• 
• Back to Index 

Cafes

Bristol

A CAPPELLA
184c Wells Rd, Totterdown, BS24 2AL
Tel: 0117 971 3377, email: info@acappellas.co.uk, web: www.acappellas.co.uk
Run by husband and wife team Paul and Jennifer, A Cappella is a bustling café by day before turning into a BYO pizzeria in the evening. Tempting tapas, pestos, tortillas, salads, fresh roasted coffee, cakes and paninis are among the treats on offer, with daily lunch specials, too. An exciting range of impressive pizzas all come at affordable prices and there’s an alfresco dining area for when the weather’s fine. Takeaway and delivery service available. Open Mon-Thur 9am-10pm, Fri-Sat 9am-10.30pm, Sun 10am-10pm.

AMOEBA
10 Kings Rd (off Boyces Avenue), Clifton, BS8 4AB
Tel: 0117 946 6461, web: www.amoeba.uk.com
Tucked away behind Clifton Village’s WH Smith’s, this funky little café is worth tracking down. Its easy-going ambience and wicked rear garden (which is set to get heaters this summer) makes it perfect for private parties, with over 30 beers from Belgium and beyond, plus cocktails adding to an upmarket, lively vibe later on. Food till 5pm is currently fresh doorstep sarnies, handmade to order, seasonal salads, tasty soups such as sweet potato and rosemary, and hot lunches like stuffed sweet peppers. Soup and sandwich deals bring combination offers. Evening food is set to arrive, so drop in and find out the details. DJs play funk, soul and rare groove on Fri and Sat. Open Sun-Thur 10am-12midnight, Fri-Sat 10am-1am.

BAR CHOCOLAT
19 The Mall, Clifton, BS8 4JG
Tel: 0117 974 7000, fax: 0117 974 7001, web: www.bar-chocolat.com
Taken over in June by ace husband-and-wife team Adam and Amanda Weekes, this stylish homage to all things choccy has since added baguettes and seasonal soups to give this end of Clifton Village the lunchtime refuelling it lacked. Baguette fillings include chicken and roast vegetable as well as crayfish tails with chilli mayo. A refurb has brought in neutral colours and a pine floor to better display the fantastic chocolates on sale, while more seating means more happy punters. The plush leather seating planned will up the swishness ante. The pair are considering a name change, and even have thoughts of a second operation (it’s possible Portishead’s choccy addicts won’t have so far to go in future to get their fix). A team of ten staff serve much-appreciated regulars (including local funnyman Justin Lee Collins), mums with youngsters, students and a group of ladies-who-jog. Nearby grocer Charlie Hicks provides the fruit and veg. An alcohol license means you can savour wine with your choccy, or even sit down with a taster plate of truffles and bottle of champagne (they’ve had a hen party in before now). Summer sees the ice-cream counter return, but the lemon cheesecake Amanda makes is always in demand. Wi-Fi connected. Open Mon-Sat 8.30am-6pm, Sun 10am-5pm.

BARLEY WOOD WALLED GARDEN
Long Lane, Wrington, Somerset, BS40 5SA
Tel: 01934 863713
The good people here are doing their bit to educate kids on healthy eating with an education programme available to schools plus informative tours of the organic, restored Victorian kitchen garden open to those booking ahead. The picnicking spot being created last year has arrived safe and sound, with an extended orangery and more alfresco seating enhancing the appeal of what was already one of the region’s most attractive eating locations. There’s now space for 78 covers, 24 of which are outside, to enjoy traditional food that’s local and organic where possible, taken amid beautiful surroundings offering a spectacular view. This proximity to the source means if you’re eating soup, it’s likely the veg was picked that day. Delights include quiche/tart with salad as well as vegetable bake plus Sunday roasts, while evenings have brought rabbit casserole, venison, local trout plus vegetarian options. Cider barn, art studio, beehives and shop on site. Private functions catered for. Open Sun-Thur 9.30am-4.30pm, Fri-Sat 9.30am-10pm.

BEESES BAR & TEA GARDENS
Wyndham Crescent, BS4 4SX
Tel: 0117 977 7412, web: www.beeses.co.uk
Husband-and-wife team Phil and Lindy Leahy consider themselves caretakers of an establishment trading since 1846. The setting was utterly beguiling then and it still is today. The food similarly represents how things used to be done, with Lucy from Butternut Squash Deli across the water in St George making the cakes, local chap Scot supplying the jam for the cream teas, and Barrow Gurney’s Taste supplying Aberdeen Angus burgers and organic old spot sausages. There’s artisan craft and care in everything done here - caretakers indeed. Food offerings include homemade chilli and curries, tapas, salads and a wonderful cheeseboard washed down with wine, perfectly kept real ales or Fairtrade filter coffee. A remodelled bar and marquee has improved facilities, which are wonderful for wedding receptions. An extraordinary nature reserve next door with ducks, swans, herons etc, is surely Bristol’s best-kept secret. See also Bristol Bars. Open Tue-Thur 4-11pm, Fri-Sat 12noon-11pm, Sun 12noon-7pm. Food served Tue-Sat until 9pm, Sun all day.

BETTER FOOD COMPANY CAFÉ
Proving House, Sevier St, St Werburghs, BS2 8DB
Tel: 0117 935 1725, web: www.betterfood.co.uk
‘Diners enjoy dishes from around the world, incorporating organic, local, fresh and seasonal ingredients in an eaterie with a remit to reduce, reuse, recycle,’ wrote our chap. ‘Much of the wood used has come from Bristol Wood Recycling, the lights have low-energy fittings to keep the carbon footprint low, while crockery and cutlery has come from charity shops, promoting reuse and supporting Oxfam and Cancer Care among others.’ The menu changes daily and is 95% organic, being based as it is on items/produce sold in the Better Food Company shop at this all-encompassing operation. Café used as a venue to stage talks, open evenings and demonstrations (some cookery/food-related). Food served until around an hour before closing (or until sold out) and is available to take away. Breakfast sold 9am-12noon on weekdays and all day on weekends. Open Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-4pm.

BIG BANANA JUICE BAR
Units 21-22, Glass Arcade, St Nicholas Market, BS1 1JQ
Tel: 0117 927 3274
Brazilian superfood acai is just some of the good stuff at this friendly little drinkery run by nutritionists determined to give Bristol healthy drinks and a change from the usual caffeine-filled cafes. There’s an irresistible range of fresh homemade juices, smoothies and organic ice-cream shakes. Throw your preconceptions away and try the Iron Booster (beetroot, watercress, apple & carrot) or Very Veg (carrot, cucumber, celery & parsley), both believed to work wonders for your health and your tastebuds. Wheatgrass apple and lime combine to form a Green Bang. Open Mon-Sat 9am-5pm.

