The Cadbury

A thoroughly boho and shabby chic little establishment in Montpelier, The Cadbury is my favourite sort of pub: a great combination of classic, dark, old pub serving pints of local cider, and youthful, liberal hideaway with funky graffiti murals, huge beer garden, and reggae music.
I came here with friends on Sunday, to enjoy their special «Reggae and Roasts». It’s actually quite difficult to find a pub that will do Sunday roasts beyond about 3pm, so we were pleased to find that The Cadbury serves it until 6pm. My two veggie pals chose the chickpea and nut roast, while I went for the topside of beef with all the trimmings.
And what a roast it was! At the great price of £7.50, each plate came with yummy Yorkshires, roast tatties, a range of vegetables and very hot gravy. It all had a very home made feel to it, not that slightly too neat and shiny roast you get in some bigger pubs.
We sat outside in the huge garden, which has several big picnic tables. The atmosphere out there is brilliant — mainly students and young professionals, but also some older locals — and before we knew it we had been out there chatting away for five hours. Delightful.

Apparently owned by the man behind St Werburgh’s delightful The Farm and recently rejuvenated Montpelier pub The Old England, The Cadbury shares the trademark laidback, faintly hippyish vibe.
There’s nothing wildly different about this pub. It’s just a pleasant, easy-​going place to enjoy a pint in of an evening, with a great garden and music selection to ease the process.
Which is perhaps reason enough for its popularity…

No matter how many times I visit the Cadbury, I always struggle to find it and end up walking round in big old circle and am gagging for a pint by the end. But perhaps that is part of its charm– hidden away in the scenic back streets of Montpelier, the Cadbury is a real gem. It attracts a fairly mixed clientele and boasts a great menu and a lovely laid-​back vibe. The garden is also a great spot for an after-​work summer pint. The pub’s roasts and reggae have become legendary in the area and you can always phone ahead to check how many portions they have left and even reserve one if stocks are running low and you’re on your way. They do a selection of all meats with a great veggie option. The food is good hearty fare with all the classics from big old burgers to lighter bites catered for. And for the Real Ale heads, there’s plenty of tipples to choose from– including Bath Ales Gem and St Austell’s Tribute. There is also a great selection of rums and whiskies and bottled and draught ciders. In fact I might just head there now!

The Cadbury is a really cool pub in St Pauls. Very near the railway station, it’s got a very large back garden, with both seating area and a grassed garden patch (I’ve only been here at night so have never seen the grass bit in the daylight). It’s always been really busy when I’ve been in. There’s a bar which has a good selection of ales, beers and spirits — they’re not so strong on wine but the rest will keep you going for sure.
It’s got a really nice atmosphere — the indoor part isn’t massive so fills up quite quickly, but the outdoor section allows for a lot more seating and is entirely heated. A really good pub in a tucked away location, well worth searching out for a drink.

Way out west (near Stokes Croft), The Cadbury fulfils my basic need for a comfy seat and a pint. They’ve started serving up some tasty morsels too, so there’s nothing bad I can say. The clientele wouldn’t be out of place in the stone circle at Glastonbury, but its far friendlier than some of the stark, faceless establishments of the city centre. As far as pub gardens go, this one is big, green and full of benches.

Nothing to do with chocolate, this pub is a slightly leftfield establishment up a hill in the St. Pauls/​Montpellier part of Bristol. You’ll be a bit more likely to see hippyish characters here than in other pubs; The Cadbury attracts a chilled out, young crowd. This makes for friendly evening where you can sit in the garden under the porch and watch the stars for a while.
It’s a little out of the way, more or less in a residential area. But at only 5 minutes walk from Stokes Croft, its only a little detour on a pub crawl into town and worth it in my opinion. Also, although its up a hill the bar staff let me bring my bike in and leave it out the back, so consider cycling here. You’ll probably being going downhill to get home anyway. Hidden away, The Cadbury is a gem of Bristol that you should definitely take the time to find.