Restaurants in Bristol
Bristol punches well above its weight for food. The city is known for its independent restaurants, from harbourside dining on Welsh Back and Wapping Wharf to the cafés and bistros of Clifton and Whiteladies Road, plus street food, global cuisine on Gloucester Road and Stokes Croft, and plenty of places for a long weekend brunch.
Aqua Restaurant and Bar
Locally loved, Italian-inspired restaurant that has been running in Bristol since 1998. Founded by Richard Smithson, it is still an independent family business, now run by his son Ben. There are two Bristol restaurants, on the waterside at Welsh Back and on Whiteladies Road in Clifton, plus a third by Portishead marina.
Bulrush
Based in Cotham, Bristol’s longest-running current Michelin star, held since 2019, with chef George Livesey’s tasting menus built around foraged ingredients and served in a cosy converted shop. Its early evening menu, Tuesday to Thursday, is the most affordable way to try starred cooking in Bristol.
Little French
Chef Freddy Bird’s all-day neighbourhood bistro in Westbury Park serves straightforward French food and is listed in the Michelin Guide. Comfortable and unfussy, ideal for a long lunch.
Racks Bar & Kitchen
A Clifton institution on St Paul’s Road, independent since 1982. Part restaurant, part pub, it serves food all day, Sunday roasts and bottomless brunches, shows live sport and runs a pub quiz. It’s also a popular venue for parties, from student nights and Christmas dos to wedding receptions.
Thali Montpelier
A true Bristol institution. The Thali story began with catering at festivals such as Glastonbury before the first permanent restaurant opened in Montpelier in 2001. It serves home-style Indian thalis with plenty of vegetarian and vegan choice, and has won national awards, including best cheap eats in the Observer Food Monthly Awards and best takeaway at the BBC Radio 4 Food & Farming Awards. Montpelier is now the only remaining branch.
Wilsons
A small, independent neighbourhood restaurant on Chandos Road in Redland with a Michelin star. Wilsons grows much of its own produce on a nearby smallholding and turns it into a seasonal tasting menu. It was awarded its Michelin star in 2025 and topped Square Meal’s Top 100 Restaurants list for 2026. Book well ahead.