Chain pubs have begun to dominate Stirling in recent years which makes proudly independent King Cons all the more special.
Located on King Street, this neighbourhood bar caters to all locals and has strong sense of identity and a vibrant soul.
Owned and operated by husband-and-wife team David and Nicky, King Cons aims to be a social hub for the people of Stirling.
With live entertainment every night and a 15 per cent student discount, King Cons is absolutely worth a visit.
Buffalo chicken tenders. Image credit: Elliot Johnston
Proper scran
The King Cons menu boasts a wide selection of soul food and satisfying scran that doesn’t fail to hit the spot.
The menu has plenty of good value options with flavours from all over the world in its wee bites section alongside all the traditional great quality pub grub you would expect.
Special attention must also be paid to the pizza menu as not only are these pizzas handmade and surprisingly light but they also offer a two-for-one deal most afternoons.
Pepperoni and chorizo pizza. Image credit: Elliot Johnston
Alongside its food offerings, King Cons has a strong cocktail menu with pretty reasonable prices when using that 15 per cent student discount.
This is on top of the all the classic pub drinks such as beers, wines, ales, shots, bombs and spirits.
The menu also features a decent, though not amazing, vegetarian selection with vegan options rather few and far between.
Chorizo mac and cheese. Image credit: Elliot Johnston
Local spirit
What most stands out about King Cons however is its spirit and strong identity.
King Cons is independent, and they are very proud of that. If not for independent pubs, then mega chains would be free to hike prices and cut out all sense of pub identity and autonomy in favour of profit and homogeny.
It is getting harder to find pubs that aren’t controlled by Greene King in Stirling which means it’s more important than ever to support local.
Go on out and support proud local pubs as without your support they won’t be there for much longer.
Featured image credit: King Cons/Instagram
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