Bristol
A CAPPELLA
184c Wells Rd, Totterdown, BS4 2AL Tel: 0117 971 3377, web: www.acappellas.co.uk
• Cafe by day, friendly BYO pizzeria by night, and a favourite hangout for savvy locals in Totterdown and Knowle. Quality, value-for-money fresh food, with an interesting range of stone-baked pizzas, prepared using traditional techniques and at affordable prices - everything from the pizza base to the tomato sauce is made on the premises. Homemade desserts, tapas, healthy breakfasts, great coffees and free Wi-Fi make it a popular destination for cafe dwellers, too - especially parents (find toys, books, etc). Alfresco dining area, eve takeaway and delivery, booking essential at weekends. The Evening Post effused: ‘Relaxed, good value and well-run. One of those places that ticks all the right boxes as a solid, reliable community cafe. We need more places like it.’ Price ALC: £2-£5/£7.45-£14.45/£1.80-£2.95. Breakfast/brunch (till 3pm): £1.50-£7.95 Wine list BYO (corkage £1 per head) Open Tue-Sat 9am-10m (Fri-Sat 10.30pm). Good disabled access.
AQUA ITALIA RESTAURANT & BAR
Welsh Back, BS1 4RR Tel: 0117 915 6060
153 Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, BS8 2RF Tel: 0117 973 3314 web: www.aqua-restaurant.com
• The Welsh Back branch’s views over the docks is sublime and the atmosphere classy but classless. Its sister in Clifton is housed in a beautifully transformed grade II listed building, and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in modern Rome. Both settings are bright, light and airy, with excellent (heated) alfresco facilities. Our food editor approves of the move to everything Italian: ‘The makeover at the Welsh Back Aqua has brought a light and stylish spaciousness to the place, evoking a cooler retro-contemporary feel.’ The food impresses, too: ‘The mid-priced menu is classic Italian, with wide-ranging choices of antipasti, risotto, pasta and pizza as well as meat and fish dishes. It was all nicely Italian, served up with amiable efficiency and satisfyingly filling.’ Huge portions of locally sourced and organic (where possible) produce, good-value Sun roasts and a dedicated kids’ menu all add to Aqua’s enduring all-things-to-all-people appeal. See website for current offers and specials, including 2-4-1 on mains. Price ALC: £2.95-£8.50/£8.95-£19.95/£4.95-£7.50. SL (till 7pm, 6pm Sat): 2 £11.50. Sun roast £10.95 Wine list Extensive. HW £15.50 btl, £5.15 gls. Superb cocktails, beers Open Welsh Back: restaurant daily 11am-10pm (10.30pm Fri-Sat, last food orders 15mins before closing); bar daily 11.30am-11pm (12midnight Fri-Sat). Good disabled access. Party bookings up to 150, late licence available. Clifton: restaurant daily 11am-10pm (10.30pm Fri-Sat); bar daily 11.30am-11pm (12midnight Fri-Sat). Good disabled access. Party bookings welcome, private functions catered for.
ARNOLFINI CAFE-BAR
16 Narrow Quay, BS1 4QA Tel: 0117 917 2305, web: www.arnolfini.org.uk
• Italian-influenced menu, with light bites and good-value lunch deals. See Cafes, Bristol.
BELL’S DINER
1 York Rd, Montpelier, BS6 5QB Tel: 0117 924 0357, web: www.bellsdiner.co.uk
• No matter how bottle-necked or crowded Montpelier gets, people, including reviewers nationwide, will make the trek to discover Bell’s. In the words of Eating Out West’s editor: ‘If you’ve ever wondered what great food is, then Bell’s is the answer.’ Chef/owner Chris Wicks and his team’s very modern, sophisticated style of cooking manages to stay cutting-edge and contemporary, and their extremely capable and knowledgeable French sommelier will help with the wine selection. ‘We were having an Experience, rather than a mere meal, and the main courses built on our expectations. We left reeling from an experience that had been more than just ‘fine dining’. Bell’s is a place of casual virtuosity that provides a memorably blissful evening for just £50 a head.’ Price SD: 3 £37.50. Tasting menu (Mon-Thur, highly recommended): 8 £45 (min 2, max 6 people - can also be accompanied by Wine Flight at £32.50pp). Wine list Excellent, innovative. HW £14.50 btl, £4 gls Open Tue-Fri 12noon-2pm, Mon-Sat 7-9.30pm. Disabled access possible (two steps) with help. Private hire, up to 30. Parties 20+.
BERWICK LODGE
Berwick Drive, BS10 7TD Tel: 0117 958 1590, web: www.berwicklodge.co.uk
• Following five years of regeneration, this unique arts and crafts manor house opened in September 2009, the stunning boutique ‘restaurant with rooms’ having been lovingly restored to its former grandeur. With inspired chef Chris (Bell’s Diner) Wicks at the helm, food is seductive and daring, rightly earning them Venue’s Best Bristol Restaurant 2009. ‘Dinner-suited staff wait on the red carpet,’ reported our food editor, ‘and the mystique is complete when you’re shown into an opulently furnished lounge for nibbles, aperitifs and the chance to discuss the awesome wine list with an impeccably French and knowledgeable sommelier. A special place, serving special food - eat here now while you can still get a booking.’ The set-price lunch and dinner are a bargain for food of this calibre, and there’s an ALC Brasserie Menu weekday option (lunch & dinner, Mon-Thur). See website for info on cookery and wine-tasting courses and luxury children’s parties - and to see photos of famous chefs who love this venue. Price ALC (Mon-Thur): £6-£7.50/£7.50-£18.50/£5-£8.50. SL/Sun lunch: 2 £26.50, 3 £31.50. SD: 2 £36.50, 3 £41.50. Afternoon tea £13.50 Wine list Extensive, thoughtful. HW from £19 btl, £6 gls Open Daily. Breakfast 7-9.30am, lunch 12noon-3pm, afternoon tea 3-5pm, dinner 6-10pm. Disabled access. Private hire up to 70. Conferences & events catered for.
BORDEAUX QUAY
V-Shed, Canons Way, Harbourside, BS1 5UH Tel: 0117 943 1200, web: www.bordeaux-quay.co.uk
• With awards galore (too numerous to list, but including Soil Association, Good Food Guide and Observer Food Monthly), BQ is a truly unique harbourside venture, housed in an elegant, converted warehouse and comprising a restaurant, brasserie, bar, wine bar, deli, bakery and cookery school all under one roof, courtesy of local food hero Barny Haughton. At BQ’s heart is a drive to reduce food miles, reduce waste through recycling and make full use of locally sourced produce. Daily changing menus reflect the best of what’s local and seasonal throughout the year, from wild game to fresh Cornish fish and locally reared organic lamb - delicious ingredients, beautifully prepared. Breakfast, brunch and light bites in the informal brasserie (bar snacks start at a couple of quid, mains at around a tenner), while the restaurant offers seriously fine dining in a lively but mellow atmosphere. The Guardian’s reviewer said: ‘What’s so impressive about this place is, well, everything.’ And Venue concurs: ‘Excellently done, smoothly unresisting and bursting with flavour.’ See excellent website for forthcoming events, including a new harbourside market, cookery classes and offers. Price Restaurant ALC: £6-8.50/£13.50-£18.50/£650-£8.50 Wine list Extensive, organic. HW £17 btl, £3.75 gls. Bath Ales, low-alcohol & fruit beers, spirits, liqueurs Open Restaurant: Tue-Sat 6-10pm, Sun 12noon-3pm. Brasserie: Mon-Fri 9am-10.30pm (breakfast till 11.15am), Sat 9am-10.30pm (breakfast 9-11am), Sun 9am-4pm (breakfast till 11am). Bar: Mon-Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 11am-7pm. Wine bar: Tue-Sat 6pm-late (last entry 11pm). Deli: Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 9am-4pm. Good disabled access. Private room for hire, parties welcome – call in adv.
BOSTON TEA PARTY
75 Park St, BS1 5PF Tel: 0117 929 8601
1 Princess Victoria St, Clifton Village, BS8 4HR Tel: 0117 973 4790
97 Whiteladies Rd, BS8 2NT Tel: 0117 923 9571, web: www.bostonteaparty.co.uk
• The Evening Post called BTP ‘one of those quintessentially Bristol institutions – a legendary hangout for the city’s students and bohemians’. This perennially popular, laidback coffee house/cafe-bar/social hub/gallery serves original, rustic food (largely organic, free-range, Fairtrade and locally sourced), with friendly service from people proud to be called baristas. Brilliant breakfasts (from full English to smoked salmon/scrambled egg bagels) served daily, before the ever-changing menus move on to salads, wraps, sandwiches, panini, homemade soup and daily specials, with homemade cakes, flapjacks, muffins, etc, offering all-hours assistance. Fairtrade coffee and tea represents what’s possibly the best range in the West at this family-run chain. Check out well-maintained website for current events and online shop. Price Daily special £6-£8, gourmet sandwich £3-£5, sweet stuff £2-£5 Wine list HW £12 btl, £3 gls Open Clifton: Mon-Sat 7.30am-6pm, Sun 9am-6pm. Park St: Mon-Fri 7am-8pm, Sat 8am-8pm, Sun 9am-8pm. Whiteladies Rd: Mon-Fri 7.30am-6pm, Sat 8am-6pm, Sun 9am-6pm. No disabled access to Park St. Parties up to 80, max 35 reserved seats.
