Steve Jones has been talking with fellow chip shop owners back in his native England about his latest ventures in Colorado Springs: Codswallop, the Old Colorado City chippy that opened in May, and The Brit Pub, which opens this weekend, Friday, Oct. 24, to be exact. “Do the Americans really like it?” they want to know about what seems like a novel concept to them.
While the question is yet to be definitely answered, Jones and his British Food Group team are giving the Yanks a lot to love in the new downtown Brit Pub. Credit it to this country’s history, the shared language or cultural crossovers through the centuries, but we Americans have maintained a collective fascination with most things British. At least when we want to — we’ll take the Beatles, Stones and all the long list of musical icons; they can keep the monarchy and tea.
What we need more of on this side of the Atlantic — and in the shadow of Pikes Peak — according to Jones and his British Food Group co-owners is more pub culture.
“In England there are pubs on every single corner,” says Nova, marketing director, co-owner and, like most of the five co-owners, native Brit. (You may also recognize him as the former host of Fox21’s Loving Living Local.) “You walk to the pub. I was practically born in a pub. I was there for families’ christening and funerals. I dumped girlfriends in a pub. I’ve kissed girls in the pub. I’ve been there to read a book, play piano, get [drunk]. The pub has always been more than a place to eat or drink — it’s the heart of the community. It’s part of the British DNA. So we’re trying to bring that spirit to Colorado Springs and offer that community and connection where neighbors can gather and feel at home.”
Stepping Into English Culture
The Brit Pub feels like a place you might walk into on any given day in England, and the team has gone to great lengths to make it authentic. Walking in the door, you’re immediately greeted by a large Tetley pub sign.
“Tetley was an original brewery back in Leeds, 20 minutes from where I am from in Yorkshire,” Nova says. “It was established in 1822. Tetley’s was like Coors. Unfortunately it’s closed down now, but this is an original sign that I found in an antique store in Denver. The sign basically ended up in New York, got to Cincinnati, got to Denver in some place on Colfax, and now it’s ended up in The Brit Pub. So it’s meant to be.”
Also front and center in the dining room is a restored 1935 K6 phone box from Kent. “If you look inside, it’s got the original phone codes,” Nova says. “But back in the day, we used to use them as kids. You’d ring your parents up and reverse the charges for the operator. ‘I’ve got no money, and I’m on my own in the middle of the night, can you help me?’” (You ’80s kids know how it worked.)
The phone booth will be a favorite for social media, and it will have a phone that allows you to leave a message for The Brit Pub. Those recordings may end up on social media themselves. The pub plans to have fun with them. And for the record, Nova says he’s found only about 2% of Americans can really do a good British accent, so give it your best shot.
Art throughout the pub features classic pub signs and cultural icons, from a young punk rock Queen Elizabeth and Winston Churchill to rock and roll legends and all the James Bond actors playing poker. The staircase leading upstairs is the football hall of fame, featuring scarves, flags, jerseys and more, including an autographed David Beckham jersey. And Nova says they want patrons to add paraphernalia from teams all over the world.
Upstairs is a private events room called the Cavern. Named for the Liverpool venue where the Beatles performed live for the first time ever, the room features unique portraits of the Fab Four, a brick from the original Cavern (since torn down) and Paul McCartney’s autograph.
While downstairs serves as the main dining room, the upstairs loft has the cozy feel of an English living room, and a larger bar to pull up a stool. The Winston Churchill portrait hangs above the mantle of a fireplace, surrounded by sofas. There’s a piano from the Colorado Piano Warehouse, and there will be live music on the schedule. There’s a dartboard on the wall, and the tables are purposefully close together.
“In a pub in England, you’re sitting on top of someone and you go, ‘Oh, sorry, mate. Where are you from? Oh, you live on my street.’” Nova says. “So that’s what we’re trying to bring in over here. Make friends.”