NEW
BLACK BEAR
168 Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, BS8 2XZ
Tel: 0117 973 3993
Café within a multi-faceted independent venue aiming to deliver a vibrant and diverse experience. The finest ingredients from local suppliers go into dishes which include an all-day American-style breakfast, salads and light meals. The speciality sandwiches include a New York Reuben: a beast of a butty boasting layered pastrami, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and thousand island dressing on rye bread conjured up with Stateside authenticity by chef Joe Korson, all the way from Bristol. Connecticut. (The birthplace of M*A*S*H’s Radar, fact fans.) The meat is homecured and smoked here, so when the Black Bear was still tinkering with its identity, his side of affairs was known with some legitimacy as ‘Joe’s Smokehouse Diner’. Homemade cakes and pastries accompany a selection of ethically sourced coffees and an extensive menu of organic loose teas. See also Bristol Bars. Food served Daily 8.30am-5pm.

BLUE JUICE
39 Cotham Hill, BS6 6JY
Tel: 0117 973 4800
Innovative and hugely successful, with warm and often bustling atmosphere. Boasts a vast range of juices and smoothies, including their popular acai, a drink from the Amazon rainforest full of vitamins and minerals. The liquid refreshments on offer here are renowned: try the carrot, apple & ginger cocktail, or enduring favourite, the five-a-day special juice (fruit or vegetable varieties) for busy city types who aren’t getting their daily nutrition. There’s a plan to change the culinary offerings as we go to press but details are sketchy, with food (some of which is organic) currently including breakfasts and a wicked Mexican black bean & cheese burrito, best washed down with a fantastic banana shake. There’s also a beautiful heated deck with canopy for idling away those summer days. All food available to be taken away. See also Takeaways. Open Mon-Sat 9am-approx 5pm.

BORDEAUX QUAY BRASSERIE
V Shed, Canons Way, BS1 5UH
Tel: 0117 943 1200
Smart and spacious brasserie with bar within the Bordeaux Quay temple to all things scrumptious and sustainable. Food is modern European, with the menu changing daily and with the seasons. Staple ingredients are sourced from organic suppliers, growers, producers and farms in the West Country and South West. Expect to find starters like moules marinière, homemade charcuterie and chickpea and chorizo cazuela, and main courses such as spicy lamb kebabs, beetroot, rocket and parmesan risotto as well as whole grilled mackerel with pepperonata and pink fir apple potatoes. Typical puddings include chocolate mousse and lemon tart. Bar snacks such as spicy nuts and seeds as well as bread and olives are served in the bar. Open Mon-Fri 8am-11pm, Sat 9am-11pm, Sun 9am-5pm. Food served Mon-Sat 12noon-10.30pm, Sat-Sun 9-11am, Sun 12noon-4pm. IDC: 25% off. PC: 15% off Sun-Thur & 10% off Fri-Sat.

BOSTON TEA PARTY
75 Park St, BS1 5PF
Tel: 0117 929 8601
Praised by both The Guardian and The Times, boasting a huge selection of juices, loose-leaf teas and Fairtrade coffee, they also offer excellent food, with breakfasts and dishes like sweet potato curry, falafels, West Country burgers, lamb tagine and roast squash and feta salad in addition to their innovative sarnie and panini range. Menu changes regularly. Seating on two floors, terraced garden. Open Mon-Sat 7am-8pm, Sun 9am-8pm.

BRISTOL GUILD CAFE
68-70 Park St, BS1 5JY
Tel: 0117 929 1874
Long-established and much-loved, serving soups, salads, quiches (the leek and mushroom is a beauty), pastries, cakes, cookies, scones, flapjacks, tea, coffee and cold drinks. Shoppers, business types and Park Street traders enjoy a light and airy setting with greenery inside in the terrace area and outside through the window. Open Mon-Fri 10am-4.30pm, Sat 10am-5pm.

BRUNEL BUTTERY
Wapping Wharf, BS1 6DS
Tel: 0117 929 1696
Still doing what they’ve been doing for the last 27 years, for which a loyal following is ever grateful. Sandwiches are what you’ll come here for, especially the bacon butties and sausage sarnies, and there’s ham, cheese, salad and vegetarian options. The sweet-toothed will love the homemade rock cake and sponges, with everything accompanied by cold drinks, tea, coffee and hot chocolate. Eat on tables outdoors or take away. Open Mon-Fri 8am-4pm, Sat-Sun 8am-5pm.

CAFE CEITURICA
277 North St, Southville, BS3 1JP
Tel: 0117 966 6880
The mood changes across the day at this friendly licensed brasserie. Morning finds locals chatting over some of the city’s best and most diverse breakfasts, there’s a buzz to lunchtime, and the afternoon sees those living large taking it easy, while the candlelit evening brings a transformation to eastern-Mediterranean restaurant feel. There’s some terrific Southville synergy here. They consider the Tobacco Factory to be their extended lounge and direct the evening’s early arrivals over for a snifter. Winter house specials tend to feature red meat dishes and have included Persian lamb shank hotpot and Moroccan beef tagine, while summer brings a super pan-fried dorada (a fish similar to bream). See also Restaurants, World. Open Mon-Sat 9am-11.30pm, Sun 9am-10.30pm.

NEW
CAFÉ CHAMELEON
54 Prince St, BS1 4QH
Tel: 0117 908 4166
An end is (hopefully) in sight to the ongoing identity confusion at this cheerful spot just town-side of Prince Street Bridge. Last year EOW reported (in good faith, it must be said) on what was Eat becoming Blue Pepper. That didn’t happen, but the word on the street is that Eat will be refurbished, becoming the appropriately named Café Chameleon, during that period between EOW going to press and hitting the news stands. Perhaps unsurprisingly, menu details aren’t too specific, but expect to find jackets, salad and veggie options plus paninis wherein lies chicken, bacon and cheese or bacon, brie and tomato alongside other varieties. Open Mon-Fri 7am-4pm, Sat 9am-3.30pm.

