Bristol
AHMED’S CURRY CAFE
1e Chandos Rd, Redland, BS6 6PG Tel: 0117 946 6466/973 5800, web: www.ahmedscurrycafe.co.uk
• Described as a ‘very special little restaurant’ by the Evening Post, Redland’s little gem, nearly 10 years old, is introducing new options like their haleem dishes (lentil-based) and the salmon tawa (cooked tandoori style), with a further new menu planned over summer 2011. Food - fresh, GM-free and prepared in an open kitchen - can be ordered online 6-11pm. It’s fully licensed, so there’s an extensive wine list alongside the usual Indian beers. Also do takeaway and delivery. Price ALC: £2.50-£4.20/£4.50-£9.95/£1.95-£3.50. SD: early bird happy hour deals daily – see website for current offers Wine list Extensive, plus Indian beers. HW approx £10 btl Open Sun-Thur 6-11.30pm, Fri-Sat 6pm-12midnight. Disabled access - ring in adv. Home delivery service & takeaway.
AL’S TIKKA GRILL
33 Ashton Rd, Ashton, BS3 2EG Tel: 0117 985 3016/953 5950
• A long-standing fave with our readers, this working man’s cafe by day (technically known as Hungry Bite when in its cafe incarnation - see listing under Cafes - but mostly known as Al’s) turns into cosy, candlelit Indian BYO bistro by night, considered by its many aficionados to be a real find. The vibe is very community cafe, and the food is very good, although modest in scope, with tandoori, korma, balti, jalfrezis, etc. Unusual selection of side dishes. Very busy at weekends, when booking is advised. Price ALC dinner: £2.85-£3.10/£4.95-£11.95/£3.25-£3.65. Breakfast £3.65-£5.15 Wine list Unlicensed, but welcome to BYO (£1.85 corkage per table) Open Tue-Sat 7am-2pm & 5.30-10.30pm (11pm Fri-Sat), Sun 8am-12noon. Disabled access but not to toilet. Parties 20+ welcome.
BOMBAY SPICE
10 The Mall, Clifton Village, BS8 4DR Tel: 0117 970 6066
• Fresh, modern restaurant combining Anglo/Indian decor to create a sense of open spaciousness, with individual booths and a comfortable, relaxed feel. Extensive menu celebrates the regional diversity of Indian cooking with a contemporary touch. Bangladeshi options a speciality, and new menu additions include a popular monkfish curry. Lunch specials, too - call for details. Price ALC: starter £2.95-£7.95/main £7.95-£16.95 Wine list HW £16.95 btl, £4.95 gls. Some Indian beers Open Mon-Thur 12noon-2pm & 6-11.30pm, Fri 6pm-12midnight, Sat 12noon-2pm & 6pm-12midnight, Sun 6-11.30pm. Disabled access - call for details. Private bookings, up to 54. Parties 20+ welcome. Takeaway.
BRISTOL RAJ
36 Alma Vale Rd, Clifton, BS8 2HS Tel: 0117 973 1414/923 7969, web: www.bristolraj.co.uk
• Warm, inviting and bright contemporary Indian diner under new management but still serving stylishly updated versions of Indian subcontinent classics at wallet-friendly prices. New dishes regularly introduced - see website for details or to order online. Price ALC: starter £3.25-£4.95/main £5.95-£12.95 Wine list BYO (free corkage) Open Sun-Thur 6-11.30pm, Fri-Sat 6pm-12midnight. Disabled access, but not to toilets. Takeaway discount 20% on £10+ orders. Student eat-in discount 15%. Home delivery. Available for private hire (weekdays), up to 60. Parties 20+ welcome (group discount).
BRUNEL RAJ
6-7 Waterloo St, Clifton Village, BS8 4BT Tel: 0117 973 2641, web: www.brunelraj.co.uk
• Popular upmarket, intimate (it only sits 48) Indian eatery serving popular, upmarket Indian food. After many years’ experience in catering, brothers Saleh, Musleh, Muflay and Tufayel Ahmed decided to bring their talents together and opened this place in 1997, and their multi-award-winning restaurant is testament to their vision. It’s listed as one of the Top UK Restaurants by Hardens in 2001 and 2003, and comedian Justin Lee Collins found it ‘absolutely sensational - one of the very best’. Price ALC: starter £3.50-£7.50/main £6.60-£17.50. SD: 3 + sides £42.50 for 2 people Wine list Mainly European. HW £12.50 btl, £3 gls. Some Indian lagers Open Daily 12noon-2pm, Sun-Thur 6-11.30pm (12midnight Fri-Sat). Disabled access but no toilet. Takeaway discount 20%. Private hire Sun-Thur, up to 48. Parties 20+ welcome.
