News / New Openings
64 new openings to look forward to in 2017
1. Spuntino
Bristol’s newest foodie hotspot gets even better this year, with Cargo 2 set to contain 11 new food and drink businesses. From Russell Norman of Polpo fame comes a restaurant that on the website for its Soho home is simply described as having 27 stools and a popcorn machine. 2017’s most significant opening if it materialises has not yet been officially announced, but an application has been received by the city council.
is needed now More than ever
(Numbers 2 to 11 are all also coming to Cargo 2)
2. Gambas
Bravas‘ sister restaurant is set to specialise in prawns, seafood and authentic Andalusian tapas, with counter dining for all guests. “We are inspired by the casual and fun dining culture in Spain and are excited to create a new tapas bar,” says co-owner Kieran Waite.
3. Salt & Malt
The second Salt & Malt after their original home on Chew Valley Lake, serving gluten free fish and chips, as well as holding pop-up events and tasting menus.
4. The Athenian
Already with two sites in shipping container parks in London serving souvlaki, the popular Greek street food of a pita wrap filled with grilled meat or cheese.
CUPP specialises in Taiwanese bubble tea and noodles at their two current sites in Quakers Friars (Bristol’s original business in a shipping container) and St Stephen’s Street.
We’ll be down @SteamBristol @Bristol_Eats festive night market tonight from 5pm. Salt Beef, beer and tasty treats pic.twitter.com/mROmxM6Gjg
— The Pickled Brisket (@pickledbrisket) December 9, 2016
A Bristol street food favourites that will become the city’s first dedicated salt beef bar, serving locally-sourced hot salt beef sandwiches.
7. Oliver’s
Currently based in Backwell, Oliver’s is a family business making ice cream and sorbets from almost entirely natural ingredients.
8. TARE
A 20-cover restaurant from chef Matt Hampshire (formerly of Riverstation and Rosemarino), with a seasonal changing menu.
9. The Story
A butcher and takeaway dedicated to using whole animals as much as possible, raised responsibly, often organic and always free-range.
10. Pizzarova
The return to behind M Shed for Pizzarova which until recently was based out of its own shipping container here, with a sister restaurant on the Gloucester Road.
11. Big Juice
Fresh juice at the Mind Body Spirit event at the NEC today!! #health @BigJuiceBar #Nutritionists pic.twitter.com/XdTfz1vQk2
— SophiaKitchenTherapy (@sophkitchtherap) November 6, 2016
The final Cargo 2 business will be well known St Nick’s Market stall Big Juice, which for the last 15 years has been providing nutritional, freshly-prepared fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies.
12. Biblos
We are so excited to be introducing our new Calypso Kicthen to @WappingWharfBS1 now we need to get building.. pic.twitter.com/uHRNJIGeRU
— William Clarke (@biblos_uk) September 28, 2016
Completing the last food and drink piece of the jigsaw on nearby Gaol Ferry Steps, Bristol’s fourth Biblos will serve their signature fresh homemade wraps as well as a new ‘Kitchen Calypso’ menu exclusive to Wapping Wharf.
13. Paintworks
The Paintworks is more than doubling in size and once completed will have as-yet unannounced new food and drink offerings in two new phases.
14. Atomic Diner
Thanks to the @Atomicburgers team for letting me have a sneak peek at their exciting new restaurant yesterday. https://t.co/Xg2taC7tOV
— Craig Jones (@CJJournalist) December 23, 2016
Pizzas and burgers will be the order of the day on Union Street from the people behind Atomic Pizza, with the interior decoration featuring a smorgasbord of pop culture figures including a lifesize Daleks, Stormtrooper and the Simpsons family sat on their famous sofa near the kitchen.
15. Bosco
Also opening their second Bristol restaurant will be Bosco, bringing their pizzas to Regent Street in Clifton Village.
16. Foundry
Staying in Clifton, Foundry could be coming soon to Queen’s Road. Foundry is a new bar and restaurant brand owned by Marston’s, who run a number of Bristol pubs and bars including the Pitcher & Piano on the harbourside.
17. Côte
Heading in the other direction from BS8 will be Côte, opening their second city restaurant in Quakers Friars next door to L’Osteria, which opened at the end of last year.
18. Finzels Reach
Keep your eye on the food and drink businesses due to be announced in this brand new area of town which will be linked to Castle Park with a funky new bridge set to open this month.
