With its marina views under a warm sun I felt I could have been in Monte Carlo as I silently hummed "oh I do like to be beside the seaside" nursing a not very Mediterranean but definitely delicious pint of cold ale.
I was, in fact, inside the Mulberry a popular pub with plenty of pizazz on the outskirts of Conwy town. This watering-hole has long celebrated its nautical surroundings and a recent revamp has doubled down on the theme with dozens more marine-themed fixtures and fittings added.
The venue has long been a popular watering hole in the summer months, thanks to both its location and extensive outdoor seating area. The new layout feels more inviting and welcoming from the moment you step through the door.
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I'd popped down to give the Mulberry a go. I was intrigued to see how much it had really changed since my last visit last summer. The good news is the pub hasn't lost any of its character. Had the windows been switched with port holes, I may have been convinced I was on an age old merchant vessel crossing the ocean. After a few pints you might be tempted to blame the design and not the beer for your swaying.
The bar has a nicely informal way of ordering, you are free to grab your own table and requested to order at the bar. I, rather cheekily, took one of the larger, comfier sofa areas on the refreshed top floor, aptly named the Crow's Nest, which looked out over the marina.
After ordering some food and drink, I wandered back upstairs a pint of Mulberry in hand. I couldn't resist giving the ale which shared its name with the venue a go. Somehow whenever a venue has one it always seems to taste better there than anything else on offer at what is an otherwise banging bar with a huge range to choose from.
I had the upper floor largely to myself, so I took a moment to look over the most unique piece of decoration, a upturned row boat, dangling from above. The boat is such a cool feature to see within a pub, and really sets the tone the venue is going for.
Have you visited the Mulberry in Conwy? Do you agree with our thoughts? Let us know in the comments.
As my food arrived I turned my attention to the view from the window, which looks out over the marina, had it been a little less windy I'd have certainly opted for the outdoor seating with that view to enjoy.
I'd opted for the chicken katsu burger, which came with chips - perfectly done, crispy outside, soft inside, onion rings and a bowl of katsu curry sauce for dipping in. The meal as whole was delicious. All of it was well made with decent portion sizes, it might not reinvent the wheel, but it's the sort of food that knows what it is doing and does it well.
Between a full belly of beer and good food, along with the perfect spot to watch the light dim over the horizon, I was hard pressed to convince myself to leave. The Mulberry has long been a good pub, perhaps even a great pub, but if it keeps doing what it is doing now, it looks set to be pub at the top of its class.
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