Venue > Eating Out West > Bristol Cafes

ALL BAR ONE
High St, BA1 5AQ
Tel: 01225 324021
Big, relaxed high street staple with a slick but stress-free Euro-vibe, excellent bar and really good food. Sturdy but stylish standards such as burgers and old-fashioned ham & eggs nestle alongside an excellent soup, wrap and tapas range, making for an abundant mix’n’match selection at very down-to-earth prices. If you’ve got room left, you really should squeeze in a spiffing pud as well. The bar features continental beers (including Erdinger, Amstel and Leffe Blond) and an extensive wine list plus coffee, tea etc all day long. Open Daily 11am-11pm (Fri & Sat ‘til 12midnight, Sun 10.30pm). Food served Mon-Fri 12noon-10pm, Sat-Sun 12noon-9pm. Over-21s only.

BELVEDERE WINE VAULTS
25 Belvedere, Lansdown, BA1 5ED
Tel: 01225 330264, web: www.belvederewinevaults.co.uk
Laid-back neighbourhood hangout (and boutique hotel) with an inviting, atmospheric vibe helped along by extensive beers, lagers and Guinness on draught, 45 different vodkas, cocktails and wines. Currently only food on the menu is an excellent Sunday roast but it’s planned that a full menu will return in the summer. Live music most Tuesdays, from blues to jazz; gets very buzzy (often helped along by live DJs) Fri and Sat nights. Open Mon-Sat 5-11pm, Sun 12noon-4pm & 7-10.30pm. Food served 6-9.30pm (last orders), Sunday roast from 12noon.

CAFÉ ROUGE
15 Milsom St, BA1 1DE
Tel: 01225 462368; web: www.caferouge.co.uk
See Restaurants, French. See also Bristol listing. IDC: 25% off total bill.

CENTRAL WINE BAR
10 Upper Borough Walls, BA1 1RG
Tel: 01225 333939
Easy-going city centre watering hole with a cool and trendy wine bar in the front and a chill-out lounge upstairs offering something for everybody in bright and breezy surroundings. Food-wise, hearty portions of modern English faves are complemented by pan-global delights, while a tapas-style range of nibbles make perfect accompaniments to the huge array of wines, spirits, beers and cocktails available at the bar. Open Mon-Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 12noon-10.30pm. Food served Until 9pm every day. PC: 15% off bar tab Mon-Fri (10% Sat).

THE CHAZZ BAR
7 Argyle St, BA2 4BA
Tel: 01225 444440, web: www.clarkesbath.co.uk
See Restaurants, World. Open Thur 7-11pm, Fri 4.30-11pm, Sat 6.30-11pm.

DELFTER KRUG
Sawclose, BA1 1EY
Tel: 01225 443352, web: www.delfterkrug.com
Chameleon-like cafe-bar which seamlessly morphs into a hip groove emporium by night, popular with a young ’n’ funky crowd. Features a smashing terrace out front for when the sun comes out, a well-stocked bar (with a huge range of shooters) and an all-day, easy-going menu (currently being revamped at the time of going to press). Open Mon-Fri 12noon-late.

GARFUNKEL’S
The Empire, Orange Grove, BA1 1LP
Tel: 01225 461465, web: www.garfunkels.co.uk
See Restaurants, American.

GASCOYNE PLACE
1 Sawclose, BA1 1EY
Tel: 01225 445854, web: www.gascoyneplace.co.uk
Tasteful, easy-going café/bar/restaurant hybrid catering to a tasteful, easy-going crowd. Stylish, novel design twists proliferate throughout this split-level oasis, offering a choice between buzzing basement bar, elegant supper rooms or brasserie-style balcony dining. The wine list is massive, there’s an extensive bar selection (including cocktails) and bar food ranges from a bowl of homemade chips with mustard mayo to gourmet burgers, focaccia sandwiches and cheese/charcuterie sharing platters. Live jazz every Sunday. See also Restaurants, English. Open Mon-Sat 11am-2am (generally earlier in the week), Sun 11am-11pm. Food served 12noon-10pm (last orders).

GRAPPA
3 Belvedere, BA1 5ED
Tel: 01225 448890
There’s been a recent change of ownership, but the spirit of this subtly chic, continental-style hangout with a nouveau-boho atmosphere remains intact. The bar offers a big selection of new and old world wines, cocktails, continental lagers, beers and all manner of spirits and liqueurs - plenty to keep everybody happy, then - while on the food front, find huge, colourful platters of Mediterranean antipasti to share (or be entirely selfish with) or visit the lovely pizzeria upstairs (but if you really can’t be bothered moving, they’re served in the bar, too). Open Daily 5-11pm (food served until 10pm).

HA! HA! BAR
Tramshed, Walcot St, BA1 5BD
Tel: 01225 421200, web: www.hahaonline.co.uk
This modern uber-bar offers huge, consistently good, globe-straddling menus, all based around seasonal produce and British ingredients and served up in vibrant, crowd-pleasing surroundings. From boisterous breakfasts and luscious lunches to nouveau nibbles and traditional treats-with-a-twist (including plenty of Fairtrade produce, too), there’s literally something for everyone here. Sunday roasts are hugely satisfying, and the puddings are not to be overlooked. Meanwhile, the vast bar selection keeps the wheels nicely oiled. Good terrace for warm days and hot nights; lots of events/promotions (visit website for details); live DJs every Sat eve. Open Sun-Wed 10am-11pm, Thur-Sat 10am-12midnight (food served until 9.30pm). IDC: 25% off total bill.

