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All Saints Lane, Bristol. BS1 1JH |
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Bar |
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Let's Do Lunch - 4/5 StarsThis city centre boozer, tucker cosily away among the alleyways and awnings of St. Nick’s Market gave itself a rather classy makeover a coupla years back – all dark leather sofas, roaring open fire, and chunky stone flags, a bit like the drawing room of a rather chic hotel. Then, last autumn, food began to emerge from The Rummer kitchen. And, when “Let’s Do Lunch” breezed in last week, things were looking pretty promising. Mrs LDL plumped for the Spanish Tortilla – a generous slab at £4 – and pronounced herself happy enough with same: fresh and yielding, mixing the egg’s gentle gooeyness with the taters’ crisp and crunch, although a spot more seasoning would have pepped things up a little. My Lentil and Chorizo Hotpot was a rich and chunky winter warmer: great think oodles of puy lentils nuzzling soft, fluffy strands of chorizo, with carrots, potatoes and a goodly dash of paprika forming a lively chorus line. Elsewhere, the lunch menu is short but well-judged: homemade lamb burger with roast spuds and mint yoghurt, grilled goats cheese and walnut salad, and pasta Carbonara all just clearing the £5 bar; soup of the day or bread and hummus for something lighter. There’s even a sirloin steak with blue cheese sauce should the travails of the day demand something more substantial. But The Rummer’s real trump cards are its tucked away location and warm, mellow atmosphere – making it a cosy bolt-hole for urban winter lunches Steve Wright for VENUE Magazine 18th January 2008 The Rummer Hotel was awarded Metro's BEST BAR award 2007 Metro 12th December 2007 Back with a Bite.... to eat - Evening Post Seven Supplement Very few bars or restaurants can claim to be Bristol institutions, but The Rummer's place in this elite band remains pretty much unchallenged. There has been a watering hole or hotel on this St Nicholas Market site since the 13th century and, according to the pub's informative website, past visitors have included Elizabeth I, Charles I and II, William III and Oliver Cromwell. In the Sixties, The Rummer was taken over by Berni Inns, which opened one of its first steakhouses on the site, and it then became one of the city's best old-school boozers until it closed in the mid-Nineties. For a long time, it remained boarded up and unloved and at one point it looked as if Bristol had lost one of its favourite sons forever. That was until ambitious entrepreneur Brett Hirt took it on in at the end of 2005 and reopened it as a stylish bar. And the new look couldn't be more different to the spit-and-sawdust style of yesteryear. The bar that ran along the length of the outside wall has gone, and a new one has been built on the side that looks out towards the Glass Arcade. Gone, too, are all the partitions, to make way for an open-plan bar with a spot-lit ceiling, Welsh black slate floor and a fabulous original fireplace which is fired up in winter. With its comfortable dark green leather Chesterfield sofas, low tables and chilled music, it's a place to relax and contemplate life through the bottom of a glass. There really is nothing like sipping one of the 80 rums on offer as you curl up on the sofa in front of the fire with a good book or a good friend. The team behind The Rummer has taken things slowly but surely to start with. Rather than open with a big fanfare, it has kept things small and built the business up piece by piece. The long-term plan is to open a separate restaurant in the cellar and another bar upstairs, but the latest development is the lunchtime food menu, which was launched earlier this week. Chef Simon Stinson has joined the team and he has devised an eye-catching new menu. The Rummer is now open from 8am until 11.30am for breakfast and brunch, which is a very canny move as there are few places in the area open that early for a decent brekkie. I shall certainly be taking advantage of the scrambled eggs and smoked salmon (£4.50), eggs benedict (£4.50) and maple syrup pancakes (£3.50) over cups of cappuccino (£1.35) and glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice (£2) in the coming weeks. I will also be returning for lunch to try more dishes than the three I sampled this week. The lunch menu is influenced by Spain and Italy, which is always a promising start, with much of the local produce coming from the weekly farmers' market in nearby Corn Street. Starters include Spanish omelette with tuna, olives and green beans with warm bread and salad leaves (£4); and potatoes pan-fried in a pepper, garlic and cumin sauce (£3.50); with main courses ranging from buffalo mozzarella, artichoke and roasted cherry tomato salad (£5); to roast venison loin with sweet potato and carrots in a red wine and plum sauce (£6.95). Just look at those prices for central Bristol. Nothing more than £6.95 for portions that even I found daunting. Quite a trick. And the dishes I sampled were by and large very good. OK, the tomato, smoked garlic and sherry vinegar bruschetta (£3.50) promised more than it delivered (the bread was too soft and not crispy enough and the tomatoes were flavourless), but the chorizo and butter beans cooked in Rioja (£4.50) was one of those rustic, ballsy tapas dishes you find in great bars in Barcelona. Best of all was the warm salad of roasted squash, Serrano ham, pecorino and figs served on rocket and basil (£5), which was beautifully presented and an intelligent dish with brilliant contrasts in flavour and texture - the sweet, chewiness of the roasted figs and squash combining perfectly with the saltiness of the ham and tangy cheese. It was the sort of dish people pay £15 for in top restaurants so to find it here for a fiver must make it one of the best value main courses in Bristol. From an excellent, well-chosen wine list, I tried two by the glass - the elderflowerish Saint Claire sauvignon blanc from New Zealand (£4.75 for 175ml) and the aromatic and dry Tiddy Widdy Well colombard/riesling from Australia (£3.85 for 175ml) - both great lunchtime gluggers. Although there is no draught beer, there is a good selection of bottles including local brews such as Bath Ales Gem and Wickwar Cotswold Way, as well as beers from further afield (including the dark and heavy Nigerian Guinness and the sublime, refreshing Kasteel Cru from Alsace. On the first day of serving food, The Rummer was busier than expected and as soon as the word gets around, I'm sure this will become one of the most popular lunchtime pit-stops in the city centre. And deservedly so. Mark Taylor - EVening Post - Seven Supplement - 15th Spet 2007 
Venue has cherished recollections of The Rummer as the setting for a first date drink which spawned a precious friendship, so hoped its new incarnation would be worthy of this special memory. It was. Indeed, since owner Brett Hirt and manager Danny Walker reopened The Rummer, many Bristolians have reiterated their particular fondness of the place.
