Features / EatDrink24/7
Bristol’s all-time food and drink favourites
If we shut down all restaurants, cafes, pubs and bakeries in Bristol, our city would probably lose its soul.
Whether you’re walking down Corn Street or a few miles away on Chandos Road; there is never a dearth of options. Spicy, tangy, sweet, sour or just pure tasty – you can choose what you want to indulge in at any nook and corner of our city, and always find something good to eat. What’s more, more often than not a restaurant you walk into will have a story. From families professing their passion and love for food to world-renowned chefs bringing their exemplary skills to our lovely city – Bristol is truly blessed.
EatDrink24/7 has been published every year since 2017 – photo: Chris Cooper/ ShotAway
In homage to our city’s food and drink scene, we get the best in the business to pick their favourite food spots each year for our EatDrink guide. Some places have been recommended over and over again – every year since we first published the guide in 2017.
Restaurants
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Bristol has the whole mix: low-key, affordable to top-notch, fine-dining. Gentle use of produce, refined flavours and an immaculate balance for the taste buds has ensured names like Adelina Yard, Box E, Bravas and Lido a permanent spot in the guide. The love for upscaled nuance in cooking extends well beyond, reaching the much-coveted Michelin-star-holding restaurants Bulrush and Wilsons, with the latter being awarded its first star last month. Some rustic favourites have been a fixture in the guide for years. The unfiltered, pure joy from a slice of Bertha’s Pizza or the spice-laden undertones of the Middle East from Souk Kitchen, could work best for foodies looking for an affordable yet tasty fix.
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Pubs and bars
For any pub or bar lover, Bristol is like a wonderland. There’s one hidden almost on every street, and every place has its own undeniable character. Over the years, people have raved about Bristol Beer Factory’s flagship pub, The Barley Mow, the colourful ceiling at The Gallimaufry, the sticker-ridden walls of The Hillgrove and the not-small selection of drinks at Small Bar.
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Food and drink shops
No city is complete without a plethora of food and drink shops. Ours has some gems that bring in produce from across the world, ensuring every national feels truly welcomed in Bristol. The Bristol Cheesemonger’s web of cheeses will ensure you walk out with bags of cheese, that you probably don’t even need. As luring as a cheese-quest, is shopping through Sweetmart’s fully-stocked shelves with produce from Asia and beyond. They also make some crispy samosas and delicious curries, for a mid-shopping snack. For every Chinese national, Wai Yee Hong in Eastgate is equivalent to Disneyland. You’ll find produce that you’ve never heard of or ingredients you’ve only read about neatly lined in the aisles of this supermarket.
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Cafes
Many in Bristol choose to work from home, as an excuse to wander into one of our city’s beautiful cafes. The way the cakes peer at you through the windows in Ahh Toots is almost criminal. Before you even know it, you’ve walked in and begun stuffing your face with their moist, heaven-like cakes. The muted undertones of coffees at Full Court Press are maximised when put together with the calm sofa seating downstairs. A cafe that’s been picked for years now, and is an undisputed Bristol24/7 favourite too, is Hart’s Bakery nestled under the railway arches of Temple Meads. Pick your own kind of little victory from Little Victories’ morning coffee, lunchtime sandwich or evening beer. If having a farm within the city wasn’t enough, Windmill Hill City Farm Cafe allows you to rejoice in nature’s arms while feasting on carefully sourced dishes, that celebrates local produce.
Matina sell homemade Kurdish naan breads, marinaded lamb, chicken and halloumi skewers with a choice of freshly made salads and sauces – photo: Martin Booth
Market stalls
Matina’s tasteful Middle Eastern picks were quick to become a favourite lunch option for the working staff near St Nick’s Market. A small stall helmed by Waild Abdi, serving Kurdish naan bread, Haloumi, marinated lamb and other delicacies has been picked as a favourite over and over again.
EatDrink24/7 2025 is in the works, scheduled to be published in June. We will also be throwing a party on June 19 to celebrate Bristol’s independent food and drink businesses. Subscribe to our weekly food and drink newsletter to stay updated about the latest on the guide: https://www.bristol247.com/newsletters/
Main photo: Irene Haro
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