On the Menu
When it comes to the food and drinks, Executive Chef Phil Griffin is aiming for elevated English authenticity as well. Griffin, an English native, trained under Michelin-awarded chefs, and his local experience includes opening Till Neighborhood Bistro and Bar downtown and the FO4R North collection of restaurants at Interquest. Jones says Griffin brings a high standard and consistency to The Brit Pub.
“Even something as simple as a cottage pie can be elevated,” Griffin says, pointing to layering flavors, balancing seasonings and firsthand knowledge as keys to bringing an authentic culinary experience. He and his team are making their own sauces and gravies from scratch, including housemade mint sauce, horseradish and Granny Smith apple sauce.
In some cases, like the mango chutney, he has modified family recipes. “It’s not my mother’s recipe, but it’s taken from one of her recipes,” Griffin says. “I basically took the pear out of it and added mango, and that’s a nice little touch.”
That chutney appears in the shareable Crispy Cauliflower, one of Griffin’s favorites and one that is vegan and gluten-free. “It comes with curry leaves, Thai chilies, lime leaves, a lot of flavor.”
The menu features all the traditional pub favorites, and Griffin and Jones expect the fish and chips and cottage pies to be among the most popular, along with all-day English breakfast. (The team is curing its own bacon to be British style.)
But Griffin says he purposefully drew from England’s multicultural cuisine as well. That’s why you’ll find entrees such as Chicken Tikka Masala and Jerk Shrimp Skewers.
For the full English experience though, the Sunday Roast will be a standout featuring prime rib, roast chicken, leg of lamb or pork belly and all the trimmings every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.. Griffin and Jones talk about it excitedly.
“It’s a British staple. It really is,” Jones says.
“It’s that family day,” Griffin says. “Bring the kids. Watch some football. Have a pint. Millions of people are doing the same thing back at home on that day, and we’re still carrying on that tradition, which is incredible.”
On Tap at The Brit Pub
Another English tradition that will be popular is the beer. “We’re doing our pints at 20 ounces,” Jones says. “It’s an English pint, so it’s 25% bigger than an American pint. So be careful.”
The keg and tap system is Guinness’ European system, and almost all of the taps will pour English and Irish imports.
“We have nitrogen in our Smithwick’s, our Kilkenny, our Guinness and also our Harp lager, which you don’t get over here. You’ll get a slightly creamier pint,” Jones says. “We’ve got our hand-drawn cask ale, which is definitely creamier. And then we’ve got the imported Strongbow Cider, which is the biggest cider in England.”
“We are the only place in Southern Colorado to offer that hand-drawn cask ale,” Nova says. “We’re doing a collaboration with Hogshead Brewery in Denver. It’s real ale, which is an authentic English tradition. Those who have been to England and tried it are excited for it.”
The bar will also feature an impressive lineup of British gins and imported spirits to give a distinctive English flair to the cocktails.
A Soccer Pub at Heart
Switchbacks game days will be big at The Brit Pub. In fact, it was the location that served as the last puzzle piece for Jones to assemble his all-star ownership team and move and evolve his former Brit chippy from its Pulpit Rock location. “They wanted a soccer pub. I needed a new location. And here we are,” Jones says.
The Brit Pub is located on the ground floor of the Experience at Epicenter apartments directly across the pedestrian mall from Weidner Field. And Jones brought Nova, Griffin and Meredith Klube, former GM at Jack Quinn’s, on board. Irishman Martin Troy, also formerly of Jack Quinn’s, was already a business partner.
Nova already hosts the Switchbacks’ Pub Talk live and YouTube show. It has been held at Jack Quinn’s but will most likely migrate. He envisions more game-day hype and programming that might include fans, bands, Ziggy the Switchbacks mascot and others as well.
“If I was going to the game, I’d have a few pints, a nice bit of food, and I’d go to the game to support the club,” Nova says. “I want to get the atmosphere. That’s what you do in England when you go to a football match. You have three or four before a game, and you walk to the ground. You finish, and no matter win, lose or draw, you go back to the pub.”
Just another English tradition you can now practice at The Brit Pub.
Find the menu, hours and more at greatbritish.net. The grand opening is Friday, Oct. 24 at 11 a.m.
