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Bristol Bars

ALIBI
96 Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, BS8 2QX. Tel: 0117 973 7225, web: www.baralibi.co.uk
• Smart, vibrant bar and eatery with artistic decor and relaxed ambience. There’s sport on the big screen TV, weekend DJ sessions and occasional speed dating nights. The menu (available all day, from 11am) features some surprisingly affordable options, and the Alibi big breakfast is a sure-fire winner. Big on cocktails, they’ve also a selection of international beers.
Ever-changing selection of local artists' work on the walls.

ALL BAR ONE
47 Corn St, BS1 1HT. Tel: 0117 946 8751
• Stylish and spacious, the epitome of Corn Street chic. Ideal for leisurely drinks. Choose from the 30 wines on offer, a huge range of continental beers and five kinds of champagne. Large tapas selection in addition to sandwiches, burgers and more substantial fodder. Housed in a listed Georgian building that was once a bank. Over-21s only.
Wine tastings daily.

AMOEBA
10 Kings Rd (off Boyces Ave), Clifton, BS8 4AB. Tel: 0117 946 6461, web: www.amoebabar.com
• Nestled next to Boyce’s Arcade, this gem offers beers, wines and cocktails alongside an impressive array of teas, coffees and smoothies. Funky decor, good tapas menu, kitsch art and the added bonus that all furniture and accessories are for sale. Smoking area.
Excellent outdoor area where you can chill to your heart’s content
come summer.

ANTIX
44 Park St. Tel: 0117 925 1139, web: www.barantix.com
• Two venues in one: Antix, the ground level café/bar, and Attix, the first floor club and cocktail bar. Menus cover everything from homemade tapas to Moroccan chicken and traditional Sunday roasts. Comfy leather armchairs to relax in. Good wine and cocktail selection, large range of draught lager and plenty of bottled beers. Live music every Wed, fortnightly Fado on Thur.
Open until 6am on Fri and Sat,
with resident DJ spinning into the early hours.

NEW
THE APPLE
Welsh Back, BS1 4SB. Tel: 0117 925 3500, web: www.applecider.co.uk
• Innovative cider pub set on an old Dutch barge at the end of King Street, with up to 40 ciders and perrys on offer at any one time, but there’s also a smattering of wines, lagers and Bath Ales too. You can sit upstairs on the covered deck or downstairs in the small, busy bar, where food is available courtesy of Bristol’s own Pieminister. An essential stop-off for anyone serious about cider. Smoking area.
If you’re feeling brave, try the Old Bristolian: it’s 8.4% ABV!

AQUA
Welsh Back, BS1 4RR. Tel: 0117 915 6060, web: www.aqua-restaurant.com
• With its great location, overlooking the water, Aqua is the perfect venue for all occasions. The stylish lounge bar opens onto the riverside terrace where you can enjoy heated alfresco dining until late into the evening from mid-April. Menus are thoughtfully tailored using locally sourced produce: the Aqua Classics menu offers great-value choices at a fixed price of £11.99 for two courses, £14.99 for three, and the extensive a la carte includes the likes of spicy Thai monkfish and tiger prawn green curries; West Country oak-smoked salmon; and warm crispy duck in a Vietnamese wrap with noodle salad and plum sauce. Sunday lunch features excellent-value roasts (two courses £12.50), Sunday papers and kids’ menu with soft drink and colouring pictures. Take advantage of a leisurely happy hour (4-7pm) with two-for-one cocktails and all pints at £2.70. Heated smoking area.
Children under 10 eat free from the children’s menu between midday and 7pm (Mon-Sat).

ARC
Broad St, BS2 1HG. Tel: 0117 922 6456
• A café by day, Arc becomes hip bar and club at night, when local style slaves come for live tunes and hip-hop sets by guest DJs. The cocktails are splendid, and the range of bottled beers good, too. With ample dancefloor space to accompany the varied beats, it’s increasingly renowned for cutting-edge electronica live acts, with a great party atmosphere on weekends. Food’s good, too - organic and GM-free wherever possible. Open till 2am Tue-Sat. Regaining its reputation for good music.
The regular White Rabbit club night goes down a storm.

ARNOLFINI
16 Narrow Quay, BS1 4QA. Tel: 0117 917 2300, web: www.arnolfini.org.uk
• Fab bar, complete with imported lagers and organic cider on draught, plus plenty of bottled beers, wines and spirits. The Arnolfini is the best place to enjoy the sunshine, with an extensive outdoor seating area. As well as light bites and freshly baked breads, daily specials include salads and fresh pasta dishes priced at just £5.95. At the weekends, try the all-day brunch menu. Smoking area.
If you’ve got something to celebrate, you can reserve you and friends or family a space outside for free.

BANCO LOUNGE
107 Wells Rd, Bristol, BS4 2BS. Tel: 0117 908 6010
• What was once a Lloyds TSB branch last year made way for the fifth in the ever-expanding Lounge empire. The vibe is laidback, friendly and relaxed. There’s Amstell, Heineken, Hoegaarden, Flowers IPA, Guinness and Stowford Press cider on draught, plus good food and daily specials served all day, every day. Why tinker with a winning formula?
Papers and board games provide the perfect opportunity to kick back and chill out.

BAR CELONA
91 Regent St, Kingswood, BS15 8LJ. Tel: 0117 961 9311, web: www.bar-celona-bristol.co.uk
• Stylish bar brought to you by the same folk behind the neighbouring Roma restaurant and offering excellent food and drink with service warmer than a Catalan sunrise. A real find, and a place which has upped Kingswood’s rep no end. There’s draught lager, various bottled beers include Brazil’s Brahma, and there are over 30 wines plus champagne, sherry, port, cocktails and shooters.
Live music weekly.

BAR HUMBUG
89 Whiteladies Rd, BS8 2NT. Tel: 0117 904 0061, web: www.barhumbug.co.uk
• Slap-bang in the heart of Whiteladies mayhem lies this cocktail haven. Bar Humbug has a bright, vibrant feel, with an extensive selection of bar snacks, plus more substantial fare served up in the separate restaurant. Food served evenings only during the week, but brunch is dished up from midday Sat and Sun. Terrace out front has space for 20, and makes a lovely dining spot when the sun’s shining. Plasma screens show sports, and there are DJs on different nights. Smoking area.
Sun through Thur, early diners can enjoy two courses for under a tenner.

