Bristol’s best food & drink of 2018

Bristol continues to be a nationally renowned centre for food and drink. Here are our top picks of 2018:

BEST RESTAURANTS

Inside the compact dining room of Bulrush, which was awarded a Michelin star in October 2018

1.  Bulrush
21 Cotham Road South, Cotham, BS6 5TZ
2018 was the year when this small neighbourhood restaurant, which has steadily been building up an enviable reputation since it opened in 2015, gained a coveted Michelin star, propelling it into the culinary premier league.

2. Casamia
The General, Lower Guinea Street, Redcliffe, BS1 6FU
The epitome of stylish dining in Bristol. Casamia draws in punters from across the world and flies the flag for the city’s food and drink prowess.

3. Box-E
Cargo 1, Gaol Ferry Steps, Wapping Wharf, BS1 6WP
Like being welcomed into the living room of a pair of good friends, and them cooking a meal that is as big-hearted as their restaurant is small.

4. Wilsons
24 Chandos Road, Redland, BS6 6PF
Proclaimed as the restaurant where Financial Times critic Tim Hayward had his best meal of 2018. “So much skill, talent, true hospitality, and, frankly, love” he wrote.

5. Root
Cargo 1, Gaol Ferry Steps, Wapping Wharf, BS1 6WP
Root picked up the accolade of a Michelin Bib Gourmand this year. It’s a small and playful restaurant with sustainability at its heart.

BEST PUBS

Cats are to be found sleeping on the bar in Bag of Nails in Hotwells

1.  The Bag of Nails
141 St George’s Road, Hotwells, BS1 5UW
Whether it’s vinyl records, Lego, quizzes and, of course, its menagerie of resident cats, this pub is a rare gem. Landlord Luke is a keen supporter of small independent breweries with regularly changing beers on cask and keg. The pub has even started hosting the occasional live music this year, including the aptly-named Lost Cat.

2. The Drapers Arms
447 Gloucester Road, BS7 8TZ
Bristol’s original micropub is the pub that all beer drinkers would love as their local. Ales on tap here have never come from far away and there is always a welcoming, mobile phone-free atmosphere.

3. The Star, Fishponds
539 Fishponds Road, Fishponds, BS16 3AF
Featuring an on-site brewery, outdoor seating area, wood-fired pizza oven and lots of very happy regulars.

4. Chums
22 Chandos Road, Redland, BS6 6PF
Named as this year’s Camra Bristol & District pub of the year and like fellow micropub the Drapers showing just how good taking things back to basics can be.

5. The Hillgrove
53 Hillgrove Street North, Kingsdown, BS2 8LT
What a traditional British pub should be, with an ever-interesting array of beers, cosy little corners and a courtyard garden.

BEST BARS

Bar Buvette offers an authentic taste of France in the middle of Bristol

1. Bar Buvette
31 Baldwin Street, BS1 1RG
For the most authentic taste of France in the middle of Bristol, with one of the biggest and best selections of wine in town served by the friendliest and most knowledgeable team. Come for an afternoon and stay for the evening.

2. Small Bar
31 King Street, BS1 4DZ
At the heart of Bristol’s ‘Beermuda Triangle’ is a place to while away many a day and night from the team behind Left Handed Giant.

3. Bristol Spirit
86 Whitehall Road, Redfield, BS5 9BQ
Imbued with a real sense of fun, from sausage dog-judging competitions to classic album evenings and regular kitchen residencies.

4. The Milk Thistle
Quay Head House, Colston Avenue, BS1 1EB
Bristol’s most opulent speakeasy, hidden in plain sight on the centre with every nook and cranny worth exploring.

5. Wild Beer
Gaol Ferry Steps, Wapping Wharf, BS1 6WE
There aren’t many breweries in the UK as innovative and exciting as Somerset’s Wild Beer. Try their wares here alongside a fine array of other beers from across the UK and further afield.

BEST CAFES

Inside No.25A on Old Market Street, an area named by the Sunday Times as one of the UK’s coolest neighbourhoods

1. No. 25A
25A Old Market Street, Old Market, BS2 0HB
Chris Williams quietly sold his original business, No. 12 Easton, earlier this year in order to concentrate solely on No. 25A. It has paid off, with this cafe-cum-bar at the forefront of the regeneration of Old Market, which was recently named by the Sunday Times as one of the UK’s coolest neighbourhoods.

