The Bristol bar pouring wine, Guinness and success

Tall, shiny bottles of wine sourced from several countries are neatly arranged on shelves, the windowsill and behind the bar at Carmen Street Wine.

The bar on Carmen Beckford Street, a sister venture to neighbouring Caper & Cure, opened in September 2024 and has since expanded to have outdoor seating, opened a bottleshop and has now also been shortlisted for a Bristol Legends award in the Food & Drink category.

Owner Giles Coram, who also runs the neighbouring Caper & Cure, believes it’s the team’s passion that makes this place special.

“I think the passion that everyone who works with us puts into it really shines through,” said Giles.

Wine bottles can be seen everywhere inside Carmen Street Wine

He continued: “I was inspired quite a lot by small pubs and wine bars in London. When you go to London on a beautiful sunny afternoon, and there are people standing in the corner everywhere drinking Guinness and eating oysters.

“That was something that I wanted to replicate here.”

But Carmen Street Wine was the second golden feather in Giles Coram’s hat of success. The first being his restaurant Caper & Cure, which Giles Coram admits was born out of a childhood dream.

“I always had the idea of opening something like a jazz bar,” said Giles, recounting his early days of playing the piano and saxophone and then moving to London for drama school.

Giles Coram opened Caper & Cure in 2019 after taking rebranding the former Artshouse Cafe

After years of working with a caterer in Devon and at pubs across London, Giles moved to Bristol.

It was when driving down Gloucester Road – then not knowing the city at all – that he noticed a red place on the corner of Stokes Croft and Ashley Road.

When looking at what was then the former Artshouse Cafe, Giles took a faint liking to the place and was soon able to take over it. The Artshouse Cafe was then revamped into what is now Caper & Cure.

“It was really well followed with a quick buildup of regular customers, some of whom we built through the Artshouse,” said Giles.

A few months after Caper & Cure opened, the world went into a lockdown – causing businesses to halt operations abruptly.

Giles said: “Weirdly enough, although we couldn’t keep working, word of mouth spread of Caper & Cure through Covid.

“People were like, ‘when Covid’s over where do you want to eat?’ and there were a few good supporters of ours who would say ‘you should check out this restaurant, my friend runs this’.

“So when we reopened, we got really busy. Even though we were forced to close again in May 2021, there was that little bit in the middle where there was a buzz about us.”

When Covid phased out and Caper & Cure began operating normally, it was this buzz that helped it become popular.

Now nearly eight years later, Caper & Cure remains a favourite with the restaurant also recommended by several panellists in the EatDrink24/7 2025 guide.

Caper & Cure was recommended by several panellists for the EatDrink24/7 2025 guide

When developers of what is now Carmen Street Wine asked if he’d be interested in doing something in the Carriageworks unit, Giles agreed.

He also thought this was the perfect opportunity to address any downfalls at Caper & Cure.

Giles said: “One thing Caper & Cure always struggled with is the summer months because there is no outdoor seating.

“It gets really hot in the restaurant. There’s a glass roof at the back and big glass windows at the front. It’s not ideal for summer diners.

“I thought the new site was a perfect opportunity to have some outside seating.”

Carmen Street Wine now has now expanded its premises to open a bottleshop

The pub, Giles believes, is a “really great addition” to the corner, which has been received well by people in Bristol and beyond.

“When diners turn up early to Caper & Cure, and there’s no space, they can come here for a drink first and go next door.

“It also allows me to have a longer wine list and a bigger team. We now employ 15 people across both sites, but it works very much in unison.

“Everyone can work everywhere, which gives them variety. It gives energy and a wider focus.

“It’s hard work being in this industry. I want to go to a place of work, which is fun and to work with people I really do like having. And everyone here works with me and not for me.”

Bristol Legends is a new way for us to recognise and uplift the people, organisations and charities that make our city so special. We will be covering Bristol Legends, from all walks of life, with multi-media content across our channels. Awards will be announced at a unique celebration at Ashton Gate Stadium on March 6 2026. This will be unlike any awards show you have been to before so make sure to get your tickets here.

All photos: Karen Johnson

Read next:

• Wine bar expands to create new bottle shop and event space
• Caper & Cure: ‘Excellently executed food and cocktails’ – restaurant review
• Bristol Legends: The Shortlist