BAR SALT
4-6 North St, Bedminster, BS3 1HT. Tel: 0117 953 1446
• Chilled, laidback, beach vibe bar with a bright and breezy approach to life and a lovely heated patio and newly-refurbished garden area to make the most of the outdoor feel. Premium keg beers and lagers, plus international bottled beers by the bucketload. Relax on one of the many sofas or while away an hour or two over a game of pool, nibbling on the extensive menu which offers everything from light bar snacks to mains like seared tuna. Big-screen TV showing all major sporting events, and two plasmas too. Monday sees a popular quiz night; DJs play Fri and Sat. Heated smoking area.
Open until 2am at weekends.
Keep up to date at www.myspace.com/barsalt

BOCABAR
Paintworks, Bath Rd, Arnos Vale, BS4 3EH. Tel: 0117 972 8838, web: www.bocacina.co.uk
• Launched last May, and nestled in the Paintworks creative quarter in Arnos Vale, Bocabar has already proved a popular haunt for many artists and small businesses to meet and exchange ideas. Open from breakfast until late, with extended hours at the weekend. Peroni on draught, plus a selection of bottles including Brahma, Weston’s organic cider, Leffe Blond and Bath Ales’ Gem and Wild Hare. Hot lunch specials include swordfish moqueca - chargrilled in a coconut, tomato and pepper sauce - and marinated pork belly which, we are assured, melts in your mouth. Live music all weekend includes jazz-flavoured sounds on Thur evening, DJs Fri nights. Smoking area.
Loads of work on display from local artists; nice alfresco terraced area too.

BAROQUE
2 Byron Place, Clifton, BS8 1JT. Tel: 0117 929 9322
• This Clifton hangout boasts a good draught selection and an awesome range of house and deluxe cocktails. Modern interior with sofas, wooden floors, glass bricks and red/orange/cream colours. DJs play funky, uplifting house Fri and Sat, and live music features occasionally. Food is great, with a good range of toasted continental sandwiches and a daily changing specials board. Extensive range of cocktails, champagne and new world wines. Open late Fri-Sat with small door charge after 10.30pm.
Happy hours and other booze offers throughout the week.

BEESES BAR AND TEA GARDENS
Wyndam Crescent, Bromhill, BS4 4RP. Tel: 0117 977 7412, web: www.beeses.co.uk
• Revemped, refreshed, but still the most unique and picturesque alfresco drinking and eating experience thanks to its incredible location. A couple of weekly changing real ales, Fosters and Stella on tap, plus Ashton Press cider and simple, well-made food using, as far as possible, local produce including separate kids’ options. There’s simply no better place to relax on a sunny afternoon. Open Tue-Thur 4-11pm, Fri-Sat midday-11pm, Sun midday-7pm.
Get there by foot along the cycle path, then take the free ferry across the water.

NEW
BORDEAUX QUAY
V-Shed, Canons Way, BS1 5UH. Tel: 0117 906 5550, web: www.bordeaux-quay.co.uk
• Bordeaux Quay’s bar stretches along the ground floor of Barny Haughton’s latest venture, which also includes a massive new restaurant, delicatessen, brasserie, cookery school and deli. Serving a fantastic range of drinks, including Bath Ales’ beer and lager, award-wining stouts, ciders, organic lagers and spirits. Tapas-style bar food available every day.
Try one of the Belgian fruit beers if you dare.

BROWNS
38 Queens Rd, BS8 1RE. Tel: 0117 930 4777, web: www.browns-restaurants.com
• Fabulous building, fantastic location; the Bristol branch of the Browns chain was once the university refectory. The food is good, classy fare, with lots of fish and steak on the seasonally changing menu, and the large terrace ensures a fine people-watching experience. Plenty of premium lagers, the rare Innis and Gunn oak-aged beer from Scotland, and a fantastic wine and cocktail selection. Heated smoking area.
The building was modelled on the Doge’s Palace in Venice.

bsb
Waterfront, Canons Rd, BS1 5UH. Tel: 0117 922 0382, webwww.barbsb.co.uk
• Leather sofas and bare brick walls decorated with the work of local artists give the place an air of understated style, as does the modern European extensive menu, served all day and through to the evening. Great sarnies, wraps, melts, nachos and warm salads, separate children’s menu. Impressive draught, bottle and wine selections. Fri and Sat nights get quite lively, with DJs manning the decks till 2am. Sit outside and enjoy a fine selection of drinks in beautiful surroundings. Smoking area.
Spend your Sun afternoons listening to some live jazz. Nice!

BYZANTIUM
Portwall Lane, Redcliffe, BS1 6NB. Tel: 0117 922 1883,
web: www.byzantium.co.uk
• Regarded as one of the South West’s premier nightspots, Byzantium offers quality cuisine in sumptuous surroundings with first-class entertainment. Now heading into its tenth year, there’s a candlelit bar and lounge area on the ground floor and a spacious dining room above, linked by a sweeping marble staircase. Enjoy pre-dinner drinks and their unique two-tier starter lantern served in the lounge. Entertainment comes from belly dancers, a table magician, flamenco guitarists or, later in the evening, a DJ. The extensive wine list covers both old and new world varieties, there’s a compact but neat classic cocktail list, and the bar is also stocked with some more unusual and interesting aperitifs, spirits, and liqueurs.
The atmospheric dining room is complemented by the backdrop of St Mary Redcliffe church, illuminated at night, and the theatre of the open-plan kitchen.

CAFÉ ROUGE
85 Park St, BS1 5PJ. Tel: 0117 929 2571
• Friendly, authentic French café/bar/brasserie/restaurant that embodies a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’. English/French food from breakfast through until later, with a great selection of French wines, many available by the glass. The Prix Fixe menu offers a great deal to early diners.
Excellent disabled facilities, including braille menus.

CLIFTON WINE BAR
4 Richmond Terrace, Clifton, BS8 1AB. Tel: 0117 973 2069
• A stylish refurbishment has breathed a new lease of life into the Clifton Wine Bar, and the relaxed atmosphere, good food (free-range burgers, all-day breakfasts, daily specials) and smattering of real ales (6X, IPA and Gem) all complement the extensive wine selection. Open 11am-12midnight, until 11pm Sun. Smoking area.
Open until midnight at weekends, with food served daily until 8pm.

COSIES
34 Portland Square, BS2 8RG. Tel: 0117 942 4110, web: www.cosies.co.uk
• Lives up to its name - small but perfectly formed - and does two things at once without even trying. Daytime, you mix with the suits at Portland Square Wine Bar, but after dark, you hang with a cooler crowd. Jugs of Stella, bitter (Bath Ales’s Gem on tap) and cocktails help to maintain your posing posture when things hot up later on. When DJs play, this becomes arguably the smallest but liveliest club venue in Bristol. Food served lunchtimes, with regular Sunday evening barbecues.
Small door charge on DJ nights (Wed-Sun), usually no more than a couple of quid.

DECO LOUNGE
50 Cotham Hill, BS6 6SJ. Tel: 0117 373 2688
• The fourth in the ever-expanding Lounge empire, with a relaxed, comfortable vibe and a quirky, split-level layout. The menu changes seasonally here (specials change daily), with pan fried sea bass with English asparagus, bacon, hollandaise and a poached egg, or the roast belly of pork with bubble and squeak in a cider and mustard sauce admirable examples. For vegetarians there’s the spicy bean wrap, or mint, pea and parmesan risotto with toasted pine nuts. Bath Ales’s Gem, Flowers IPA, Stowford Press cider, lagers from Amstell and Hoegaarden, and Guinness on tap.
Food served daily, 9.30am-10pm.