CURRY HOUSE
393 Bath Rd, Brislington, BS4 3EU Tel: 0117 977 9090, web: www.curryhouse-bristol.co.uk
• Established for nearly three decades. The Evening Post’s Mark Taylor is a fan: ‘For the quality of the food, not to mention the size of the portions, the bill seemed a bargain.’ And that’s just the takeaway - cool, elegant surroundings perfectly complement the traditional Indian dishes and contemporary versions thereof, combining old-world heritage with distinctly new-world flair. Seafood dishes and chef’s specialities come highly recommended from this spanking-clean (five-star hygiene award) kitchen. Lounge bar opens in summer for cocktails, and you can make use of the chauffeur service at weekends. Price ALC: £1.95-£3.95/£9.95-£12.95/£2-£2.95 Wine list Thoughtful, well-chosen. HW £10.95 btl, £2.80 gls. Cocktails, lagers, beers Open Mon-Sat 12noon-3pm (reservation-only at lunch), Sun-Thur 6-11.30pm, Fri-Sat 6pm-12midnight. Disabled access possible, but call for advice. Takeaway & home delivery within south Bristol, free delivery on £15+ orders.
NEW DEV’S KERALA
180 Gloucester Rd, Bishopston, BS7 8NU Tel: 0117 924 5555, web: www.devskerala.co.uk
• Smart, unpretentious Indian specialising in southern Indian cuisine (in what used to be the Curry Hut). Dishes, freshly prepared by regional specialist chefs, include more unusual choices (spicy lentil flour doughnuts, fat mutton rolls full of juicy shredded meat, Kerala egg roast) as well as curries, chutneys, jalfrezis and tandoori. Said Venue’s reviewer: ‘The place is nicely done out with plain but stylish wooden furniture and candles and flowers on the tables, the service is friendly and obliging and, most important of all, the generous food is all well made, properly cooked and nicely presented.’ Try the lunch box (12noon-3pm) for £3.99, including rice, chapatti, curry and a salad - bring your own container in to fill and it’s a mere £3.50. Price ALC: starter £2.60-£4.90/main £4.10-£10.50 Wine list BYO Open Daily 12noon-3pm & 6-11.30pm. Disabled access. Parties welcome. Takeaway 10% discount. Delivery available.
EASTERN SPICE
269 Two Mile Hill Rd, Kingswood, BS15 1AX Tel: 0117 935 2335, web: www.easternspice.co.uk
• Delightful neighbourhood curry house, established in 1997, offering great food at ridiculously cheap prices. Extensive menu with all the favourites, plus a fair few dishes you’ll struggle to find elsewhere. Chef’s specials are highly recommended. Price ALC: starter £2.60-£4.90/main £4.10-£10.50 Wine list Small, European. HW approx £11 btl. Indian beers Open Mon-Thur 5.30-11.30pm, Fri-Sat 5.30pm-12midnight, Sun 5.30-11pm (open bank hols). Parties welcome. Takeaway 10% discount.
EASTERN TASTE
94 St Marks Rd, Easton, BS5 6JH Tel: 0117 952 0718, web: www.easterntaste.co.uk
• A friendly old favourite, with a warm community vibe and bargain-basement prices for top-notch fare. Delicious Bangladeshi homecooking is served in plentiful quantities by charming staff, either in the refurbished restaurant or as a takeaway. BYO. Price ALC: £1.90-£3.50/£5.65-£8.50/£2.50. Thali £9.50-£11.50. SM £20.90-£24.90 (min 2 people) Wine list BYO. Indian sweet/salty/mango lassi Open Mon-Sat 12noon-2pm & 6-11pm (11.30pm Fri-Sat). Disabled access, but not to toilets. Parties 20+ welcome weekdays. Takeaway 10% discount.
GANESHA
54-56 Bedminster Parade, BS3 4HS Tel: 0117 953 3990, web: www.ganeshaindiancuisine.com
• Small, independent, family-run venture offering authentic Indian cuisine from all corners of the subcontinent via a menu that’s a million miles away from your average curry house. Relocated just up the road at slightly bigger premises, the decor is tasteful and modern, and the soundtrack low-key Bollywood. You won’t find a madras, vindaloo or jalfrezi anywhere on the menu - Ganesha are keen to specify the origins of their menu, with recipes from Goa and Kerala flagged up, as well as Maharashtra, home state of the owners and chef. We declared it to be ‘a neighbourhood Indian place with a touch of class’. Lunchtime thalis (£5.95-£8.95) are served with free beer or glass of wine 12noon-2pm, while Happy Hour (5.30-7.30pm) offers a free bevvie with a choice of meals. Price ALC: £2.95-£8.95/£5.50-£13.95/£3.95-£4.45 Wine list HW £12.95 btl, £3.95 gls Open Tue-Sat 12noon-2pm, Tue-Sun 6-11.30pm. Takeaway 10% discount. Online ordering. Free home delivery (3-mile radius, min £15).
GANGES
368 Gloucester Rd, Horfield, BS7 8TP Tel: 0117 924 5234/942 8505, web: www.gangesbristol.co.uk
• The long-established Ganges, proudly displaying its Les Routiers and Egon Ronay awards and certificates, has been serving authentic Indian food for more than two decades. It’s vividly decorated with large, glittering chandeliers and offers a menu that’s equally as vibrant, focusing on the three main regions through which the River Ganges flows: rising in Tibet, flowing through India, reaching the sea at Bangladesh. The major influence, though, comes from north India, so you’ll find the most popular curries – from mild lamb pasanda to fiery vindaloo king prawn – alongside biryanis. Very popular, very good. Price ALC: starter £2.95-£5.95/main £4.98-£11.15. SD £16.95-£19.50 Wine list HW £13 btl Open Daily 12noon-2.30pm & 6-11.30pm (12midnight Fri-Sat). Disabled access. Separate dining room for groups, 25-30 max. Takeaway 10% discount.