BRIDGE CAFE
Avon Gorge Hotel, Sion Hill, Clifton Village, BS8 4LD Tel: 0117 973 8955, cafe reservations: 0117 906 4652, web: www.theavongorge.com
• The Bridge Cafe is set against what has to be one of the most spectacular backdrops in Bristol - the Avon Gorge, complete with Clifton Suspension Bridge spanning the river into Leigh Woods. And this prime real estate doesn’t go to waste, says Venue’s foodie: ‘A meal worthy of its location, a perfect spot for a summer celebration or special date.’ The AA agree, awarding a rosette in 2009. Focusing on modern British cuisine, their chef uses seasonal ingredients from land and sea. ‘I jumped at the chance of pave of lamb, one of the softest and leanest of cuts,’ wrote Venue’s food editor, ‘and the evenly sliced portion I got was delicious, its fine, pink centre so tender I could cut it with a fork. The bonus was another rare treat - tempura sweetbreads, hot and crisp batter surrounding creamy meat.’ Wine list offers some 60 choices (£16-£40) arranged helpfully in categories like ‘Light Elegant White’ and ‘Softer, More Rounded Red’. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with heated seating outdoors on the private deck. Sunday lunches, too, and a menu for the kids. Price ALC: £5.25-£8.50/£10.50-£18.50/£5.75-£7.95. Breakfast £9.50-£12.50. SL: 2 £9.95, 3 £11.95. Sun lunch: 2 £15.95, 3 £18.95 Wine list Extensive range of international wines, beers, liqueurs, cocktails, champagnes (inc champagne by the gls). HW £16.50 btl, £4 gls Open Breakfast: Mon–Fri 7-10am, Sat-Sun 8-10.30am. Lunch: Mon–Sat 12noon-2.30pm, Sun 12noon-4pm. Dinner: Mon–Sat 6-10pm, Sun 6-9pm. Disabled access. Groups & parties welcome - call in adv.
NEW BRISTOL BRIDGE
45-47 Baldwin St, BS1 1RA Tel: 0117 922 1333
• New owners taking over from what was formerly the Greek place, Bosphorus. Menu specialises in steak and Mediterranean food, fresh fish and grilled goodies. Patrons will still find those clay friezes based on ancient themes, art-deco wall lamps and authentically distressed plasterwork. Good-value menu includes hot and cold mezze dishes; two-course lunch special £8.95. Price ALC: £4.50-5.50/£10-£14/£3.95 Wine list HW £13 btl, £3.50 gls Open Mon-Sat 12noon-11pm, Sun 5-11pm. Disabled access. Parties welcome – call in adv.
BRISTOL FASHION BEEFEATER
The Haymarket, BS1 3LR Tel: 0117 929 8953
Emersons Green, BS16 7AN Tel: 0117 956 4755, web: www.beefeater.co.uk
• Big, contemporary pub/restaurant offering freshly chargrilled food prepared within sight of your table, updating the old Beefeater image. For a total Homer Simpson-style blowout, try the ‘Ultimate 16oz Steak Platter’ (rump, fillet, sirloin, rib-eye, with chips). More Marge-like appetites can choose from pasta, salads and vegetarian options. Bar food (jackets, sandwiches, wraps, soup) for those on the go. Price ALC: £3.99-£4.99/£7.99-£19.99/£3.75-£4.65. SL (Mon-Sat till 6.30pm): main & side £6.99. Sun roast £9.99 Wine list HW £9.99 btl, £2.85 gls Open Mon-Sat 12noon-11pm, Sun 12noon-10.30pm. Disabled access with lift & toilet. Parties 20+.
BYZANTIUM
2 Portwall Lane, BS1 6NBTel: 0117 922 1883, web: www.byzantium.co.uk
• Byzantium’s mix of grand food and exciting entertainment is the stuff of local legend: a huge Victorian warehouse has been converted into an evocative pleasuredome, mixing fine dining with grand-style decadence and partying with panache. Said Venue’s reviewer: ‘Byzantium is indeed extravagantly hedonistic: a non-stop exotic cabaret combining decadent new romanticism (think jewel-hued velvet cushions, ornate rococo plasterwork, plenty of tongue-in-cheek references to neo-classicism) with people-pleasing, wallet-friendly menus and actual, er, cabaret. A sweeping marble staircase links the street-level, candlelit bar to an equally seductive dining area on the upper floor, featuring windows that offer floodlit views of dear old Mary at night. It’s smart and entertaining dining with a unique sense of place.’ Menus are Mediterranean in approach, with novel twists like the unique food lanterns (starter or pudding) evincing the care and creativity of the Byzantium cuisine. Price ALC: £5.50-£6/£13.95-£16.95/£5.95. Express bistro lunch (with mash): £5-£6. SD: 3 £25 Wine list Extensive, classic, contemporary. HW £14.50 btl, £4 gls Open Tue-Sat 10am-2am. Disabled access & facilities. Parties welcome - exclusive bookings up to 250. Private dining room. Licensed for civil wedding ceremonies.
CAFE MAITREYA
89 St Marks Rd, Easton, BS5 6HY Tel: 0117 951 0100, web: http://www.cafemaitreya.co.uk/
• See Restaurants, Vegetarian.
CITY CAFE
Temple Way, BS1 6BF Tel: 0117 910 2700, web: www.citycafe.co.uk
• ‘It’s easy to see why the City Cafe pleases the AA judges - it’s very much more of a dining experience than most hotels would offer, and definitely worthy of a visit in its own right,’ said our food editor. Modern British menu with plenty of classics to keep the traditional hotel clientele happy: marinated crab salad, seared pigeon breast, pork, fish, ‘nicely fancy desserts’. Heated alfresco terrace faces the evening sunlight, and there’s no hint of the endless traffic around the corner. Eat ALC in the restaurant for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or take advantage of the Market Menu, rich in seasonal surprises and good value, too (lunch 2 £9.95, dinner 2 £14.95). Sun lunches are legendary, and children are exceptionally well looked after. Price ALC £4.95-£7.95/£10.50-£21.95/£5.50-£8.50. Breakfast £10.95-£14.95. SL: 2 £9.95, 3 £14.95. SD: 2 £14.95, 3 £18.95 Wine list Extensive new & old world & European, vintage champagnes, ports, dessert wines. HW £17.50 btl, £13 carafe, £3.75 gls Open Breakfast: Mon-Fri 6.30-9.30am, Sat-Sun 7-11am. Lunch: Mon-Fri 12noon-2.30pm, Sat-Sun 1-3pm. Dinner: Mon-Sat 6-10pm, Sun 7-9.30pm. Bar food all day. Disabled access & toilets. Private dining rooms. Parties 20+.
COAL GRILL & BAR
Glass House, Cabot Circus, BS1 3BX Tel: 0117 954 4624, www.coalgrillandbar.co.uk
• Most of the eating options at Cabot Circus are of the national-franchise variety (burgers, pizzas, grills, shellfish), but what sets Coal’s apart is their attention to the details: sourcing most meats from a Devon cooperative and ageing it 21 days before serving. Bread is baked in house, sauces are made in the open-plan kitchen. Our wok-tossed tiger prawns were faultless, fat and juicy, the sauce piquant and just the right side of fiery. Different seating options mean you can snuggle up on a sofa, sit alfresco, join the throng in the main dining area or find a more intimate table at the back. Price ALC: £3.95-£6.95/£6.85-£20.95/£4.95-£8.95. Brunch £2.45-£6.95. SL (Sun-Fri 12noon-7pm): 2 £7.95, 3 £9.95 Wine list Well-chosen world wines. HW £14.30 btl, £3.90 gls Open Mon–Sat 9am–11pm, Sun 9am–10.30pm. Disabled access (lift to food court). Parties catered for.
