The It’s Just Nice Little Black Book of Bristol!

Happy New Year everyone! Sorry for the lack of new posts but its been a crazy week getting back into work!

Anyway, to see in the New Year the lovely Meg and myself have had the pleasure of being published in the fanstaitc Crumbs Magazine: Food and Drink in Bristol, Bath and the South West. And we wanted to share with you all our Little Black Book of places to eat in Bristol!

So with no further delay this is our Little Black Book!

Breakfast – Primrose Cafe – This is the perfect people watching spot in Clifton village and has a cracking brunch menu at the weekend. The bubble and squeak is a firm favorite, however if you’re feeling decadent its all about the french waffles!

Best Brew – Brew – These guys are relatively new kids on the block and have opened up on Whiteladies near the BBC. They serve truly excellent coffee which I think is hard to beat as well as an ace selection of cakes and treats to tempt you.

Sunday lunch – Brace and Browns & Rose of Denmark – A controversial one here! Meg went for The Rose of Denmark for their epic portions, cosy atmosphere and mulled cider and Cloe (clearly the more sophisticated of the two of us!) opted for Brace and Browns because you can’t beat their roast potatoes!

Quick pint – Start The Bus –  The perfect all rounder! Pint after work? Start The Bus. Somewhere for no nonsense Diner style grub for a work lunch? Start The Bus? Live music, DJs and dancing on a Friday? Start The Bus. Yeah…you get our drift!

Posh Nosh – The Ox – Bristol’s best steak-end of. If you’ve got something to celebrate or are feeling fancy this is the place to try, and if not they do an incredibly good value early bird offer for just over a tenner.

Food on the go – Eat a Pitta – Or as we like to call him, Falafel Man! If you’re going here at lunch expect to queue but trust us, it’s worth it. Fresh, incredibly tasty and you can almost kid yourself it’s healthy! Make sure you ask for the chilli jam!

Hidden Gem – The Mayflower – Sitting in the concrete jungle that is The Bear Pit The Mayflower ain’t much to look at from the outside but man, does it make up for it with the food! Streets ahead of any other Chinese in town the service is exceptional and the food is even better – try the salt and pepper squid!

One to Watch – The Stock Exchange Bakery – This bakery/cafe is just off St Nick’s market has recently been opened by Everything Bagels – the team behind Bagel Boy’s namesake and many more well know Bristol indies. Its super inviting and a great place to camp out all day. Make sure you try their cinnamon buns because in our opinion they are Bristol’s best!

With friends – Bagel Boy – The perfect lunch spot, either to eat in or takeaway. The Finger Boy (homemade fish fingers, minted mushy peas and tartare sauce) is a firm, but seriously messy, favourite!

Cheeky cocktail – Milk Thistle – Hidden in plain view on the centre, being in The Milk Thistle immediately makes you feel like you’re in on something a bit hush hush. Their bartenders know their stuff, so don’t be afraid to ask for what you want – I once asked for something that ‘tasted like nans’ and guess what – they nailed it!

Comfort Food – Mathilda’s – Chilli is one of the ultimate comfort foods and is what Mathilda’s is all about. Try the deep fried gherkins with blue cheese sauce because that is just taking it to another level of yes! Like a hug for your insides!

With the family – Cowshed – If your Mum and Dad are coming to town then this is the place you need to head to. You’re guaranteed a great bit of meat, a lovely table and their lunch time special of 3 courses for £10 is hard to beat!

Child friendly – The Stable – The Bristol food snobs must have been really put out when this place arrived on the Waterfront as it’s *gasp* a chain! Their pizzas are thin, crispy and topped with a delicious mix of classic and quirky toppings, and they do a mammoth range of ciders to go with them.

Best Curry – This was a toughie, so we drafted in the experts @currycrusaders! Top of their list is Urban Tandoor (previously Spice of India) on Small Street. Authentic, fresh perfectly spiced and with real depth of flavour Urban Tandoor scored highly with these guys and trust us – they know their stuff!

Best atmosphere – Pata Negra – Brand new on the tapas scene, this place is a real winner and always buzzing! Great atmosphere, amazing food (order a Sherry with dinner – you can thank us later!) and after dinner make sure you go upstairs to their secret cocktail bar Noche Negra, for a Pisco Sour.

New Year’s knees-up – The Big Chill – we love a good night out at The Big Chill! You’re guaranteed to be treated some great music, whether it’s a bit of House, a bit of Disco or Hip-Hop thrown in for good measure. If you want to get your dancing shoes on and your raving arms up this is the place to head!

Post Christmas cleansing food – Bubalu on Gloucester Road –  This place is a mini gym, a Pilates studio, fresh juice bar and a great little cafe, all rolled into one! What more could you need to get January back on track! It’s the perfect place to repent the sins of Christmas indulgence!

If you fancy taking a look in the magazine itself you can find it here – http://flickread.com/edition/PensordFreeLibrary/5491c6dad31c2/

We are on Page 74!

Anyway, we hope that gives you some food for thought for the New Year and we hope you enjoy all of our choices!

Meg and Cloe