Food Friday: Bristol's veggie eateries are cream of the crop

For this week’s #FoodFriday, in honour of vegetarian week (May 15th-21st 2017), we asked Brian Iles, Eat.Walk.Talk’s founder, to spill the beans on his top veggie Bristol eateries.

Eat.Walk.Talk run guided food tours enabling visitors to discover Bristol’s history at the same time as introducing them to its foodie highlights. Every month they run a vegetarian food tour so we knew they’d know their onions.

Image - Brian Iles, Founder of Eat.Walk.Talk Bristol Food Tours

Flow

One of our favourites is Flow, hidden down a flight of stairs near Bristol coach station just across from the Bear Pit. A seasonal vegetarian restaurant, they create food that belies its surroundings, served as enticing small plates along with vegan-friendly wines and good service.

Cafe Kino

Cafe Kino is an ethical, community-focused vegan and vegetarian cooperative café in Stokes Croft offering delicious wholesome, ethically-sourced food. Local art hangs on the walls and there’s a continuously changing event programme including life drawing and music. We tend to go for a window seat - it’s a brilliant place to people watch!

Fi Real

We love Fi Real – a Caribbean vegan and vegetarian café in the heart of Old Market. Authentic flavours and a menu with a punch of spice that’ll get you hooked. We return time and again for the cakes, dumplings and Jamaican Curry Quorn.

Eat a Pitta

Another much-loved stop on our monthly vegetarian tour is Eat a Pitta, we visit their stall in St Nicholas Market, but there are soon to be 5 others. Their popularity is based on bundles of salad, hummus, freshly made falafels and friendly service.

The Thali Cafe

If you’re after somewhere with a restaurant-feel but more laid-back than fine dining, The Thali Cafe offers a perfect midway option. At weekends we love to go for brunch and have a masala dosa as big as the table with a mango lassi or chai tea. Their veggie Thoran, Dhals and bondas are also delightful.
They are currently collaborating with Meera Sodha, whose book, ‘Fresh India’ is a fantastic read for Vegetarian receipe inspiration.

Souk Kitchen

Souk Kitchen serves Middle Eastern vegetarian dishes and was voted Best Mediterranean Restaurant in Bristol Good Food awards 2016. Its Southville site (the other is in Clifton) - home of the Upfest street art festival - has a striking Odeith picture on its façade. Our favourite menu choice is the Shashouska.

Birch

Birch is another brilliant Southville restaurant. Serving seasonal produce, many of their ingredients come fresh from their own field nearby. Converted from a former Off Licence, it’s a charming little place with a friendly, welcoming team. Chef Sam Leach elevates every ingredient to another level.

Where else?

Other Bristol restaurants to try with exceptional vegetarian dishes are the Michelin-starred Casamia, Bulrush and Adelina Yard.

About the author: Brian, a passionate traveller, foodie and blogger settled in Bristol 11 years ago and quickly came to love its vibrancy and history but most of all its food! Having spent 20 years working with food - both front of house and behind the scenes, Brian loves to share his passion on his Eat.Walk.Talk tours which allow visitors to discover Bristol one bite at a time…

If learning more about Bristol's heritage and sampling its foodie hot spots tickles your pickle, click here to find out more info and book an Eat.Walk.Talk tour here.

Image Casamia, credit John Arandhara-Blackwell