Chester:
Victorian town-centre boozer. Pleasant staff, traditional (pubco) interior, decent cask ale, standard Stonegate pubco menu, decent enough beer garden (plastic grass, but otherwise fine). Near to be bus station.
Category Archives: Chesire
Watergates Bar (The Old Crypt)
Chester:
Well, it was World Goth Day, so a pub situated in The Old Crypt seemed appropriate. It was a bit of a disappointment that it was Greene King, but as it was I was drinking lager.
The crypt has seen various uses, including a morgue. On a bright sunny day it was cool, dark, and atmospheric inside, but there’s a rooftop bar if you wanted sun.
We’d been in the nearby Victoria, but the staff there couldn’t be arsed serving us, so we went in here and found friendly staff, decent food, and great service.
The Oddfellows Arms
Chester:
Traditional-looking pub, close to the bus station. No cask, so it was Moretti. Felt like it was going to be nice, turned out only average, but we did find a nice sunny spot in the beer garden.
Elephant Lounge
Parkgate, Chesire:
Describes itself as a bar/coffee lounge, but most of the time, this seemed to meet the description of pub, and it’s in Whatpub. It’s a modern craft bar, with the stripped-back polished concrete, some rough-sawn wood, and exposed cable tray. It’s part of a small local chain, Elephant Collective.
No cask, but interesting keg including Kirin, which I’ve not seen on draught before in the UK.
This was Parkgate’s place for the youth, but we found it OK in late afternoon.
The Boathouse
Parkside, Wirral:
A 1926 cafe that became a pub, though there was a pub here previously, t the opposite end to The Old Quay.
A Hydes pub, this pub is multi-area- there’s no actual doors but there’s clearly defined areas- with the conservatory at the back being very much dining focused. There’s a load of outside space too, which made a great place to sit on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
Decent beer, and decent staff, though the one chap (the manager?) seemed a bit full-on, shall we say. Great food, too- a step above average pub food.
The Old Quay
Parkgate, Chesire:
A Stonehouse family feedbag pub at the far end of Parkgate village.
The building is sadly a bit tatty, with peeling paint, broken roof tiles, and odd bits of paper in some windows, but there’s loads of potential if someone invested: inside is standard pubco feedbag with a carvery and the usual fare, and the usual suspects beer-wise: outside has a big terrace for the sun and the views, Staff were pleasant, but it could do better.
The Red Lion
Parkgate, Chesire:
Our holiday local: the first pub we came to in Parkgate, and a fabulous pub.
Welcoming staff, great beer- keg, craft, and cask. Inside has modern touches but original features, opened out, but logically separate areas. Beer garden, and seating at the front with a view of the Dee estuary. There’s food too, but only from lunch to early evening/late afternoon. At busier times the staff will ask you if you want another drink, and bring it (and a card machine) to you.
The pub gets busy, as it’s in prime position, but service is great and prices reasonable.
The Chesire Cat
Chester:
We’d passed this pub many times, and always meant to drop in, because well, cat, plus it’s an imposing site as you prepare to turn off the A41 and head for the A55, and a good lunch stop for us coming back this time.
It’s part of the M&B Vintage Inns chain, so traditionalish inside, food-biased, but feels like an old pub (which it is, to be fair). Good service and food- not the cheapest, but not too bad either. Can’t comment on the beer as I was driving. Right next to the Shropshire Union Canal. Sensible Covid precautions, overall a nice place. There’s accommodation here if you fancy it.
The Davenport Arms
Marton, Macclesfield, Chesire:
Nice looking, slightly upmarket pub by the side of the A34. We were going to have lunch here, but the hordes of children put us off.
The pub itself wasn’t bad though: a bit upmarket in pitch for me, but this was in leafy Chesire, after all. Good choice of beer, wine, and cider, pleasant staff, extensive menu, and a very nice beer garden (with chickens as well).
Closed: The Farmers Arms
Edit: Now closed, demolished, and replaced by a new pub, The Inn at Huxley]
An overnight stop near Oulton Park saw us eating and drinking here on a Saturday evening. It’s a lovely, proper country pub with excellent food, and thankfully the restaurant is in a couple of separate rooms, to the benefit of both. Excellent food (not cheap, but excellent value), beer, and wine, and pleasant staff. It’s in the middle of nowhere, unless you stay at the nearby B&B, which also isn’t cheap, but very good.