HUDSON BAR & GRILL
14 London St, BA1 5BU
Tel: 01225 332323, web: www.hudsonbars.co.uk
Based in a refurbished 250-year-old classic pub at the top of Bath’s artisan quarter, the atmospheric (low lights, sofa-strewn banquette seating, etc) street level bar offers really good cocktails, interesting ales and a confidently eclectic wine list, while the casual but stylish grill room upstairs concentrates on serving up great steaks, gourmet burgers, seafood, salads etc in slightly more traditional (though contemporary) restaurant surroundings. But if you don’t want to drag yourself away from the bar (and why would you?), you can enjoy a full-on slap-up downstairs, too. See also Restaurants, American. Open Mon-Sat 5-11pm. Food served 6-10.30pm (last orders).

LOUNGE
43 St James Parade, BA1 1UQ
Tel: 01225 424321
Lively cocktail bar with smart booth seating upstairs, a cosy vaulted bar downstairs, an extensive wine/beer range and pretty sturdy (largely Med-themed) food to boot. The 50-plus cocktails available are still the biggest draw, though. Basement available for free hire. Open Mon-Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 5-10.30pm. Food served Until 9pm. PC: 15% off total bill at all times.

NEW
OPA
14 North Parade, BA2 4AJ
Tel: 01225 317900
Glamorous Greek café-bar and restaurant with a fabulous alfresco area directly overlooking the river. There’s live music every Sunday evening and food – like the regulars – is loud, proud and sexy. See Restaurants, Greek & Turkish. PC: Cardholder & up to three guests receive 25% off food bill & 15% off bar tab (minimum spend £20).

PORTER CELLAR BAR
Downstairs at The Porter, George St, BA1 2QS
Tel: 01225 424104, web: www.moles.co.uk
See Bath Pubs.

PULP
Monmouth St, BA1 2AJ
Tel: 01225 336666, web: www.iguanas.co.uk
Cosy, popular contemporary bar with a chilled-out atmosphere. Food at this Las Iguanas ancillary (downstairs from the Bath branch, but still at street level on one side of the building) focuses largely on tapas and Mexican-styled munchies (nachos, enchiladas, quesadillas) etc, but still gives great sandwich. Superb cocktails, too: unsurprisingly, those based around cachaça (the national spirit of Brazil) feature heavily. Open Mon-Sun 12noon-11pm (10.30pm Sun). Food served 12noon-9pm.

NEW
RESTAURANT DE L’ARCHE
2-3 Queen St, BA1 1HE
Tel: 01225 444403, web: www.restaurantdelarche.co.uk
Stylish, convivial French restaurant with a chic, unique oyster and champagne bar upstairs. See Restaurants, French.

REVOLUTION
York Buildings, George St, BA1 2EB
Tel: 01225 336168, web: www.revolution-bars.co.uk
Spacious, hip hangout (part of a huge, um, revolutionary chain) with a hip, striking bar largely revolving around vodka, cocktails and shooters, with suitably funky menus to match. Brunch available 12noon-4pm at weekends (alongside a roast served all day on Sundays); baked spuds, nachos and sharing/nibbling/mezze platters; wraps, sandwiches and salads (inc low carb options); hearty mains (sausages & mash; goulash; homemade fish fingers, etc) and excellent cheesecake/brownies. Look out for regular offers (Wed night is currently ‘Steak Night’: two steak platters and two drinks for £7.95) and visit the website for events/DJs/party nights/drinks promotions etc. Open Mon-Sat 12noon-12midnight, Sun 12noon-10.30pm. Food served Daily 12noon-9pm. PC: 2-4-1 on food at all times and the same benefits/promotions as Revolution cardholders.

SLUG AND LETTUCE
5-6 Edgar Buildings, George St, BA1 2EB
Tel: 01225 789050, www.slugandlettuce.co.uk
Vast café/bar/brasserie/pub/restaurant enjoying an advantageous vantage point at the axis of the George St/Milsom St cross. Broad breakfast/brunch selection served until 12noon every day, after which paninis, wraps, salads, jacket potatoes, burgers etc cater for busy shoppers and no-nonsense mains like Gloucestershire old spot sausages & mash, Dartmouth Smokehouse fish pie and Thai curries (followed by sturdy puds for the sweet-toothed) satisfy larger appetites well into the evening. An impressive commitment to responsible sourcing lifts the selection up and away from standard ‘big bar’ humdrum, kids get their own menus, and drinks promotions such as ‘Fine Wine Wednesdays’ (all bottles £11.95) and ‘Champagne Fridays’ (a bottle of fizz to kick-start your weekend, £20) keep regulars buzzing around the well-stocked bar. When the sun comes out, make the most of the people-watching opportunities from the tables on the street out front, or enjoy a bit of an urban oasis experience in the back garden. Private hire rooms available. Open Daily 10am-12midnight (Sun 11pm). Food served Until 9pm every day.

NEW
VELO LOUNGE
30 Moorland Rd, Oldfield Park, BA2 3PW
Tel: 01225 344663, web: www.thelounges.co.uk
Once a bike shop, now a warm and welcoming book-lined bar-diner, sturdily furnished and effortlessly oozing bonhomie: Velo Lounge has brought the genuine ‘neighbourhood bistro’ experience to Bath. Experienced Loungers (the ‘brand’ now boasts small chain status) enjoy menus that start with breakfast and skip along through wrap/panini/light bite any-timers, with burgers, steaks and heartier fare providing substantial foundations and tapas for the grazers, all at very realistic, downhome prices. The house wine is excellent, cocktails go large for minimum prices and coffee is the real McCoy, while board games, daily papers and regular quiz nights keep attention levels up. Open Mon-Sun 9am-11pm. Food served 9am-10pm.

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