Description: Three years ago my husband made a spur of the moment decision to apply for a job he saw advertised in Bermuda. Before we knew it, we were heading over there for a reconnaissance trip to Bermuda in May 2006. Bermuda is a stunningly beautiful place, but when we arrived that Friday night it was raining and gloomy and our first impression was not that good. This proved to be a very unusual first impression as most people are won over on the journey from the airport.
After dumping our things in the guest house that had been booked for us we set out for a walk into Hamilton at about 7.30pm. I don’t know why but we found it quite an intimidating place initially, with gangs of youths hanging around on the street. We walked down Front Street, one of the main shopping streets in Hamilton and the first place we decided to venture into was the Pickled Onion. I recollect we were attracted by the name and by the outside tables along the first floor verandah and it seemed a lively busy spot.
The restaurant occupies what we call the first floor in UK, the street level floor being known as the ground floor. We headed up the stairs still feeling a little glum, but we cheered up immediately when we entered a fashionable bar restaurant and were greeted with warmth and friendliness. We had a lovely evening here and it was our visit to the Pickled Onion that made us start to feel more positive about Bermuda and we went on to enjoy the next few days and indeed a few months later we returned to start our ex-pat life.
During our two years in Bermuda, the Pickled Onion remained a firm favourite. It was closed for a short spell whilst it was being renovated, however reopened with not much more than a face lift and change of colour scheme, but the layout remained essentially the same. So open entering the restaurant, you first enter the bar area. On certain nights of the week, like Friday when we first visited, this area will be very lively and attracts locals and ex-pats alike. At other times, it is quite easy to get a seat at the bar and perhaps a snack or light meal, my husband and I often met and sat here for lunch. We found the bar staff very friendly and got to know a couple, although as they were doing the drinks orders for all the tables as well, they did look quite swamped at times. Set back slightly from the bar, there are some booths which are not generally set out for eating, although you can eat here if you want to, mainly people can use these tables for drinks. Those that cannot get a table, will end up just standing around in the area between the booths and the bar itself.
Beyond this area, up a couple of steps is the main dining area and beyond this is the verandah with tables overlooking Front Street and the harbour. The outside tables can be very popular at times, we would sometimes select one of these but other times we would be happy to sit inside out of the sun.
The dining is a casual experience and the menu a typical "gastro pub" style, a bit of everything. The pizzas are delicious as are the burgers, but if you have healthier tastes then there is also a good selection of salads, fish and chicken dishes. A full range of soft and alcoholic beverages is on offer including several wines by the glass.
I would recommend the Pickled Onion for either dinner or lunch any day of the week. The restaurant makes a smooth transition from being family orientated during the day and early evening to being a lively night spot later on. This is not fine dining but the food is reliably good, service generally efficient and the prices won’t break the bank.
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