Fancy getting into the festive spirit without battling the Christmas market crowds? With seasonal cocktails, film nights and plenty of neighbourly warmth, the Wonky Labrador on Oakbrook Road is making a strong case for staying local this winter. Exposed pulls up a chair for a chat.
Call me Ebenezer, but there comes a point in almost every Christmas market visit when I start questioning choices. Usually, it’s while shivering into a mulled wine I’ve just remortgaged the house for, eyeing up the thronging masses at the bar with trepidation and avoiding eye contact with anyone suggesting it’s my round next.
Up on Oakbrook Road, the Wonky Labrador offers another suggestion: come inside, find a seat and let somebody bring your drink over. There are hefty blankets on hand if you fancy braving the chill out front, but the temptation to pull up a stool and settle into this warm, colourful little boozer is pretty irresistible during the winter months.
Owner Mac McGrath understands the appeal and is gladly ramping up the cosiness. Since opening in March 2023, he’s built a place where the welcome matters as much as what’s on the menu – and for this winter period, his team have been putting considerable thought into both.
We start with Ember & Ash, a cocktail created by Amelia, who works alongside Ruth and Toby on the drinks menu. Honeyed Irish whiskey meets dark rum, burnt orange and Angostura bitters, with ginger beer and Appletiser adding some lift. It smells a lot like nostalgic Christmas Days in a glass – if your nan ran a speakeasy, that is – and I’d happily abandon some crucial festive shopping for a couple of snifters.
Meanwhile, the Sloe-groni brings together Hepple Sloe & Hawthorn Gin, Carpano Rosso and Dolce Vita Aperitivo for a wintry twist on the classic. Honestly, the shopping can wait. At this rate, everyone’s getting a gift voucher.
“We want our winter menu to be natural, interesting and something a bit different to what people are used to,” the ever-smiling, ever-bearded Mac tells Exposed.
That curiosity extends to the wine list, where newcomers include a sparkling Slovenian pét-nat from Matic, sitting alongside a Bordeaux Rouge courtesy of Jean-Marc Barthez and Mary Taylor. The pub favours smaller, family-owned vineyards, carefully sourcing bottles that give people something new to try. Add a hefty Waterall’s pork pie into proceedings and there’s little reason left to move very far, if at all.
As ever, beer drinkers are catered for with eight constantly rotating taps, including a regular Abbeydale Brewery offering and an import line for discoveries from further afield. Gluten-free choices are a particular priority for Mac, who has coeliac disease himself.
But the festive plans go beyond putting on a fair sup. Mindful Mondays offer free craft sessions, with Christmas cards and paper chains among the activities planned. The first non-alcoholic drink is free, too, if you’re off the booze – a natural inclination for an often alcohol-heavy time of year.
“The thing is, Christmas is expensive, very busy and often difficult in many ways,” Mac says. “The idea is to give people something to do with their hands and space to talk, if that’s what they want to do. Previous sessions have included printmaking and candle decorating, which went down really well, and people have come with friends or on their own. It’s a really warm, welcoming night and fits nicely into what we’re all about as a venue.”
Naturally, there’s a festive film night in the works, with customers voting for their choice on social media. The screen comes down, the lights dim and the evening takes care of itself. Entry is free, with a £2.50 booking payment redeemable against your first drink.
Last year’s screenings included The Muppet Christmas Carol, with Die Hard coming up next. Mac’s position on the latter is firm: “Die Hard definitely is a Christmas film. I’m happy for that to go on record.”
Early December brings a Cheese Riot collab, pairing five cheeses with five drinks, while the ever-popular Winter Wonkyland returns on the 22nd with three cocktails, three wines and three beers, plus food from Porter Brook Deli.
Looking to impress a loved one with a thoughtful present? Customisable gift boxes combine beer, wine and artwork by Sheffield’s India Wilkinson (check out @illustratedbyindia on Instagram). You can order online, although Mac mentions that popping in means a cheaper price and a chat about what the recipient actually likes – just so you can get those selections perfected to palates.
So, I’ll leave you with my Scrooge-style festive revelation: Christmas socialising doesn’t have to involve 12-deep queues, naff drinks and a desperate scrap for somewhere to sit. I’d argue that a toasty neighbourhood pub with something interesting on tap and people happy to see you is more than enough.
As Mac puts it: “If you’re coming in alone or with a friend or a group of friends, there’s a warm welcome here. We give people time and space – and there’s always something excellent to drink. In my opinion, that’s pretty much all you need.”
Find them at 212 Oakbrook Road. For gift boxes, event details and bookings, visit thewonkylabrador.co.uk or head to their Instagram (@thewonkylabrador).