CULINARIA
1 Chandos Rd, Redland, BS6 6PGTel: 0117 973 7999, web: www.culinariabristol.co.uk
• Stephen Markwick and wife Judy opened this airy, contemporary bistro in 2004. Since then, it’s garnered national acclaim for out-of-this-world food at down-to-earth prices, and won the Which? Good Food Guide’s South West Restaurant of the Year award 2007. Seasonal, largely organic menus change weekly and include a fixed-price option (2 £15.50, 3 £20). The deli and ‘Food for Home’ counter let you take the Markwick magic with you - you can even pre-order your favourite and bring your own dishes in to be filled, passing Stephen’s food off as your own if you dare. Pleasant alfresco patio out back (only two tables though, so book in summer). Menu is posted on their cracking website, where you can also order copies of Stephen’s books. Price ALC: £7.25-£8.75/£13.25-£18.50/£6.25-£6.95 Wine list HW £17 btl, £3.50 gls Open Thur-Sat 12noon-2pm & 6.30-9.30pm. Food for Home deli: Thur-Sat 11am-11pm (check out weekly takeaway menus/freezer section online). Disabled access & toilet. Largest table seats six.
DELMONICO
217 Gloucester Rd, Bishopston, BS7 8NN Tel: 0117 944 5673, web: www.delmonico.co.uk
• ‘Delmonico has nicely sidestepped the hip or the happening,’ said our reviewer, ‘concentrating instead on important (and often overlooked) things like friendliness, efficiency and a range of nicely prepared, interesting dishes.’ This cosy but contemporary neighbourhood cafe-bar/restaurant serves locally sourced, imaginatively cooked food – courtesy of chef Tyrone Tippins - from classic Anglo-French to globally influenced modern dishes, good vegetarian options, and tapas in the cafe-bar. Alfresco seating and early-eve bargains (see website - currently 2 £11.95 before 7pm). ‘Many restaurants could learn a lot from Delmonico,’ summarised our reviewer. Few, though, could replicate the gentle flamboyance of the original. Price ALC: £4.50-£6/£8.90-£19.95/£5-£5.50. Tapas: 3 £11 Wine list Small but perfectly formed, inc classic French & more unusual new world, excellent champagne. HW £13.95 btl, £3.50 gls Open Tue-Fri 5-10pm (10.30pm Fri), Sat 12noon-10.30pm, Sun 12noon-2.30pm (last orders). Fairly good disabled access, but call ahead for details. Parties welcome, call ahead for details. Private dining up to 30.
FLINTY RED
34 Cotham Hill, BS6 6LA Tel: 0117 923 8755, web: www.corksof.com, www.flintyred.co.uk
• Proprietors Dominic Harman and Rachel Higgens are owners of intimate, independent wine merchants Corks of Cotham and they’ve partnered with cheffy husband-and-wife team Matt Williamson and Claire Thomson with fab results. FR is essentially a cross between a very fine wine bar, a tapas and a French deli. Ingredients are flawless and sourced locally, and menus change twice daily. ‘This is a place where flavour and quality were an absolute priority,’ said our food editor, ‘with dishes chosen to bring out the ingredients without overstatement.’ Any wine on the menu is available for purchase, and they do special events (discussion of foraged foods, special wine dinners showcasing food with specific vineyards - see website or ring for details). Event catering arm, too. Price ALC: lunch £6.50-£7/£8.50-£14/£4.50-£7, dinner: £3-£7.50/£12.50-£14.50/£5-£7. SL (hors d’oeuvres & small main): 2 £9.95 Wine list Extensive, impressive, always changing, many served by the gls. HW £17 btl, £3 gls Open Tue-Sat 12noon-3pm, Mon-Sat 6.30-10pm. Disabled access - with one step at entrance.
GLASSBOAT
Welsh Back, BS1 4SB Tel: 0117 929 0704, web: www.glassboat.co.uk
• This unique destination continues to pull in the crowds with its winning combination of fresh creative food and exquisite service. Few restaurants can boast a location as beautiful as this, berthed in the heart of the city’s historic docks and pioneering fine dining in Bristol since 1986. New chef Kevin King was just finishing up the menu as we went to press but expect modern European with a British accent, seasonal and local produce and plenty of fresh fish. Our lucky duck of a food editor swooned: ‘Stylish cuisine as fresh as it can be, with all the grace that a splendid location deserves.’ Perfect for business lunches and romantic smooching alike, it’s also licensed for civil wedding ceremonies, with after-dinner dancing and entertainment. First Sun of every month is Soul Food Sunday (10am-4pm): New York-style lazy brunch and roasts with laidback 45s from the Soul Brothers – just bring the papers and your appetite. Price ALC: £4.95-£8/£10-£18.50/£5-£6. SL (12noon-2.30pm), Early Bird (5.30-7pm) & Sun lunch: 2 £15, 3 £20. Sun brunch £6.50-£8.50 Wine list Extensive, international, incredible. Superb choice of spirits, lots of malt whiskeys & vintage cognacs. HW £16.50 btl, £2.75 gls Open Tue-Sat 12noon-2.30pm, Mon-Sat 5.30pm-late, Sun 10am-4pm. Disabled access but toilets downstairs. Private hire, up to about 110.
GOLDBRICK HOUSE
67-69 Park St, BS1 5PB Tel: 0117 945 1950, web: www.goldbrickhouse.co.uk
• Three floors of fabulously fashionable, elegant but informal eating and drinking opportunities in uniquely graceful surroundings bring seriously stylish chic to proceedings - GH is a frontrunner on Bristol’s foodie scene. Roof terrace with skyline view, champagne/cocktail bar and private dining options add to the charm. Menus (including breakfast/all-day brunch) are generally modern European with a nod towards Mediterranean cuisine, with a few good old-fashioned British classics thrown in. ‘Faultlessly satisfying and unimposing upmarket dining destination,’ our man declared. Sign up to their e-bulletin for regular updates and offers. Price ALC: £4.95-£6.75/£12.95-£19.95/£4.95-£7.25. SL & Sat brunch (12noon-3pm): 2 £10, 3 £13. Early eve (6-7pm): 2 £10, 3 £13. SD: 2 £21, 3 £26 Wine list Extensive. HW £13.95 btl, £3.25 gls Open Restaurant: Mon-Fri 12noon-11pm, Sat 11am-11pm. Cafe-bar: Mon-Sat 9am-11pm. Champagne/cocktail bar: Sun-Thur 12noon-12midnight, Fri-Sat 12noon-1am. Disabled access – call ahead.
H BAR BISTRO
Colston Hall, Colston St, BS1 5AR Tel: 0117 352 1153, web: www.thehbar.co.uk
• With the impressive facelift of music and event venue Colston Hall, this crisp, smart restaurant is an attraction in itself. It’s run by Humberto Benevenuto, the imaginative Latin American chef behind the popular Bocabar at Paintworks and what used to be Bocanova up the road. Bocanova served Brazilian/Mediterranean fusion food, and a similar theme and menu are now on offer here. A fan of Humberto’s cooking, our food editor is pleased with his latest venture: ‘All kinds of intriguing combinations were on offer and we wrestled with choices before ordering from our amiably patient waitress,’ he said, before enjoying rump of lamb and spicy aubergine, and wild mushroom, courgette & thyme risotto. Lunch, dinner, and cafe-bar downstairs serving lighter bites, teas, coffees. Price SL: 1 £7.95, 2 £10, 3 £13.95. SD: 2 £14.95, 3 £17.95 Wine list Extensive. HW £13.80 btl, £3.80 gls Open Daily 12noon-3pm & 5-11pm. Good disabled access. Parties up to 40. Available for outside catering & events.
HARVEY NICHOLS SECOND FLOOR RESTAURANT & BAR
Harvey Nichols, Philadelphia St, Cabot Circus, BS1 3BZ Tel: 0117 916 8898, web: www.harveynichols.com
• Decorated in sumptuous gold, with luxurious finishes and soft lighting, and definitely delivering the wow factor. Private dining room for 12 is the hottest table in town. Bar offers a seasonally changing drinks list, plus wines and champagnes by the glass. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are based on classic techniques and indulgent world ingredients, including the finest local produce. The Evening Post had this to say after an indulgent meal: ‘Head chef Louise McCrimmon’s elegant cooking is assured, with great flavours and perfect poise. The room is as luxurious as it gets and the service is equally as slick.’ Award-winning wine list features hundreds of carefully selected wines from across the globe, and the fixed-price menu (lunch: 2 £15, dinner: 2 £16) offers great value. Enjoy a two-course Sun brunch for £15, with live jazz every third Sun of the month. Cocktail masterclasses for your chance to learn from the pros – call for details. Price ALC: £6.50-£9.50/£13.50-£20/£5-£8. SL: 2 £15, 3 £18. SD: 2 £16, 3 £19 Wine list Enormous, all-encompassing. HW £19 btl, £3.25 gls. Champagne £9.50 gls Open Lunch: Mon-Sat 12noon-3pm, Sun 12noon-4pm. Afternoon tea: Mon-Sat 3-5.30pm. Dinner: Tue-Sat 6-10pm. Bar: Mon 11am-6pm, Tue-Sat 11am-12midnight, Sun 11am-5pm. Disabled access. Separate entrance (via Penn St) in eve.
