The Pig and Fiddle is a friendly, welcoming place with a clientele evidently absent of jeering chavs. Sure, you’ll observe the occasional knife-licker or boisterous oik, particularly when football oozes out of the large-screen TVs. But proper people don’t have to get involved, often preferring to enjoy the vastness of the beer garden (nay patio, nay outdoor bit) as the afternoon sun bathes us all in a warm puddle of pleasantness, keeping us toasty on a chilly evening with patio heaters the size of a giant horse.
Food-wise, The Pig and Fiddle’s menu is pleasant and so fairly priced that on occasion you could be forgiven for thinking that you’ve received too much change. It is not flash - does not describe a cheeseburger as ‘drizzled’ with ketchup or offer anything with a whatever-berry coulis or jus. But it’s way more betterer than other places quite good an’ that, innit. Locally-sourced and prepared by chefs too relaxed and professional to hurl insults and pans at kitchen porters, bowls of organic fair-trade grass at thirty-quid a pop are pleasingly omitted from the menu - although if you enjoyed the TV show ‘Skippy’ (about a kangaroo), you’ll be delighted with the option to order bits of his relatives mashed-up with chopped onion and salt and shoved inside a bun with some cheese and a side order of chips. Bonzer!
For those preferring to ingest an alternative to animal-based bellycheer The Pig serves green stuff too. And the odd carrot. And plenty of things with cheese. There’s occasional live music and a table-football... table as well. Blend it all in with decor as interesting as a book, and with the good food and the generally exceptional service you’ll undoubtedly conclude the same as I: that the Pig & Fiddle is one of the city’s truly outstanding outlets for booze an’ that, innit.