2. Little Victories
7 Gaol Ferry Steps, Wapping Wharf, BS1 6WE
At the beating heart of Wapping Wharf, Little Victories acts as its most popular meeting point, serving the area’s best coffee. Grab a pastry or cake before they sell out, or go in the evening for the wine and cheese.

3. Society Cafe
Farrs Lane, Narrow Quay, BS1 4QA
What do we all do before this absolute beauty of a cafe arrived in our midst? Perennially popular and one of the best spots in town for people watching.

4. Milk Teeth
21 Portland Square, St Paul’s, BS2 8SJ
Milk Teeth owner Josh Bowker has taken things back to basics this year and his cafe is all the better for it.

5. Albatross
60 North Street, Bedminster, BS3 1HJ
Undoubtedly one of Bristol’s most Instagramable locations, but Albatross is so much more than just a pretty face.

BEST STREET FOOD

Ordering a charcoal-grilled kebab from Murray May’s van is a New Year’s must

1. Murray May’s
If there’s one thing you do this month (other than celebrate Christmas with your nearest and dearest), it’s to find Murray May’s charcoal-grilled kebabs.

2. Alp Mac
Made of four different cheeses and a whole host of toppings. Who knew macaroni cheese could taste this good?

3. The Little Taquero
From this year making their own tortillas on a machine they imported from Mexico, making their tacos even better than before.

4. Momo-Bar
Ugyen Choephell brings a taste of Tibet to the streets of Bristol with a range of vegetarian and meat filled dumplings.

5. Don Don
Makoto Nakamura was a dancer with the National Ballet of Japan. After injury prevented him from continuing his dancing career, he moved to the UK to follow his other passion – food.

BEST FOOD & DRINK EVENTS

The Coffee House Project was a caffeine-fuelled celebration in September

1. The Coffee Project
Passenger Shed; September 7 & 8
A caffeine-fuelled celebration of the best the city has to offer, this two-day coffee festival focused on local, artisan roasters, independent food and drink retailers, and home-grown baristas.

2. East Bristol Brewery Trail
Various venues; May 5 & 6 and Aug 25 & 26
Bristol has become nationally renowned for our breweries and this is the best chance to drink their wares from the source.

3. Food Connections
Various venues; June 11-17
The return of this citywide festival saw more than 100 events taking place across the city from Barton Hill to Bell’s Diner.

4. Bristol Craft Beer Festival
Lloyds Amphitheatre; September 14-16
Moving this year from Motion to the Lloyds Amphitheatre just made the party even better, helped of course by plenty of mighty fine beer.

5. Dal Festival
Various venues; March 19-25
The first festival of its kind in the UK included a dal trail around restaurants and cafes, with venues serving signature dals of many varieties with a champion dal awarded at the end of the week.

BEST SHOPS

Hart’s Bakery remains the epicentre of all that is good about food and drink in Bristol

1. Hart’s Bakery
Arch 35, Lower Approach Road, Bristol Temple Meads, BS1 6QS
Hart’s Bakery remains the epicentre of all that is good about food and drink in Bristol, This year, the team also opened their forecourt to startup businesses for the first in a new series of Starts at Hart’s events.

2. Zara’s Chocolates
200 North Street, Bedminster, BS3 1JF
Zara Narracott moved her shop into a new and larger home this year and hasn’t looked back. Bristol’s very own Willy Wonka continues to innovate and excite.

3. Better Food
St Werburgh’s, Whiteladies Road & Wapping Wharf
Better Food’s largest shop in St Werburgh’s introduced an innovative zero-waste dispensary food system this year. Expect to see it in their other shops soon.

4. The Bristol Cheesemonger
Cargo 2, Museum Street, Wapping Wharf, BS1 6ZA
Rosie Morgan’s shop was named the UK’s best speciality retailer at the Great British Cheese Awards 2017, and this year hasn’t rested on its laurels, with wine served on its terrace becoming a prime summer spot.

5. Corks
54 Cotham Hill, 79 North Street and Cargo 1
Each of the three different Corks is a cornucopia of liquid delights, with the Wapping Wharf shop also doubling-up as Bristol’s smallest bar.

Read more: Bristol’s best new food & drink of 2018