BANK Bristol

Sitting on the corner of the traffic-logged Wells road, BANK is perhaps an unlikely location for a buzzy live-fire restaurant. The grand exterior makes a nice contrast to the modern interior, which is paired back, with brushed wooden tables and floors, white walls and black panelling.

Warm lighting and an equally warm welcome make it a nice place to be on a wet Wednesday evening. The restaurant takes a while to fill up – but by the time we’re on our second glass of light, fresh Verdejo, most of the tables around us are full.

The menu is designed to be shared, with snacks, small and large plates to choose between. Indecisive diners needn’t worry, the full selection of small plates is available for £49 (at the time of writing).

We opt for a selection of small and large plates. These come out gradually – silky grilled leeks with a crispy leek bhaji arrives with Atlantic prawns and gem lettuce. These are followed by green beans and chicken thigh yakitori. The plates are alive with colour and texture, and their live-fire cooking approach is evident in the subtle smoke and char laced through the food.

Seasonal ingredients are brought to life with clever flavour combinations and flashes of real brilliance – the confit fennel on the charred green beans is silky, rich and flavourful, and the cheddar and Marmite foam on the potato side was remarkable.

Large sharing plates include miso roasted delica pumpkin and a wonderfully tender monkfish with a Jerusalem artichoke puree with caramel undertones, perfectly offset with salty pancetta XO.

The menu is littered with gluten-free and vegan options, but the staff need a little more training on allergens to make diners feel at ease. Dessert restored any uncertainty – a burnt honey panna cotta and a baklava mille feuille are elegant and perfectly portioned.

BANK is a place to go to indulge – bring an appetite and a few companions and try as much of their exciting menu as you can.

Most of the column inches go to restaurants north of the river in Bristol, but there's plenty of excitement and good food to be had if you head south of the river too. BANK is an independent neighbourhood restaurant right in the heart of Totterdown, specialising in inventive, live fire cooking. 

Housed in a grand old building (once Lloyds Bank, hence the name), BANK's minimal aesthetic and clean lines are very easy on the eye. The old bank has large windows going all the way around the building, which fills the restaurant with natural light and gives an airy, spacious feel.

The food at BANK is focused on highlighting the very best produce it can source while maintaining a strict commitment to the seasons. There remains a desire to cook over open fire as much as possible, and this is reflected in the menu, which includes a lot of smoking and barbecuing. The menu takes inspiration from far and wide, and changes regularly, but examples of dishes you might expect to find include smoked mushroom with burnt leek pearl barley and Old Winchester cheese, smoked duck leg with Crown Prince squash and African peanut sauce, and Cornish skate wing with red prawn bisque. You'll also find a wealth of vegan and gluten-free options available.

The menu itself is a traditional three course a la carte with snacks, but BANK also serves a very popular, well-priced prix fixe menu. The restaurant is also well worth a visit on Sundays when BANK serves a magnificent Sunday roast - acclaimed as one of the very best in the UK.

There's a compact wine list too, as well as house cocktails like Mint Eastwood (coconut, rum, sugar snap and mint syrup, acid blend, absinthe), and Sorrel Ms Jackson (sorrel infused cachaca, aperitivo Col Lyon, orange sherbert, BANK citric blend, egg white, red white).