19. Dela
One of the most intriguing new openings of the year is set to be Dela, a restaurant opening on St Mark’s Road in Easton which last year hosted sold-out pop-ups in Hart’s Bakery.
20. Vegan fish and chips
Also keep an eye out for a vegan fish and chip shop opening in Fishponds. Get a taste at a pop-up event at Matter Wholefoods on February 5.
21. The Smoke Haus
Opening in the ground floor of the Colston Tower is The Smoke Haus, already with restaurants in Swansea, Cardiff and Birmingham. Expect “mighty portions, house smoked meats, tender pulled brisket all with lashings of cheese”.
22. Savoie Faire
Just up the road, a new bar and restaurant is opening in the former fancy dress shop on Colston Street. It’s from the team behind Red Light cocktail bar on Unity Street and Weber & Tring’s, just a few yards away on the Christmas Steps.
23. Crazy For Pan
Continuing uphill, Crazy For Pan restaurant is set for nearby Park Row replacing the short-lived Little Secret.
24. Yakinori
A new Japanese restaurant is due to open on Park Street. Yakinori already has two restaurants in Birmingham and promises an open kitchen and takeaway counter for “fresh and tasty Japanese food at every opportunity”.
25. Superios
Back on Queen’s Road, Superios is opening in an unusual building next to the Victoria Rooms in which The Chopping House both opened and closed in the space of a few months last year.
Could 2017 be the year that this historic building is transformed into a restaurant?
27. Magpie
The former squat on the corner of Ashley Road and Picton Street, known as The Magpie, could become a bar and restaurant. It was purchased at auction last year year by the company behind The Lanes and Crofters Rights.
28. Welsh Back
Three former warehouses next to each other could continue to bring renewed life to Welsh Back, offering restaurants with outside seating overlooking the Floating Harbour.
29. Nelson Street
The revitalisation of Nelson Street is also set to continue; expect to see several ground floor units full here by the end of the year.
30. Pangea
In other news #FOOD pic.twitter.com/4iMz9qKjb6
— Pangea Bristol (@BristolPangea) October 14, 2016
Searching for new premises is Pangea, which appeared towards the end of last year in Prince’s Pantry on Prince Street serving fusion soulfood including burritos and fried chicken fillet sandwiches.
The Matatu Kitchen is a supper club run by friends Fozia and Edwina, cooking a modern take on Swahili and Somali food. Supper clubs have transformed into restaurants previously in Bristol, most notably Bravas. Could Matatu Kitchen be next?
Events In The Sky comes to Waterfront Square in September, with diners suspended 100 feet in the air from a crane. The table seats 22 guests strapped into their seats with three safety belts, with a head chef, sommelier and waiting team serving from a kitchen in the centre of the table.
33. Bristol Spirit
Got our DJ for #BowieBrunch. When we asked her if she was up 4 it she sent this pic. Yes, that is the Labyrinth soundtrack on vinyl. pic.twitter.com/EZKySqOo3c
— Bristol Spirit (@Bristol_Spirit) November 22, 2016
If you need a drink after that, Bristol Spirit on Whitehall Road in Redfield from the team behind Espensen Spirit could be the place. It opens on January 14 with a Bowie brunch.
34. The Mauretania
The Mauretania at the foot of Park Street is currently available to let. If brought back to life this year, it has the potential to be one of the city’s finest new bars.
35. Caribbean Croft
Although that title will be hard fought with Caribbean Croft rum bar and restaurant coming to Stokes Croft.
36. Raffy’z Lounge
Just a few doors down, Raffy’z Lounge (formerly the Dub Lounge) promise a musically orientated bar with home cooked food.
Despite an unsuccessful crowdfunding appeal, the UK’s first steampunk bar The Clockwork Rose is heading for St Stephen’s Street, serving craft beers and unique cocktails in a neo-Victorian setting.
38. Gin bar
There is also the possibility of a new gin bar opening in Old Market.
39, 40, 41, 42 & 43. Brewery taps
The brewery taproom is coming along nicely #bar #craftbeer #buildingabrewery #bristol #rufflingfeathers pic.twitter.com/Ej7GvYiycg
— Cocksure Brewing Co (@CocksureBrewing) December 22, 2016
2017 is set to be another big year for Bristol beer, with Bristol Beer Factory, Cocksure, Dawkins, Incredible Brewing Co and Wiper & True among the local breweries set to open tap rooms following the success of Moor and Left Handed Giant.
