The Granary, Welsh Back: ‘An exciting menu and a rock star welcome’ – restaurant review 

Some famous names have walked through the door of The Granary over the many years it has stood on the corner of Welsh Back.

The Bristol Byzantine building that has recently been brought back to life as a vibrant new restaurant was once home to the renowned music venue of the same name that saw the likes of Iron Maiden, Dire Straits, Thin Lizzy and many more play within its historic walls.

It’s an 11-month old baby who is getting the star treatment this Monday lunch however. Happily seated in a highchair looking out onto the cobbled streets outside, she is offered a banana from the breakfast bar by the welcoming team as iced water is brought to the table.

With the banana course under way, we turn our attention to the all-day menu, which works its way from dips to flat breads, past small plates and onto the section dedicated to meals cooked over fire.

It’s a modern menu with more than a nod to its Bristol roots, with a supplier map detailing the likes of The Story Farm in the Chew Valley, Branch Cider from an orchard behind Ashton Court and St Jude’s-based Wogan Coffee, among others.

The team here have pedigree from such places at Harbour House, Jamaica Street Stores and the Christmas Steps pub.

Flames can be seen flickering away in the open plan kitchen where two chefs are busy plating up for the diverse lunchtime crowd that includes families in for a half-term treat, workmates stopping for a quick bite, and a lone diner lingering over a bread and dip.

The Granary team are breathing new life into one of Bristol’s most famous buildings

The building – that was most recently home to Loch Fyne and before that Belgo – has been given a glow-up. The far wall boasts a vibrant mural by artist Ellen Donahue and long gone are the sticky floors of old, to be replaced with shiny wooden floorboards, while pastries and fruit are laid out on a small breakfast bar. The effect is bright, cosy and welcoming.

Having selected a dish or two from each section of the menu, we are met with an enticing array of food to set your senses alight.

In a city that has no shortage of great hummus, The Granary version, featuring fava beans, rapeseed oil and sunflower seed tahini (£6), more than held its own, while the roasted garlic and fresh herb yoghurt dip (£7) added a creamy zest.

The dips are accompanied by a glass of crudités served on ice. The raw beetroot, radish, cucumber and lettuce might not be to everyone’s taste, but I appreciate the refreshing crunch to offset the rich flavours.

The oyster mushroom sourdough flat bread (£10), one of six different flat bread options on the menu, is woodfired heaven. I could, however, have easily devoured a bread twice the size – we had sauces to spare by the end and we’d run out of carbs.

Dips to die for, along with crudités, fish tempura and a courgette that has received a masterful fire grilling

The day boat fish is a little parcel of flame-grilled perfection

The blackened courgette (£7) from the small plates menu is an example of how an open flame can turn a humble vegetable into something quite special. This one only benefitted further from a generous dousing of crispy chilli oil and garlic yoghurt. A crunchy, flavoursome white fish tempura (£9) is also lifted to new heights when smothered in the Szechuan sauce that tingles the tastebuds.

The dayboat fish (£24) wrapped in a kale leaves and cooked over fire is a little parcel of flame-grilled perfection. Little being the operative word here. While the fish, served with coconut adobo, habanero sambal and sweet pickles, is an undeniably exciting dish, with sauce just begging to be mopped up, it does feel like quite a small portion for the price tag. I’m left wishing we’d ordered some hearty carbs to accompany it.

The silver lining is that this leaves room for desserts which here are very much the jubilant encore rather than the afterthought they are in so many restaurants.

The sherry trifle (£9) – with Harvey’s Bristol Cream of course – is an exceedingly classy take on a classic British pudding. The chocolate mousse (£9), meanwhile, is a rich, decadent delight that leaves others of its genre in the dust.

Desserts at The Granary are a jubilant encore

Washed down with a classic margarita (£9) and a spicy version of the same cocktail (£9), complete with a chilli flake rim and whole green chilli on top, the meal is a triumph.

With future plans to reopen the downstairs bar – once, famously, the location for the scene where Del Boy fell through the bar in Only Fools & Horses – The Granary is an offering that brings something new and exciting to a city that has strongly influenced every part of it.

Whether you remember the historic building as it was five decades ago or are here for the smiles and free banana, expect a warm, rockstar welcome and a great Bristol menu.

The impressive Bristol Byzantine building was once a music venue

The Granary, 32 Welsh Back, Bristol, BS1 3SB
www.granarybristol.com

All photos: Ellie Pipe

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