Jane Rakison slips away from Bath’s busy streets to a Georgian pub where comforting food, warm vibes and local life collide
Iconic Bath destinations such as the Royal Crescent, Roman Baths and The Circus draw crowds year-round and can make the city something of a scrum at times. So knowing a place where you can find calm cosiness beyond the hustle and bustle is a boon.
Centrally located on Monmouth Street, The Griffin Inn is a Georgian Grade II-listed pub with rooms. It was taken over in 2023 by Roger Payne (owner of the city’s Japanese restaurant Robun). He applied a liberal dose of care to the pub, dining room and eight individually styled bedrooms, all of which now tastefully showcase period features.
The ground floor is split into two rooms connected by stone steps and features a trad pub in the front and parlour dining room at the back. Exposed Bath-stone walls and banquette seating are complemented by judiciously chosen knick-knacks to deliver a characterful but uncluttered setting for lunch or dinner.
Glowing vibes
On our visit, the pub’s interior was bathed in a welcoming glow, which gave fuzzy vibes only heightened by the easy familiarity of staff and locals on first-name terms, chatting at the bar. This pervaded the dining room too, and we felt we’d stumbled upon an insider’s find – despite the inn’s central location.
The menu of seasonal cocktails and local ales was a tempting first stop, but we opted for a South African Chardonnay and Romanian Pinot Noir from a wine list that also showcased a few locally grown finds.
Classically comfy
The Griffin’s à la carte menu majors on appetising classics while flirting with off-the-beaten-track influences. Starters of crisp cauliflower with a spiced barbecue glaze, and hoisin pork-belly bites clamoured for attention, but we chose the gluten-free dish of smoked salmon with feta, capers and toast (GF is well repped across the entire menu). Wild mushroom and gruyère croquettes were equally satisfying: soft inside, crisp outside, and served on a bed of delicious lemon and mustard mayo.
Mains range from casual to smarter fare, and while you could indulge your passion for burgers at The Griffin Inn, more interesting dishes also feature. We plumped for a rich and flavoursome beef stroganoff with seasonal vegetables, and butternut squash and roasted red onion risotto with crispy sage and toasted seeds. The latter arrived covered in generous shards of parmesan, like blankets tucking in the hearty flavours.
Desserts covered all the bases, from greedy to dainty. We were seduced by a dark amber sticky toffee pudding in a puddle of sauce with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and a zingy lemon tart offset by sweet berry compote.
With its crowd-pleasing menu, friendly staff and refurbished rooms, consider this one to file under ‘cosy hidden spots in the heart of Bath.’
