In the heart of Stokes Croft, amid the Jamaica Street hostel street drunks and takeaways of dubious hygiene, is a charming pub well worth braving the neighborhood for.

The Venue
Although the district is facing an imminent regional development fund facelift, it is, at the moment, an area of fruity goings on and it is definitely one of the edgier destinations for a night out on the tiles.

It is only a 10 minute walk from the centre, so this interesting neck of the woods is easy to get to for a walkabout if you fancy something a little bit different from the old main drag.

They have a decent-sized, sheltered smoking area at the front of the pub and, when you come in here off the street, you'll find a dimly lit, spacious yet cosy room complete with comfy leather armchairs by an open fire on cold evenings.

The Pipe and Slippers perfectly blends the feel of a traditional boozer with a hip and trendy edge. Chess and backgammon are available on request, for those who like intellectual pursuits with their alcohol and, for everyone else, there are DJs on Friday and Saturday nights and a highly entertaining pub quiz mid-week.

The People
Even though few people in here are over thirty, the usual crowd is a diverse one. You’re as likely to see a builder as you are a lecturer from the university, not to mention a healthy number of the Stokes Croft art crowd.

Sports’ fans are also present due to the availability of Sky Sports. On the whole the staff are up-to-speed and serve you with a smile although when it’s busy the bar queue can get pretty deep.

The Food
The food is either tapas or Pie Minister pies. It comes within 10 minutes of your order, more often than not, and there is no better accompaniment to a pint than one of these aforementioned pies.

The pies don’t cost much, but by the time you’ve added the cost of mash, minted mushy peas and gravy you’re on your way to seven ponds. Still, it’s a hearty meal so it won’t leave you unsatisfied.

The Drink
They have a £10 minimum card payment, so bring cash unless you want to make a session of it. Prices are moderate across the board and the choice won’t leave you disappointed. They have a wonderful selection of bottled ciders as well as continental beers and local ales on draught. There are heaps of exciting spirits and therefore excellent bespoke cocktails are also available.

The Last Word
As the previous winner of a local newspaper’s pub of the year award, The Pipe and Slippers has little to prove and much to say for itself.