15 min readBristol is known for its fabulous food scene, from sizzling street food markets to glamorous speakeasies, and more award-winning restaurants than you can shake a stick at. Here are our recommendations for a food-tastic trip to the city...
1. Book a food & drink tour
One of the quickest ways to get familiarised with Bristol's fabulous food scene is with a tour, and we've got plenty to choose from!
Food Tours of Bristol offer expert guided tours around some of Bristol's top food & drink hotspots, including Wapping Wharf and North Street in Bedminster.
If you want the inside scoop on the best places to eat and drink around the city centre, or want to visit the area's top vineyards, book a tour with GOOD: Stories in Food, who are passionate about local and sustainable businesses.
You'll find more local food tours and experiences on Yuup.
Image - Food Tours of Bristol
2. Munch your way around St Nicholas Market
If you ask a Bristolian where you should head first on a trip to Bristol, St Nick's will definitely be on the list! Operating since 1743, you'll find row upon row of independent food traders inside and out, from hearty pies at Pieminister and Persian wraps at Matina, to Malaysian comfort food from Red Tiger, Spanish comfort food at La Lola, or Japanese gyoza from Eatchu. Make sure you arrive hungry and try dishes from a few different stalls!
There are several other markets around the city worth a visit, including street food markets throughout the week on Broad Quay, Finzels Reach, and in Temple Quay, plus weekly mixed food and craft markets at Whiteladies Road (Saturdays), Windmill Hill City Farm (Saturdays), and Tobacco Factory (Sundays).
Image - St Nicholas Market
3. Get to know Bristol's brilliant breweries
You really are spoiled for choice when it comes to great local beer in Bristol. Some names you may recognise already: Wiper and True, Lost and Grounded and Bristol Beer Factory are enjoyed up and down the country, but have their roots (and taprooms!) right here in Bristol.
Most of our local breweries offer regular tours if you'd like to find out more, or you can sample their wares at their brewery taprooms. If you're in Bristol on the late May or August bank holiday weekends, head along to the East Bristol Brewery Trail to see how many of the breweries you can tick off in one day, or get a ticket for Bristol Craft Beer Festival in June to try beers from across Bristol and beyond, all with a great view of the harbourside.
Image - Lost and Grounded Taproom
4. Drink and dine on a boat
If there's one thing we do especially well in Bristol, it's bars and restaurants on boats! Enjoy a G&T with a waterside view at 6 O'Clock Gin at The Glassboat, tuck into tapas on the harbourside at Under the Stars, or take in the sunshine from the top deck of The Grain Barge.
You can also book a Fish & Chips Trip on The Matthew, a Cream Tea Cruise with Bristol Packet Boat Trips, or a Sunday Roast aboard Brunel's SS Great Britain!
Image - Bristol Packet Boat Trips
5. Eat like a Bristolian
Make sure to try some local favourites - here are some top recommendations from our team!
- Proper fish and chips from Rendezvous Fish Bar in the city centre
- A bacon butty on the harbourside from Brunel's Buttery
- Fried chicken from Miss Millies (locations across the city, including Broad Quay in the centre)
- Hefty sandwiches from Sandwich Sandwich on Baldwin Street in the city centre
- A steak and ale pie from Clark's Pies on North Street
- Pizza by the slice (and a Spicy Margarita) from Renato's on King Street
- A Magic Roll or skepasti from Taka Taka (locations across the city, including Broad Quay in the centre)
- A kebab from Jason Donervan on Queens Road after a night out!
- A cake or pasty from Harts Bakery next to Temple Meads Station before getting the train anywhere
- Lunch by the riverside at Beeses in Brislington during summer
Check out our weekly Food Friday feature for more local favourites
Image - Cinnamon buns at Harts Bakery
6. Enjoy the view
Whether you're looking for a waterside restaurant or a rooftop bar, you've got plenty of options to enjoy a good view while you're drinking or dining in Bristol.
Take a seat on the huge terrace at The White Lion for iconic views of the Clifton Suspension Bridge and Avon Gorge, or enjoy the same view from a different angle at 360 Cafe at The Clifton Observatory. Harbour House, Mud Dock and Riverstation have some of the best harbourside terraces, while The New Inn and The Swan have beer gardens which offer impressive countryside vistas.
Image - The White Lion
7. Fill up at Bristol's food festivals
Bristol may be best known for its two biggest free festivals, Bristol Harbour Festival and the Balloon Fiesta, but the city's calendar also has some delicious food and drink festivals you won't want to miss.
Feast On has a stellar lineup of local restaurants, cookery demos, talks and market stalls for the discerning foodie - get your ticket for the 2026 edition (23 - 26 July).
FŌDA Festival hosts panel discussions and workshops, focusing on small-scale food & drink suppliers from across the South West.