DOCKYARD CAFÉ BAR
Harbourside, nr ss Great Britain, BS1 6TY. Tel: 0117 927 7903
• This cafe-bar has one of the most staggering views in the city, nestling in the shadow of Brunel’s landmark ship. The cafe seats 50 inside and 70 out, and offers good-value meals and a variety of teas, coffees, wines, bottled beers and lagers. The car park and ferry platform right next to the building mean that this place is easily accessible - perfect for a lunchtime jaunt or a pre-dinner drink. Open 10am-6pm (summer), 10am-4.30pm (winter).
Light, simple homemade food, with fudge cakes and flapjacks for the less calorie-conscious.

DUSK
117-119 St Georges Rd, College Green, BS1 5UW. Tel: 0117 925 1115, web: www.duskbristol.com
• Predominantly a contemporary steakhouse, Dusk has expanded its bar menu to include sophisticated fruit cocktails and a great wine list - starting at around the £12 mark - as well as a range of international bottled beers. Its warm, inviting atmosphere is created by soft lighting, chocolate brown/biscuit-coloured walls and cherrywood furniture. The food isn’t just limited to steak, either. They have a fab range of seafood and veggie options, with mains starting at under £12. There’s a cracking Sunday roast on offer too.
Closed Sun eve and all day Mon.

EDWARD’S
7-9 Baldwin St, BS1 6RU. Tel: 0117 930 4370
• Spacious bar slap-bang in the heart of town, providing top opportunities for posing and people watching - an option enjoyed by suits in the daytime and well-to-do young professionals and students at night. Strong pre-club feel in the eves, with DJs playing Thur-Sat to get you in the party mood. Tasty and fairly inexpensive menu, including a splendid all-day breakfast. Great drinks promos during the week.
Grab a loyalty card for great free food offers.

THE ELBOW ROOM
64 Park St, BS1 5JN. Tel: 0117 930 0242, web: www.theelbowroom.co.uk
• This trendy, friendly, laidback pool bar features dimmed lighting, classy tunes and a drinks selection that includes 20 cocktails and plenty of shooters. Try their Shot Racks - six shots for £10, nine shots for £15. A dozen wines, four champagnes and large selection of bottled beers, including Duvel, Leffe and Hoegaarden, Sol, Budvar and San Miguel. On draught they have Coors Fine Light, Grolsch, Carling, Guinness and Blackthorn and a rotating selection of speciality beers. Fri, Sat and Sun nights see a DJ in residence, with Sun night devoted to reggae, and Fri and Sat a combination of hip-hop, disco, classic house and funk. Substantial light bites made for sharing include nachos, wings, chicken wraps, potato wedges. Open until 2am Sun-Thur, and until 4am Fri-Sat.
Pool comp every Mon and Tue sees the winner take the prize of a £50 bar tab.

ENCORE
10-11 Denmark St, BS1 5DQ. Tel: 0117 925 6678
• Well-established bar in a prime central location draws businessfolk during the day, and students, pre-clubbers and post-Hippodromers later on. Good wine selection, real ales, shorts and bottles, and food at reasonable prices ensure its lasting popularity.
Popular with local office workers at lunchtime. Occasional club nights.

FREDDIES
40-44 St Pauls Rd, Clifton, BS8 1LR. Tel: 0117 973 4214
• Nestling beneath the Westbourne Hotel, the subterranean garden of this fantastic bar is seriously striking and beautiful. The ambience is chilled and almost clubby in feel. Convenient location close to Clifton and Whiteladies Road, and without that packed, claustrophobic experience that you can get in larger venues. Smoking area.
Decent pub/bistro food, and several different all-day breakfasts.

GOLDBRICK HOUSE
69 Park St, BS1 5PB. Tel: 0117 945 1950, web: www.goldbrickhouse.co.uk
• Housed over three floors and two Georgian buildings, and open all day every day from 9am (10am Sun), Goldbrick House has swiftly established itself as one of the city’s better drinking and dining destinations, with an informal ground floor café/bar (offering coffee, fresh juices, milkshakes, smoothies, draught beers, wines and spirits), elegant upstairs two-floor dining room with open roof terrace overlooking St Georges Hall, decadent champagne and cocktail bar in the first-floor drawing rooms, and second-floor drinking rooms that also serve as state-of-the-art function rooms. Smoking area.
One of only three restaurants in the city to have been awarded two AA rosettes.

HA! HA! BAR AND CANTEEN
Berkeley Square, The Triangle, Clifton, BS8 1HP. Tel: 0117 927 7333, web: www.hahaonline.co.uk
• Gorgeous Georgian architecture combines effortlessly with Ha! Ha!’s modern airy interior. A large courtyard outside ensures that balmy summer evenings are the order of the day. Like their sister outlet in Bath, they’re big on fresh ingredients and wouldn’t touch a microwave with a bargepole. Over-14s allowed before 6pm, with their own separate menu. Wine by the
glass or the bottle, cocktails available by the jug. Heated smoking area.
Great heated patio for colder evenings.

HALO
141 Gloucester Rd, BS7 8BA. Tel: 0117 944 2504
• Boasts a glorious rear garden that’s perfect for scorching your way through the summer, complete with patio heaters to ward off those late-night chills. A well-stocked bar includes a good range of cocktails, wines, organic cider, bottled Bath Ales Gem and a selection of premium lagers on draught. Food served daily from 12noon-late, with oven-roasted fillet of sea bass, Spanish or Greek tapas plates, burgers, wraps and open sandwiches, and excellent veggie options. Sunday sees excellent breakfasts served from 11am, and a cracking Sunday roast too. Smoking area.
Open from midday weekdays, 10am weekends.

NEW
HAUSBAR
52, Upper Belgrave Rd, Clifton, BS8 2XP. Tel: 0117 946 6081, web: www.hausbar.co.uk
• Owner Auri, formerly at Bath’s Raincheck but with a CV that includes stints in Berlin and Munich, has based Hausbar on the German concept of homely cellar bars, but this chic, stylish addition to Clifton’s nighttime scene is a little more special than that. With a list of around 120 cocktails to choose from, plus wines, bottled beers and premium draught lager, it’s brought an injection of class and style to the bar scene in Bristol.
Open 8pm-2am Tue-Sun.

HAVANA CAFÉ BAR
3 Welsh Back, BS6 6JY. Tel: 0117 930 4034
• Lovely cafe and bar with choice of two terraces, which means that you can dine waterside or facing the splendour of Queen Square. No draught beers, but there’s San Miguel and Blackthorn on tap, plus bottled beers, single malts, cocktails, wine and sangria. Food menu features everything from paninis to jacket spuds, with a range of homemade pizzas and brilliant, belly-busting burgers. Smoking area.
Choose from a range of 14 (yes, 14) different breakfasts, served from 8am (10am weekends).

HENDERSON’S CHAMPAGNE AND COCKTAIL BAR
135 Whiteladies Rd, BS8 2PL. Tel: 0117 970 6589, web: www.hendersonsbar.co.uk
• The ultimate late-night drinking experience, from the people behind Henry Africa’s. The stylish but inviting surroundings offer a relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere, with an impressive list of champagnes and wines (very sensibly priced, considering this is a club), and quality cocktails. Members can take advantage of free hire of the lounge for private functions and free canapés with champagne orders on Fri between 6-8pm.
Learn all about mixology at their regular cocktail clinics.

