1. EMMELINE (116a Cheltenham Rd / 133 Cumberland Rd)
“Go and see Shona at Emmeline in Stokes Croft or in her new cafe at Spike Island for amazing toasties, great coffee, big healthy salads and a chat.”
The popular Cheltenham Road café, that doubles up as a florist, Emmeline has been open since 2016 and is highly regarded in the area, known for their indulgent toasties and health kick juices, the café has something for everyone.
Emmeline have recently opened their second café at Spike Island.
2. THE BANANA BOAT (117 Oxford St, Totterdown)
“My local greengrocer is the The Banana Boat in Totterdown. The guy who runs it is Italian and he also sells amazing olive oil and the odd bit of Italian charcuterie sometimes.”
The banana boat is open 7.30am – 6pm Mon – Fri and 7.30am – 4pm Saturdays, offering a wide selection of fresh fruit and veg.
3. THE BRISTOL CHEESEMONGER (Unit 8 CARGO 2, Museum Street)
“Simply put, the Bristol Cheesemonger is fantastic. In a shipping container at CARGO in Wapping Wharf, it’s all British cheeses. I’d recommend the Cornish Gouda and Cornish blue.”
The Bristol Cheesemonger specialises in quality, local and in season cheeses, with a small team of cheesemongers available in store to give you advice on their carefully curated range of cheese.
4. MATINA (Market Gate, St. Nicholas Market, BS1 1JQ)
“If you’re headed to Matina in St Nicholas Market for lunch then get there early or miss the queues for a late lunch. They do marinated lamb, chicken, halloumi, baked breads, naans and wraps to order in a clay oven.”
One of the longest standing traders currently in the market, you’ll be far from disappointed by Matina. Reasonably priced (roughly £4 - £7 per head) and highly regarded as a local secret by the people of Bristol – don’t say we didn’t warn you about the queues though!
5. PACO TAPAS ( Lower Guinea St, 3a The General, BS1 6TJ)
“Paco Tapas at The General is the tapas restaurant by chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias. I like to go there as much as possible even if it’s just for a glass of proper dry sherry and a little bit of jamón. I recommend the Chef’s Menu - it’s a great exploration of their dishes.”
With colourful and tasty dishes that stay true to the Spanish cuisine, Paco’s is not only known for it’s amazing food but for its attention to detail and creating the perfect customer experience. Sit up at the counter allowing you to watch the chefs at work whilst you dine.