HOTEL DU VIN & BISTRO
Sugar House, Narrow Lewins Mead, BS1 2NU Tel: 0117 925 5577, web: www.hotelduvin.com
• A winning mix of urban chic and urbane surroundings at the gorgeous Hotel du Vin continues to keep the Bristol fooderati very happy. Bistro menu rooted in classic, seasonal European cuisine with a contemporary edge, with head chef Marcus Lang adding his own selections daily, all supporting the HduV ethos of using the finest, freshest local produce, cooked simply and priced sensibly (three-course dinner, sans wine, around £40). Wine list, like the food, is the stuff that classic bon viveur dreams are made of. Price ALC: £5.45-£8.50/£11.50-£21.95/£2.50-£6.95 Wine list Extensive, impressive. HW £16.50 btl, £3.30 gls Open Breakfast 7-10am, lunch 12noon-1.45pm, dinner 6-10pm. Disabled access, toilets on ground floor. Three function rooms for hire. Parties up to 10 in bistro, but on separate tables.
JUNIPER
21 Cotham Rd South, BS6 5TZ Tel: 0117 942 1744, web: www.juniperrestaurant.co.uk
• This quiet, contemporary, cosy neighbourhood restaurant delivers a winning combination of informality, individuality and excellent food - hearty portions coupled with an eye for detail and some incredible artistic flourishes. Popular with locals, who consider it their little well-kept secret, but great food and value are making this a desirable place for foodies further afield, too. ‘A cracking Anglo-European menu full of local and seasonal bits and pieces,’ said Venue’s reviewer. Intimate, elegantly quirky interiors have a bright, friendly vibe, and attention to sourcing is as paramount as the presentation and finish of each dish. ‘Reliably imaginative food skillfully prepared and served with style.’ Regularly changing exhibitions of contemporary art. Check table availability online. Price ALC: £6-£7/£13-£17/£7-£12 Wine list Extensive. HW approx £12 btl, £4 gls Open Mon-Sat 7pm-12midnight, Sun 12noon-4pm. Disabled access to cafe-bar but not toilets. Parties welcome – call to discuss.
KILN AT THE RAMADA PLAZA HOTEL
Ramada Plaza Hotel, Redcliffe Way, BS1 6NJ Tel: 0117 926 0041, web: www.ramadajarvis.co.uk
• Contemporary bistro food in stylish surroundings at this top Bristol hotel. Classic English cuisine, international favourites, and local cheeses like Somerset yarg and Cropwell stilton. Housed in the shell of a 17th-century glass kiln, the restaurant is open to the public for breakfast and dinner. Breakfast buffet (£11.95) includes hot offerings and fresh fruit. Price ALC: £5.75-£6.95/£11.95-£19.75/£5.45 Wine list Good global selection. HW £16.50 btl, £4.15 gls Open Breakfast: Mon-Fri 6.30-9.30am, Sat 7.30-11am, Sun 8am-12noon. Dinner: Sun-Thur 6.30-9.30pm, Fri-Sat till 10pm. Disabled facilities.
LIDO
Oakfield Place, Clifton, BS8 2BJ Tel: 0117 933 9533 web: www.lidobristol.com
• The Victorian Lido, dating back to 1849, has undergone an extensive transformation and opened in 2008, adding a spa, restaurant and poolside bar to the refurbished outside pool. The 90-seat restaurant is brought to you by the company that created the Glassboat and Spyglass restaurants, so you can guarantee that the food served is something to write home about. Restaurant, overlooking the pool, serves fresh, rustic food, much of it grown locally, and cooked in an Italian wood-fired oven. It’s all reasonably priced, with starters, mains, ‘small plates’ and sharing plates that are broadly European with a strong Middle Eastern/North African influence. ‘Great food in a unique waterside setting,’ wrote the Evening Post. ‘It’s as good as I hoped it would be. This is one rare example where you should believe the hype.’ See website for special promo combining food and spa, including Swim & Dine: two-course meal and a dip in the pool, £30. Price ALC: £7-£9.50/£15.50-£17.50/£5.50-£7.50. Light lunch: 2 £10, ALC £6-£17. Tapas: 4 £9.50 Wine list HW £17 btl, £3.25 gls Open Restaurant: daily 12noon-3pm & 6.30-10pm. Poolside bar: breakfast Mon-Fri 8-11.30am, Sat & Sun 9-11.30am; tapas Mon-Sat 12noon-10pm, Sun 12noon-4pm. Food served in Spa: daily 7am-10pm. Disabled access.
LIVING ROOM
Building 11, Canons Way, Harbourside, BS1 5LF Tel: 0117 925 3993, web: www.thelivingroom.co.uk
• Set over two snazzily contemporary floors, this addition to Bristol’s Harbourside can accommodate up to 200 diners. Menu takes in everything from lunchtime light bites and hearty but humble home-comfort dishes to full ALC. With Sun roast lunches from £10.95, the restaurant is living up to its promise of providing quality without exclusivity, high levels of service without high prices, and great food with a focus on wholesome dishes. Kids’ menu, live music Thur-Sun, DJ after 10pm on Fri & Sat. Special set menus for party bookings. Price ALC: £3.95-£8.25/£7.95-£21.95/£3.15-£8.45. Wine list Sturdy, well chosen. HW £13.75 btl, £3.45 gls. Specials during the signature drinks hour (Mon-Sat 3-7pm). Open Mon-Wed 11am-12midnight, Thur-Sat 11am-2am, Sun 12noon-11pm. Disabled access. Parties welcome. Private hire available. Business breakfasts available - call for details.
LOCKSIDE
1 Brunel Lock Rd, Cumberland Basin, BS1 6XS Tel: 0117 925 5800, web: www.lockside.net
• The building looks really cool - an Edward Hopper diner in the shadow of the Create Centre - and quality ingredients, fresh produce and excellent value characterise the cuisine. Breakfast and brunch till noon, and lunch (12noon-4pm) means bangers & mash, fishcakes, scampi, goat’s cheese tart. Evening menu includes grilled tiger prawns, seared scallops, lamb & apricot tagine, chicken breast, sirloin steak. Desserts include a bowl of Maltesers – how brilliant is that? Stunning views across the eponymous lock to Brunel’s bridge, and decking terrace at the rear seats 60. Available for private hire for all sorts of gatherings. Price ALC: £4.95-£6.95/£9.75-£16.95/£2.50-£4.95. Breakfast/brunch £5.75-£8.95 Wine list Finely tuned. HW £14.95 btl, £3.95 gls Open Mon-Thur 7am-4pm, Fri 7am-11pm, Sat 8am-11pm, Sun 9am-4pm. No disabled access. Available for private hire.
MARRIOTT ROYAL HOTEL
College Green, BS1 5TA Tel: 0117 925 5100, web: www.bristolmarriottroyal.co.uk
• Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, a very stylish sundowner or a full-on contemporary fine dining experience, all under one very elegant roof. Grand Victorian-style hotel infused with polished marble, warm mahogany and gleaming brass, with polished, warm, gleaming staff to match - and as many choices as to where to eat as to what to have. Champagne Bar is the afternoon tea/cocktail zone, Club Lounge offers lunch and light bar snacks, and Palm Court Restaurant specialises in modern, locally sourced cuisine (and a spectacular global wine list). Price ALC: £5.25-£7.50/£16-£22.50/£5-£10. Breakfast buffet £17.25 Wine list Extensive, global, emphasis on new world/European. HW £19.75 btl, £5.50 gls. Excellent cocktails, very well-stocked bar Open Breakfast: Mon-Fri 6.30-11am, Sat-Sun 7-11am. Dinner: Daily 6-9.30pm (Fri-Sat 10.30pm). Club Lounge: daily 12noon-11pm. Champagne/cocktail bar: Mon-Sat from 11am (12noon Sun), closes to public 11pm. Disabled access. Parties, weddings, functions – call in adv.
MEZZALUNA
81 West St, Bedminster, BS3 3NU Tel: 0117 953 2069, web: www.mezzalunarestaurant.co.uk
• A much-needed gap filled by this large, family-run venture situated under the Airpoint building on West Street, and it’s quickly become a local favourite. An airy space with a Turkish twist, the restaurant serves hearty breakfasts and lunches, morphing into a softly lit affair at night, when friends, families or couples are welcomed warmly by owner Mehmet Sogukpinar. Regular monthly changing specials (10% off, free coffee with a meal) – call or see website for details. Front terrace and large garden. Price Breakfast £3.60-£5.95, lunch £5.90-£6.95, dinner £7.50-£11 Wine list HW £10.95 btl, £2.95 gls Open Daily 8am-12midnight. Disabled access. Parties up to 80.
