The Griffin Inn, Monmouth Street, Bath

The Griffin Inn – the smart little hostelry on the Monmouth Street/Princes Street axis with a history that dates back to 1730 – is thriving again… and I know for sure that I’m not the only Bathonian to say cheers to that! In recent years, history hasn’t been kind to this mellow oasis of city centre snuggery; since even before the start of lockdown, there was an “is it open or isn’t it?” kinda vibe going on that didn’t exactly foster a ‘regulars’ ambience or promote local appeal.

But in April of this year, the inn’s doors reopened under the stewardship of Bath resident Roger Payne (the man responsible for introducing super-glam Japanese jolly-up emporium Robun to the Bath merrymaking scene) in collaboration with Bath Ales… and at last, The Griffin is roaring again, with a refurbished taproom, parlour (gotta love any pub that uses the word ‘parlour’ in its descripto) and snug (ditto previous parenthesis) showcasing the building’s period features and turning it back into a gloriously affable, super-convivial, super-welcoming watering hole, complete with low beams, thick stone walls, plush leather armchairs in the bar area to the front and softly-lit dining tables to the rear.

On the drinks front, cool brews, classic and cask ales, local ciders, artisan spirits and lush, plush wines give tipplers much to consider, alongside cocktails for those in the mood for upping the party ante. The food menu, meanwhile, makes the prospect of not staying for a bite to eat a ridiculous concept indeed: neat, daily-changing menus and upmarket variations on the bar snack theme (sausage rolls? Tick!) bring a small but perfectly formed lineup of easygoing, well-priced options-for-all to the table, all of which fly the flag for seasonal, locally-sourced produce – and I have it on very good authority that both the burgers and the Sunday roasts are well worth pushing the boat out for.

At the time of writing (remember, we’ve established that Griffin menus change by the day, according to seasonal and market forces), I can highly recommend the Crab Risotto – a generous, deep-dive flavour foray that cleverly treads that fine line between delicacy and boisterousness, laden with sweet, creamy fresh crab – while an equally generous salad slicked with lashings of labneh is upgraded to stellar heights by the addition of lemon-infused grilled chicken; summer on a plate, best enjoyed at a table by the big picture window that looks out onto the fascinating nooks and crannies of Princes Street.

Smart but cosy, ancient but modern and effortlessly mellow to the max, this lovely little pub named after a legendary creature deserves legendary status in its own right today.