Albion Bistro, Rochdaleback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Sadly, now closed.
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Nice pub on the main road north out of Rochdale. It only has street parking. There were 5 real ales on during our visit - Taylor Best & Landlord, Black Sheep Bitter, Lees Bitter and Old Speckled Hen. We sat in the room to the right as you walk in, and it reminded me of the Ainsworth Arms in Bolton with bell pushes lining the walls. Most other customers were eating. But it was quite a pleasant place for a quick drink.
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Recently spruced up (again) pub that used to be a traditional local but is now more food oriented. Has 6 handpumps serving Timothy Taylors Best & Landlord, Black Sheep Bitter, Tetley Bitter, Lees Bitter and Old Speckled Hen. Very very occasionally one of these is replaced by a guest beer. Beer quality is OK but not top notch. Under the previous landlord this pub spent 9 consecutive years in the Good Beer Guide. Called in on Sunday for a couple of pints of the Black Sheep which was OK. The problem was that there were six loud, drunk, foul mouthed oiks leaning on/around the bar. Two of these were women and none of them was exactly young. Not a great experience when out for a quiet pint. The new management need to get rid of the dipsticks or they'll lose everyone else.
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I've only ever had a great time visiting the Albion since the new owners took over earlier this year. Really good food (traditional menu of steaks, lamb shanks, beef & ale pie etc. as well as various seafood options) and good selection of ales and wines. It's had a lick of paint recently too and is a really relaxed, friendly atmosphere. I've now got family up in Rochdale so visit fairly regularly and would have no hesitation in recommending to anyone to give it a go. Good quiz night on a Thursday too!! :-)
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recently changed hands and no longer has a South African menu. The barm cake and chips with tea or coffee is great value at �2.95 (Aug 08)served until 3.30. Good range of well kept real ales.
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Used to be a good pub. There's a pretentious (and not very good) restaurant attached which serves.... ostrich. Amongst other things. It's South African themed and the hook seems to be that if you've not eaten an impala recently...... Probably explains why the restaurant is nearly always empty. Smokers (in the pub) are not very welcome and, yes, they serve real ale, but most locals drink the local brew, so the ale I had was off - to say the least. Whether it was the dodgy meal or the dodgier ale which nailed me to the lavvy when I got home, I can't say, but not surprisingly I've not been back to find out. However, this is a better pub in a town with "one other decent pub".
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A great place to try lots of different real ales. I've had everything from the Phoenix Brewery (Heywood) to Landlord here. I've never tried the restaurant but I hear it's excellent and serves a lot of South African dishes.
AngeK - 31 Jan 2006 17:40 |
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