WHAT better way to prepare for watching Wrexham AFC fall to the lowest ebb in their history than with a beer and a burger?

Before heading to The Racecourse to watch the Reds take on Stamford in the FA Cup, I stopped in at The Crafty Dragon on Wrexham’s High Street, just across from the Leader offices.

Fortunately, the food on offer was better than what the Reds served up on the pitch later that evening.

Keeping it simple, I opted for the sweet potato and mozzarella burger with mixed peppers, garlic and coriander in a nut and breadcrumb coating, which came served in a soft glazed brioche bun with beef tomato, mixed leaves and a burger sauce, and a decent portion of chips on the side.

My companion opted for the salt beef reuben burger - a classic burger topped with slow-cooked salt beef brisket, cheddar, gherkins and mustard.

It was early in the evening and the pub was relatively quiet, so service was as quick and efficient as you would expect.

Being a chilly night in Wrexham, the burger certainly helped warm me up for the 120 minutes of football to follow. The portion of chips was a welcome addition to the burger and at a reasonable £7.79, certainly proved value for money.

Since being rebranded last year, The Crafty Dragon has positioned itself in a gap in the market in Wrexham town centre, offering craft beers and ciders alongside more traditional drinks from larger breweries.

Partial to a good pint, I washed down my burger with a Brooklyn lager on tap but there was a wide range of other options to choose from.

For anyone who likes to broaden their horizons away from the usual pints of Fosters and Heineken, it is certainly worth dropping in to see what they have on offer.

How it rated:

Ambience 7/10

Service 8/10

Food quality 7/10

Children welcome - yes

Disabled access - yes