CAFÉ DELIGHT
189 Gloucester Rd, BS7 8BG
Tel: 0117 944 1133
Friendly eaterie supplying a wide range of English and European food and, most importantly, legendarily hearty breakfasts. Home-made lamb and mint burger, haddock fillet a la plancha and nut roast are among the favourite special dishes. Open Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-3.30pm.

CAFÉ KINO
3 Ninetree Hill, Kingsdown, BS1 3SB
Tel: 0117 924 9200, web: www.cafe-kino.com
The people here see their place as a ‘café and jukebox joint’ where their beliefs can be followed and ethics applied. With all directors vegan, the food reflects its creators’ beliefs, most being organic and locally sourced, and it’s done simply and priced affordably so nobody’s excluded. There’s synergy with the nearby Cube; the café sells its alternative to Coke and speaks directly to the El Salvador co-operative from where it gets its coffee. The menu is seasonal and mains have included Thai green curry and roasted vegetable lasagne with pies and lighter dishes also available. An alcohol licence means you can enjoy a drink, including Bath Ales’s organic lager, with your grub. Stitch and bitch every other Sunday, regular music and story gatherings, rolling exhibitions programme plus some distinctly popular Scrabble action. Open Tue-Thur 11am-5pm (food stops 4pm), Fri 11am-11pm (food stops 9.30pm), Sat 10am-11pm (food stops 9.30pm), Sun 10am-5pm (food stops 4pm).

CAFE ROUGE
85 Park St, BS1 5PJ
Tel: 0117 929 2571, web: www.caferouge.co.uk
l Friendly, authentic French cafe-bar/brasserie/restaurant serving high-quality food in convivial surroundings. See Restaurants, French. See also Bath Cafes. Open Mon-Sat 9am-11pm, Sun 10am-10.30pm.

CAFFE EXCHANGE
Corn St, BS1 1JQ
Tel: 0117 922 4013
l Tea, coffee and snacks. Open Mon-Sat 7.30am-4.30pm.

COFFEE #1
4 Canford Lane, Westbury-on-Trym, BS9 3DH
Tel: 0117 959 1749
The third Number 1 opened in September 2006 and serves similar offerings to what’s long been enjoyed at the other two branches. Expect paninis, cakes, pastries and soups etc, with seasonal variations, as well as the ever-present primary caffeine drink. Open Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-6pm.

COFFEE #1
157 Gloucester Rd, BS7 8BA
Tel: 0117 942 9909
This chilled spot remains a popular hangout with a cross-section of locals, from mums with nippers to students and older couples pottering around. The big French windows let the light in and are opened come summer; there’s now four tables out front and a garden out back. Grub is pastries, paninis and focaccias, etc, as per the Clifton site (see below). Open Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat-Sun 9am-6pm.

COFFEE #1
33 Princess Victoria St, Clifton, BS8 4BU
Tel: 0117 923 8021
Popular cafe with all ages, who gather here to sample an excellent panini range with fillings like chicken, pesto & mozzarella as well as bacon, brie & wholegrain mustard. There are focaccias and cakes too, while the range of smoothies promises a refreshing accompaniment while you gaze over the independent art created by an ex-staffer. The leather seating promised in last year’s EOW has indeed arrived, so you can take the weight off your feet in heightened style. Open Mon-Sat 8am-6pm, Sun 9am-6pm.

CREATE CAFE
CREATE Centre, Smeaton Rd, Cumberland Basin, BS1 6XN
Tel: 0117 903 1201
It’s called the CREATE Centre, and the menu served in the café within is admirably creative. What’s more, it’s at remarkably low prices. Bread and soup takes in flavours like butternut and crispy bacon as well as roasted parsnip with curried crème fraiche for a mere £1.50. How about two pieces of buttered toast for 60p (and a free-range fried egg for another 50p)? Lunch specials change weekly but value is always on the menu, with Somerset beef hotpot, marinated lamb on chickpea falafel, salmon and wild spinach penne pasta, honey roast gammon, Portobello mushroom and sweet potato Moroccan tangine all under £4. A super food salad packs more power than kryptonite. The ace people here actively source Fairtrade, locally produced and organic produce, and everything can be traced to source. The centre houses an art gallery, with regular exhibitions and ecohome. Fab riverside views too. Open Mon-Fri 8.30-11am (breakfast), 12noon-2pm (lunch).

DOCKYARD CAFE-BAR
Harbourside, near SS Great Britain, BS1 6TY
Tel: 0117 926 0680
Nestling alongside Brunel’s great steamship, a move to a new building in April 2006 brought a waterside terrace bar. This place offers a light and airy atmosphere where you can enjoy jacket potatoes, soups and cakes, knowing that your hard-earned pennies will help to preserve Brunel’s creation. The special plate menu changes weekly and includes dishes like Brunel steak and ale pie, chicken and mushroom stroganoff, chilli and vegetarian lasagne, best enjoyed with a cappuccino or even a glass of wine. Open Daily 9.30am-4.30pm winter, 9.30am-6pm summer.

DOWNS TEA ROOM
Stoke Rd, nr water tower, Durdham Downs
Tel: 0117 923 8186
Distinctly civilised spot beneath the cedars, overlooking vast grassy area evoking a colonial Flame Trees of Thika vibe without the lions. What was once a Victorian gents has been a tearoom for around five years. You want more quirkiness? It seems this building does not have a postcode! Strong breakfast and sandwich options, plus daily specials and homemade chilli, Cajun chicken salad, halloumi and aubergine salad, fish & chips plus omelettes. Jackets, soup and burgers offer plenty for everyone. Extensive hot beverage selection includes Darjeeling, Ceylon, Assam and Earl Grey teas if you’re after reliving the time when the sun never set on Empire. Yummy mummy central sees up to 50 gathering at one time (the parking’s easy, the kids can run around) plus joggers and footballers on Saturdays. As the public can’t light barbecues on the Downs, these ace people may start doing them, with opening planned until 7.30pm in summer if demand requires. Available for catered private parties of up to 20 people until midnight. What a simply super little spot. Open Daily 8.30am-6pm.

