The coolest place in Bristol. I spotted it in The Guardian and have loved it ever since. Top music, laid-back atmosphere and some great acts - check out jazzsters like cool vocalist Nick Langston if you get a chance.

St Nicholas Street, Bristol
www.tantric-jazz.co.uk

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Another reason to visit Stokes Croft. As you come in through the door there's a lounge bar area with a good selection of Spanish & Portuguese beers. Towards the back is the restaurant area. Their tapas is imaginative and well prepared.

130 Cheltenham Road, BS6 5RW;
tel: 0117 944 2442;
www.one30.co.uk

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Bristol has greedily twinned herself with a host of cities, Oporto, Hannover, Tbilisi in Georgia, Beira in Mozambique, Guangzhou in China and Puerto Morazan in Nicaragua. Acknowledging the French connection is this ambitious venture which sets out to change attitudes towards food. Within the large dockside premises is a restaurant, deli, cafe, bakery and a cookery school. The food is conscientiously sourced mostly from within a 50 mile radius and is magnificent. Foodie paradise.

Canons Road, BS1 5UH;
enquiries: 0117 906 5550;
reservations: 0117 943 1200;
www.bordeaux-quay.co.uk

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Sister pub to The Pipe & Slippers across town. The ethos is much the same, mixing pub and bar culture with a kitchen that does tapas and pieminister pies. The real boon of this place is the 1970s NSM jukebox which only plays vinyl. It won't accept today's new fangled coins mind, so old school 10ps and 50ps are bought from the bar.

14 Windmill Hill, BS3 4LU;
tel: 0117 963 5440;
Take the suburban train line to Bedminster station from Bristol Temple Meads;
www.thewindmillbristol.com

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A lounge club with good drinks and live music. It's in the heart of Clifton so the crowd can be a little stuffy on occasion. However, Thursday nights are a more laid back affair as the club is set aside for live jazz and latin music.

15 Richmond Terrace, BS8 1AA;
tel: 0117 973 0986

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On the outskirts of the city centre lies a place called Bedminster, within Bedminster there lies a bar called Bar Salt. One of the nicest bars you will find in Bedminster, it has everything from great freshly cooked food, a lovely al fresco beer garden to sit in the sunshine and enjoy your drink and pool tables.

As soon as you walk through the doors you're transported to a relaxed and friendly place where you can chill out alone or with friends. It has an excellent quiz every Monday night, DJ'S on Friday night and Open Mic night every Tuesday (hosted by Ryan Kenning, Ricky Martin and Neil Young - no that's really their names!!) which I have to say is the most fun I've ever had! The standard of local talent that gets up and performs is amazing, from guitars to solo singers with stunning voices, not to be confused with karaoke! All in all an excellent place to go any day of the week!

4-6 North Street
Bedminster
Bristol BS3
Tel: 0117 953 1446

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A bar with the finest selection of whisky in Bristol. Open until 4am on Friday nights and 6am on Saturdays, it has become a place where DJs, late night revellers and insomniacs congregate after everyone else has gone to bed.

1 Park Street Avenue, BS8;
tel: 0117 9250890

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A bar and pizzeria next door to the Old Vic that stays open late into the night. Their links to the theatre are evident from all the autographed publicity mug shots of actors that hang from the walls and it's oddly enticing to pick out the celebs from these. Their oven knocks out superb thin crust pizzas throughout the night.

33 King St, BS1 4DZ;
tel: 0117 929 7712

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A special pub tucked away in Stokes Croft with Bath Ales and locally brewed beers on tap. DJs play eclectic tunes in the evenings to a savvy crowd. There's a little beer garden out the back and they do food too, good chips.

Hillgrove St, Stokes Croft, BS2 8JT;
tel: 0117 909 6612

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Set up by local DJs, this is a stylish bar which can't be faulted for its music policy of funk, hip-hop, latin, soul and jazz. Great when quiet but sadly it can be a victim of its own success and get very busy.