INDIAN SUMMER
27 Badminton Rd, Downend, BS16 6BB Tel: 0117 957 5550, web: www.indiansummer.me
• Licensed, contemporary Indian restaurant, formerly known as Jorna, serving up gorgeously prepared, authentic specialities, combining traditional Indian and Bangladeshi flavours with princely style. Beat the weekend crowds and order online. Price ALC: starter £2.85-£4.95/main £5.50-£11.95 Wine list HW £13.95 btl Open Wed-Mon (closed Tue) 5.30-11pm. Takeaway 20% discount. Free delivery within 5-mile radius. Parties/large groups welcome - call for details.
KASHMIR
15 High St, Easton, BS5 6DX Tel: 0117 952 0004 web: www.kashmirrestaurant.co.uk
• The brightly lit screen in the window showing Bollywood highlights belies the calm oasis of stylish brushed steel furniture and pink, art-laden walls within. Kashmir’s not licensed, but will happily let you BYO, though the atmosphere, bargain prices, fab food and friendly service go straight to your head anyway. ‘Delicious food in a classily distinctive restaurant,’ was the Venue verdict. Excellent veggie options and fabulous specials alongside a familiar (and not-so-familiar) range of curries, sides, etc. Price ALC: £2.95-£4/£7-£11/£2-£3 Wine list BYO Open Daily 5-11pm (12midnight Fri-Sat). Takeaway 10% discount, free home delivery (min order £10). Student discount 10%. Outside catering service. Parties/large groups welcome - call for details.
KATHMANDU
Colston Tower, Colston St, BS1 4XN Tel: 0117 929 4455, web: www.kathmandu-curry.com
• Indulgent staff and beautifully prepared food. Our food editor found ‘an honest, amiable welcome that summed up the hospitable feel’. This family-run restaurant brought ALC Nepalese dining to the city, first in Easton and then to the elegant but comfortable location across from Colston Hall. The family import their own spices from their home village (Bhajungle, next to Kritipur in Nepal), giving their fresh, light cuisine a unique flavour, with traditional seafood dishes (inc lobster) a speciality alongside excellent vegetarian and vegan options. There’s enough on the menu to please curry-house regulars, but venture into Nepalese territory if you want to get the full flavour of what’s on offer. Price ALC: £3.95-£5.95/£7.50-£15.05/£3.95-£4.95. SM £15.50-£19.50 Wine list HW £13.95 btl Open Daily: lunch 12noon-2pm; dinner Mon-Thur 6-11pm, Fri-Sat 6-11.30pm, Sun 6-10.30pm. Disabled access - call in adv. Parties welcome - call in adv. Home delivery. Takeaway 25% discount.
KOHI NOOR
211 Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, BS8 2XS Tel: 0117 973 3823 web: www.kohinoorbristol.co.uk
• ‘There can’t be many restaurants that have a window full of glowing reviews before they even open the doors for business,’ wrote the Evening Post, ‘but then the owners of Kohi Noor have arrived in Bristol with a reputation that precedes them.’ Nazir Ahmed and Nur Moni were the men behind Kasturi in London EC3, attracting rave reviews from influential food critics like Charles Campion and Jay Rayner. And a year on, Kohi Noor haven’t disappointed. New additions to the menu include lamb pasanda and pahari kebabs. Southern Indian classics include Rajasthani specialties, which often include dried fruits, spices and yogurt. Price ALC: starter £3.25-£7.25/main £6.95-£12.95 Wine list HW £11.50 btl, £2.75 gls. Indian beers Open Daily 12noon-2pm & 6-11.30pm Disabled access possible - call in adv. Takeaway discount 15%. Parties 20+ welcome - call in adv.
KRISHNA’S INN
4 Byron Place, The Triangle, Clifton, BS8 1JT Tel: 0117 927 6864, web: www.keralagroup.co.uk
• Part of a small, family-owned chain, offering a light and healthy take on the cuisine of the Kerala region of southern India. Our reviewer and his guests were impressed: ‘These were the very niceties my guests had enjoyed on holiday in the very same Kerala, and each mouthful, it seemed, brought back a memory, whether crisp uppama, doughy vadai or mouthfuls of ginger-rich chicken in gravy.’ Very reasonable prices, a sturdy selection of dishes (Kerala mutton curry and ginger chicken), excellent vegetarian and vegan range. ‘A consistently delightful meal in such smartly congenial surroundings.’ Price ALC: starter £2.95-£7.95/main £4.95-£7.95 Wine list HW £11.95 btl, £3 gls. Small but perfectly formed bar selection, inc Indian beers Open Daily 12noon-3pm, Sun-Thur 6-11pm (12midnight Fri-Sat). Disabled access – call in adv. Parties welcome – call in adv.
