Meeting up with some friends in Bristol just before Christmas and looking for a couple of good restaurants, any suggestions? Putting quality above about value for money in this instance as it’s a bit of a treat.

Cheers

Yum yum thai on park street is authentic tasting thai food.
Browns is pretty swanky.

Bordeaux quay
Hotel du vin
Bells diner

erm,
Goldbrick House
Olive Shed
?

Thanks for the suggestions, A few to take a look at.

Prosecco- The Mall in clifton. Great small family run Italian. Close to some great Pubs. They were on the F word. The Venison is Gert-Lush as we say round here. Book up though, as they fill up quickly especially at thet time of year.

What kind of food and where in Bristol?

Casamia in Westbury is some of the best, and swankiest food you will get in Bristol. It’s very nouveau cuisine though, so if you are not in the mood for a tasting menu and some slightly pretentious food, I would stay away.

Othereise, down nearer the centre, these are some of my favourites at the moment:
Riverstation
Glassboat
Flinty Red

I would also agree with Wrecker, although the service at Bordeaux quay was appalling last time I was there, but the food was good.

They all have different atmospheres, some smaller and cosy, some large and bright, all depends what you want, and of course what kind of food.

Type of food probably French/modern British cuisine. Would prefer small personal type of atmosphere rather than large and slick although if the food is outstanding then large is OK. We’ll be staying in the centre of Bristol but am happy to get a taxi is somewhere is worth the trip.

Casamia in Westbury is some of the best, and swankiest food you will get in Bristol

Really?? Has it had a make over – last time I was there (several years ago, I admit) it was nowt special. Villagers, round the corner, is small, personal and rustic, but a bit variable.

Riverstation, Glassboat and Bells Diner have been very good for me in the past.

Bell’s Diner in Montpelier, 10 minutes walk from the City Centre.

Ah, beaten to it!

3 for Bell’s Diner. Looking like a good option.

Clifton Kitchen is very, very good; but you need to ask for a table upstairs.

More puby posh food, then the Clifton Sausage is good.

For Chinese, if you can get over the 80’s decor the New Emperor court is very good.

and for Curries, that taste of curry, then the Brunel Raj is excellent

Further out of CLifton Village, Sands (Moroccan) is worth a look, as is the Lido for posh food in a great atmosphere.

Prosecco- The Mall in clifton. Great small family run Italian. Close to some great Pubs. They were on the F word. The Venison is Gert-Lush as we say round here. Book up though, as they fill up quickly especially at thet time of year.

Really? last time I went in there is was absolutely awful, and some friends who went 6 months ago walked out it was so bad.

I’d stay out of Clifton personally. The place is nice; the people aren’t.

Depends on the part of Clifton surely, as its a big area?

I’ve not been to many places in Bristol, but I did like Goldbrick House.

bristolbikes, Casamia has a Michelin star, and the few times I have been there I would definitely say it deserves it. The last tasting menu I had there was one of the finest meals I have ever eaten, really amazing. So I guess quite a makeover.

If you want small, atmosphere and something quirky, definitely Bells. They seem to have stopped the Tandoori ice cream a few years ago, but its always been god when I have been

@mattjng – well, fair enough. I’ll have to give it another go – though the website looks nice, if a little unfinished. Would be nice if there was something properly ‘special’ within spitting distance, rather than having to go into town.

Bells Diner is better than Glassboat, Bordeaux Quay, Goldbricks, Riverstation and Hotel Du Vin.

It’s in a bit of a ropey area if you’re not used to Stokes Croft, but it’s all harmless unless it’s riot season.

I think thebunk sums it up nicely….. 😉

Went to Bells Diner 25 years ago!
Surely not the same people?

May I suggest The Pony & Trap, which is in Chew Magna just down the road from Bristol.

A very experienced and well traveled chef with a Michelin Star.

My wife and I went there to celebrate our anniversary – the food was lovely.

http://www.theponyandtrap.co.uk/pub.html

Clifton Lido
Flinty Red
Picture House East

All are good. Bell’s Diner seems a favourite with my very knowledgable foodie friends, though never been myself.