HENRY AFRICA’S HOTHOUSE
65 Whiteladies Rd, BS8 2LY. Tel: 0117 923 8300, web: www.henry-africas.co.uk
• The king of cocktail bars is celebrating its 18th year on the Whiteladies strip, and is still going from strength to strength. With over 70 cocktails available including their famous Long Island iced tea, plus a good range of bottled beers, extensive wine list and improved food menu available in the upstairs, New Orleans-influenced restaurant. The company has now expanded into Cardiff, and they’re planning further branches too.
Bank holiday Sundays are dedicated to iced tea, with happy hour 12noon-12midnight for this mix of vodka, gin, white rum, tequila, triple sec, coke and lime juice.

HENRY J BEAN’S
95 Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, BS8 2NT. Tel: 0117 974 3794, web: www.henryjbeans.co.uk/bristol
• Busy, popular, lively and welcoming, this bar-cum-restaurant always pulls in its fair share of strip stalkers. Big, airy bar with comfy seating. Good American food (burgers, salads, grills and so on) served in generous portions and at reasonable prices, with US sports on the TVs too. Mixed clientele, from students to professionals, all supping on ice-cold lager, premium bottled beers or one of the many cocktails on offer.
Rising local DJ star Jon Grigg spins the tunes at Groove every Thursday night.

HERMANOS CAFÉ BAR
55 Queens Rd, Clifton, BS8 1QQ. Tel: 0117 929 4323, web: www.hermanos.co.uk
• Tucked away among the bars and shops of Bristol’s busy Queens Road, Hermanos offers up a welcome respite from the hordes, and is an excellent place to chill over a long, lazy lunch. Menu’s based on Greek mezze and Spanish tapas, fabulous for an informal nibble or sharing a plate of something special with your loved one. Big leather sofas add to the comfort factor, and there’s a small heated patio too. Heated smoking area.
Excellent pre-club stop off, with weekly DJ nights.

THE HILL
31-35 Cotham Hill, Cotham, BS6 6YJ. Tel: 0117 973 3793, web: www.barroombar.com
• Formally The Cotham Hill, reopening last year after an extensive refurbishment, creamy and woody tones combine with candlelight to create somewhere simultaneously spacious and intimate. Located seconds from Whiteladies Road with just a hint of backstreet secrecy, it lends itself to the essence of a much-loved local. You’d be equally comfortable bringing the better half here for a meal, cheering the footie on the four screens, or nursing a local real ale with mates. Eclectic draught beer selection.
2-4-1 pizzas all day Tuesdays, live music Sunday nights.

HOTEL DU VIN & BISTRO
The Sugar House, Narrow Lewins Mead, BS1 2NU. Tel: 0117 925 5577
• Winning mix of urban chic and urbane surrounds. One of the best atmospheres in town in the seriously excellent lounge bar. Quality wine list, and a big hit with both Bristol’s fooderati and the national press - very highly rated by the Guardian. Live jazz on selected Sundays.
May not be cheap, but it’s a small price to pay for paradise.

HUSH HUSH BAR
233 Cheltenham Rd, BS6 5QP. Tel: 0117 942 2700
• Owner Chris Zielinski presides over a classy, cosy bar full of comfy sofas, movie prints and a selection of Polish vodkas and beers alongside a more mainstream keg selection, a couple of ciders and real ales. There’s table football, plasma screens to keep an eye on Sky, and a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Restored beer garden with waterfall out back, ideal for smokers and barbecues; the club is also perfect for private parties. There’s live music every Thursday and open mic plans for big names soon Late licence Mon-Thur till 1am (2am Fri & Sat). Heated smoking area.
Happy Hour brings 2-4-1 cocktails from Mon-Thur, 6-9pm.

NEW
JACK’S BRASSERIE
The Pavilion, 1 Hanover Quay, Harbourside, BS1 5JE. Tel: 0117 945 3990, web: www.jacksbrasserie.co.uk
• Just about to launch as we put the finishing touches to this guide, Jack's is set in a stunning waterfront location, boasting idyllic views of the riverside. Offering what they’re calling a ‘contemporary dining experience’, full of char-grilled, wood-fired cuisine from locally-sourced ingredients, Jack’s is perfect for enjoying either a swift business lunch or a lazy weekend brunch. Smoking area.
With its large flagstone terrace, it’s going to be great for alfresco dining whilst soaking up the sunshine.

JOE PUBLIC’S
3 Queens Ave, Clifton. Tel: 0117 973 1249, web: www.joepublics.com
• The accent in this underground bar is very much on the music, with everything from drum’n’bass sets through to live acoustic singer-songwriters. Great food, with mains served until 10pm and lots to pick at or share among friends, and a stupidly extensive drinks menu too. London Pride on tap. Open until 2am, 3am Fri-Sat.
Much of the seating has been put together from cars and aeroplanes - very funky!

LA TAVERNA DELL’ARTISTA
33 King St, BS1 4TZ. Tel: 0117 929 7712
• Late-opening cultural delight enjoyed by regulars from all walks of life. Pick up a mighty fine pizza in the company of celebrities, or eavesdrop post-theatre chat with a pint. The menu proper, with wine list, can be found upstairs or over the road. Home to some of the best bottled beers (Polish, Italian, Belgian and German) in Bristol. Ask for the award-winning Menabrea lager. It comes from Piedmont in northern Italy, the birthplace of the beloved father who headed this much-loved, family-
run taverna.
Bar open till 2am.

LAS IGUANAS
113 Whiteladies Rd. Tel: 0117 973 0730; South Building, Anchor Square. Tel: 0117 927 6233, web: www.iguanas.co.uk
• Bristol’s very own dollop of Latin America. Salsa beats, funky decor and, of course, those legendary cocktails. Brazilian sugarcane spirit cachaca - harvested from their own field - is the basis for most of their concoctions, brimming with fresh berries, watermelon, honey and ginger. Their signature caipirinhas are brilliant. Lots of beers and wine available. Food is innovative, fresh and reasonably priced, with tapas available separately or in sharing platters, and plenty of authentic Latin American dishes cooked fresh to order.
The kids’ menu comes with a phonetic guide to help the nippers order their own.

LOCH FYNE WINE BAR
Queen Charlotte St, BS1 4HQ. Tel: 0117 930 7162
• Handy stop-off before heading upstairs to the Loch Fyne restaurant, with a fabulous wine selection, many direct from the growers and therefore exclusive. Specialising in wines from Gascony.
Housed inside an historic old granary that was once one of the city’s best-loved clubs.

THE LOUNGE
227 North St, Bedminster, BS3 1JJ. Tel 0117 963 7340
• An effortlessly laidback, easygoing vibe, with leather sofas for all-day lounging, wooden tables, ciabattas, steaks, burgers, chalked-up blackboards of daily specials and an awesome range of cocktails, plus spirits, liqueurs and wines, as well as, on draught, Amstell, Hoegaarden, Stowford Press cider and Flowers IPA. Outside seating on the front and rear patios. Smoking area.
Food served all day, from 9am-10pm.