FARM CAFÉ
St Werburghs City Farm, Watercress Rd, St Werburghs, BS2 9YJ
Tel: 07813 954933
“The roof, the roof, the roof is particularly environmentally friendly,” will be sung lustily by diners here once the ‘fab, funky and family-friendly’ Farm Café gets its posh new living roof. Timber seating is due to arrive outside in the spring but come late September they’ll be shutting briefly to create the aforementioned roof incorporating sedum, a succulent taking in carbon dioxide, giving out oxygen, filtering pollutants, attracting wildlife, keeping the place warm in winter and cool in summer while absorbing water which is drained off to be used in the café’s khazis. It could probably get the trains running on time if you asked it to. Eats-wise, a new chef creates the nutritionally balanced, delicious food enjoyed routinely by multi-generational gatherings. Ingredients are sourced both locally and ethically and include milk, eggs and meat from the farm. The menu changes quarterly and there are daily specials plus breakfasts, beefburgers and nut and mushroom burgers with everything available in child portions. There’s plenty on offer for veggies and carnivores (all meat is free range) as well as those with special dietary requirements and those simply after cake, a cuppa or a coffee. The operation’s charity work has benefited people in Tibet and Lebanon among other places, with future charity nights set as before to incorporate dishes from the part of the world being supported. The children’s cookery school in the Easter holidays covered pasta and pesto. Food served Wed-Mon 10am-4.30pm, café open until 5pm.

FOLK HOUSE CAFE-BAR
40a Park St, BS1 5JG
Tel: 0117 908 5035
Delicious organic and Fairtrade fodder served in this perfect, tranquil haven amid the bustling retail metropolis that is Park Street. All food is made from scratch using organic produce (at least 90% of the main menu is from certified organic ingredients) and the salad is grown out back. Some examples of favourite dishes include roast parsnip and carrot soup, Spanish casserole, fish pie made with salmon and haddock, tapas plates and a wicked homemade Fiorentian pizza with spinach and pine nuts. Tempting salads come in varieties like carrot with roasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds, pasta with feta cheese and green salad with lettuce, rocket and herbs. Desserts include tipsy apricot muffins, coffee and walnut cake, and chewy chocolate and walnut brownies. Barbecues and extended opening are due for summer, best accompanied with a spot of organic booze. The Folk House staged an acoustic festival in January and live acts playing monthly (Andy McKee is on 10 May). The month’s first Sunday has an open mic night: check the Folk House for ongoing music events. Open Mon-Thur 9am-9pm, Fri-Sat 9am-4pm.

FRIARY
9 Cotham Hill, BS6 6LD
Tel: 0117 973 3664
Cotham Hill stalwart since 1979, offering a pretty timeless formula of good food in casual and friendly surroundings. All dishes, which include curries, chillies, casseroles, vegetarian options and delicious soup, are made on the premises, but the biggest hits are the classic breakfasts. Eclectic music mix draws a mixed but devoted clientele. Most dishes will set you back around a fiver, and children are welcome, with smaller portions available. Open Mon 9am-4.30pm, Tue-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-3pm.

HAVANA COFFEE
37a Cotham Hill, BS6 6JY
Tel: 0117 973 3020, web: www.havanacoffee.co.uk
A relaxed atmosphere awaits you here, with an extensive selection of light bites and excellent range of Fairtrade coffees, traditional and herbal teas and juices. The menu incorporates global favourites like chow mein, chicken enchiladas, salmon and sardine dishes, chilli and toasted paninis. They also offer no fewer than 15 varieties of English breakfast (seven vegetarian), 30 kinds of tea, and food is organic wherever possible. Decor is South American-influenced, and the jazzy sounds (everyone likes jazz!) lend a mellow, light mood. Open Mon-Wed 8.30am-6pm, Thur-Sat 8.30am-10pm, Sun 9am-6pm.

HERMANOS
55 Queens Rd, Clifton, BS8 1QQ
Tel: 0117 929 4323
Brother-and-sister partnership James and Philippa Smailes run this contemporary Mediterranean cafe-bar. Food is light yet full of flavour, with a wide variety of homemade soups offering a wicked broccoli and stilton variety alongside spicy chorizo and chickpea stew and other temptations. Ciabattas offer something more substantial, the hot beef and horseradish sandwich keeps the piquancy coming, while a diverse tapas range holds delights like duck and pork pate. Evenings, there’s a DJ-enhanced cocktail bar feel, but no food. Neat, heated courtyard out back. Open Mon-Sat 11am-1am, Sun 3-11pm. Food served Mon-Sat 12noon-3pm. PC: 10% off.

JOHN’S YORK CAFE
46 Bond St, BS1 3LZ
Tel: 0117 929 0101
The ongoing debate about what constitutes Britishness might be solved by examining the ‘best of British’ core to a menu delighting builders by morning and shoppers and office workers at lunchtime. Despite its original incarnation as Clifton’s York Café, this is more than just a greasy spoon, with steak and kidney pie, chicken tikka masala and apple and blackberry crumble representing traditional and modern favourites of our nation. The move to Bond Street was to serve the 4,000-odd workmen building the new shopping centre nearby. While the décor down town is ‘uncannily alike’ the earlier Clifton décor (right down to the red Formica, black seating and old coffee machine), some form of evolution will be needed come September, when the shops have been built and trade will conspicuously lack Bob the Builder types. Expect some ‘softening’ as the menu becomes ‘less basic’ and the place becomes more receptive to those not wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets. The scene is set for Wrighty, Dixon, Kammy and Aly Mac to turn up in October and get all “oooooh” at the new lah-di-dah look, which may well be accompanied by extended opening. In the past, the original York Café was praised by The Independent and Loaded among others. Maybe Harpers Bazaar will be dropping in in 2009. Open Mon-Sat 7am-3pm, Sun 8am-3pm, may go to 12-hour opening.

KUVUKA CAFÉ
113 Stokes Croft, BS1 3RW
Tel: 0117 924 7180
‘There’s an African feel throughout, with paintings and statuettes dotted about the café and the likes of Fela Kuti and Ladysmith Black Mambazo on the stereo,’ wrote our chap when dropping in to Kuvuka (which means ‘crossing’). He spotted menu highlights including paninis (‘the sweet chilli chicken and goat’s cheese is well worth seeking out’ and a North African salad of roast veg, olives, couscous and leaves. ‘Homemade cakes, snacks and the usual range of teas and coffees all feature, including the atmospherically named London Fog – steamed milk, Earl Grey and a shot of vanilla. Sounds unlikely, tastes rather fine.’ The operation donates a percentage of its profits to African charities, one of which is Child Soldiers, which helps provide schooling and re-entry into society for young ex-soldiers in Uganda. Saturday afternoon sees impromptu acoustic jam sessions while there’s always a Wi-Fi connection for webbing while you graze. Basement available for functions. Open Mon-Fri 8am-6.30pm, Sat 10am-6.30pm, Sun 12noon-4pm.