LAL JOMI PAVILION
2 Harcourt Rd (off Coldharbour Rd), Redland, BS6 7RG Tel: 0117 942 1640, web: www.laljomi.co.uk
• Excellent, much-loved traditional Indian restaurant that’s been serving curry lovers for well over 20 years now. Intimate booths and tent-like canopy ceilings lend an exotic air - a great place for everything from an excellent-value blow-out to a romantic date. Recommended by the Good Curry Guide. Price ALC: £2.90-£5.40/£6.30-£12/£2.15. SD £28-£31pp (min 2 people) Wine list Extensive, international. HW £11.50 btl, £3 gls. Indian beers Open Daily 12noon-2pm & 6-11.30pm (12midnight Fri-Sat). Disabled access. Parties welcome. Takeaway, up to 20% discount.
MADRAS EXPRESS
223 North St, BS3 1JJ Tel: 0117 966 9008, web: www.madras-express.co.uk
• Small family restaurant offering freshly prepared food including healthy options (vegetarian thalis) as well as the usual suspects in this friendly Bedminster setting. See website for offers and to order online. Price ALC: £2.10-£4.99/£6.10-£11.95/£3.20. SD £26.95-£28.95 (for 2 people) Wine list HW £10.95 btl, £2.75 gls. Full range of wines, beers, spirits Open Mon-Sat 5.30-11pm. Disabled access. Groups welcome. Delivery & takeaway 10% discount off £20+ orders.
MASALA CAFE
2 Jacobs Wells Rd, BS8 1EA Tel: 0117 930 4194, web: http://www.ahmedsmasalacafe.co.uk/
• Formerly known as Bollywood Spice, this new incarnation is run by the same friendly folks at Ahmed’s Curry Cafe. Old India meets the new world here to great success, and orders can be placed online 6-11pm. With its modern interior, spacious layout and full licence, you can sit back and relax while the friendly staff serve excellent grub at knockdown prices. Price ALC: £2.40-£4.20/£5.05-£6.85/£1.95 Wine list HW £8.75 btl, £2.50 gls Open Daily: Mon-Sat 5.30-11pm, Sun 6-10.30pm. Disabled access. Parties welcome. Home delivery & takeaway.
MYRISTICA
51 Welsh Back, BS1 4AN Tel: 0117 927 2277, web: www.myristica.co.uk
• With their newish cosier premises, this spiffing eatery specialising in authentic, regional-specific Indian food is much admired round these parts. Our own curryphile said: ‘The first mouthful of chicken from the pista murgh was blissful – how often is it the quality and flavour of the meat that makes the first impression in Indian cooking?’ Dishes, from traditional street food/beach snacks to full-on Raj cuisine, are cooked up by a full brigade of chefs with impeccable credentials, each specialising in their own area of expertise (curry, tandooris, sauces, vegetarian dishes, desserts). Large vegetarian selection and, unusually for an Indian restaurant, a decent choice of desserts. Cookery school, too, and take-home meats and fish for your summer BBQs. Price ALC: £4.95-£6.95/£5.45-£14.95/£2.95-£3.95. Lunch platter £5.95 Wine list Extensive. HW £12.95 btl, £3.25 gls Open Mon-Sat 12noon-2pm & 6-11pm, Sun 6-10pm. Disabled access – call for advice. Parties, celebrations & corporate events welcome. Private dining up to 30, whole restaurant can be hired for weddings, etc - call for adv. Home delivery.
OH! CALCUTTA! INDIAN KITCHEN
216 Cheltenham Rd, BS6 5QU Tel: 0117 924 0458, web: www.ohcalcutta.co.uk
• Buzzing, informal canteen-style dining in chic, modernist surroundings - this is where the cool kids go. Top-notch Indian subcontinent food, with an emphasis on fresh ingredients, ranges from the traditional to the exotic, with regional options, a seasonal specials board with goodies you won’t find anywhere else in Bristol, and fish well represented. Great reviews in recent years by the big boys: Times, Guardian and yours truly. Big screen silently projects Bollywood classics while you dine. Excellent vegetarian and side dishes, and the mango lassi is a particular favourite. Price ALC: starter £2.90-£4.50/main £8.50-£11.50 Wine list HW £11.95 btl, £3 gls. Beers (inc Indian) Open Daily 6pm-12midnight. Disabled access, but call ahead for advice. Parties welcome - call for details. Takeaway & home delivery.
OLD INDIA
34 St Nicholas St, BS1 1TG Tel: 0117 922 1136, web: http://www.oldindia.co.uk/#_blank
• Rather special restaurant in the heart of old Bristol, remarkable both for its setting and its high-class, authentic menu: the real cuisine of the mogul kings, mixed with contemporary-style avant-garde Indian fare. Occupying a stunning mahogany-panelled grade II listed building (you could easily imagine yourself in a colonial clubhouse), the restaurant serves the finest meat and vegetarian dishes prepared with exceptional attention to detail. Save yourself a bob or two with the set lunch (2 £6.95, 3 £8) or pre-theatre menu (£12, 6-7pm). Price ALC: £3.25-£3.95/£6.50-£12/£2.50-£4.50 Wine list HW £12 btl, £3 gls Open Daily 12noon-2pm & 6pm-12midnight. Disabled access to restaurant but no toilets (downstairs). Parties 20+ welcome - book in adv. Takeaway.