LUNA
Richmond Terrace, Clifton, BS8 1AA. Tel: 0117 973 0986
• A members- and guests-only bar used almost exclusively by the over-25 set. A fantastic range of drinks and a great cocktail list, with a selection of high-quality tapas and coffees which, in true continental style, are available at all times. Tasty and stylish, with leather sofas and low tables, and an excellent sound system. Even the toilets are beautifully designed. Live jazz on Thur, DJs Fri and Sat.
Open Wed & Thur until 12.30am, Fri & Sat until 2am.

MACKIES
84a Stokes Croft, BS1 3QY. Tel: 0117 924 9995, web: www.mackiesbar.co.uk
• For a quick lunchtime pick-me-up or to jump-start the weekend, the eclectic crowd and friendly staff ensure a warm welcome for all in a stylish interior designed to blend easy-going days with fun-filled nights. Family-friendly, student-friendly and popular with the locals, weekends bring DJ sets featuring R&B, club mixes and a dash of the unpredictable. Smoking area.
Open until 5am at weekends.

MBARGO
38-40 Triangle West, Clifton, BS8 1EY. Tel: 0117 925 3256, www.mbargo.net
• This cool, stylish bar features leather sofas, marble tables and a friendly atmosphere, with classic cocktails and lots of imported bottled beers, plus the likes of Leffe on draught. Good wine list, with 18 bottles to choose from. Loads of DJ nights, playing everything from crowd-pleasing 70s and 80s hits to cutting-edge hip-hop sounds.
Open until 4am (2am Sun).

MOREISH
6 Chandos Rd, Redland, BS6 6PE. Tel: 0117 970 6078, web: www.moreishrestaurant.co.uk
• Modern European café-bar-restaurant, open for brunch, lunch and dinner, with an emphasis on quality, homemade food including great lunchtime burgers, full English breakfasts and quality dining with starters from £5 and mains from around £12. Selection of bottled beers, plus organic soft drinks, and a cute alfresco terrace for those balmy summer evenings. Heated smoking area.
Bright and sunny, with work from local artists on the walls.

MR WOLF’S
33 St Stephen St, BS1 1JX. Tel: 0117 927 3221, web: www.mrwolfs.com
• A winning combination of music venue, cafe and bar. Drinks selection is comprehensive, with Red Stripe, Oranjeboom and Bath Ales’s organic lager on draught. Live music and DJ sets pretty much nightly, and if you’re hungry, then there’s noodles, fajitas, soups, salads and nachos to nibble on, prepared to order in the open kitchen all night long.
Now open until 6am at weekends.

MUD DOCK
40 The Grove, BS1 4RB. Tel: 0117 934 9734, web: www.mud-dock.co.uk
• Chilled converted warehouse on the dockside. This uber-cool bar-restaurant is located above a bike shop (you can’t miss the frames and other random bike parts hanging precariously from the ceiling). With gorgeous decor, food (with the latest menu featuring aged Somerset rump steak with fresh horseradish, mustard mash and root vegetables), views and booze, this really is a special dining and drinking experience. Relax and enjoy a great wine list, good selection of draught and bottled beers - Budvar served in half pint glasses or four pint jugs - and Med-inspired dishes. Breakfast from 9am weekdays, early bird dining offers. Smoking area.
Sun terrace for warm afternoons, and DJs and candles for when the sun goes down.

OCEANA
South Buildings, Canons Rd, BS1 5UH. Tel: 0117 927 9203, web: www.oceana.at
• With five bars and two nightclubs - including two restaurants - Oceana is the biggest thing to hit Bristol’s pubbing, clubbing and dining scene ever. There’s food from around the world at the First Port and Sydney Harbourside restaurants, clubbing on Europe’s largest illuminated dancefloor until 3.30am at weekends, and each of the bars is themed, from the Aspen Ski Lodge to the frenetic, Japanese-themed Wakyama. The city has never seen anything like it before.
The Parisian Boudoir VIP area is available for private hire.

NEW
OLD NICKS
7-9 St Nicholas Market, Old City, BS1 1UE. Tel: 0117 925 6969
• Goodness alone knows how many times this venue has changed hands in recent years - last year it was known as Legends and before that Fusion - but it’s now relaunched as a music-orientated bar, with live acts most nights. Tuesday nights are given over to acoustic roots/folk music, with three bands or solo artists, and Thursdays see Mad Method, a night of local DJ/MC talent.
Tue also sees what they believe is the world’s first ever myspace disco!

one30
130 Cheltenham Rd. Tel: 0117 944 2442, BS6 5RW. web: www.one30.co.uk
• Firmly established as one of the best bar-restaurants in the city. A true gastrobar, serving excellent tapas selections and cutting-edge bistro food, devised by chef/proprietor Christopher Wicks, owner of Bell’s Diner, adapted and dished up by chef Jon Evans and his team. Lovely, relaxed lounge with chilled music on Sundays and ever-changing art on the walls. Food is complemented by a wine list from Spain and Portugal and seven of Jerez’s finest. No ale on tap, but a good bottled selection available.
Occasional Fado - Portuguese torch song - evenings, with food themed to match.

NEW
OPPO}
72 Park St, BS1 5JX. Tel: 0117 929 1166, web: www.oppoharmonicfusion.co.uk
• Park Street’s funky coffee house is about to launch a full bar. Already serving great coffee, breakfast, light snacks, sarnies and a few bottled beers, from the beginning of June they’ll be expanding the range to include draught beers and wines too. Flop in one of the comfy leather armchairs, enjoy the displays of local artists’ work, or chill in the lovely, sunny beer garden. Open from 10am until midnight, Fri and Sat until 2am.
Regular open mic, live music and comedy nights.

THE PARK
37 Triangle West, BS8 1ER. Tel: 0117 940 6101, web: www.theparkbristol.com
• Laidback, classy, cool and yet unpretentious, The Park is a great place for that after-work relaxer or an evening savouring a bottle of wine with friends. Open from 4.30pm until the early hours (4am at weekends), DJs spin hip-hop, funk, breaks, beats and grooves Wed-Sat, with soul and Latin grooves on Sun. The drinks are equally eclectic, with a great range of unusual draughts, including Leffe Blonde, Hoegaarden and Staropramen, plus exotic bottles (Tiger, Bateman’s XXX and Savana cider) and spirits - the house vodka is Wyborowa.
Winner of Theme Magazine’s
Best New Bar West and Wales award last year.

PICTURE HOUSE BAR
44 Whiteladies Rd. Tel: 0117 973 9302, web: www.whiteladiespicturehouse.com
• Continental-style café, the Picture House takes its name from the original Picture House Café, which was the watering hole of the adjacent (unfortunately long-closed) cinema. The beautifully crafted central bar boasts an extensive selection of excellent spirits and wines, with a remarkable array of 17 rums from around the world, 16 different vodkas, including the Polish vodkas Belvedere and Ultimat, and five premium cognacs including the much-revered Louis XIII, which at £60 a measure is a delight to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace. Hoegaarden, Leffe Blond and Guinness on tap.
There’s a wide range of new world wines, hinting at owner Nick Armitage's New Zealand connections.