37 Triangle West, Clifton BS8 1ER;
tel: 0117 940 6101;
www.theparkbristol.com

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Pub of the moment. A traditional style boozer that mixes in the best of bar culture. Their Portuguese chef serves up her 'petiscos' and there are Pieminister pies bought in from just down the road. DJs subtly spin their records come the evening.

118 Cheltenham Rd, BS6 5RW;
tel: 0117 942 7711;
www.thepipeandslippers.com

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Late night bar with a combination of Chinese and Mexican on the menu. There's live music every night and open mic evenings. It's a place where Bristol bands from across the music spectrum come to play. Just beware the absinthe.

33 St Stephens Street, BS1 1JX;
tel: 0117 927 3221;
www.mrwolfs.com

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Like Rome, Bristol lies on seven hills. Despite this, cycling remains the best way to get about. The city can get congested and the public transport system is in the hands of an unresponsive privately owned monopoly. The Bristol - Bath cycle path is a great 13 mile traffic-free ride that takes you along the River Avon and past a number of decent pubs.

www.bristolbathrailwaypath.org.uk

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A trio of brightly coloured rooftop cubes make it easy to find. The rejuvenation of this formerly dilapidated Victorian paint and varnish factory is a fine example of urban renewal. It's now an ever evolving hub of studios with an art gallery on-site. There's also the Brasilian Bocabar providing good food and drink to reward you for a trip off the beaten track.

Bath Road, Arnos Vale, BS4 3EH;
tel: 0117 972 8838;
Take bus numbers 1, X39, 178 & 349 from the city centre or from Bristol Temple Meads train station;
www.paintworksbristol.co.uk

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Inside it looks as though the proprietors paid a visit to the Lord Chancellor's residence and liked the wallpaper. Decor aside, Goldbrick House has had a great deal of time, effort and thought put into it and is a nice place to eat and drink. Noteworthy is the balcony on the top floor looking out onto leafy Brandon Hill to one side and down into the city on the other.

69 Park Street, BS1 5PB;
tel: (0117) 945 1950;
www.goldbrickhouse.co.uk

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Many an up and coming band, including Coldplay, The White Stripes and The Libertines, have played a live gig at The Louisiana. Downstairs is a pub and upstairs is the small function room and stage. Cosy.

Wapping Road,
Bathurst Terrace BS1 6UA
www.thelouisiana.net

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Cinema housed in former industrial premises with 3 screens showing the best in independent and foreign film. The programme is persistently strong and it plays host to a number of film festivals throughout the year, including the widely praised Brief Encounters short film festival. If film isn't your thing then the Watershed has a superb Cafe/Bar and free wireless connection for laptop boffins.

1 Canon's Road,
Harbourside BS1 5TX
www.watershed.co.uk
www.dshed.net

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Right in the heart of the city St Werburghs is a unique neighbourhood which down the years has attracted hippies, travellers and artists to live there. Entry to the farm is free. There is a range of livestock, a community garden, an adventure playground, a farm shop and a cafe which Gaudi appears to have been let loose on. Adjacent to the cafe is The Farm pub where on Sunday nights Dj Derek plays from his consummate reggae selection and chats away to the crowd in his Jamaican patois.

Watercress Rd,
St Werburghs BS2 9JY
0117 942 8241
www.stwerburghs.org

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Dockside contemporary art centre built into a 19th century warehouse. Attached to the galleries is a cinema and an impressively stocked specialist bookshop. The provocative cafe bar, designed by artist Bruce McLean, has seating outdoors perfect for summertime. Next to the outdoor seating is a sculpture of Italian explorer John Cabot looking longingly to the harbour's exit and out to the sea beyond.

16 Narrow Quay BS1 4QA
www.arnolfini.org.uk

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Renowned Bristol jazz joint named after Duke Ellington. The live music every night ranges from traditional New Orleans to more modern interpretations. The walls and ceiling are plastered with old and new jazz posters evoking memories of gigs and artists. Each year over the August Bank Holiday weekend The Old Duke holds its own jazz festival which takes over the lower end of King Street.

45 King Street BS1 4ER
www.theoldduke.com

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