As a self-confessed celebration of craft beer, you’d be forgiven for thinking The Craftsman in Warwick is just for beer-lovers. Stop right there, because there’s far more to this craft beer cafe bar, whether it’s somewhere to brunch or have a decent coffee, a co-working spot, or a place to fill your face while working your way through their range of tipples.
Sitting at the top of Smith Street – known as a focus for many of Warwick’s independents – it’s in a good spot between the train station, Warwick Castle, and the Market Square. But it’s not just about geography. With a decent drinks selection, it’ll likely come up when you’re hunting for best places for drinks in Warwick, but their ever-expanding menu with its broad offering means it could well hit the spot if you’re looking for places to eat in Warwick too.
First impressions
Having opened in August 2023 by father and son Paul and Harvey Brown, The Craftsman has versatile look and feel, with a casual cafe vibe in the day and more of a bar atmosphere by night. In the two years it’s been open, it’s stayed true to its original concept, offering an extensive range of craft beers on tap as well as by the bottle – with a lovely USP of serving them in third and two third pint servings, as well as halves and pints, so you can try as you go.
It’s also broadened its offering and now has an equally extensive food menu, from breakfasts and brunches to sandwiches, loaded flatbreads, pizzas, wings and Sunday dinner. Something for everyone basically, all with a casual feel, so quite good for pretty much any occasion. It’s dog friendly and spacious, with plenty of tables tucked out of the way if you want a bit more privacy.
They have a range of events on offer, including live music and ‘meet the brewer’ style nights, or you can just dip in for a quiet coffee, something to eat, or a few beers.
What food does The Craftsman Warwick serve?
There are plenty of places to eat in Warwick, from fine dining to romantic restaurants in Warwick. The Craftsman is a more casual affair, but has expande its offering beyond basic pizzas to create a crowd-pleasing array of dishes.
There are classic full English breakfasts, bougie benedicts and brunch options. There are sandwiches, toasties and wraps, burgers and loaded flatbreads. Pizzas, wings and sides. Plus seasonal dishes, vegetarian and vegan options and a Sunday roast that Kriz tells me is great.
On the day we visit we get to try some of the brand new additions to the menu. Eggs Benny has been pimped up into a ‘Croiss-addict’ – basically an open croissant loaded with Wiltshire ham, poached eggs and hollandaise, plus some chilli flakes for good measure.
It’s great, the hollandaise rich and silky, and I may now be converted to croissant as the carby vehicle for this dish rather than a muffin. If this is anything to go by, brunch at The Craftsman Warwick is an indulgent, hearty affair – and probably exactly what you need either before or after a session on the beer.
Our more ‘lunchy’ choice is a new addition to the sandwich menu – which contains so many tempting sounding offerings it did take some time to choose. An ancho chilli beef and buratta sandwich caught my eye, but we went for a Charcuterie melt instead – again, a pimped-up version of a basic cheese and ham toastie, taken up a level thanks to the use of salami and prosciutto, along with hot honey and chilli aioli to add a bit of heat to the melted red leicester cheese.
Yes, it’s just a sandwich, but as sandwiches go, it’s a good’un.
Open loaded naans – one with chicken tikka, one with beef kofta – are calling my name loudly. But I’ve already eaten so much they’re going to have to wait for a return visit. I decide I do however have space for some of The Craftsman’s chicken wings, of which they do various different styles. Classic barbecue it is, and it’s a good choice. These aren’t gnarly little rock hard wings either – these are big old boys, slathered in sauce and the kind of dish you need several napkins for afterwards. Bear that in mind if you’re looking at this as a date night option in Warwick.
The place for craft beer in Warwick
Predictably, the focus at The Craftsman is beer – they seek out and stock an ever-changing selection of beers from local microbreweries to renowned craft breweries from across the world. There are 16 options on tap (that change regularly) and shelves and fridges heaving with bottles. I’ve mentioned the third and two third pint options, and you can also order a two litre ‘growler’ if you’re an absolute machine.
For the non beer drinkers among us, there’s wine, fizz and spirits, and they do a decent coffee too (courtesy of local company Monsoon).
One of the things I did notice when we visited was the level of knowledge and service from Kriz, who heads up the bar. Along with a warm welcome and an abundance of enthusiasm and energy when it comes to getting people served, he’s also clearly a huge beer fan and could talk exhaustively about the various offerings, which means if you’re looking for a craft beer in Warwick but don’t quite know which one to go for, he’ll be able to tell you.
If you wander round the town, you won’t be short of Warwick pubs, and several boast various CAMRA accolades, but if you looking for somewhere to get craft beer in Warwick town centre, it seems to me that The Craftsman is a good place to try new things, discover what you like, and enjoy a place that really does celebrate small breweries over the big multinational monoliths.
A great co-working space in Warwick
A nice added offering at The Craftsman is a great co-working deal, where you pay £15 and get unlimited coffee, teas and soft drinks, as well as 15% discount on food and a free pint or glass of wine at the end of the day. That’s on top of them having decent wi-fi, plenty of sockets, comfortable seating at either high bar-style tables, or lower ones, and enough space for a few of you to work together, or quiet corners if you want to escape any noise. Perfect if you want a new setting for work, or to meet with colleagues.
Is The Craftsman in Warwick worth visiting?
Is it the most romantic restaurant in Warwick? No, but it’s not trying to be. This is a casual cafe meets bar, that does a few different things and does them well. Which explains why it’s still going strong two years on.
The Craftsman is open from 8.30am-9pm on Tuesdays, 8.30am-10pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8.30am-11pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 10-6pm on Sundays.
You can find it at 7 Smith St, Warwick CV34 4JA.
[Disclosure: I was invited for some complimentary food and drink at The Craftsman Warwick for the purposes of this blog]