ONE STOP THALI CAFE
1 William St, Totterdown, BS3 4TU Tel: 0117 933 2955
64-66 St Marks Rd, Easton, BS5 6JH Tel: 0117 951 4979
12 York Rd, Montpelier, BS6 5QE Tel: 0117 942 6687
1 Regent St, Clifton Village, BS8 4HW Tel: 0117 974 3793, web: www.thethalicafe.co.uk
• This ever-expanding innovative local fixture with a friendly, community, right-on vibe has served hundreds of thousands of Thali meals to the people of Bristol and festival-goers country-wide over the past decade. Both Venue and the national press have written about them in equally glowing terms - they scooped an Observer Food Monthly Award 2010, and a Soil Association Silver Mark for ‘climate-friendly food’. Little wonder, really: this is simple, fresh, homemade food based on traditional Punjabi ‘thali’, combinations of complementary dishes served on a steel platter, inspired by Asian street food. An entire evening meal (selection of six dishes, vegetarian, chicken or fish) costs you an unbelievable £7.95-£8.95, with your plate replenished until you’re full-up. As the menu informs you, they’ve gone to great lengths to tick all the right boxes for health, sustainability, seasonality and local sourcing. Check fun website for offers, news and developments. Price Lunch (some outlets) £3.95-£7.95. Evening thalis: veggie & dairy free £7.95, fish £8.50, chicken £8.95. Tiffin (reusable, refillable, winner of Radio 4 Food Awards for Best Takeaway) takeaway from £7.95 Wine list All organic. HW £13 btl, £3 gls Open Montpelier & Totterdown: Daily 6pm-close (last orders 10pm). Disabled access (except for toilets in Montpelier). Easton: Daily 10am-close (last orders 10pm). Disabled access. Clifton: Daily 5pm-close (last orders 10pm), Sat-Sun daytimes from 10am. Disabled access. Chq & cash only. Parties 20+ welcome - call in adv.
RAJ BARI
183 Hotwell Rd, BS8 4SA Tel: 0117 922 7617, web: www.rajbaribristol.co.uk
• Mostaque Ahmed, after many years’ apprenticeship in some of London’s best curry houses, opened this contemporary Indian restaurant in 1991, to provide a distinct and classy dining experience. Drop by and you might end up rubbing shoulders with luminaries like Sir Terry Wogan, Rolf Harris or Tom Baker as well as local celebs Tony Robinson, Eddie Large and Gareth Chilcott. Endorsed by the Good Food Guide. Price ALC: £2.65-£5.65/£5.45-£15.95/£2-£4 Wine list HW approx £12 btl. Indian lagers Open Daily 5.30-11.30pm. Lunchtimes available to pre-booked parties 10+. Takeaway discount 20% on £10+ orders.
RAJ TANDOORI
King St, BS1 4DZ Tel: 0117 929 1132, web: www.raj-bristol.co.uk
• Snug, friendly, long-established (since 1981) restaurant in the basement of a lovely grade II listed building, with trad-contemporary menus and an exceedingly warm welcome. Owner Hasan Ahmed and head chef Bodrul Khan insist that only the finest ingredients are used in the kitchen, recreating many of the traditional Indian dishes Bodrul learned in his homeland of Sunamganj in Bangladesh. Catch the early bird menu (daily except Sat): 3 £11.95 & beer or wine. Price ALC: starter £3.60-£5.50/main £5.50-£12.30 Wine list HW £10 btl, £2.60 gls. Lagers, beers, spirits Open Mon-Sat 6pm-12midnight, Sun 6-11pm. No disabled access. Takeaway discount 25%. Party bookings welcome (special party room seats up to 30).
RAJPOOT
52 Upper Belgrave Rd, Clifton, BS8 2XP Tel: 0117 973 3515, web: www.rajpootrestaurant.co.uk
• Smart, sophisticated restaurant set in a gorgeous Georgian building, offering the ultimate in luxury and comfort. From the moment you walk under the welcoming green awning, it’s like stepping back in time, with crisp linen tablecloths, comfortable chairs and menus embracing the principal regions of India - extensive and impressive. Front terrace is a great place to eat alfresco on warmer evenings. Lots of fish and seafood. Price ALC: £4.95-£7.95/£14.95-£17.95/£4.95 Wine list Extensive. HW £13.95 btl, £3.95 gls. Draught Indian beers, full range of spirits & non-alcoholic Open Mon-Sat 12noon-2.30pm & 6-11pm. No disabled access. Takeaway.