Other annual festivals with a gastronomic focus include Valley Fest (August), Bristol Wing Fest (September) and Bristol Coffee Festival (September).
Image - Feast On
8. Drink up thy zider
The undisputed drink of the West Country, cider has whole songs dedicated to it in this part of the country (have a listen to 'Drink Up Thy Zider' or 'I am a Cider Drinker' by The Wurzels to really get in the West Country mood!).
Bristol has some quality cider pubs where you can get a schooling in dry vs sweet cider, and learn the meaning of the word 'scrumpy'. The Cider Box is Bristol's only cider taproom, serving up a rotating selection of local varieties. They also run regular tasting events, cheese pairings and cider tours.
Head to Bristol's cider boat The Apple in the city centre to sample your way around 30+ ciders, or The Orchard Inn near the harbour for 20+ local ciders. Many Bristolians also consider trying a half pint of Exhibition cider at The Corrie Tap in Clifton a rite of passage! It's also worth coinciding your visit with Bristol Cider Week or Cider Salon to learn even more about this popular local tipple.
Get to know some of Bristol's local cidermakers with a tour of the Thatchers cider farm, a tasting at Wild West Cider, or try some proper Somerset cider at The Alcoholery.
Image - The Cider Box
9. Explore the indies of Wapping Wharf
One of Bristol's newer districts has become a hub of fantastic independent eateries. Choose from over 30 places to eat and drink in this compact neighbourhood, with many of the restaurants tucked into the CARGO shipping containers. Choices include sushi from Seven Lucky Gods, French classics at Lapin, local beers at Junction and many more. There's also a bakery, fishmongers, butchers, cheese shop and a vegan deli for you to stock up on some local produce - or head to Better Food Co. for the best of organic food and drink.
- Book a gourmet food tour or street food tour of Wapping Wharf
Image - Seven Lucky Gods in Bristol. Credit Food Tours of Bristol
10. Soak up the atmosphere of King Street
If you're looking for a buzzing atmosphere, head to the cobbles of King Street, where you'll find 11 pubs and bars dotted along this short street, each with its own distinctive style. Listen to live jazz performances for free every night at The Old Duke, play arcade games at Kongs, check out the signed photos on the walls at Renato's, or work your way through the mega list of local beers and ciders at Small Bar and The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer. You can even visit the pub that Daniel Defoe took inspiration from for Treasure Island (The Llandoger Trow).
Image - King Street
11. Dine at Bristol's top-rated restaurants
Treat yourself to an extra special meal at one of Bristol's critically acclaimed restaurants. There are two MICHELIN-starred restaurants in the city, Bulrush and Wilsons, plus many others that have received multiple awards and glowing reviews, including COR in Bedminster, BANK in Totterdown, Noah's on the Harbourside, and 1 York Place or The Lido Restaurant in Clifton.
Image - Wilsons. Credit Ben Dixon
12. Head off the beaten track
Once you've ticked off the big hitters in the city centre, head out to Bristol's lesser-known districts for a more relaxed and local vibe.
Chandos Road in Redland manages to pack some of the city's top-rated food and drink into a blink and you'll miss it high street, from small plates at wine bar Snobby's to delicate pasta dishes at Little Hollows, Korean BBQ at Dongae and great value MICHELIN-starred dining at Wilsons.
Cotham Hill has many of Bristol's best-loved restaurants, including cosy tapas restaurant Bravas, Vietnamese canteen The Viet Kitchen, Mediterranean bistro Muiño and Indo-Chinese restaurant Rock Salt. Around the corner on Whiteladies Road are more big hitters, such as Pazzo, Condesa and Tapps Wine Bar.
Mina Road in St Werburghs is home to two brewery taprooms from Wiper and True and Fierce & Noble, plus award-winning Indian cuisine from Namak, dim sum and natural wines at Clouds, cosy Italian bites at Cafe Napolita, falafel wraps at Liya's, and sustainable fish and chips at Fisk & Frite.
On St Marks Road in Easton, you can stop into the East Bristol Bakery for some award-winning bread and cakes, pick up some delicious samosas from Jeevan Sweets, peruse the shelves at Sweet Mart, and then enjoy a tasty meal of Indian and Tibetan dishes at The Journey, or small plates and cocktails at the plant-filled Garden of Easton.
Image - The Farm in St Werburghs
13. Book a stay at a foodie hotel
Encorporate great food into every element of your visit with a stay at a hotel with an award-winning restaurant.
Hotel du Vin & Bistro in the city centre has an AA Rosette restaurant and an extensive wine list that pairs perfectly with their French and British-inspired menu. No.4 Clifton Village at The Rodney Hotel in Clifton also has an AA Rosette for showcasing local ingredients to a high standard.