44. Micropubs
At the very end of last year, Lauren Tansey announced she no longer wanted to go ahead with opening the Cat & Bear micropub on Sandy Park Road in Brislington. But expect more micropubs in Bristol this year following the success of the Drapers Arms and Chums.
45. Wetherspoon’s
At the other end of the scale, a Wetherspoon’s wants to open on Gloucester Road. The proposed pub at numbers 349-353 was most recently an extension of the next door reclamation yard and is situated between the Anchor and the Royal Oak.
46. Temple Quarter
As well as in the new area springing up in the former car park behind Temple Meads with new units opposite Philpotts and Starbucks, look out too for the units on the ground floor of the offices the other side of the cheese grater bridge to be filled, following in the footsteps of Veeno which opened last year.
47. Cattle Market Tavern
Soon to be sandwiched between the new Bristol Arena and Bristol University’s second campus, now is the time for this historic pub to be resurrected.
48. Coffee & Beer
Opening in a former jewellers at 16 Cotham Hill and combining two of our favourite things.
49. Society
Among the cafes, Society is set to bring their speciality coffee to Narrow Quay having established themselves with two cafes in Bath
50. Department of Coffee and Social Affairs
With 10 locations across London and the winner of London’s Top Coffee House 2016 Award by Harden’s, this cafe tucked around the corner from L’Osteria in Quakers Friars will be their first opening outside the capital.
51. Grounded
The seventh Grounded in Bristol is due to open next to the Orpheus cinema in Henleaze in a site known to many local residents as the old sweet shop.
52. Origin
Following their small bar within Finisterre on Park Street, look out for a standalone Origin cafe.
53. Windmill Hill City Farm Cafe
Windmill Hill City Farm Cafe is expanding, having twice as many indoor seats and a new farm shop section.
54. Bristol Packet
Joining the nearby Kyle Blue floating hostel, a floating cafe is planned from Bristol Packet. Also acting as a waiting area for their popular boat tours, it will give new life to the Greenshank, a traditional narrowboat and a disused member of Bristol Packet’s fleet.
55. Page Park cafe
On firmer ground will be a cafe in a brand new building in Staple Hill’s Page Park.
56. You & Meow
On shaky ground at the end of last year after the sanctuary due to be providing its cats refused to give it their animals, You & Meow still hopes to become Bristol’s first cat cafe in newly found premises on Denmark Street. There will be 10 cats inside and a maximum of 16 customers spending £5 for an hour of what they hope will be a purrfect time.
57. Milk Teeth
In a rapidly gentrifying corner of Bristol, Milk Teeth in Portland Square promises to be much more than just a cafe, with a general store and also micro-financing other small businesses in St Paul’s.
58. Artist Residence
Staying on Portland Square, trendy hotel chain Artist Residence hope to turn the building at number 27 into swanky rooms with a restaurant, bar and cafe. Artist Residence already runs three hotels – in Pimlico in London, Brighton and Penzance – and is known for its quirky take on design.
59. Redcliff Quarter
A European-style food hall and market is being planned to form the central hub of Redcliff Quarter, with food and drink producers operating stalls and offering informal street food served at large central tables.
60. Redcliffe Wharf
Nearby, Redcliffe Wharf is another mixed use development including restaurants, bars and cafes. It has the potential to become this year’s version of Wapping Wharf.
61. The Pithay
The refurbishment of The Pithay will include 120,000 sq ft of creative offices, an art gallery, co-working space, restaurant and a bar as well as 10,000 sq ft of garden space.
62. The Guildhall
The historic Guildhall will be transformed into a £10 million luxury five-star hotel with a rooftop swimming pool, entrances on both Small Street and Broad Street, and restaurants and bars.
63. The Meeting House
Next to Hotel Du Vin, planning permission has been granted for a new restaurant within The Meeting House, a former Unitarian Chapel on Lewins Mead. The 18th century building was converted into offices in the 1980s but still has many of its original features including galleries, a mahogany pulpit and box pews, and wall tablets.
64. Alp Mac
Cheeky peek at our #fondue #macandcheese. White wine cheese sauce, Mac, croutons, fermented cucumber relish and @SomCharcuterie pic.twitter.com/8NZsbxR8vh
— Alp Mac (@Alp_Mac) November 15, 2016
And finally, Bristol’s food and drink scene is of course not only confined to bricks and mortar. A new street food stall to look forward to this year is Alp Mac blending classic macaroni and cheese and Alpine food. Find chef Chris Griffett launching Alp Mac at the Tobacco Factory Sunday Market on January 8.