The Pines bar in Hillside

Happily drinking in the
sunshine outside the Pines 

Just three months ago, a new bar called The Pines was opened in Hillside just around the corner from The Grasshopper micropub. Its Facebook page describes it as a “wine bar specialising in cask ales, continental lagers, whiskeys, gins and everything fine, including a tapas menu”. Converted from a former shop, it has a glass front that can be fully opened on nice days. The décor is light, simple and quite comfortable to sit in. To the front there is an outside drinking area which was busy both times I have called in.

Two real ale handpumps were recently serving Red Star Formby Blonde and Salopian Lemon Dream. On my previous visit the choice was Old School Brewery Hopscotch and Southport Golden Sands. Their real ales are usually from local breweries. There are several tall fonts, two of which dispensed Blue Moon Belgian-Style Wheat Ale and Prosecco.

There is a broad spirit range including several gins: Liverpool Gin and Formby Gin are available now and are set to joined soon by Ormskirk Gin. They also offer a good choice of wines, including champagne. Bottled beers include Belgian beers and the full range from Southport Brewery, and you get 30% off bottled beers to take away. They sell tea and coffee too.

The food menu includes light bites, breakfast, sandwiches, lunches, tapas and desserts. See the full menu via their Facebook page. The bar is child-friendly and dog friendly. They provide free organic dog treats (Hillside dogs are very choosy) and a bar to the front.

Special offers: Happy Hour runs from 6.00 to 7.00pm Monday to Friday and apparently you have to get there early. There is also a two-for-one deal on cocktails at the same times Monday to Wednesday. They also have free WiFi.

The Pines is at 3 Hillside Road, Hillside, Southport, PR84QB. Its opening hours are: Monday to Saturday 8:00am to 10:30pm; Sunday 8:00am to 10:00pm. Tel: 07454 453090. To get there: the 47 bus passes just yards away, and Hillside Station is a five minute walk.

This is part of a series of articles that I am writing for the CAMRA column in our local paper, the Southport Visiter. Previous reviews are here.