LA HABANA
3 Welsh Back, BS1 4SL
Tel: 0117 930 4034
Attractive eaterie very handy for post-health club refuelling wherein much greenery amid the décor complements the extensive veggie eating options. Over ten kinds of breakfasts, salads, paninis, club burgers, chilli and enchiladas, served in a relaxed atmosphere, provide something for everyone. Waterside terrace. Open Mon-Wed 8am-5pm, Thur-Fri 8am-9pm, Sat 9am-9pm, Sun 10am-5pm.

LA RUCA
89 Gloucester Rd, BS7 8AS
Tel: 0117 944 6810
People have found work, accommodation, friendship, romance and even marriage through simply dropping in and chatting to the like-minded souls to whom they find themselves sitting next to here. There’s obviously love in the air, then, and you can taste it in the food. Located above their specialist food shop on Gloucester Road, this cafe is laid-back, issue-aware, arty and wholesome, demonstrating a strong commitment to Fairtrade and organic farming. Mondays 6.30-8pm sees Spanish conversation nights, there’s regular meditation sessions open to the public, and the space is regularly hired for talks and gatherings. Chefs from different countries keep the daily-changing dishes authentic. Our chap dropped in and savoured a ‘superb pumpkin and mixed veg curry’ instead of his default (and always-on) dish, the ‘splendid bean enchilada… a soft-as-clouds tortilla packed with black beans and roast veg… surely one of the stoutest, tastiest lunches to be had round these parts.’ Lorena’s bright idea to offer hampers for picnicking in St Andrews Park deserves better weather in 2008. Open Mon 9am-8pm, Tue-Sat 9am-5.30pm.

LA CASBAH CAFÉ RESTAURANT
96 St Marks Rd, Easton, BS5 6JD
Tel: 0117 939 8804
A Marrakech mood in the midst of St Marks Road, open 11 years. The owners have created a distinct North African feel to this community café, with benches, chairs and tables the genuine articles, complementing the authentic pottery and all kinds of Moroccan music rocking this casbah. Specials change every couple of weeks. The inventive menu includes Moroccan lamb cooked with sweet prunes, cinnamon and mixed herbs, and chicken charmela cooked with onions, peas and coriander. Cod, prawns, mussels and sea bass comprise a sound seafood range while veggies get cous cous, tajine, courgette and aubergine bake, garbansa and addas options. No dish costs more than £9 (throw in a glass of mint tea and there’s still change from a tenner) and it’s BYO. Irrespective of rising airfare prices, going to Morocco has never been so affordable. Gallery sells teapots, chandeliers, artwork, etc. Outdoor seating in summer. Plans for live music. Open Mon-Thur 11am-3pm & 6-11pm, Fri-Sat 11am-3pm & 6pm-12midnight.

LELLO’S
35-39 Glass Arcade, St Nicholas Market, BS1 1LJ
Tel: 07899 862403
Food with Forza is served up at this little slice of Italy in bustling St Nick’s Market. Savoury treats include tortellini with pesto, cream and white wine, lasagne (plus veggie option), ricotta and spinach cannelloni, pizza, soup and sandwiches, and there’s tiramisu among the sweetness. The pasta’s ready at noon, with coffee and cake to get you through the morning. Summer is due to see salads arrive. Open Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm.

LOCKSIDE
1 Brunel Lock Rd, Cumberland Basin, BS1 6XS
Tel: 0117 925 5800
Quality ingredients, fresh produce and excellent value characterise the cuisine here, from brilliant breakfasts to daytime deliciousness including bubble and squeak, salmon fishcakes and pancetta to evenings offering pan-fried sea bass fillet, lamb shank with turnip and swede mash as well as risotto. Available for private hire for all sorts of gatherings. Plentiful free parking and a stunning view looking across the eponymous lock to Brunel’s bridge. Open Day: Mon-Fri 7am-5pm, Sat 8am-5pm, Sun 9am-4pm. Night: Wed-Sat 5-11pm.

NEW
MRS BROWN’S CAFÉ
Nr Hill Rd, in Victoria Park, Bedminster
Tel: 07786 275011
Children futilely chasing pigeons, couples strolling romantically, joggers fancying a breather and everyone else appreciating this south Bristol park’s charm can refuel on site thanks to Mrs Brown’s café. The original instigator – Jo Trendall – has since moved on (and is set to have a hand in a Bristol gastropub opening later in 2008) but the catering trailer remains, serving dishes like bacon & egg baps, homemade pizza, ground coffee and kids’ juices, with Fairtrade sourcing adding to the positivity brought by the setting. Open Mon-Fri 9am-4.30pm, Sat-Sun 8am-4.30pm.
 

MUD DOCK
40 The Grove, BS1 4RB
Tel: 0117 934 9734, web: www.mud-dock.com
See Restaurants, European & Mediterranean.

NEW
NUMBER TEN
10 Zetland Rd, Redland, BS6 7AD
Tel: 0117 924 1301
Our Let’s Do Lunch chap and better half visited Number Ten (the café, not the prime minister’s pad - although they are well-connected) a mere two weeks after opening, but already the omens were good. They found ‘a calm, relaxed pair of rooms on the corner of Cranbrook Road: all willowy houseplants, wicker furniture and MOR tunes piped around at conversation-friendly levels’. This Mediterranean-influenced café is the brainchild of Kaz Marvali, an Iranian and long-term Bristol resident who ran Park Street’s Dionysos restaurant many years ago. ‘The accent here is on healthy, Euro-cum-Middle Eastern fare, in surrroundings which lend themselves to long, spun-out lunch hours,’ continued our chap. His soup was ‘a splendid red lentil number – beautifully thick and chunky, but still allowing its various elements (lentils, garlic, onions, red pepper, cumin) space to work their magic on the palate. Mrs LDL, meanwhile, was delighted with her fishcake, a fat juicy thing like an outsize ice-hockey puck, crammed with salmon and dill and offset by a high-kicking chilli jam and a homely pile of dew-fresh salad leaves.’ The aromatic Iranian lamb curry which delighted his senses is heartily recommended, alongside all-day breakfasts, wraps, hummus, falafels, chicken and lamb burgers and an ace Caesar salad. The council has approved outside seating, so expect alfresco furniture before long. Open Tue-Sun 10am-6pm.

