United Kingdom
An oasis of a cafe on Gloucester Road. Relaxing and very friendly. Serving organic vegetarian food, delicious homemade cakes and the best hot chocolate. Includes vegan and gluten free options.
Old Vicarage, Gloucester Road, Bishopston (same building as Amitabha Meditation Centre)
0117 9745160
Newly refurbished Bar BS3 in Ashton, Bristol has a pleasant atmosphere, friendly staff, a good entertainment programme including karaoke, DJ music, live entertainment and a quiz night. There is a great menu of freshly prepared and charcoal-grilled steaks, burgers, chicken wings and vegetarian options at very affordable prices.
Ashton Road, opposite Greville Smyth Park and just along from the Bristol City Football ground
South of the river in Bristol is a bit of a nightlife black hole if you're not in Southville - but with the arrival of the S&D, the Windmill and the Bocabar, things are becoming slightly more exciting.
The S&D wins out over the other two though, because of its fantastic food, some of the best I've had in Bristol (better than many mediocre but far more expensive restaurants in town - Riverstation I'm looking at you).
It's not totally gastro though - downstairs is a more traditional pub, though wonky and trendy in that reclaimed-furniture style. And it's right by a big park. Lovely!
75-78 St Luke's Road, Totterdown
www.thestaranddove.co.uk
0117 300 3712
About 15 minutes' walk from the town centre.
It is an family-run Chinese supermarket. Stocks a wide range of Asian and Oriental food.
The world's only regular Slow Food Market. Held at St Nicholas Market on Corn Street on the first Sunday of every month, the market features stalls of fresh, local food of the very highest quality.
Now the largest food market in Bristol, its undoubted highlights include artisan bread from the Thomas Bakery, the lush Chocolate Workshop, top juices from St Nicholas Market stars The Big Banana, the almost legendary Pieminister Pies, Ginger Gallery's sensational brownies, organic meats, locally grown veg and much more.
This is the place to find out what south west food is really all about.
St Nicholas Market, The Exchange, Corn Street, Bristol BS1 1JQ
telephone: 0117 922 4014
email: markets@bristol-city.gov.uk
www.slowfoodbristol.org
Stylish modern restaurant with fantastic menu and attention to ethical detail; free-range, organic. All suppliers vetted to check on the condition animals are kept in; solar-powered!
Millennium Parade, Explorer Lane, Harbourside, Bristol, BS1 5TY.
Tel: 0117 3169173 / 0117 3169174
In the new Harbourside development on Bristol's waterfront. Difficult to find - but worth it.
www.thecarpediem.co.uk/
Tel: 0117 3169173
Bell’s Diner is friendly little restaurant in a converted 1950s grocery shop in the heart of Bristol’s most bohemian neighbourhood, Montpelier.
Chef/Owner Chris Wicks serves innovative contemporary food which features wild, organic produce that he sources locally. The menu includes dishes such as red onion and goats cheese tart, with frisèe and walnut dressing; grilled best end of lamb with harissa, roast aubergine and cous-cous; pot roast guinea fowl with orange, sage, anna potato and green beans; char-grilled squid with black bean sauce; licorice parfait with saffron pears and almond.
Only the freshest produce is used on the daily-changing menu.
There's a fantastic wine list and a knowledgable sommelier for those who want recommendations.
1-3 York Road, Montpelier, Bristol BS6 5QB;
tel: 0117 924 0357; fax: 0117 924 4280;
www.bellsdiner.co.uk
Extremely popular weekly farmers market in the city centre. Top quality bread, fish, fruit, vegetables and other locally produced food is brought for sale each and every Wednesday.
Corn Street, BS1
Quality Indian food in a trendily designed restaurant. Their Goan fish curry at £10.50 and the tandoori jheenga sheesh for £11.50 are delicious fishy treats.
216 Cheltenham Road, BS6 5QU;
Tel: 0117 924 0458;
www.ohcalcutta.co.uk
Kitted out in the finest Bollywood kitsch, this restaurant does one thing but does it well - thali. There's live music on Sunday evenings and they operate a tiffin takeout system, which explains why Montpelier residents keep coming and going with insulated take-away towers.
12 York Road, Montpelier BS6 5QE;
tel: 0117 942 6687;
www.onestopthali.co.uk
Europe's largest organic food festival held annually on the first weekend of September. A heady mixture of food, circus, drink, live music, celebrity chefs and The Observer's Seeds of Change photography exhibition draws the throngs to the harbourside location.
Harbourside
Take any bus to the city centre or 20 minutes walk from Bristol TM station;
www.soilassociation.org.uk
Run by a Chilean family, this is a deli with an emphasis on Fairtrade and organic produce. Upstairs there's a small cafe where on Monday nights you can go to practice your Spanish with latinos living in the area.
89 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, BS7 8AS; tel: 0117 944 6810
Reflecting Easton's eastern outlook is The Sweet Mart. Bills itself as the largest supplier of ethnic foods and spices in the south-west, something confirmed by its well-stocked shelves.
80 St Marks Road, Easton BS5 6JH; tel: 0117 951 2257
Stapleton Road Station on the Severn Beach suburban line from Bristol Temple Meads;
www.sweetmart.co.uk
Brasilian restaurant just over the road from the Bristol Royal Infirmary. The menu mixes Brasilian and Mediterranean influences to produce good tasting dishes. There's Brahma beer to enjoy out on the terrace at the back overlooking the city centre rooftops. On Monday nights there's live bossa nova & música popular brasileira. Ótimo.
90 Colston Street BS1 5BB
0117 929 1538
www.bocanova.co.uk
Small underground club owned by Massive Attack. The artwork by Jamie Hewlett and Banksy doubles up as speakers, there's pear cider and food available plus Daddy G plays a monthly Thursday night set alongside Mr Benn and Queen Bee.
1 Unity St, BS1 5UH
A perfect place for lunchtimes. During the day the glass arcade section of the market offers up an array of choice food. There's a cheese shop, Carribean food, Portuguese, Indian, Italian, Morrocan, a decent juice bar selling açai, two good deli counters and well sourced bangers and mash. Inside the market there's an unpretentious greasy spoon knocking out bacon sarnies. A number of independent traders operate in the market including Payback Records which has an impressive selection of reggae and jazz on vinyl.
Enter via Corn Street, High Street, All Saints Lane or Saint Nicholas Street.
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