PITCHER AND PIANO
Waterfront, BS1 5UH. Tel: 0117 929 9652, web: www.pitcherandpiano.com
• The biggest outlet in the Pitcher & Piano chain, this converted warehouse is a versatile venue for any number of occasions, whether it’s summertime drinks out on the waterfront seating area, hiring the fully functional upstairs bar for a private party or event, a night out in the heart of the city’s nightlife, or simply relaxing in comfortable sofas while grabbing a bite to eat. Smoking area.
Saturday night DJs and fabulous harbourside location. Open until 2am at weekends.

PORTO LOUNGE
765 Fishponds Rd, BS16 3BS. Tel: 0117 902 4567
• There’s a daily changing menu, the food is British/European with occasional Asian hints, fresh fish is always on, and there are burgers, ciabattas and paninis too. Sticking to the neighbourhood bar formula of the others in the Lounge empire, early risers can enjoy a coffee as they digest the morning papers, have breakfast, then stay and enjoy the homemade burgers for lunch. Amstell, Heineken, Hoegaarden, Flowers IPA, Guinness and Stowford Press cider on draught.
Open daily, 9am-11pm.

PRAGUE
53 Old Market St, Old Market, BS2 0ER
• Smart, small but cosy bar on the site of the former Mason’s Arms, from the owners of Flamingo’s, Bristol’s newest gay nightclub. Another business bringing a touch of class to Bristol’s expanding gay quarter.
Regular quiz and entertainment evenings.

NEW
PROHIBITION
Harbourside
• Details were sketchy as Drinking Out West went to print, but we’re led to believe that Prohibition, the cocktail bar chain with outlets in Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds and London, is about to join the renaissance of Bristol’s harbourside. See Venue for full details.

THE PROM
26 The Promenade, Gloucester Rd, BS7 8AL. Tel: 0117 942 7319, web: www.theprom.co.uk
• Great reputation for promoting live music. Six nights per week are given over to R’n’B, blues, jazz, country and soul, with local acts prioritised. Popular Tue night pop quiz. The food is also worth singing about - menu changes every month. A good drinks range includes Ruddles, Old Speckled Hen and Courage Best, and they’ve started stocking diet Bacardi Breezers. Smoking area.
Good terrace for watching Gloucester Road go about its business.

Q/-
Frogmore St, BS1 5NA. Tel: 0117 926 4342, web: www.queenshilling.com
• Trendy and sophisticated venue at the forefront of the gay scene in Bristol, open evenings only (closed Mon and Tue, but available for private bookings). Packed calendar, with regular theme nights, including the annual Miss Queenshilling drag contest and the local heats of Mr Gay UK.
Bristol’s busiest gay club, the bar stays open until 3am at weekends.

THE QUADRANT
Regent St, Clifton Village, BS8 4BP Tel: 0117 974 1025, www.quadrantbar.com
• The Clifton Sausage’s Peter Austen has restored Clifton Village’s old Quadrant to traditional wine cellars a la Victorian period. Ground floor is a light, airy bar offering wines, spirits, continental lagers, real ale and always at least one local cider, with bare brick walls and chalkboards a-plenty. Downstairs you’ll find the wine cellar, with some of the world’s best wines on offer at heavily reduced prices for takeaway (the place also operates as an off-licence), and with fine wines at up to £145 a bottle, many available by the glass. Food platters and bar snacks, too.
Great brunch menu served weekends from 11am.

QUARTIER VERT
85 Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, BS8 2NT. Tel: 0117 973 4482, web: www.quartiervert.co.uk
• Well-established tapas bar downstairs and elegant a la carte dining at the rear of the restaurant and upstairs. The atmosphere is stylish yet laid-back, and this is always a popular choice for somewhere to hang out, especially on the sun terrace in summer. Great range of bottled beers and wines, and absolutely brilliant food, the majority of which is sourced locally. Open all day. Smoking area.
Regular wine tasting events. Check the website for details.

QUBA ICE BAR AND RESTAURANT
220 North St, Southville. Tel: 0117 963 9222, web: www.qubaice.co.uk
• The food is a mix of traditional British and Caribbean, and available from 9.30am when they serve up cracking full English breakfasts. The wine list is short but well thought-out, and there’s San Miguel on tap - the perfect accompaniment to some of the spicier dishes.
First-timers should try the Jamaican Platter, with codfish and buttered beans, barbecued chicken wings, sweet potato chips and plantain.

QUE PASA
31 Corn St, BS1 1ST. Tel: 0117 945 9990, web: www.quepasa.co.uk
• Transforming the former Toad in Corn Street into Que Pasa was quite a challenge: its high ceilings and skylights offered little in the way of warmth and was, according to the company’s project manager, “like trying to build a bar in the centre of St Paul’s Cathedral!”. Yet the transformation is complete: the tented ceiling adds a souk-like air and the menu features a host of Latin American and Spanish-inspired dishes at bargain prices. Big on bottled beers and cocktails.
The feel changes as day turns to night, with DJs manning their decks at weekends and salsa dancing on Mondays.

QUEEN SQUARE DINING ROOM AND BAR
63 Queen Square, BS1 4JZ. Tel: 0117 929 0700, web: www.queen-square.com
• Smart without being trendy, Queen Square provides informal dining and drinking in a relaxed atmosphere, with a daily changing modern English menu which uses only the best fresh and seasonal ingredients. The wine list is a combination of excellent value new world wines, mixed with a range of both classics and new discoveries from the old world. There’s London Pride and Butcombe Bitter, imported draught lagers, but what makes the place truly special are the friendly and informed staff. Open from 10am weekdays. Smoking area.
Alfresco seating for around 80 people.

RACKS WINE BAR
St Pauls Rd, Clifton, BS8 1LX. Tel: 0117 974 3943
• Clifton landmark since its inception in 1982, with a lively bar and popular patio complete with heaters for when the sun goes in. There’s an impressive menu at this cosmopolitan eating and drinking hole (you can even get breakfast from around 7am if you wish), with friendly staff to attend to your needs at table, offering an extensive wine list and two fine cask ales: Bath Ales’s Gem and one guest. Open until midnight Fri-Sat. Heated smoking area.
Candlelit alcoves offer a little intimacy away from the busy bar.

NEW
THE RANCH
59-61 Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, BS8 2LY. Tel: 0117 973 7727
• Formerly the Fine Line, the Ranch debuted this April, opening simultaneously in both Bristol and Twickenham - the first out-of-London opening for the Mint Group. Customers can choose from a variety of menus: daytime features homestyle favourites such as cod and pancetta fishcakes, chunky fishfinger ciabattas and loads more, whilst the evening dishes focus on easy-to-share platters to fuel that party. Weekends feature DJs playing a selection of party favourites - everything from Dolly Parton to The Killers, we’re assured.
Why not belt out a few numbers in their separate karaoke bar, also available for private hire.