ROSHNI
63 High St, Westbury-on-Trym, BS9 3ED Tel: 0117 985 9999, web: www.roshnibristol.co.uk
• An authentic taste of India at the heart of a lively Bristol suburb - elegant eat-in options plus takeaway service. Indian sub-continent classics (traditional and contemporary) are freshly cooked and easily adaptable for heat addicts and cool customers alike, while children, vegetarians and even dieters are exceedingly well looked after. Price ALC: £3.35-£4.95/£6.95-£12.95/£2-£3.20. SL: 2 £7.95 Wine list Indian beers, globally sourced wines. HW £14.95 btl, £3.95 gls Open Daily 12noon-2pm & 6-11.30pm (12midnight Fri-Sat). Disabled access/group bookings - call in adv. Takeaway 10% discount, home delivery.
SHEESH MAHAL
13a Gloucester Rd, BS7 8AA Tel: 0117 942 2942, web: www.sheeshmahalbristol.com
• Popular Indian restaurant, established in 1979 and still serving a traditional range of dishes to a mix of students, businesspeople and post-pub revellers. You’ll probably be treated like a friend and your selections remembered at your next visit - this writer’s request of a vindaloo over my usual (excellent) prawn dansak brought the owner over to confirm that I wasn’t mistaken - bless! Snug booths, nice atmosphere and good food, with the standard curry-house menu complemented by a range of ‘Sheesh Specialities’ with particular regional flavours. Price ALC: starter £2.60-£6.60/main £5.90-£12.90 Wine list HW £10.60 btl, £2.60 gls Open Daily 12noon-2.30pm & 6-11.30pm. Good disabled access & toilet. Available for private hire (lunchtime only), up to 65. Parties 20+ welcome. Takeaway.
SPICE OF INDIA
13 Small St, BS1 1DE Tel: 0117 929 9222
• Simple, comfortable restaurant with an extensive menu concentrating on dishes from Bangladesh and other parts of the Indian subcontinent. Good selection of vegetarian dishes and authentic, homemade chutneys and pickles. Price ALC: starter £2.90-£3.90/main £5.90-£7.50 Wine list HW £11.95 btl, £2.90 gls. Indian btld beers (Kingfisher, Cobra) Open Daily 6-11pm. Disabled access - call in adv. Takeaway.
TIKKA FLAME
South Building, Anchor Square, Canons Rd, BS1 5UH Tel: 0117 316 9393, web: www.tikkaflame.co.uk
• Fronted by a couple with over 10 years’ experience in creating authentic Indian and Pakistani cuisine, this stylish, lively contemporary Indian brasserie makes the most of eclectic flavours and influences drawn from the two countries. Vibrant surroundings (with big-screen Bollywood classics) and plenty of mix‘n’match flavours to keep small or large parties happy. ‘A high standard of cooking gives a satisfying meal in comfortably smart surroundings,’ said Venue. You’ll also find grills and light bites (pizzas, nachos, chicken wings) alongside vegetable thalis and stirfries, great lunchtime deals and a really good bar selection. See website for offers like £10 off total bill. Price ALC: £3-£7.50/£9.95-£14.95/£3.95. SL: 2 £9.50, 3 £11.50 Wine list HW £13 btl, £3.30 gls Open Mon-Thur 12noon-3pm & 6-10.30pm, Fri-Sat 12noon-11.30pm, Sun 12noon-10.30pm (inc bank hols). Disabled access. Parties 20+ welcome - book in adv. Mezzanine floor for private hire/functions. Outside catering for parties, weddings, etc.
NEW TUMERIC
775 Fishponds Rd, BS16 3BS Tel: 0117 965 0022
• This new, stylish 40-seater restaurant is providing an upmarket experience with consistent food and service. All the usual favourites plus specials like naga chilli chicken. Already boasts a firm local following, so would-be visitors from across the city should book ahead on Fri-Sat eves. Price ALC: £2.45-£8.45/£5.95-£15.45/£3.50-£3.95 Wine list HW £10.50 btl, £3.40 gls Open Daily 12noon-2pm & 5.30-11.30pm. Disabled access - call in adv. Takeaway 10% discount.
Bath
BENGAL BRASSERIE
32 Milsom St, BA1 1DG Tel: 01225 447906, web: www.bengalbrasseriebath.com
• Popular restaurant offering an extensive trip through the very best curry-house flavours at very reasonable prices, in pleasant surroundings. Set menus are worth exploring for those who prefer a more exotic spice route. Price ALC: starter £2.30-£5.50/main £7-£9/sundries (rice, bread, etc) £2-£3. SM from £15 Wine list HW £11.95 btl. Indian lagers Open Daily 12noon-2.30pm & 6-11.30pm (12midnight Fri-Sat). Limited disabled access - call ahead for advice. 10% discount for students/takeaway. Group bookings welcome – call in adv.
