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• Whether a Bathonian or not, it’s unlikely that you’re unfamiliar with Market, the unpretentious Sawclose cafe/bar/restaurant/social cornerstone featuring a spacious heated terrace opposite the Theatre Royal. Of course, that terrace gets rammed in the summer. But having been established for well over a year now, this lively, multifaceted affair has easily proved its worth as much more than a mere alfresco hotspot. A cleverly eclectic interior offers cosiness in the winter months and a refreshing escape when the sun gets too pushy, and funky, largely reclaimed fixtures and fittings, candlelight and versatile seating arrangements offer much flexibility: party with a crowd or snuggle down for an intimate date and, if you choose your table wisely, never the twain shall meet. Case in point: Him and I took to a cranny on a first-floor mini-mezzanine overlooking a table for at least 15, but neither their rabble-rousing nor our touchy-feely coupley stuff impinged on the sensibilities of either, resulting in a smart modus operandi that few bar/restaurants in Bath can pull off.

Food, too, offers a similarly accommodating policy: upmarket (pardon the pun) burgers, pizzas, steaks, salads and Medi-themed sharing platters flaunt a vivacity sadly lacking in many eateries that adhere to a similar diktat .We started with tapas (chorizo, roasted mushrooms and noteworthily plump, feta-stuffed peppers, chosen from a grand selection) that came with a heap of rocket and a pile of garlic flatbread: £6.50 for a starter that would easily pass muster as a stand-alone supper for two less greedy folk. Then, for Him, a ribeye steak (£13.95) with peppercorn sauce, grilled tomatoes and salad, and for me, a veggie burger topped with pesto and mozzarella cheese (£8.50). Having scoffed several variations on the meaty Market burger theme before, I can wholeheartedly declare that my sturdy, spicy, bean-based, face-free munch was easily as satisfying as its beef-based foster family. To complete our feast, both options came with enough chunky chips to serve four and a basket laden with the kind of unashamedly branded squirty stuff (Heinz, French’s, Sarson’s etc) we really want to see but many restaurants attempt to disguise – in fact, it could be said that that basket sums up the whole Market experience: down to earth, unpretentious and giving the people of Bath exactly what they want, when they want it. (Melissa Blease)

MARKET SAWCLOSE, BATH, BA1 1EY, TEL: 01225 330009, WEB: WWW.MARKETBATH.COM

VENUE VERDICT