The best restaurants in Bristol

Dubbed the best seafood in Bristol, The Spiny Lobster serves a daily changing menu dependant on the fisherman's catch of the day. The spoils of this catch are then cooked on an open fire - from the sea straight to your plate, quite literally.

The kitchen at Adelina Yard is bursting with talent - co-owners Olivia Barry and Jamie Randall worked at the likes of The Wolseley and Odettes before founding this quay-side spot. Be sure to book well in advance as the restaurant is open four days a week and reservations for the tasting menu are in high demand.

This bright and breezy restaurant serves up a compact menu of modern European dishes, made using the best local, organic produce available. The menu changes up often as a result, but the top quality cooking has made Caper and Cure a rising star in Bristol. 

Sit poolside in this picturesque lido restaurant (yes, we're still in Bristol) and dive into fuss free, Mediterranean inspired food. Alternatively, throw yourself into the deep end with an early swim followed by a delicious brunch. Memberships or one off visits available.

Step on board this harbourside boat and tuck into plates of delicious Mediterranean tapas at Under The Stars. It makes the list as one of Bristol’s most romantic dinner spots, with the upstairs deck being embellished with fairy lights, but also lends itself as a great place for sharing copious amounts of small plates with friends.

Renowned Tom Hunt is the executive chef at award winning Poco tapas. Thanks to cratefulls of locally sourced produce, an open kitchen and communal tables, Poco is one of the most inviting restaurants in Bristol.

The team behind renowned bars Hyde & Co and The Milk Thistle also head up The Ox. With seasonally evolving menus, incredible cocktails and loud music, this hidden basement is the place for a late night steak soiree.

Allow the husband and wife team of Bravas to take you on a tour of Spain, via Bristol, if you will. They take the authenticity of their dishes very seriously, taking their staff to Spain yearly for research. Where do we apply for jobs? 

Is Bosco the best pizza in Bristol? The people have spoken, it seems - both restaurants are full on most evenings and if you’re not into pizza there’s a selection of excellent antipasti, meat and pasta dishes to choose from too.

Wilsons has long been revered among Bristolians. Much of the produce that ends up on the menu is home-grown, before ending up in smart dishes like warm Jersey Royals with girolles, or English blueberries with crème fraîche and shiso.

The Pony Chew Valley combines a seasonal British restaurant with cookery school, kitchen garden and event venue, bringing Josh Eggleton's wonderful cooking back to Bristol. Produce comes from no-dig beds, a polytunnel and an orchard in the surrounding land, so ingredients that hit the plate at The Pony are hours removed from the soil. 

Co-founders Elliott and Tess Lidstone manage to conjure some very special food from the smallest of spaces here, dishes like charred hispi cabbage with lemon butter, and duck breast with puy lentils, rustic but well executed. 

This relaxed wine bar and bistro has been leading the way for the rejuvenated dining scene south of the river. Cracking authentic Italian plates are simple but brilliantly executed, and served alongside an all-natural wine list. Just great food and drink with no frills.

Things are hotting up south of the river thanks to this exciting bistro. Owners Mark and Karen Chapman have curated a menu that treads gently between comforting and creative with mushrooms on brioche with armagnac and grilled cuttlefish with chimichurri and lemon.

Freddy Bird’s neighbourhood restaurant has a real emphasis on authenticity - Little French remains faithful to quality ingredients and French tradition, including some whole roast meat and fish to share. The spacious outdoor courtyard is a real highlight in the summer too. 

This all-day restaurant boasts an inventive, international small plates selection and a cracking weekend brunch offering. The setting is lovely too - an old red brick Lloyds Bank building, with huge windows and smart interiors.

In many ways Bokman feels like a microcosm of Bristol’s food scene - authentic, a little off-kilter, and heaps of fun. Expect creative Korean comfort food served up by husband and wife team Duncan Robertson and Kyu Jeong Jeon.

A compact menu of osteria dishes with a biodynamic wine list to match, Marmo is a modern Italian restaurant that is right on trend. The towering ceilings and tall windows make this a beautiful airy spot for dinner or opt for the great lunch set menu.

Specialising in true Vietnamese home cooking, The Saigon Kitchen is a firm local favourite in Bristol’s Redland neighbourhood. Expect beautifully balanced dishes like crispy Hanoi-style pork spring rolls, Mekong-style stewed beef, and comforting noodle soups. Chef Trung’s passion comes from his mum’s cooking. That warmth shines through.

Adding to Bristol’s already burgeoning reputation for vegan and vegetarian food, Root offers a modern, veg-centric menu, all cooked in a cosy shipping container in Wapping Wharf. There are still meat and fish plates available, but sustainability and seasonality are the watch words here.

The follow-up to Bokman, Dongnae really crystalises some of the ideas that made the first so brilliant. The menu is focused around homely Korean flavours, particularly fermentation and preservation, as well as a good helping of Korean barbecue.