BOOJON TANDOORI
28 Charles St, BA1 1HU Tel: 01225 429429/429529, web: www.boojontandoori.com
• Contemporary Indian diner offering a big family welcome. ‘The staff here are fun, friendly and knowledgeable and, right from the off, you get a literal taste of what’s to come: poppadoms are crispy and grease-free, the pickles that accompany them glossy and fresh. Just don’t go too mad, OK? Portions go large here,’ said Venue’s own little onion bhaji. ‘Pathias strike the perfect sweet/sour balance, paneers are dreamily, smoothly soporific, and if the jalfrezis don’t give your taste-buds a thorough workout, nothing will.’ But such quality doesn’t come at a high price, and this is a BYO, no-corkage-charge affair. Price ALC: starter £2.60-£5/main £6.50-£9 £8/side from £1.95 Wine list BYO (no corkage charge) Open Daily 12noon-2.30pm & 6-10.30pm (last orders). Disabled access. Discounted takeaway menu. Parties welcome - call in adv.
CURRY MAHAL
31 Belvedere, Lansdown Rd, BA1 5HR Tel: 01225 789666/789501, web: www.currymahal.net
• Popular, friendly traditional neighbourhood curry house with a longstanding reputation for upper-crust grub (including fabulous vegetarian options - the vegetarian thali comes highly recommended) and a generous sprinkling of regional dishes (lamb badami, lobster masala, mass-er-salan/jhol) against a more familiar backdrop of tandooris, tikkas, dansaks, baltis, etc. Price ALC: starter £2.80-£5.50/main £6.50-£13.95 Wine list HW from £11 btl. Btld beers. BYO option Open Daily 12noon-2pm & 6-11.30pm. Disabled access possible - call in adv. Discounted takeaway menu. Free home delivery on £15+ orders within 3-mile radius. Parties up to 30 welcome - private dining room downstairs, but must be booked in adv.
DESH
10 Chelsea Rd, BA1 3DU Tel: 01225 314413/463388
• Busy, popular, friendly, inexpensive neighbourhood Indian eatery. BYO policy (no corkage charge). Baltis, tandooris and jalfrezis highly recommended. Price ALC: starter approx £3/main approx £7 Wine list BYO (no corkage charge) Open Daily 12noon-2pm & 5.30pm-12midnight. Disabled access possible but call ahead for advice. Discounted takeaway menu. Nurses/students 10% discount.
EASTERN EYE
8a Quiet St, BA1 2JS Tel: 01225 422323/466401, web: www.easterneye.co.uk
• In a former Georgian townhouse (domed-ceiling dining room, walls painted with elaborate Indian murals) and boasting a plethora of glistening gongs from all manner of food guides (Les Routiers, Fodor’s, British Curry Awards) alongside some impressive celebrity endorsements. The staff treat all-comers like royalty, and menus (which helpfully flag up every dish with highlighters denoting heat, sugar, nut, wheat, dairy content) are as bling-laden as such a build-up suggests: a vast selection of bhajis, kebabs, tikkas, dosha, purees and soups leads the way to a gourmet playground of tandooris, baltis, dhansaks, kormas, dopiazas, biryanis, masalas, rogan josh and unique chef’s specials (including excellent seafood options), all of which led our resident curry queen to litter a recent review with superlatives like ‘delectable’, ‘really tasty’ and ‘highly recommended’. And yet, when it comes to bill time, a voyage down Overdraft Alley isn’t even close to the radar. Price ALC: starter £2.95-£7.50/main from £6.95/sundries & desserts from £1.95. SM from £19.95 Open Daily 12noon-2.30pm & 6-11.30pm. No disabled access. Takeaway. Parties up to 170 welcome.
JAFLONG
78-79 Lower Bristol Rd, BA2 3BG Tel: 01225 330144
• Authentic, multi-regional Indian sub-continent food in contemporary surroundings. A gentle proliferation of karais, beguns and palaks appeal to those in search of a more scenic Nepalese route while the tikkas, bhajees, masalas, biryani, etc, offer familiar appeal. Price ALC: starter £3.50-£5.95/main £7.50-£12.95/sundries approx £3. All-you-can-eat, serve-yourself Sun buffet £9.95 Wine list HW approx £12 btl Open Daily 12noon-2.30pm & 6-11.30pm (inc bank hols). Disabled access, but call in adv. Takeaway discount. Parties welcome - call for details.
JAMUNA
9-10 High St (entrance in Cheap St), BA1 5AQ Tel: 01225 464631, web: www.jamuna-cuisine.com
• Old-school Indian restaurant with no pretensions towards anything else, offering splendid views of Bath Abbey. A fairly compact menu trusts that we understand the meaning of tandooris and biryanis, but knows that we still need the masalas, tikkas, kormas, bhunas, etc, to be arranged into mild, medium and hot categories. Meanwhile, a slightly more adventurous ‘chef’s special’ selection ensures that all bases are covered. Price ALC: starter £2.75-£3.60/main £7.40-£14.50. SL: 3 £6.95 Wine list HW £14.95 btl. Indian lager Open Daily 12noon-2.30pm & 6pm-12midnight. No disabled access. Whole restaurant available for private hire. Parties 20+ welcome. Takeaway discount.
NEW JIMMY SPICES
6 Dorchester St, BA1 1SS Tel: 01225 426802, web: www.jimmyspices.co.uk
• See Global.