There’s much more than nostalgia here though: newcomers will find a venue wherein immaculate attention to detail, genuine service and some choice drinks create a unique feel, offering plenty. “We didn’t plan to attract certain people. In fact, the whole place wasn’t pre-designed, but fell together as we did it.” Says Danny candidly. Consequently, punks, solicitors and Kiwi travellers evince variety, making for an absence of trouble. “Two girls came in one night and fell asleep by the open fire,” says Brett “ we found their socks when clearing up the next day. I’m glad they felt that comfortable in the Rummer, but wouldn’t encourage it.”A two year refurbishment has installed classic décor as harmonious as the clientele. “When you have Welsh black slate, you need green Chersterfields, as that’s what suits.” Says Danny. There’s a staggering 200 bottles including 40 Rums. There’s no draught but bottles of Bath ales Gem and organic lager and Wickwar Porter and Stout rub shoulders with global varieties. Make a date to drop in: it could start something beautiful. Simon Fry for VENUE Magazine 17th March 2006 Ship Shape and in Fashion In the Travel section of the London edition of METRO, the Rummer Hotel has been recommended to readers as one of the highlight of Bristol. They Said.... The Rummer Hotel: What was once was an old boozer is now a open lounge-bar with sofas, a log fire and an impressive cocktail list. Metro (LONDON) 14th July 2006 
The Rummer, St Nicholas Market, BristolDating back to 1241, The Rummer is steeped in history and the roll call of past visitors from the days when it was a hotel include Elizabeth I, Charles I and II, William III and Oliver Cromwell. After almost a decade of being closed and boarded up, The Rummer reopened at the end of 2005 and has, once again, become one of central Bristol's most popular watering holes, albeit one that appeals to a very different crowd than it did before. Since it was refurbished, this historic St Nicholas Market inn is virtually unrecognisable from the place it was and drinkers who used to frequent it will no doubt lament the fact it is now more a trendy bar than a "proper" pub. As a former regular myself, I can see their point and it's a shame that this one-time real-ale pub no longer serves draught beers (or even pints), but times change and The Rummer is now catering for a different crowd, from local office workers and shoppers to pre-club revellers. There are 18 bottled beers and ciders on the list, many of which rarely appear in other Bristol bars. There's Nigerian Guinness, Kirin Ichiban lager from Japan and Anchor Steam Beer from San Francisco, as well as more local tipples like Bath Ales Gem, Bristol Beer Factory Brunale and Wickwar Station Porter. The bottle of Kasteel Cru beer I tried came from the Alsace region of France and was made with Champagne yeast. Served ice-cold in an attractive handled glass, it was a very refreshing brew. Although beer is a big part of the business, it's spirits that dominate the drinks list at The Rummer, which has one of the best-stocked bars in Bristol. There are about 30 different types of whisky, 20 vodkas and a breathtaking selection of more than 80 rums, including the Flor de Cana 18-year-old from Nicaragua and the El Dorado 25-year-old, both of which are exclusive to The Rummer. The rums range in price from £2.35 to more than £12.50 for a single shot. With its comfortable green leather Chesterfield sofas, the roaring fire and the gentle tick of the splendid, old grandfather clock in the corner, The Rummer has the air of a gentlemen's club and it provides one of the most chilled-out atmospheres of any bar in the city. It's a place you will want to savour for as long as possible with a glass of something special in your hand. Mark Taylor Evening Post 3rd February 2007 Top 5 Bars 1) The Rummer Hotel, All Saints Lane Since its extensive refurbishment just over a year ago the historic Rummer Hotel has established itself as a firm favourite on Bristol’s bar scene. Its comfy leather sofas, classic decor and roaring fire form an elegant setting for this relaxed venue. The well-stocked bar is its real selling point, with what is possibly the most extensive beer and spirit list in Bristol and expert bartenders creating a wide range of cocktails. Be it for a quick after-work drink or a whole soiree, the Rummer Hotel is a must for the more discerning bar-goer. Jacqui Chappell - Original FM |
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