RED ROOM
Canons Rd, BS1 5TX. Tel: 0117 907 4287
• Stylish bar full of funky furniture, complete with giant plasma screen showing bar visuals, and a cracking cocktail list with dozens of concoctions. Their beer list is rather exciting, with 15 bottled beers from around the globe, plus premium draughts like San Miguel and Kronenbourg Blanc. Mellow hip-hop during the day, and some of the country’s finest DJs play every night from 9pm. Occasional live acts and barbecues planned for the summer.
Open till 2am weekdays.

REVOLUTION
Old Fish Market, St Nicholas St, BS1 1UA. Tel: 0117 930 4335
• Part of the national vodka bar chain, this stylish bar-restaurant (set in a former fish market, hence the address) offers fantastic food and drink alongside nightly DJs to ensure that whether you’re partying or chilling, the night goes with a swing. Licensed until 2am (12.30am Sunday), the mezzanine bar is available for private hire. Smoking area.
Seriously killer bloody marys.

RISING SUN
86-90 Gloucester Rd, BS7 8BN. Tel: 0117 989 2471
• Run by the Scream chain (which also looks after the White Hart on Park Row), this bar puts the emphasis on well-lubricated evenings, with deliberately striking decor adding to the party feel. Student mecca, as low prices and drinks promos are the name of the game, with well-priced pub fare.
Excellent video jukebox, pool tables.

THE RIVER
1 The Watershed, Canons Rd. BS1 5UH. Tel: 0117 930 0498, web: www.theriverbristol.com
• Smart, sophisticated yet laidback and arty, The River hosts DJs playing funk, Latin, hip-hop, soul, house, and disco tunes on Fridays. Saturday boasts a range of top local bands playing funk, electro, soul, jazz, hip-hop and everything in between. Serving a full menu of mainly classic British dishes, including its now-legendary range of delicious sausages & mash, a great range of gourmet pies from Bristol’s much-loved Pieminister, and a very tempting canapé menu. Private bookings taken, and smaller parties can reserve areas of the bar for their exclusive use, free of charge. Smoking area.
Boasting possibly the widest choice of drinks of virtually any bar in Bristol. Get down on a Sunday night when cocktails are £2 cheaper.

riverstation
The Grove, BS1 4RB. Tel: 0117 914 4434, web: www.riverstation.co.uk
• It’s been 10 years since riverstation launched, and extensive remodelling recently has seen the place much revitalised, with the addition of a new bar upstairs, a major overhaul of the ground floor deli/café/bar and kitchen, but retaining all of the things that Bristolians love so much about the place: innovative, seasonal menus, great wine list, friendly and attentive service and, of course, the relaxed ambience and stunning views. With house wine from £13.50 a bottle, and a wide choice of international bottled beers. Smoking area.
At just £9 for food and a drink, the early evening café hour menu is one of the city’s best-kept secrets.

ROO BAR
Clifton Down Station, Whiteladies Rd, BS8 2PN. Tel: 0117 923 7204
• Housed in a converted railway station originally built at the beginning of the 1800s, with crocodiles and other Aussie paraphernalia on the walls inside. This spacious venue is very much a sports bar, with numerous screens to show all the important matches, plus two pool tables. Along with the well-stocked bar, they serve food every day, including offers like two mains for £6.99. Open from 12noon, seven days a week. Smoking area.
Popular Sun night quiz has a top cash prize of £100.

SEVERNSHED
The Grove, BS1 4RB. Tel: 0117 925 1212, web: www.severnshed.co.uk
• Provides a large dose of dockside chic, catering for Bristol’s mediarati and style gurus. Cutting-edge art exhibitions and occasional forays into high-class lounge music add to the concept, with a moveable bar (placed in the centre or at the back of the room) that makes it a venue for all seasons. Excellent food and drink. The bar has an identity of its own, separate from the restaurant, with food served from midday. At night the bar becomes a chic lounge serving classic cocktails. DJs Thur-Sat, live jazz Sun. Now licensed until 2am. Smoking area.
Mighty fine lager and bottled
beer selection plus quality
cocktails complete the rather splendid package.

SLUG AND LETTUCE
41 Corn St, BS1 1HT. Tel: 0117 930 0909
• Open-plan building, leather comfortable sofa zones and muted decor all mean one thing - city centre drinking in style, with a range of bottled and draught beers from around the world, some old favourites and some a little more unusual for the more adventurous. Summer menu includes old faves like fish & chips and burgers as well as an aromatic crispy duck platter to share. Very popular Sunday roasts.
Pitchers of Pimms, perfect for summer, for just £8.

SPYGLASS
Welsh Back, BS1 4SB. Tel: 0117 927 7050, web: www.spyglassbristol.co.uk
• Summer wouldn’t be summer without Spyglass, Bristol’s barbecue boat, perfect for those long, lazy summer evenings. Mediterranean-themed bar serves thoroughly communal tipples - carafes of wine, sangria and pitchers of beer - to quench that summer thirst. Canopies and heaters are on hand for the vagaries of the English weather. Food is unpretentious, tasty and very reasonably priced. It might be a grill, but it’s not all about the meat: there’s a great selection of tempting vegetarian options available too.
Get there early to get a table in summer.

THE SQUARE
15 Berkeley Square, Clifton. Tel: 0117 921 0455, web: www.thesquareclub.com
• Situated on two floors of Clifton’s famous Berkeley Square Hotel, The Square is Bristol’s original and most exclusive members’ club. Relax and enjoy exceptional service in the luxurious lounge, indulge in a delectable gastronomic experience in the contemporary dining room or simply enjoy a drink at the bar in the funky lower deck. One of the best stocked bars in the city, with a fine selection of wines, champagnes, cocktails and spirits, the kitchen serves exquisite European cuisine with a twist, combining knowledge of Asian, English and Mediterranean flavours with quality ingredients sourced locally.
Poker evenings, film nights, live music and rooms available for private hire.

STARK
168 Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, BS8 2XZ. Tel: 0117 973 9522, web: www.starkbar.com
• Just taken over by the lovely people behind the White Bear, this is an immense, 400-seater bar, complete with luxurious leather sofas, mellow mood lighting, mirrors and art, as well as a good smattering of toys for the boys, including table football, an arcade game and two pool tables. Draughts include Red Stripe, Carling, Staropramen, Grolsch, Stella, Stella Bock and Kronenbourg Blanc, plus Thatcher’s Gold, Cheddar Valley and Black Rat ciders. New theme nights yet to be confirmed, but expect the same mix of live music and DJ sets, although there’s a great jukebox at your disposal in the meantime. Smoking area.
Food is served until 10pm weekdays.

STONEHOUSE BAR
28 Baldwin St, BS1 1NG. Tel: 0117 946 8160
• Below Jongleurs comedy club, this stylish bar-restaurant serves up a good variety of drinks, including the famed alcoholic milkshakes - try the Mad Monk. Comfy leather sofas and comprehensive breakfast, lunch and dinner options make this a great place in which to while away your hours. Discount drinks offers all night Sun-Thur.
Live music on Thur nights featuring unsigned bands and DJs.