MOREISH
6 Chandos Rd, Redland, BS6 6PE Tel: 0117 970 6078, web: www.moreishrestaurant.co.uk
• Cafe, bar and restaurant serving breakfast, brunch and light lunches, plus sandwiches and panini till late afternoon. Come evening it transforms itself into a lovely neighbourhood bistro with informal, relaxed service. Small terrace with plenty of seating for breakfast in the sun, or evening meals under the patio heater’s warm glow. Food is modern European, locally sourced where possible, with plenty of choice for carnivores and vegetarians, and a serious desire to take the quality and creativity up a few notches from your average neighbourhood diner - and more than enough skill and imagination in the kitchen to realise that ambition. EOW popped by for one of chef/owner Tim More’s taster nights: ‘A non-stop fireworks display of intense flavours and subtle food ideas accompanied by wines that were themselves a revelation of their kind. Pretty sensational it turned out to be, not least as value for money, everything being well chosen and prepared with great attention to detail.’ Price SL (till 6pm): 2 £11.50, 3 £14.50. SD: 2 £16.50, 3 £21 (Fri-Sat: 2 £22, 3 £26). Tasting menu: 6 + prosecco + coffee £60. Sun lunch (till 6pm or it runs out): 1 £10, 2 £14, 3 £17 Wine list Sturdy, well chosen. HW £13.25 btl, £3.15 gls Open Mon-Sat 9.30am-10.30pm, Sun 9.30am-9.30pm (closed winter Sun eves). Disabled access but not to toilets. Parties up to 50 welcome. Takeaway weekdays.
MUD DOCK
40 The Grove, Harbourside, BS1 4RB Tel: 0117 934 9734, web: www.mud-dock.com
• As much a part of Bristol’s docks as the water, this former harbourside warehouse is now an uber-cool combination of bike emporium and chilled gastro hangout. Remodeled interior with inspired industrial decor is softened by evening candlelight. Huge, south-facing sundeck with great views over the water adds to the mellow buzz. Spanish-inspired fare includes tapas and rustic, filling mains (burgers, polenta, a great choice of fish) alongside daily specials, superb breakfasts and popular weekend brunches. Enormously popular £5 midweek lunch comprises a freshly prepared meal and glass of wine, beer or soft drink, and the £10.95 two-course dinner makes a trip here well worthwhile. Pastries, cakes and tapas served between mealtimes. According to our reviewer, ‘Imaginative fare that remains reassuringly earthy. Good, tasty, unpretentious stuff that was impressive but never intimidating.’ Call or check website for seasonal promos, events & menu. Price ALC: £4.25-£6.25/£8.95-£15.95/£4.50. Brunch £3.50-£9.95 Wine list Carefully selected. Well-stocked bar, btld/draught beers. HW £12.95 btl, £3.45 gls Open Sun-Mon 10am-5pm, Tue-Thur 10am-10pm, Fri 10am-11pm, Sat 9am-11pm. Disabled access - call in adv. Cafe space for private hire. Parties 20+, set menus for groups of 10+ for lunch & dinner.
NEW MUSET BY RONNIE
16 Clifton Rd, BS8 1AF Tel: 0117 973 7248, web: www.ronnies-restaurant.co.uk
• After the success of his award-winning restaurant Ronnie’s in Thornbury (see Out of Town Restaurants), ex-Anton Mosimann chef Ron Faulkner has taken over the former Le Muset and put his own spin on this Clifton institution. Modern European menu makes good use of West Country produce, including venison from the Badminton Estate and scallops from Lyme Bay and includes some signatures dishes from the Thornbury restaurant. So far, so good says the Evening Post: ‘This was a meal of confident cooking in a restaurant that clearly has ambitions to become one of Bristol’s premier fine dining experiences.’ Specially priced menus include two-course lunch £9.75 and two-course dinner £12.75 (Tue-Fri), with first large glass of wine for £3. Sun brunch and roasts, too. Price ALC: £5-£11/£14.50-£20/£5.50. SL: 2 £9.75. SD (Tue-Fri): 2 £12.75. Sun roast: 2 £16. Brunch £4.50-£6.50 Wine list HW £15.75 btl, £3 gls, BYO (Chef’s Table only, book in adv, see website) Open Tue-Sat 12noon-2.30pm & 6-9.30pm (11pm Fri-Sat), Sun 10am-3pm. Disabled access, but no toilet.
NO.4
Rodney Hotel, 4 Rodney Place (off Clifton Down Rd), BS8 4HY Tel: 0117 973 5422, web: www.numberfourrestaurant.co.uk
• Charming, laidback, friendly restaurant housed in a beautiful Georgian building and offering high-quality (AA rosette) traditional and contemporary Anglo/French/European cuisine. Cheffy skill and good, fresh ingredients lead to top-notch food in a modernised interior that retains many original features (working open fireplace, huge sash windows that bathe the room in natural light). Excellent wine list, and the POSH Bar, overlooking the beautiful walled garden below, serves light meals in the bar and garden - perfect for summer pre-dinner cocktails. Price ALC: £4.50-£5.95/£10.50-£14.95/£4.95-£5.95 Wine list HW £13.95 btl, £3.75 gls Open Mon-Fri 7am-9am & 6-10pm, Sat 8am-10pm & 6-10pm, Sun 8am-10am. Disabled access – call in adv, ramp available. Private parties welcome.
OLIVE SHED
Princes Wharf, Harbourside, BS1 4RN Tel: 0117 929 1960, web: www.theoliveshed.com
• In the heart of Bristol’s Harbourside, a lovely, Mediterranean-infused restaurant/cafe-bar/deli. Raymond Blanc himself visited in 2009: ‘I love this place - I hope you don’t mind if I copy some of your ideas!’ Olives (they also run the city’s many Real Olive Co shops and stalls), salads and fabulous tapas pack the deli counter, while sturdy, classic European faves proliferate on the accessible, people-pleasing menu. Food is organic wherever possible, and the seasonal menu changes frequently. Nothing is too much trouble for the friendly, laidback but enthusiastic staff. With meat now added to the menu, the lovely BBQs are a big treat. Regular events and promos - see website. Price ALC: £5.75-£8.25/£8.95-£21.95/£4-£6. Tapas sharing platters £2.25-£13.95 Wine list All wines organic, many hand-sourced from own vineyard suppliers in France. HW £15 btl, £4 gls Open Tue-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-4pm, subject to seasonal change. Disabled access. Outside catering for weddings and private/corporate parties.
PICTURE HOUSE EAST
85 Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, BS8 2NT Tel 0117 973 9302, web: www.thepicturehouse.eu
• Fans of the original branch of Picture House will be delighted to hear that head honcho Nick Armitage has expanded operations to include a branch just across the road at the former Quartier Vert location, where impeccable taste sets the (incredibly high) standards that the original Picture House made so famous. Lunch and dinner menus change daily depending on what fresh local produce is available. An upper-crust Mediterranean-inspired menu offers a vibrant, impeccably sourced range of options. Venue visited recently and said: ‘It was clear why Picture House East had been bustlingly busy all evening – this was well-designed food executed with skill and served with care.’ See also Tiki in Global section. Price ALC: £5.90-£7.90/£9.50-£16.50/£4.90. Tapas £2.50-£8.50. SL: 2 £10 (Mon-Thur till 7pm, Fri-Sat till 6pm). Sun (lunch): 2 £15, 3 £18.90 Wine list Extensive, plus 36 globally sourced btld brews. HW £13.50 btl Open Daily 10am-12midnight (last food orders 10pm). Disabled access – call ahead. Parties of 20+ welcome.
PUMP HOUSE
Merchants Rd, Hotwells, BS8 4PZ Tel: 0117 927 2229, web: www.the-pumphouse.com
• Throughout the years, our writers have loved this place, and our latest reviewer was no different. The kitchen, headed up by co-owner Toby Gritten (formerly of Clifton’s Albion and Montpelier’s Bell’s Diner), pumps out fabulous food for both upstairs restaurant and ground-floor bar, but without any gastropub pretensions. We recently sampled the bar’s creative, seasonal food on the mainly British menu: ‘The food comes, and it’s completely right. We are so happy!’ The Evening Post concurs: ‘An impressive meal by any standards. If it can keep serving food of this quality and consistency, it will be around for a very long time - certainly long after the term ‘gastropub’ has been banished from the culinary dictionary.’ Also recommended is their eight-course tasting menu upstairs: everything they do on one plate. Price Restaurant: ALC £5-£8/£15-£18.50/£6-£7.50. Bar: starter £5-£7.50, main £7.50-£10.50, dish of the day + gls HW (12noon-1.30pm): £10. Tasting menu: 8 £45 Wine list Extensive, international. HW £17 btl, £4.70 gls Open Bar: Mon-Sat 11am-12midnight, Sun 11am-11pm. Restaurant: Tue-Sat 7pm-12midnight, Fri 12noon-3pm. Sun roast 12noon-3.30pm. Disabled access. Parties 20+ welcome – call in adv.