OASIS CAFE
Southville Centre, Beauley Rd, Southville, BS3 1QG
Tel: 0117 923 1039
Hats off - or, more likely, hats or hairnets on - to the kitchen here, which was awarded a five-star rating from Bristol City Council in September for hygiene standards, food knowledge and safe food practice. This community cafe is popular with local residents, mums with kids, and folk dropping in for their yoga classes at the Southville Centre. Its menu is 80% vegetarian and vegan, and is mostly homemade. Mains include organic vegetable crumble, cauliflower cheese, and ham & chips. There’s salads (including a scrummy goat’s cheese variety), falafel and homemade soups. Treat yourself to a Fairtrade coffee or tea to wash down the scrumptious cakes. The licensed bar serves alcohol with meals, and they pride themselves on catering for any function, whatever your budget. An ideal place for your special occasion - wedding functions etc - at community prices. Hot food served weekdays 12noon-2pm. Open Mon-Thur 9am-4.15pm, Fri 9am-3.30pm.

OCEAN CAFÉ
185 Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, BS8 2RY
Tel: 0117 946 9825
If you think the classic BLT can’t be improved, visit this bright, clean, relaxed space where the breakfast menu includes a bocadillo de bacon – a lip-smacking homecured bacon sandwich with tomatoes, lettuce and allioli. It’s enough to get Homer on the next flight from Springfield. If you don’t have time to sit down, grab a takeaway Illy coffee with some free churros! Tapas is served around the clock with daily specials and a lunch menu of the day. Given the name, you’ll not be surprised to find the sea’s bounty well represented here, with squid, clams, sardines and oysters among the delights on offer. Other dishes include fried sweet peppers, a cured meat selection and solomillo - pan-fried strips of beef with green beans, cherry tomatoes and sherry vinegar. If you’ve a party of six or more to feed, they can sort you out with a whole roast suckling pig, a whole baked seasonal fish, or an awesome mussel, rabbit, chorizo and squid paella. All this plus an ace Sunday roast and live music every Wednesday. Monthly paella nights, fully licensed. Open Mon-Sat 8.30am-11pm, Sun 12noon-10.30pm (summer). IDC: 25% off.

NEW
OLA TANGIER
48 Baldwin St, BS1 1QB
Tel: 0117 922 1489
Mohammed Tellal, originally from Tangiers, was a circus acrobat who wound up in the West Country over two decades ago when the show stopped in Bristol. For years his culinary talents have delighted regulars at Easton’s La Casbah, and, since 18 February, central Bristol has been treated to a taste of his Moroccan and Mediterranean cuisine. Smiles have been put on diners’ faces thanks to dishes like tagines, cous cous, Mediterranean fish and lentil casseroles, with even passengers smiling through the windows of passing buses at the sight of this cheery café/restaurant and its front terrace. Beyond the mains there’s paninis, cakes, mint tea, coffee, juices and smoothies. Orders can be phoned in and there’s plans for opening to be extended earlier and later if demand requires. The beautiful décor within will provide a fine backdrop if the hoped-for live music arrives. Open Mon-Tue 10am-4pm, Wed-Sat 10am-4pm & 6pm-1am.

ONE STOP THALI CAFE
12 York Rd, Montpelier, BS6 5QE
Tel: 0117 942 6687
See Restaurants, Indian.

PAPA COSTA DELI
67 Queens Rd, Clifton, BS8 1QL
Tel: 0117 929 1600
Papa Costa has become an even bigger daddy since EOW 2007, with increased seating and tables in its café area wherein ‘woody, vine-y’ decor create a Mediterranean feel. Y’see, one half of this Queens Road fave is a shop selling delectable deli produce, while the other half serves delicious daytime treats, including paninis, soup and savoury snacks, all with a European emphasis, taking on the flavours of Italy, Greece, Spain, France and Cyprus. Available to eat in or take away, this deli also offers an impressive catering service. If you’re after Greek beers, you can get them here. See also Specialist Food Suppliers. Open Mon-Fri 7am-6pm, Sat 8am-6pm, Sun 10am-4.30pm.

PAPADELI
84 Alma Rd, Clifton, BS8 2DJ
Tel: 0117 973 6569, email: info@papadeli.co.uk, web: www.papadeli.co.uk
There’s the possibility of some street presence for the summer at an established operation growing ever better. Our chap and better half rolled up in the colder months and found this a ‘cosy little hangout serving truly wondrous, winter-warming, blues-banishing tucker’. He went for ‘a brace of pork, blueberry and sloe sausages – sublime, with a sweet tang and delicious pink meat – with puy lentils and kale, the latter both finished in a tangy lemon and garlic sauce’. Lady chose a sandwich filled with bresaola, parmesan and rocket, and they both shared a ‘moist, aromatic and completely delicious’ slice of pear tart. Other ace grub includes tapas and antipasto plates (the Cherry D version gives 50p to a good cause), original soups and imaginative bruschetta. All their cheeses are handmade by small producers. Gorgeous organic brownies, great cakes, teas, coffees and the like. See also Sandwich Shops, Specialist Food Suppliers, Takeaways and Caterers. Open Cafe: Mon-Sat 9.30am-4.30pm. Deli: Mon-Sat 9.30am-5.30pm.

PIEMINISTER
24 Stokes Croft, BS1 3PR
Tel: 0117 942 3300/942 9500, web: www.pieminister.co.uk
Pieminister turned four before Christmas. Available in numerous eateries across Bristol, tens of festivals annually, and at iconic locations like Oxford, Kempton racecourse and Stonehenge, the sky’s the limit for these handmade 275g bundles of joy. PMHQ has a quaint, quirky air, with British camping plates lending ‘a vaguely Carry On feel brought by the clank’, observed our man. Signature pie range of eight core (and two specials) all handmade, to take away or eat in, with trimmings. Sides include organic brownies and cakes. Open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 12noon-4pm. PC: 15% off bill.

PIEMINISTER @ THE MARKET
Glass Arcade, St Nicholas Market, BS1 1LJ
Tel: 0117 942 3300
Bijou offshoot of soaraway pie-making success story saw Pieminister arrive on a small scale at Bristol’s main market in spring 2007. Identical offerings as PMHQ to eat in or take away. Open Daily 10am-6pm. PC: 15% off bill.

