On the inside of my kitchen cupboard I’ve taped a list of all the restaurants in Bristol that I want to try. If we’re hosting friends, have something to celebrate or just fancy a meal out, this makes it much easier to decide where to go! Here are my 10 highlights from 2023 of the best new (to me) places I tried:

• Old Market Assembly, Old Market – I’d seen recommendations of the Sunday roast here pop up again and again, and I tried their Christmas menu in December. I loved their sharing starter concept and the brisket I had for main was cooked beautifully. I’m keen to return to watch a show at The Wardrobe Theatre too!
• Muiño, Cotham – really delicious Mediterranean small plates, highly recommend.

Old Market Assembly

Old Market Assembly

Muiño

• Roam Wild x 404 Bakes, Whiteladies Road – this pop-up was a wonderful collaboration, the cakes are incredible and I particularly love Lucy’s chai latte. You can still find Lucy and her cute van weekdays in Cotham Park and at other events around the city.
• Viet Kitchen, Cotham – the second branch of this delightful eatery (the first is located in Stokes Croft) serving authentic Vietnamese food truly transports you to South East Asia. The summer rolls were fantastic along with everything else we tried.

Roam Wild x 404 bakes

Viet Kitchen

• Wilsons, Redland – save this one for a special occasion. It was my first time trying a tasting menu and the food was impeccable. Make sure to check out the bacon rolls from Wilsons Bread Shop a couple doors down too!
• Root, Wapping Wharf – flavourful vegetarian small plates.
• Mr Noodle, street food van – if you ever spot these guys at the Saturday Harbourside market or another event, make a beeline immediately. Their katsu curry is divine.

Wilsons

Wilsons

• Little French, Westbury –French cuisine at its best.
• Dhamaka, King Street – this has swiftly become my Indian restaurant of choice. Everything is cooked fresh and as a result they’re able to handle allergies really well.
• Odd Shop, Whiteladies Road – I couldn’t write a food blog post without mentioning a brunch spot! I believe this is a rebranding of Wayland’s Yard on the same site. I was delighted to discover that their pancakes are still excellent – when I visited there was an amazing apple crumble pancake special!

Little French

Odd Shop

We’re so lucky to never be short of amazing independent eateries in Bristol. Booking in advance is usually required for most of the restaurants, aim to book at least several weeks ahead if you’re after the prime Friday/Saturday evening slots.

I’d love to know if you’ve tried an amazing restaurant recently!

Alexa

P.S. If you enjoyed reading this post, why not take a look at my 2022 Bristol Food Highlights and Top Bristol Restaurants for a Celebratory Meal.

Header photo: Wilsons