RIVERSTATION
The Grove, Harbourside, BS1 4RB Tel: 0117 914 4434, web: www.riverstation.co.uk
• Now celebrating more than a decade on Bristol’s eating-out scene, and continuing to build on its reputation as one of the city’s most cosmopolitan dining experiences. According to the latest Good Food Guide: ‘This modernist eatery remains one of the city’s most consistent places.’ Both levels of the two-storey former police station have access to alfresco decking and balconies. Lower-level bar/kitchen provides morning coffee, pastries, fast-paced, simple lunches and suppers, afternoon cakes and teas. Comfy sofas and the outside terrace are great for glamorous cocktails or a bottle of (predominantly Italian and new world) wine. Menus are an innovative, eclectic mix of modern European and world cuisines, plus some dependable favourites. Ingredients are stringently sourced from local farmers and growers where possible and the accent is firmly on freshness and seasonality. Brunch and early-bird eve menus are hugely popular, and Sun lunch is as relaxed and terrific value as ever. Wine-tasting nights, too, with samplings of their fine foods. See website for details and offers, including new Wedding Workshops for brides-to-be (inc two-course lunch). Price ALC: £6.50-£11/£14.50-£22/£4.50-£6.50. SL: 2 £12.75, 3 £15.50. SD (weekdays): 2 £14.75. Sun lunch: 2 £16, 3 £19.50. Kids, accompanied by paying adult, eat free Wine list Global. HW £14.95 btl, £3.50 gls Open Bar/kitchen: Mon-Wed 9am-11pm, Thur-Sat 9am-12midnight (last food orders 10pm), Sun 9am-5.30pm (last food orders 3pm). Restaurant: Lunch Mon-Sat 12noon-2.30pm, Sun 12noon-3pm; Dinner Mon-Thur 6-10.30pm, Fri-Sat 6-11pm. No disabled access to upstairs restaurant, but menu can be served at downstairs tables, with access to disabled toilet. Parties 20+.
SEVERNSHED
The Grove, Harbourside, BS1 4RB Tel: 0117 925 1212, web: www.severnshedrestaurant.co.uk
• Severnshed joined up last year with the Coal Grill & Bar chain (see listing above) and the partnership seems to be a success. Menu reflects the best from Severnshed’s European-inspired flavours alongside Coal’s fresh chargrilled cuisine (signature firesticks - skewered meat, fajitas, steaks). Spacious, airy and internationally recognised for its innovative design qualities - formerly a Brunel-built boathouse, now a contemporary Bristol-chic hotspot, stripped back and urban - Severnshed is the word in sophisticated lounging in uniquely stylish surroundings. Balcony serves up comfortable space for up to 80, with superb alfresco dining, and the bright indoor restaurant (floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the waterfront) offers a laidback yet luxurious ambience. Excellent tapas and superb cocktails, a good cafe-bar menu for lighter bites, fabulous weekend brunch (9am-5pm) and Sun roasts with live music. See website for offers and events. Price ALC: £3.95-£6.95/£6.85-£17.95/£4.95-£8.50. SL: 1 £5.75 Wine list HW £14.30 btl £3.90 gls. Wide range of cocktails, beers, spirits Open Daily 9am-12midnight (DJ in bar room till 1am Fri-Sat). Disabled access. Private parties welcome, special menus - call for details.
SPYGLASS BARBECUE & GRILL
Welsh Back, Harbourside, BS1 4SB Tel: 0117 927 7050, web: www.spyglassbristol.co.uk
• Bristolians know it’s officially time to bid winter adieu when Spyglass reopens for the spring. Housed in a converted barge with floor-to-ceiling windows inside and adjoining quayside dining (with canopied deck, gas heating lamps, three-mast canvas) outside. Famous for their barbie and wood-fired pizzas. ‘The key to Spyglass is simplicity,’ wrote our reviewer. ‘With a dozen meat and fish choices, it’s quick to choose and arrives in the time it takes to cook. There’s a grilled vegetarian option as well as a vegetarian tapas plate.’ Now in its 10th year, Spyglass’s food is largely organic and locally sourced wherever possible. Gets very busy, especially in sunny weather, with bookings taken only for groups of eight-plus. Kids get their own menu and activity pack (and love the ice-cream parlour). See website for current 2-4-1 pizza voucher. Price ALC: ££2.95-£3.75/£7.95-£15/£4.50-£5.95. Party menu 8+: 3 £15.95pp Wine list Good range of continental/Mediterranean wines, beers, yummy sangria. HW £18 ltr carafe, £2.50 gls Open Daily 11am-11pm (mid-March till late Dec), last orders 10.30pm. Disabled access, but no toilet. Parties 20+.
SQUARE KITCHEN
15 Berkeley Square, Clifton, BS8 1HB Tel: 0117 921 0455, web: www.thesquareclub.com
• When our food editor visited this stylish, unstuffy members’ club and two-AA-rosettes restaurant and art gallery, he was impressed with the restaurant’s ‘decadent elegance’ as he was shown through to the garden terrace. Quality cuisine of the highest order, with occasional forays into more exotic delicacies. ‘It was all faultless, sensibly sized portions of good ingredients carefully enriched and perfectly cooked.’ So fresh and locally sourced is the food that one reviewer enjoyed asparagus straight from the sommelier’s Bristol allotment. Elegantly candlelit and adorned with contemporary art, the dining room is open to the general public and hotel guests, as well as serving the thriving private members’ Square Club. Price ALC: £4.50/£9.95-£19.50/£5.50-£6.95. Breakfast £7.50-£11.50. Lunch: tapas £4.50, 3 £12, 2-4-1 lunch Mon-Sat. Sun roast from £9.95 Wine list Extensive. HW £14.50 btl, £4 gls. Sun: 25% off all drinks, all day Open Lighter bites all day 12noon-6pm. ALC daily 12noon-3.30pm & 6-10.30pm. Disabled access – call ahead. Parties - call ahead.
STABLES BISTRO
Ashton Court, Long Ashton, BS41 9JN Tel: 0117 953 1800
• This intimate dining destination opened in 2008 after a full refurbishment, thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund. The chef brigade offer lunchtime meals, burgers (beef and venison, sourced from the estate’s own deer), risottos, pastas and a Sun roast that’s booked solid from mid-week. Weekends include full English breakfast with all the works and ALC with plenty of fish and vegetarian options. As one happy customer told us: “The wood mushroom veloute with truffle croutons followed by the venison tastes like a condensed culinary version of the South West countryside.” Great place to unwind after a day out at the woodlands, and a welcome addition to one of Bristol’s favorite destinations. Price ALC: £4.95-£5.95/£7.50-£12.50/£4.25. Brunch £6.25. Sun roast: 2 £13.95, 3 £16.95 Wine list Thoughtful. HW £12.50 btl, £3 gls Open Wed–Fri 11am-5pm, Sat-Sun 9am-5pm. Disabled access. Parties catered for. Can be booked out in eves for 20+.
NEW TIKI AT THE PICTURE HOUSE
44 Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, BS8 2NH Tel: 0117 973 1529, web: www.tikibristol.com
• See Picture House East, above.
TYRELLS AT THE GRAND
The Grand, 53-58 Broad St, BS1 2EL Tel: 0871 376 9042, web: www.thistle.com
• Since their renovation a few years ago, Tyrells have gained a good reputation for their innovative European and British cuisine. Our man in the know reckons they’re up there with City Cafe and Hotel du Vin as some of the best hotel food in Bristol. Chef George Opodo (whose menu includes pan-seared scallops, duck confit, fresh fish, game and meats) has done a stint at London’s Savoy Hotel and worked under the legendary Anton Edelmann, and has already has brought two AA rosettes to the Grand. Price ALC: £6-£6.50/£11.50-£22.50/£6-£6.50 Wine list Extensive. HW £17 btl, £6.50 gls Open Dinner: daily 7.15-9.15pm. Food in lounge bar all day. Good disabled access.
URBAN WOOD
90 Colston St, BS1 5BB Tel: 0117 929 3627, web: www.theurbanwood.com
• Renamed from Wild Wood, the Urban Wood continues to draw in the locals in this gentrified Christmas Steps arts quarter - as well as to impress our reviewer: ‘A remarkable oasis offering a place to meet, drink, ‘do lunch’ or dine with the minimum of formality. Food is satisfyingly freshly prepared and reasonably priced and should cater for most tastes.’ Menu (breakfast till dinner) changes daily. Full English available at any time of day, and big, tasty burgers come with homemade chips and fresh salad. Plenty of vegetarian options, like goat’s cheese & caramelised onion tart with wild mushroom stroganoff. The atmosphere is as mellow as the food is good: ‘The front room, with its large and soothing forest pictures, has fewer tables to accommodate a sofa corner, and a smart, tiled bar asserts itself as you enter what feels more like a continental cafe-bar.’ Plans for new folding front windows will enhance that cafe vibe, as should the open mic night (Tue) and live music (every middle Fri) over the summer months. Check posters or call for details. Price ALC: £4.75-£6.50/£7-£14/£4.75. Brunch £4.75-£6.50 Wine list HW approx £12 btl Open Mon-Wed 10am-11pm, Thur-Fri 10am-12midnight, Sat 12noon-12midnight. Disabled access, but not to toilets. Parties catered for.
