British Bulldog

I recently spent a rainy night at the British Bulldog and within seconds of walking through the door, I realized I should have been hanging here for years. The Bulldog is an honest pub with character and grit, so near to your soul-sucking downtown job that you might walk past it to get to your parking lot. You walk in, see the Fullers ESB on the hand engine, and you know you are in that rare place in Denver where you can get the fine beers poured right, at a proper temperature. And always a great beer special. If the words Arsenal, Tottenham or Blackburn mean anything to you, the Bulldog is the place you need to be. They open at 7:00am so you can catch your favorite team live from across the pond. (If you don’t know what any of this means, skip to the next paragraph) This is English Premier League heaven, but also soccer and rugby of every stripe. If you’re a fan or a player of the Beautiful Game, you’ll be in good company at the British Bulldog. When you party in London or any northern European city, you don’t go to 7-11 afterwards and eat a hotdog. You get your jones fixed by having spicy, crazy-good Middle Eastern or Indian food. (7 Heinekens and 2 Spacecakes into my first night in Amsterdam in the late-1980s, I was introduced to this fine culinary tradition. No joke, that Shawarma may have saved my life – and it certainly kept me out of jail.) The Bulldog knows all about it. I’m talking Fried Pickles. Mac & Cheese wedges with spicy mustard. A Chicken Masala that is so good and perfectly seasoned. And Punjabi hot wings that are a little slice of Pakistan. Not to mention British pub staples and burgers too obvious to list – all great here. The next time some doofus suggests going for drinks after work at some pink or purple place on 16th Street, do everyone a favor and tell them you’ve got a better plan. You’re welcome. Neighborhoods served: Downtown Denver, Curtis Park, Five Points, Lodo, Arapahoe Square