PRIMROSE CAFE & BISTRO
Boyces Avenue, Clifton Village, BS8 4AA
Tel: 0117 946 6577, email: primrosecafe@talk21.com
It’s suitable the primrose (flower) should have a specific evening variety because the Primrose Café becomes a distinctly different venue when the sun goes down. ‘One of THE great Bristolian breakfast institutions,’ emphasised our man in a feature on brekkies. ‘The wonderful Primrose Café packs them into its quaintly bejewelled English walls every weekend without fail.’ He was also impressed by the ‘skilled waiting staff (who) glide their way between throngs of hungry Cliftonites’. This excellent spot functions as a sunny alfresco cafe during the day, and transforms into the aforementioned intimate bistro at night. Daytime fare sees an emphasis on organic local fresh produce, with salads, bagels, ciabattas and those breakfasts on offer. Evening fodder is distinctly above the cafe average with a modern European flavour. Expect to find dishes like red wine, radicchio and thyme risotto with parmesan crisp, ricotta & herb soufflé with garlic cream and grilled courgettes, Cornish pollack, white beans and chorizo picante with parsley oil and whole grilled plaice, Jerusalem artichokes and sauce vierge. Much of their produce and meat is organically grown/reared. Primrose and proper, indeed. Open Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm, Sat 10am-5pm & 7pm-late, Sun 10.30am-3pm, Tue-Sat 7pm-late.

RED
9 Clare St, BS1 1XH
Tel: 0117 925 5461
Sophisticated, chic, continental-style café/takeaway/sandwich shop, run by a bro and sis team serving jackets, paninis, soup and Italian ice-creams by day with plans for light, simple evening meals. Open Daily 7am-8pm (from Apr).

RIVERSIDE GARDEN CENTRE
Clift House Rd, Southville, BS3 1RX
Tel: 0117 966 7535, web: www.riversidegardencentre.com
A spot of decoration has made this place still brighter since last year’s EOW. Boasting a menu that’s completely vegetarian and aims to be organic, this laid-back sun trap is an enduring favourite. All produce is bought locally, and all dishes - down to the excellent chutneys - are made on the premises. Daily changing soups are a speciality, with flavours like celeriac and pear, broccoli and watercress, as well as roasted pepper and tomato. The poached eggs are irresistible, and there are jacket spuds and salads too. Hot meals change fortnightly and have included tagines, falafel and pad Thai. Fairtrade speciality coffees and tapas are also on offer. Windows let you look out over the garden centre. Brunch served until 11.45am, lunch from 12noon. Open Mon-Sat 9.30am-4/4.30pm (winter/summer), Sun 11am-4/4.30pm (winter/summer).

ROYCE ROLLS WHOLEFOOD CAFÉ
Corn Exchange, St Nicholas Market, BS1 1JQ
Tel: 07967 211870
Taken over by Lucie Lister on New Year’s Eve 2007, this, possibly the longest established vegetarian café in the country outside of London, opened in 1979 and moved to its present site in 1981. Like the car with which it sort-of shares its name, Lucie’s keeping things ticking over as they’ve been since the 70s, although her future innovations will be showcased at 2008’s Vegan and Harbourside Fairs. Seventeen different roll recipes and, according to Lucie, “millions of flapjacks” complement pasties and savouries which can be heated and enjoyed with salad at the 25-odd seats. There’s soup and samosas and everything’s veggie (except the fish in a couple of the rolls). An astonishing herbal tea array is on offer alongside their own blend of coffee and tea, so you’re bound to find your fave to accompany the Eccles cakes judged as Bristol’s best. If Lucie’s not too busy, ask her about the Jimi Hendrix connection. Open Mon-Sat 9.30am-4.30/5pm.

SAVANA COFFEE
273 North St, Bedminster, BS3 1JN
Tel: 0117 966 0088
Dishes are of the Spanish, Mexican and Greek variety plus pasta. Last year’s EOW wrote of plans to remove pizzas from the menu, but they’re still here! Open Daily 9am-6pm.

SPICE ROUTE
61 Gloucester Rd, BS7 8AD
Tel: 0117 904 0040
This bright and friendly cafe conjures up homemade quiches and soups daily, makes easy-on-the-wallet fresh paninis and baguettes to order, and has baklava, flapjacks, croissant and cakes to tempt the sweet-toothed, all washed down by benchmark-setting coffee. Fresh fruit smoothies and exotic juices are mixed before your very eyes. Watch out for the gorgeous garden space arriving in summer. See also Takeaways and Sandwich Shops. Open Mon-Fri from 8am, Sat from 9am.

NEW
SPIKE ISLAND CANTEEN
133 Cumberland Rd, BS1 6UX
Tel: 0117 934 9077
Café/bar which opened just too late to squeeze into 2007’s EOW. Set within a contemporary arts centre, the homemade soup, sandwiches, hot specials and full salad bar plus tapas dishes and snacks can be enjoyed by the general public (and, naturally, any artists on site) within a décor that’s bright, airy and light. Summer set to bring ploughman’s and evening opening when the outside seating will (hopefully) come into its own. Breakfasts on weekends, art gallery upstairs. Open Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 12noon-6pm, likely to become daily 9am-6pm.

ST STEPHEN’S CAFÉ
St Stephen’s Lane, off St Stephen’s St, BS1
Tel: 0117 929 4984
Spinal Tap’s David St Hubbins would have us believe his namesake was the patron saint of quality footwear. Irrespective of the great man’s veracity, it seems St Stephen was the patron saint of homely, healthy dining, if the offerings here are any indication. Opened December 2006 and boasting an adjoining churchyard oasis, this place serves breakfast (including porridge and muesli), doorstep sarnies (the butcher’s sausage sandwich sounds devilishly good), baked potatoes, salad bowls and soups. Our man praised the ‘sweet, intimate, slightly hushed atmosphere, as befits its ecclesiastical past’. All profits made are ploughed back into the church’s homeless and drug projects, with the operation also supporting Chooseday, an initiative encouraging people to leave their cars at home on Tuesday to combat climate change. Quality footwear to the ready! Open Mon-Fri 9am-12noon (breakfasts), 12noon-3.30pm mains etc. Sat opening planned. Sun open in conjunction with services.

TAKE FIVE CAFE
72 Stokes Croft, BS1 3QY
Tel: 0117 907 7502
Take Five Café’s Jake Singh told Venue of the changes he’s seen since starting out at a Stokes Croft eaterie that’s near-as-dammit worthy of ‘institution’ status. “People’s palates have become more sophisticated, cosmopolitan and global because of increasing global travel and migration. There is also more of a metro lifestyle: people are into organics and vegetarian food, they want to be more informed about what’s in their food, and are increasingly health-conscious and trying to avoid disease.” The emphasis is very much on staging evening private parties and outside catering - Oriental and Asian weddings a speciality - at this intimate dining spot. Remaining true to its multicultural roots, a friendly team of international and ethically motivated staff have clearly influenced a menu boasting dishes from China, Malaysia, Italy, India and England. Wi-Fi connection. 24-hour licence. Open Daily 11am-4pm.

