garden looking straight across the harbour to Clifton.
- Open daily, 11am/12pm-10pm/11pm
- Dog friendly, wheelchair accessible
- Butcombe beer and local cider
- Harbourside terrace with Clifton views
Coronation Tap (8 Sion Place, Clifton)
Bristol’s best-known cider house, serving its own Exhibition cider in half pints only alongside a full range of draught, packaged and mulled ciders, a short walk from Clifton Suspension Bridge.
- Open evenings, 5.30pm/7pm-11.30pm
- Exhibition cider served in halves only
- Steps from Clifton Suspension Bridge
The White Lion (Sion Hill, Clifton)
A Clifton pub with one of the best views in the city from its back terrace, overlooking the Avon Gorge and Clifton Suspension Bridge directly.
- Back terrace overlooking Avon Gorge and Clifton Suspension Bridge
- Popular sunset spot
Hope and Anchor (Jacob’s Wells Road, Clifton)
A pub with its own tropical beer garden filled with palms and multiple levels, seating around 80 people and used for pub quizzes, parties and even wedding drinks receptions.
- Tropical-themed beer garden, seats around 80
- Multiple levels with outdoor speakers and heaters
- Hosts pub quizzes and private garden parties
The Whitmore Tap (Redland, Clifton)
A taproom-style pub in Redland serving locally brewed ales, with a dog-friendly outdoor terrace and complimentary water bowls and treats for four-legged visitors.
- Open daily, midday to 10pm/11pm/12am
- Locally brewed ales on tap
- Dog friendly, water bowls and treats provided
BrewDog Bristol Harbourside (3 Millennium Promenade, Harbourside)
BrewDog’s Bristol Harbourside bar right on the waterfront, pouring its full craft beer range with an outdoor terrace looking over the water.
- Dog friendly
- Waterfront terrace on Bristol Harbourside
- Full BrewDog craft beer range
The Eastfield Inn (Henleaze)
A large 1930s community pub in Henleaze with one of the biggest beer gardens in the city, including a pond, a children’s play area, a skittles alley and boules.
- One of Bristol’s largest pub beer gardens
- Pond, children’s play area, skittles alley, boules
- Sunday roasts and two-for-one pizza on Sunday evenings
The Square Club (Berkeley Square, Clifton)
A restaurant and cocktail bar with regular live music and a sun-drenched summer terrace strung with fairy lights, alongside an award-winning seasonal menu.
- Sun-drenched summer terrace with fairy lights
- Regular live music acts
- Award-winning seasonal restaurant menu
The Hobgoblin (Gloucester Road)
An independent, family-run pub at the heart of Gloucester Road with a reputation for simple, high-quality comfort food alongside a range of craft beers, wines and traditional ciders.
- Independent, family-run pub
- Craft beers, artisan gins, traditional ciders
- Comfort food menu
The Lazy Dog (Bristol)
A neighbourhood pub with a beer garden that’s heated in winter and comes alive in summer, a strong local beer selection, and dog-friendly service with free treats at the bar.
- Beer garden heated for winter use
- Dog friendly, free treats at the bar
- Weekly comedy nights and film clubs
Drawbridge (Bristol)
A Greene King pub that leans hard into being dog friendly, with cosy surroundings, a welcoming team, and treats on offer for four-legged visitors.
- Dog friendly throughout
- Treats available for dogs
- Greene King pub
The Spotted Cow (Bedminster)
A Bedminster local with a large outdoor garden that’s a popular stop on Visit Bristol’s own roundup of the city’s best pub gardens.
- Large outdoor garden
- Popular Bedminster local
Try the Local Cider
Bristol’s beer gardens are as much about cider as beer, and the Coronation Tap’s own Exhibition cider is the city’s most famous pour. If you can’t get there, Samuel Smith’s Organic Pale Ale is another classic English pub pick we’ve tasted and reviewed.
More Beer Travel
See also Best Beer Gardens in Newcastle, Best Beer Gardens in Liverpool, Best Beer Gardens in Glasgow, Best Beer Gardens in London, and the Beer Cities hub for 100 more cities to drink your way through.
FAQ
Which Bristol beer garden is best for dogs?
Several are genuinely dog friendly, including The Nova Scotia, The Cottage Inn, The Whitmore Tap, BrewDog Bristol Harbourside, The Lazy Dog and Drawbridge.
Which has the best view?
The White Lion in Clifton has one of the best views in the city, overlooking the Avon Gorge and Clifton Suspension Bridge from its back terrace.
Which is best for a big group?
The Eastfield Inn in Henleaze has one of the biggest pub beer gardens in Bristol, with a pond, skittles alley and boules alongside its main seating.
Also see: Best Beer Gardens in Munich, Best Beer Gardens in NYC, Best Beer Gardens in Manchester, Best Beer Gardens in Seattle, Best Beer Gardens in Amsterdam.
