The Guildford Arms

The 2012 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the current (2012) edition.

The Guildford is definitely one of the city centre’s most venerable boozers – a triumph of solid Victorian substance over fleeting contemporary style. But despite its comfortably fading grandeur it has, to some extent, moved with the times. Most impressively, this is reflected in its inclusion of a number of interesting ales and lagers, with the likes of St Mungo’s being well worth a try. Slightly less congruous to the surrounds, however, is the small upstairs restaurant, whose garish bar and designer tables are rather at odds with the rest of the pub. Nevertheless, if you want to stray from bar snacks you must ascend to this contemporary cocoon, where there’s a chance to sample a more inventive menu while looking down at the hoi polloi. However, you might also prefer to remain in the cheap seats and stick to the more traditional chips ’n’ pints vibe.

• High point: An extensive and original drinks menu
• Low point: Restaurant feels out of sync with the main body of the pub