Just outside the city, the opulent Thornbury Castle has a 3 AA Rosette restaurant, and The Curious Kitchen at Aztec Hotel and Spa has 2 AA Rosettes, as does Hattusa at country house hotel Berwick Lodge.
Image - Thornbury Castle
14. Sample some British classics
If you're visiting Bristol from overseas and want to try some local specialities or traditional English food, we've got some top recommendations for you!
Book a decadent afternoon tea at Ashwell & Co, tuck into award-winning fish and chips at Noah's, or comforting pie and mash at Pieminister. Try some locally-made sausages at The Clifton Sausage, or enjoy a Sunday roast with all the trimmings at The Christmas Steps pub.
Image - Fish and chips at Noah's
15. Bimble around Bedminster
Although Bedminster is best known for its street art and Upfest murals, the area is also filled with independent shops, cafes and restaurants for you to explore. Two of the biggest names are Bristol Beer Factory, who have their taproom on North Street, and the nearby Tobacco Factory, which has a large cafe and bar with a wholly vegetarian menu, a theatre upstairs, and a bustling Sunday market every weekend.
Further along North Street, you can pop into Spirited to browse their shelves for premium spirits, order a flight of top-quality whisky, or join one of their tasting events. Next door is Zara's Chocolates, where you can pick up handmade chocolate bars and truffles from their counter. Famous Bristol burger joint Ooowee has its diner a few doors away, or you can build your own pizza at Pizzarova. Wine lovers will enjoy a trip to natural wine bar KASK, while beer aficionados should pop into Lupe to see their latest keg and cask lineup.
Over on East Street, there's Indian restaurant Bombil, backstreet pizza joint Can Can Pizza, On Point Brew Co's taproom, and award-winning bakery The Bristol Loaf. Make a visit to nearby Windmill Hill City Farm to visit their shop and cafe, which uses produce from the farm and gardens.
Image - Spirited
16. Meet the producers
Not content with just tasting Bristol's brilliant food and drink? Learn more on a workshop, tour, tasting, or cookery class!
In addition to local food tours, there are also numerous brewery, distillery and vineyard tours in and around the city, from gin tasting at 6 O'clock Gin to exploring the award-winning Aldwick Estate vineyard.
You can even have a go at brewing a beer, making your own hot sauce or perfecting latte art! Take a look at Yuup for the latest hands-on workshops from independent businesses.
Image - Wild West Cider
17. Spend the day on Stokes Croft & Gloucester Road
Bristol's best-known area for indie businesses has to be Gloucester Road, which winds its way up from the city centre to the north of the city for several miles. Whether you're here to shop, get a bite to eat or attempt a pub crawl, you're guaranteed a good day out. Start out with brunch at The Nectar House or FED 313, pop into the various delis and specialist food shops, and stick around in the evening for drinks and live entertainment at The Gallimaufry, Blue Lagoon or Sidney and Eden.
Several buses go from the city centre to Gloucester Road, or you can take a local train from Temple Meads to Montpelier Station, where you can explore the local bohemian area around Picton Street before heading around the corner to Gloucester Road.
If you're in the area, it's also worth exploring nearby Stokes Croft, a hotspot for street art and live music venues, as well as several sustainably-minded restaurants, such as The Canteen and Poco. You can enjoy some Michelin-rated Korean dishes at Bokman, Sri Lankan cuisine and rum cocktails at Nadu, seasonal tasting menus at Caper & Cure, or Jamaican comfort food at Caribbean Croft. You're also on the doorstep of St Pauls, the best place in the city to find some authentic Caribbean food.
- Read our locals' guides to Gloucester Road and Montpelier
Image - Poco
18. Visit Bristol's award-winning bakeries
Finally, a trip to Bristol wouldn't be complete without nabbing some goodies at our top-rated bakeries, which have won numerous awards as well as the loyalty of many locals!
You'll find Harts Bakery just outside Temple Mead Station, serving up a classic selection of cakes, biscuits, bread and pasties - we love their custard tarts and cinnamon buns. Farro is based just by Cabot Circus and specialises in pastries made with organic and ancient grains - make sure to try their einkorn galette with seasonal fruit filling, or their decadent chocolate babka.
The Bristol Loaf has several locations around the city, which double up as both a bakery and cafe, making them an ideal spot for brunch or a coffee break. Look out for other popular local, independent bakery chains while you're in the city: Mokoko, Pinkmans and East Bristol Bakery. Us Bristolians love our cakes and bakes!
Other notable bakeries in the city include Ahh Toots on Christmas Steps (especially good for vegan bakes), Sotiris Greek bakery on Park Row, Bristanbul Turkish bakery on Gloucester Road, and Mark's Bread in Southville.
Image - The Bristol Loaf
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