Places I would not recommend
Picture house east

That is all.

used to be good but the kitchen was recently taken over by the owner who is serving some dreadful stuff, the kitchen is truly disgusting, I mean the worst smell ever. I had the misfortune to go in their walk-in fridge last week!

Their old chef now works at the robin hood on glos rd, which is definately worth a look

My current favourite restaurants:
Flinty red
Devs on glos rd (south Indian)
Rosamarino in clifton
The lido
Runciple spoon in stokes croft

At the risk of sounding like a ponce, bells diner is not exactly cutting edge anymore, kinda old news these days

Priory Restaurant @ The Bath Priory…not eaten there yet but its on my ‘to do’ list.

Home

Run by an old friend of mine, very good apparently(not made it yet myself)

Pony and trap is nice, but I’ve no idea why it has a michelin star. Casamia is the best food I’ve eaten in bristol, followed by upstairs at Bordeaux quay.

Rusty, the bath priory is excellent, but quite formal.

“Dirty Mikes”

Even the rats left 😉

Pizza Palace near The Hippodrome.

Seriously, based on good hearsay The Pumphouse.

Pony and trap is nice, but I’ve no idea why it has a michelin star.

I felt a bit like this too.
Food was good, but not outstanding.

ransos – Member
Rusty, the bath priory is excellent…

That’s good to hear.

ransos – Member
…but quite formal.

Figured as much…I don’t mind donning my best bib & tucker once in a while.

If you end up doing lunch too then check out the Cowshed on Whiteladies. They have just opened a butchers next door too which is excellent – a really original reinvention of a butchers with the prep area open to see what they do and a glass doored walk in fridge. They had rabbits hanging up the other day when I stopped by for a sausage roll off the BBQ they have out front. 🙂 Not sure what the evening menu is like – but if the lunch is anything to go by it should be very good.

Not really been out for a good meal in Bristol in a long time but some of my old favourites are:

Hotel du Vin
Sands (lebanese in Clifton which has always been excellent and great for a large group as well as a couple)
Glass Boat – used to eat there a lot

Harvey Nichols is also very good, I was put off as I prefer small individual places but it is very good and impeccable service.

For Italian you can’t go wrong with San Carlo (been going there since I first went to Bristol in 1999) and I have heard good things about Prosecco in Clifton.

I can’t recommend Aqua on Whiteladies – only restaurant I have ever walked out of. Shame as I had some good meals in the original one down opposite Glass Boat. Maybe we were unlucky that night. Maybe not.

The Masa Masa Japanese on Baldwin street is very good and I have heard good things about the smaller place opposite. Keep meaning to visit the little Japanese in Clifton.

Loch Fyne also opposite the Glass Boat is also very good but again a chain. Obviously good for fish but San Carlo is also very good for fish and there is a fish place in Clifton and an expensive but very good one on Whiteladies/Blackboy Hill.

For Asian I would say definitely the restaurant above the Chinese Supermarket behind Ikea – ended up in there by accident on their opening night a few years back and have been back since with some Chinese colleagues. The Thai on the bus route from the fountains towards Queens square is also supposed to be very good and always full.

On Welshback Severn Shed is good and Riverstation and the other boat next to Glass Boat is supposed to be okay. Probably more of a place to go when out with friends for music/theatre etc. Talking of which the Old Duke is very good for live music.

Cowshed: http://www.thecowshedbristol.com/

obviously they like their beef!

oh and Junipers in Cotham was also very good.

Another vote for Clifton Sausage (with a cider in the Corrie Tap nearby).

Severnshed is good as well in my experience and there are a couple of nice Italians; one almost under the bridge at the bottom of Park Street and one on Corn Street, the name escapes me.

Bells Diner or Juniper are the best allround.
Massa is very good and reasonable if you like Japanese and if you go for a Tappenyaki table it’s good entertainment.
Fishers in Clifton is good if you like fish and seafood.

Bells Diner and Casamia.

Bell’s Diner and Casamia.

That I’ve decided to go for. Bell’s on the Friday and Casamia on the Saturday.

Thanks for the input everyone.