VILLAGER
35-36 Church Rd, Westbury on Trym, BS9 3EQ Tel: 0117 950 0373, web: www.villager-restaurant.co.uk
• Set in two converted 18th-century cottages, complete with beams and open fireplace, with the village church close by, this charming little restaurant offers a relaxed, friendly, intimate atmosphere for dinners and Sun lunch. Regularly updated menus take advantage of seasonal produce, with modern English, French and Mediterranean influences leading the way. Suppliers are local and there are plenty of good-value options, with discounts for children. See frequently updated website for details. Price ALC: £4.50-£5.95/£10.75-£13.50/£4.25. SD (Tue-Fri, 6-7.15pm): 2 £10.50, 3 £17. Sun lunch: 1 £7.50, 2 £10.50 Wine list HW £10.75 btl (BYO for pre-booked parties 8+) Open Tue-Fri 6-10.30pm, Sat 7.15-10.30pm, Sun 12.30-2.30pm. No disabled access. Parties catered for. Takeaway.
WATERSHED CAFE-BAR
1 Canons Rd, BS1 5TX Tel: 0117 927 5101, web: www.watershed.co.uk
• Upbeat trendy and arty environment – great for spending a few quality hours before or after a film or just for the sake of it. Said our food editor: ‘A very warm and pleasant place, quietly busy with a mix of diners, drinkers and talkers and the usual scattering of Apples glowing with Wi-Fi activity. Thanks to Watershed’s ‘plot to plate’ organic/seasonal/local policy (developed with Better Food Co main man Phil Haughton), the menu board tells you where all the meat and fish is sourced. The difference is immediately obvious in the vibrant flavours.’ Food is predominately Mediterranean/European-influenced and organic and free-range whenever possible. Lighter bites include nachos, jackets, sarnies, and mains lamb shank or gilt head bream, plus plenty of sweets for dessert and afternoon teas. Breakfast/brunch menu served till 12noon, and a separate kids’ menu. Don’t forget to check out the cinema, exhibitions and shop. Can get very busy later on, as it transforms from continental cafe to booming bar. Price ALC: £3-£6.50/£7.25-£12.95/£2.95-£3.50 Wine list Extensive. HW £15.50 btl, £3.95 gls. Lots of real ales, lagers, cider, guest ales Open Mon 10.30am-11pm, Tue-Thur 9.30am-11pm, Fri 9.30am-12midnight, Sat 10am-12midnight, Sun 10am-10.30pm. Food: Mon 10.30am-8.45pm, Tue 9.30am-8.45pm, Wed-Fri 9.30am-9.45pm, Sat 10am-9.45pm, Sun 10am-7.45pm. Teas & coffees Mon-Sat till 10.30pm (10pm Sun). Children welcome till 9pm. Disabled access possible via lift, and adapted toilet. Semi-private room for private bookings, up to 200.
ZAZU’S KITCHEN
45 Jamaica St, Stokes Croft, BS2 8JP Tel: 0117 923 2233, web: www.zazuskitchen.com
• Toby Bywater is the owner of this quirky corner cafe/restaurant with a loyal fan base and a special place in Stokes Croft’s heart - enough love to get them into 2011’s Good Food Guide. Chef Simone Isadori turns locally, organic and responsibly sourced ingredients into a menu with Mediterranean influences. Breakfast, coffee and pastries to go, Sun brunch, lunches, and dinner Fri-Sat. Expect spanking fresh frittatas, pasta, salad and soups from around £5. Superfood takeaway menu being introduced as we went to press - feel smug and healthy with right-on quinoa, veg, pastas and risottos. Also just launching, special event eves on Thur, such as wine and cheese - call or check website for details. Venue visited during one of the special dinner sessions, which are a wee bit fancier, but with the same homey vibe: ‘There’s an assured mastery to it all - the key seems to be absolutely first-rate ingredients: start with raw materials this good and you don’t need to mess about with them. Absolutely superb.’ The Evening Post felt the same: ‘What a fabulous little place this is, although it may not be such a best-kept secret now.’ Price ALC: £4.50-£6.50/£9.50-£16.95/£4-£5.95. Breakfast £3.50-£6.50. Lunch £3.50-£9 Wine list Small, perfectly formed. HW £9 half-carafe, £2.50 gls Open Mon-Thur 9am-5pm(ish), Fri 9am-4pm & 6-10pm, Sat 10am-4pm & 6-10pm, Sun 10.30am-2.30pm. No disabled access - several steps up to entrance. Available for private bookings. Takeaway.
ZERODEGREES
53 Colston St, BS1 5BA Tel: 0117 925 2706, web: www.zerodegrees.co.uk
• Unique drinking and dining experience that brews award-winning beers on site - the Mango Beer is particularly flavoursome. Try them all during happy hour, Mon-Fri, for £2.20 a pint. Take home a five-litre mini-keg or order a 50-litre proper keg for your next party. After the beer, it’s best known for its kilo pots of fresh mussels and fine gourmet pizzas. Bangers & mash, hearty salads and European-influenced pasta dishes on a modern, fresh menu. Combines a sleek, industrial interior with the cosmopolitan vibrancy of three alfresco dining balconies - the latter providing tables, heaters and smoking opportunities. Venue took down some mussels: ‘Generous and tasty food in a comfortable, smart place.’ Prices are friendly: average course £8.95, two courses £12.95. Check website for regular dining offers. Price ALC: £3.25-£5.25/£6.95-£13.95/£4.75 Wine list Extensive. HW £12.75 btl, £3.50 gls. Fabulous, unique range of beers. Happy hour: Mon-Fri 4-7pm Open Mon-Sat 12noon-12midnight, Sun 12noon-11pm. Disabled access & toilet. Parties 20+. Takeaway.
Bath
ALFRESCO & VELLORE AT THE BATH SPA HOTEL
Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel, Sydney Rd, BA2 6JF Tel: 01225 444424, web: www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/bathspa
• Choice of two restaurants within a supremely elegant five-star, seven-acre hotel and spa complex. Alfresco offers the more ‘casual’ experience (strong emphasis on seasonal flavours, fresh salads, grills, and a gorgeous patio on which to enjoy it all), while Vellore (the fine dining experience, recipient of two AA rosettes) serves impeccable, classic culinary delights in an elegant ballroom setting with a very upmarket ambience. Food is perfectly executed and beautifully presented in either restaurant. Vellore menus are based around shellfish bisque/slow-braised Scottish beef/warm treacle tart sensibilities rather than a voyage of brave new world molecular gastronomy, but overall, it’s an unforgettably grand experience - and quite remarkable for the price. Price Alfresco: flexible mix’n’match menu £7.50-£14.50, tapas: 3 £10. Vellore: SD: 3 £40 (supplements for certain dishes) Wine list Extensive. HW from approx £22 btl Open Alfresco: Lunch daily 11am-6.30pm, dinner Fri-Sat 5.30-9.30pm. Vellore: daily 7-10pm. Dress code: smart-casual, no jeans, sportswear, mobile phones in dining area. Full disabled access & facilities.
BATH PRIORY HOTEL & RESTAURANT
Weston Rd, BA1 2XT Tel: 01225 331922, web: www.thebathpriory.co.uk
• Bath’s original country house hotel, set in the city’s own version of LA’s Mulholland Drive: a grand but accessible mansion featuring an intriguing art collection, gorgeous gardens and lots of very, very plump cushions, all serviced by graciously welcoming, effortlessly knowledgeable, impeccably polite staff. Kitchen is overseen by affable superchef Michael Caines, whose trademarks - technically exacting classics executed with subtly imaginative flourish - are writ large throughout the entire experience. ‘Absolutely stunning,’ Venue’s own lady of the manor declared after a recent trip. ‘Consistently perfect, from start to finish, on all counts.’ Price SL: 2 £25.50, 3 £32. SD: 3 £68.50. Tasting menu £84pp Wine list Extensive. HW from approx £25 btl Open Daily 12noon-2pm (last orders) & 6.30-9.30pm (Fri-Sat 10pm). Disabled access. Separate rooms for private hire, capacity 64.
DEMUTHS
2 North Parade Passage, BA1 1NX Tel: 01225 446059, web: www.demuths.co.uk
• See Restaurants, Vegetarian.