TANTRIC JAZZ CAFE-BAR
39-41 St Nicholas St, BS1 1PT
Tel: 0117 940 2304, web: www.tantric-jazz.co.uk
‘Fond memories of dear-departed Marlows are rekindled at the Tantric Jazz Café-Bar,’ said our chap, who noted ‘the spirit here is of Nina singing ’bout her baby, Waits getting wrecked on whisky and the alley cats from Tom & Jerry strumming double basses as Robert Johnson fears for his sold soul. Back in reality, ‘Hard Time Killing Floor Blues’ from the wonderful ‘Oh Brother!’ soundtrack summons the South’s sound. A fine array from the irresistible tapas menu goes fantastically with what you’re drinking, as with every passing minute you grow gladder you’ve found this place, your company ever more impressed you knew about it.’ Food enjoyed by our chap and guests included hummus, falafel, sweet potato dip, goat’s cheese, grilled chicken and calamari from an international menu boasting around 13 vegetarian and seven non-vegetarian dishes. Food served as opening hours, live music nightly, admission free Sun-Wed, £3 Thur-Sat. Open Daily 6pm-3am.

TIFFINS
151 St Michael’s Hill, BS2 8DB
Tel: 0117 973 4834, web: www.tiffinsbristol.com
When the wonderful husband-and-wife team here - Nick and Jay Jethwa - went to India last year, they told the regulars making up 80% of business. So beloved and delicious is the couple’s authentic and healthy Gujarati cuisine, people stocked up on three weeks’ worth rather than miss out, one chap driving from Exeter. All the food here (seven regularly changing vegetarian and two permanent meat dishes) is cooked and displayed cold in front of you, so it’s ready to be taken home and frozen, or heated at home that evening, or heated in the microwave onsite. If you take the third option, take time to see the tributes paid to the couple by grateful diners in poem, painting or photo form, and the funky graffiti art. You can also eat your meal here with a beer, wine or soft drink. With outside catering for everything from house parties of ten to weddings/birthdays of 150, the pair can even come to you. Having cooked in Bristol for the British High Commissioner in Delhi and the Wildscreen chief executive, this food is at prices belying its quality, enjoyed by people who aren’t customers, but friends. Become one. Open Mon-Sat 12noon-2.30pm & 4.30-9pm. Closed Sunday and all public holidays. See also Takeaways.

TOBACCO FACTORY CAFE-BAR
Raleigh Rd, Southville, BS3 1TF
Tel: 0117 902 0060
See Bars.

TOM’S PIES
Clifton Triangle, 35A Queens Rd, BS8 1QE
Tel: 0117 9349 891, web: www.toms-website.co.uk
Try the unique and delicious West Country dishes at Tom’s, all at great value and available to eat in or take away. Take your pick from a range of mouth-watering gourmet pies with mash peas and gravy, hearty rustic soups, amazing fresh salads and tarts, homemade desserts, weekly specials and the best freshly roasted coffee around.

UNDERCROFT
Underneath St Mary Redcliffe Church, BS1 5RA
Tel: 0117 925 5989
There’s nourishment for the soul and stomach beneath the church labelled by Queen Elizabeth I as the most beautiful in England. This lovely coffee shop offers a friendly, peaceful setting where office workers, schoolkids and tourists fill up on wholesome, homemade fare. Indeed, the monarch famous for having the body of a weak and feeble woman but the heart and stomach of a king, would have had to have been pretty peckish to finish off mains like lasagne, chicken breast in white wine and what sounds like a wickedly tempting Guinness and steak pie with cheddar cheese. The less hungry can choose from homemade soups, sandwiches, jacket spuds and salads, vegetarians get heavenly options while all are recommended to leave space for the renowned bread & butter pudding. Outside seating lets you see the building which so delighted Good Queen Bess. Wednesdays from 7pm sees supper served, with the Blue Notes and Hannah Wedlock serving up traditional jazz from 8pm, admission £5. Open Mon-Fri 10am-4pm.

VILLAGE POTTERY
70 Princess Victoria St, Clifton, BS8 4DD
Tel: 0117 973 4343
How good is the cheesecake here? While the first recorded mention of cheesecake was in Cato the Elder’s essay De Agri Cultura, from around 160 BC, a mere 2,168 years later, the Village Pottery’s version is among the first on earth to have its own Facebook site. Apparently, modern cheesecakes resemble those given as offerings to Greek deities, so given the world-leading nature of the fare served here, this truly is food for the gods. Quite possibly the West Country’s (if not England’s) dinkiest café, there’s similarly homemade fruitcake and biscotti to go with espresso, coffee, tea, herbal teas and juices. What’s really fascinating, however, is the chance to watch ace potter Jen Hamilton in action in the adjoining studio (hence the name). Mum and dad help in the café wherein everything served is Fairtrade - good work, people. The garden area is small but beautifully formed, there’s iced coffee for summer, and if you’re in luck there might be fresh mint for your tea. Open Tue-Sat 10am-5pm.

WINDMILL HILL CITY FARM
Philip St, Bedminster, BS3 4EA
Tel: 0117 963 3233
The setting may be agricultural but there’s a fair bit of sophistication to the food offered at this fantastic find, which boasts a strong reputation for being very child-friendly. There are numerous high chairs but not high prices accompanying a seasonally changing menu wherein tarte provençale with aubergine and red pepper salad, spicy Mexican soup, spinach roulade with roasted potatoes and Somerset pork with apples and

cider served with bread evince global influences. There are always two meat and vegetarian options plus one soup on beside big breakfasts (served all day every day), daily specials, sandwiches, baguettes, jackets and light bites like pitta bread with hummus and olives, with last orders taken 30 minutes before closing. Painting exhibitions add to this fine spot’s wide appeal. Buffets up to 30. Open Tue-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm.

Eating Out West - Bristol and Bath's best restaurant guide, including extra sections on Pubs, Bars, Sandwich Shops, Takeaways, Wine Merchants, Caterers, Dining Clubs and Cookery Schools. To order your copy

ring 0117 942 8491. Only £5.95. Yum.