SUBLIME
31 King St, BS1 4DZ. Tel: 0117 925 5463
• Owners John Delahunty and Nick Jones enthuse about their place being a home from home. Formerly the Bunch of Grapes, this smart, stylish and welcoming bar serves food from midday until late - including burgers, light bites, paninis, baguettes and salads - plus coffee to drink in or take away, and an extensive selection of wines, beers, spirits and cocktails. Draughts include San Miguel, Red Stripe, Staropramen and Hoegaarden, plus Thatcher’s Gold cider and Guinness. Acoustic nights Wed, Thur and Sat, plus monthly club night Bleeep. Function room/whole venue available for corporate/private hire.
2-for-1 deals on cocktails all week.

SURREY WINE VAULTS
8-9 Surrey St, St Pauls, BS2 8PS. Tel: 0117 942 8196, web: www.surreywinevaults.co.uk
• Just off Portland Square is a smashing little drinking establishment, serving up food - jacket spuds, paninis, Pieminister pies, sarnies and daily specials - all day until around 8pm, with menus to suit all occasions, including one designed specifically for small or large groups to share (order 24 hours in advance). Bath Ales’s Gem on tap, bottled beers, trad keg selection and a smashing little wine list.
The wine and cider challenge evenings are proving very popular.

TANTRIC JAZZ CAFE
39-41 St Nicholas St, BS1 1TP. Tel: 0117 940 2304, web: www.tantric-jazz.co.uk
• A Soho jazz den in the midst of the bustle of Bristol’s business district, with quality live music (jazz/folk/world) six nights a week. Classic continental and Lebanese cuisine in a relaxing, inviting atmosphere. Advisable to book if you don’t want to miss out. Open seven nights a week from 5pm-3am, admission free Sun-Wed, £3 Thur-Sat. Bristol National Health Service employees and uni students get a discount on most drinks all evening.
Advance booking advisable at weekends.

NEW
THEKLA SOCIAL
East Mud Dock, The Grove, BS1 4RB. Tel: 0117 929 3301, web: www.myspace.com/thetheklasocial
• Just one of the many reason’s why Bristol and Bath are so goddamned great. This brilliant live venue also houses an excellent, chilled bar which serves up a decent pint of Staropramen, a fine selection of brews in bottles and some really great food - even the chunky chips and breads are all made aboard. Has just introduced a new menu heavy with locally sourced ingredients, all sensibly priced. The heated deck is a great place to chill and enjoy a leisurely Sunday with papers, board games and a top-notch roast. Heated smoking area.
Early evening ‘Sociable Hour’ deals Mon-Fri and all day Sun.

TINTO LOUNGE
344 Gloucester Rd, BS7 8TP. Tel: 0117 942 0526
• This place quickly established itself as a glorious addition to Gloucester Road, hugely popular with groups of friends, families and couples. It’s relaxed, stylish, comfortable and really welcoming. Reclaimed church chairs sit under battered wooden tables, and the chunky leather sofas are perfect for Sunday afternoon paper reading. There’s Amstell, Heineken, Hoegaarden, Flowers IPA, Guinness and Stowford Press cider on draught, plus good food and daily specials served all day, every day.
Awarded Top Bristol Bar in Venue’s 2005 Top Bananas.

TOBACCO FACTORY CAFE-BAR
Raleigh Rd, Southville, BS3 1TF. Tel: 0117 902 0060, web: www.tobaccofactory.com
• Novel gatherings abound at this enduringly cool hotspot, popular with a young, funky crowd as well as locals, theatregoers, film-lovers and scientists. Plans for salsa dancing on Mondays, the green room (available for private hire) shows short films on the first Tuesday monthly, while the month’s last Tuesday has a ‘science café’ forum. Every Sunday’s market day, with local, organic, Fairtrade food and craft followed by a chilled end to the weekend from live music on Sunday evenings. Food’s Mediterranean in style, with mezze and tapas both excellent. Mains include a good selection of meat, fish and vegetarian, from rump steak with gorgonzola sauce to wild mushroom polenta with chilli tomato & coriander. Menu changes regularly; homemade desserts available daily. The bar’s low-cost interior design makes a virtue of the industrial feel - very warehouse chic with bare brick walls and metal pillars.
The yard, perfect for the sunshine, saw a refurb last year.

WATERSHED CAFÉ BAR
1 Canons Rd, BS1 5TX. Tel: 0117 927 5101, web: www.watershed.co.uk
• Waterfront stalwart that’s still as popular as the day it opened. A veritable arty treasure trove, with cinema, digital cafe, events and courses, comedy and one of the most popular bars in the city. As relaxed and welcoming as it comes, with superb food, speedily served, at good prices - daily from 12noon-9pm (from 10.30am Sat and Sun). Always a good veggie selection on the expansive, superior menu, complemented by a choice of wines and lagers from around the world. A very impressive selection of draught and bottled brews, including organic beer and cider, Bath Ales’ Gem, Bellringer and regularly changing guest ales. The most eclectic music selection you’ll find, with upwards of 1,000 albums to choose from.
Open from 9.30am during the week (10am at weekends and 11am Mon) and now licensed until midnight Fri-Sat.

WHITE LION BAR AND TERRACE
Avon Gorge Hotel, Sion Hill, Clifton, BS8 4LD. Tel: 0117 973 8955, web: www.avongorge-hotel-bristol.com
• Probably the best view in the whole of Bristol. Sup a beer on the vast terrace (complete with canopies and heat lamps) and gaze out over Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Avon Gorge. Menu boasts gastro-style pub dishes, platters to share, weekly specials and full a la carte (the likes of pork and leek sausages with mustard mash, or char-grilled swordfish with new potatoes and salsa verde). Terrace has small play area for kids and loads of seating - plenty of room for everyone. Drop-down, big screen for sports fans. Heated smoking area
Regular summer barbecues on the gorgeous terrace. Don’t miss ‘em.

THE WOODS
1 Park St Avenue, BS1 5LQ. Tel: 0117 925 0890
• From the people who brought you Park Street’s phenomenally successful Elbow Room. Smart bar with a gentlemen’s club ambience, with a lovely little heated garden. Very female-friendly, not remotely laddish, although the more squeamish might not appreciate the dead insects and animal horns which decorate one of the rooms. A fine collection of 25 or so whiskies and bourbons, Grolsch Professional on tap, and food supplied by the nearby Lebanese takeaway. Heated smoking area.
Open until 6am Friday night/Saturday morning.

ZERODEGREES
53 Colston St, BS1 5BA. Tel: 0117 925 2706, web: www.zerodegrees.co.uk
• Belgian restaurant fused with a microbrewery and stylish bar, all in one venue. It’s all about fresh, organic beer - try the black lager or wheat beer - and the perfect food to accompany it, which includes marvellous gourmet pizzas from their own wood-burning ovens. Punters eat and drink surrounded by 10 tanks that are each three metres high, and walk over glass flooring with pipes clearly visible below. The emphasis is on having everything on show, with a 200-capacity bar, 200-seater restaurant and four terraces. Smoking area.
They’ve just launched a third branch in Reading.

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