DOWER HOUSE AT THE ROYAL CRESCENT HOTEL
Royal Crescent Hotel, 16 Royal Crescent, BA1 2LS Tel: 01225 823333, web: www.royalcrescent.co.uk
• From welcoming bar to graceful dining room and beyond, the Dower House - part of the iconic Royal Crescent Hotel - is a paean to refined elan, softly lit and decorated in flattering eau de nil tones throughout, with a super-pretty private garden. Friendly, confident, supremely competent staff exude a your-wish-is-my-command attitude in a thoroughly unforced manner; you’re in the hands of a brigade of experts, but there’s not a whisper of snoot in sight. Head chef David Campbell recently caused our own dour-faced critic to wax lyrical thus: ‘A faultless experience, as beautiful to behold as it was to eat.’ She ate smoked duck breast with smoked paprika mayonnaise and celeriac remoulade; Wiltshire Downlands lamb caramelised sweetbreads, vegetable gratin and a honey & lavender reduction; and sage roulade with intense bitter chocolate, Cointreau sorbet and a sugared sage leaf. Children’s menu available. Price SL: 2 £22.50, 3 £27.50. SD: 2 £55, 3 £65. Sun lunch: 3 £37.50. All-day menu £6.95-£22.50. Traditional afternoon tea £14-£35 Wine list Extensive. HW from £28 btl Open Daily 12.30-2pm & 7-10pm. Disabled access. Various private dining options. Groups, parties & functions welcome.
GREEN PARK BRASSERIE
Green Park Station, BA1 1JB Tel: 01225 338565, web: www.greenparkbrasserie.com
• Convivial Euro-style brasserie with alfresco, covered seating (60-seater port-cochere out front, 70-seater deck out back, in what was once a railway station but is now home to the popular weekend farmers’ market) adding to the overall appeal. Free broadband/Wi-Fi in the library area, and regular live jazz ups the good-times ante. Mornings are all about coffee and cakes, set menus are exceptionally good value for money, and evening ALC is always imaginative. Price ALC: £4.95-£8.50/£10.95-£22.50/£4.95-£5.25. SL: 2 £12.50, 3 £14.95. SD (Tue-Sat, 6-7pm): 1 £9.95, 2 £12.50, 3 £14.95 Wine list HW from £11.95 btl Open Mon 10.30am-3pm, Tue-Sat 10.30am-11pm, Sun lunch 12noon-2.45pm. Disabled access. Large parties, weddings & business functions welcome (up to 200, set menus available).
NO.5
5 Argyle St, BA2 4BA Tel: 01225 444499, web: www.no5restaurant.co.uk
• Utterly charming, gently convivial bistro offering an easygoing but distinctly upmarket dining experience at prices that easily take Big Chain loss-leading ‘offers’ to task. ALC, prix fixe and a six-course/£34.95 tasting menu representing exceptionally good value for money are served up in a nicely proportioned, welcoming dining room furnished with classic cafe-society fixtures and bathed in soft sunset hues - a lighthearted foodie playground in which chef/proprietor Richard de Cesare flaunts his Euro/Medi-themed delights. According to one Eating Out West reviewer, ‘a very fine example of just how friendly, affordable and distinctive independent fine dining can be’ - we like’. Price ALC: £5.95-£8.95/£15.95-£19.95/£6. SL: 2 £9.95. SD: call for details. Tasting menu: 6 £34.95 Wine list Thoughtful, extensive. HW from £14 btl Open Daily 12noon-2.30pm & 6.30pm-late. Disabled access.
RAPHAEL
Gascoyne House, Upper Borough Walls, BA1 1RN Tel: 01225 480042, web: www.raphaelrestaurant.co.uk
• Cosy, candlelit, contemporary bistro, very popular with the pre-theatre crowd. Menus feature imaginative Medi-themed dishes based around seasonal availability and daily market deliveries. Specials board often features fresh fish, vegetarians are never overlooked, and children get their own menu. Price ALC: £5.95-£7.95/£14.95-£21/£4.95-£7.95. SL: 2 £11.95. SD (5.30-7.30pm): 2 £14.95 Wine list Extensive. HW approx £15 btl. Draught beers, cocktails, fine brandies Open Daily 12noon-3pm & 5.30-10.30pm (last orders). Parties 20+ - call in adv.
RITCHERS BISTRO & WINE BAR
2 The Wellsway, BA2 3AQ Tel: 01225 480871
• Small, contemporary neighbourhood bistro and wine bar offering excellent breakfast options and light lunches to eat in or take away during the day, and sturdier modern European fare at suppertime. Evolving events calendar features regular offers including tapas & wine deals and suppertime/Sun lunch specials. Price Tapas from £3.50, main from £7.95 Wine list HW from £11 btl Open Mon-Sat 10am-2.30pm & 6-11.30pm. Disabled access. Group bookings - call in adv. Whole restaurant available for private hire/dining events.
RIVERSIDE CAFE
17 Argyle St (below Pulteney Bridge), BA2 4BQ Tel: 01225 480532, web: www.riversidecafebath.co.uk
• This charming cafe-bar in a unique location right on Pulteney Weir serves fabulous breakfasts, fresh, homecooked lunches and thoughtfully eclectic suppers on a modern British/Mediterranean/global theme. ‘The Riverside is the ultimate spring/summer sanctuary for all,’ said Venue’s landlubber. ‘Totally lovely.’ Fish arrives from St Mawes daily and all food is freshly prepared using fine local produce: the fish & chips are pretty much unbeatable, burgers are boisterous, and if the sweet potato pancakes are on the menu, stack up. Pavement tables offer gorgeous weir views. What’s not to love? Price ALC: £6/£10-£14/£6. Lunch/light bites £6-£9.50 Wine list Thoughtful, well-chosen. HW £13.50-£17 btl Open Daily 9am-9.30pm. Disabled access very limited. Not suitable for large groups, except by prior arrangement.
SAME, SAME BUT DIFFERENT
7a Princes Buildings, BA1 2ED Tel: 01225 466856
• Sturdy Medi-themed yumminess (including excellent tapas) served Thur-Sat eves at this charming licensed cafe. See Cafes, Bath.
TILLEYS BISTRO
3 North Parade Passage, BA1 1NX Tel: 01225 484200, web: www.tilleysbistro.co.uk
• Don’t be fooled into thinking that a street-level table at Tilleys - on one of Bath’s prettiest traffic-free passages - is Where It’s At. Downstairs, stone-flagged floors, country cottage furniture and eclectic knick-knackery give what could be a claustrophobic subterranean vault a homely, farmhouse kitchen feel. The menu follows suit - mix and match from a selection of small, medium and large dishes, paying homage to robust Mediterranean influences, with the odd twist on local regional classics. ‘Each dish was an all-round success, well conceived and nicely served,’ said our Bath babe-about-town, of a (five-person!) feast that included haddock smokies, crab St Malo, a Dartmouth Smokehouse fish selection, pork a la dijonnaise, guinea fowl supreme stuffed with black pudding and wrapped in pancetta, gressingham duck breast with black cherry sauce, bitoke roquefort, chocolate St Emilion and ‘perfect’ lemon posset. Price ALC: small dish £6-£8.50/medium £6.50-£9/large £10-£19/dessert £6. SL: 2 £11.50, 3 £14. SD (6-7pm): 2 £12 Wine list HW from £15.50 btl Open Mon-Sat 12noon-2.30pm & 6.30-10.30pm. Disabled access to ground floor & toilet. Separate room with lounge & bar for private hire: 10-16. Parties 20+ welcome.
VELLORE AT THE BATH SPA HOTEL
Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel, Sydney Rd, BA2 6JF Tel: 01225 444424, web: www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/bathspa
• See Alfresco & Vellore, above.
WOODS
9-13 Alfred St, BA1 2QX Tel: 01225 314812, web: www.woodsrestaurant.com
• Enjoying a prime location opposite the Assembly Rooms since the late 1970s, this upmarket but informal bistro serves affordable food to match (modern European classics) and deservedly enjoys local institution status. French-style bar-brasserie area at the front leads to an elegant, spacious dining room - all white cloths, fresh flowers, candlelight, softly-softly carpet underfoot and walls lined with all things racehorse-related. Said a recent Venue reviewer: ‘A refreshingly uncomplicated approach sums up the Woods ethos: well-sourced ingredients, competently cooked and nicely served in quietly convivial surroundings.’ Price ALC: £5.50-£8.50/£13.50-£23.50/£7. SM (Mon-Fri 12noon-2.30pm & 5.30-7pm): 2 £14.95 Wine list HW from £14 btl Open Mon-Sat 12noon-2.30pm & 5.30-9.45pm (last orders), Sun by special arrangement. Wheelchair accessible throughout but requires staff assistance at entrance. Room for private hire, up to 45.
|