MOUCHUCK
136 Wells Rd, BA2 3AH Tel: 01225 333449, web: www.cityofbath.co.uk/mouchuck
• Straightforward, unfussy neighbourhood BYO curry canteen offering a solid range of very reasonably priced tandoori, masala, jalfrezi, korma, biryani, madras, rogan josh, etc, alongside chef specials (achari, pandi, tawa, etc), side dishes and good vegetarian options. All-you-can-eat, serve-yourself buffet Tue eves. Price ALC: starter £2-£3.25/main £3.95-£7.95/sundries approx £2. Tue buffet: £6.95pp (under-12s £5.95) Wine list BYO Open Daily 12noon-2pm & 5.30-11pm. Discounted takeaway menu. Parties/groups welcome, preferably booked in adv.
PANAHAR
8 Moorland Rd, Oldfield Park, BA2 3PL Tel: 01225 471999/471899, web: www.panaharbath.co.uk
• Lively, popular Indian eatery at the heart of the Moorland Road shopping village, with a no-corkage-charge BYO policy (and a really good off-licence just over the road) adding to the appeal. ‘Incredibly friendly, massively flavoursome and refreshingly cheap,’ said Venue’s curry queen. ‘As good as the genre gets.’ Downhome, traditional Indian food, competently cooked – so it’s a good idea to book in adv on weekend eves. Price ALC: starter £2-£3/main £4.95-£6.95/sundries £2 Wine list BYO (no corkage charge) Open Daily 12noon-2pm & 5.30-11.30pm. Disabled access. Discounted takeaway menu. Pre-booked parties welcome, but call for capacity details.
PREMIER
4a Argyle St, BA2 4BA Tel: 01225 462323/442955
• The name may have changed a couple of years ago, but standards at the long-established Indian bistro and balti house formerly known as Pria remain the same. Renowned for balti/curry favourites, decent value for money and the latest last-order time in Bath. Price ALC: starter £3-£5.95/main £6.95-£10/sundries £3 Wine list HW approx £12 btl. Indian lager Open Sun-Thur 6pm-1.30am, Fri-Sat 6pm-2am. Disabled access, but not to toilets. Discounted takeaway menu. Pre-booked parties welcome, but call for capacity details.
RAJPOOT
4 Argyle St, BA2 4BA Tel: 01225 466833/464758, web: www.rajpoot.com
• If you like your curry served with a side-order of trad-Raj style, the Rajpoot - recipient of the British Curry Awards’ Best Indian Restaurant in the South West gong (and deemed to be one of the 10 Best in Britain) among many other accolades - is the hotspot for you. While several curry houses around the Heritage City offer authentic, upper-crust grub, only at the Rajpoot are diners greeted by a smartly dressed doorman in full Raj regalia whose sole purpose is to usher you down the stairs to a sumptuous, sensual, subterranean haven where several ornately decorated spaces include two cosy, intimate bars, a cheerful, barrel-vaulted cave and plenty of romantic tables for two. An Eating Out West critic recently declared her Rajpoot feast to be ‘grub that an empire could be built on’, singling out ‘a mellow, velvety mulligatawny soup’, ‘ a tender, yielding lamb rezala subtly illuminated with a kicking blend of fresh chillies’ and ‘a murgh tandoori fit for a queen’ for particular praise. Chef’s signature dishes include the festive shahi murg mussalam, and fish lovers will dive into the jhol mach tarkari, while classy versions of more familiar dishes provide a nicely maintained, well-beaten track for the less adventurous. That exotically dressed doorman, meanwhile, is a local landmark in his own right. Price ALC: starter £3.35-£6.95/main £8-£16/sundries approx £3 Wine list Comprehensive, inc Indian selection. HW £15.50 btl Open Daily 12noon-2.30pm & 6-11pm (11.30pm Fri-Sat). Limited disabled access. Discounted takeaway menu. Private hire, up to 28. Parties 20+ welcome.
YAK YETI YAK
12 Pierrepont St, BA1 1LA Tel: 01225 442299, web: www.yakyetiyak.co.uk
• Laidback, authentic Nepalese restaurant in a cosy subterranean location recently singled out by Guardian food critic John Lanchester for some very high praise indeed. Food is flavoursome and funky, the veggie options are fabulous, everything from fresh stocks to the grinding of spices is done on the premises, and if your knees/back/lack of self-consciousness are up to it, you can dine Nepalese-style on floor cushions. Longstanding menu superstars include pork momos, chicken jhol, lamb tamar and Freak Street apples, but well-priced set meals cover all bases. Price ALC: £4.60-£5.50/£7.30-£8.90/£4.30-£4.60. SL/SD (12noon-2.30pm & 5-6.30pm): 3 £10.50. SM (your choice of main served with rice, dahl, aloo channa, poppadom, fresh stone-ground chutney) from £11. Wine list HW approx £12 btl. Lagers inc Nepalese varieties, interesting cocktails/punches Open Mon-Sun 12noon-2.30pm & 5-10pm (10.30pm Fri-Sat). Call in adv for disabled access & facility details. Discounted takeaway menu. Pre-booked parties welcome (party menus) - call/see website for details. |
