The Best Restaurants in Bristol

Riverside development Wapping Wharf has become a haven for Bristol's restaurant goers, as evidenced by this compact and cosy restaurant clad in chipboard and plywood. Nestled inside shipping containers on the wharf, it is the home to excellently priced cooking from Chef Elliot Lidstone. He often works alone in his bijou kitchen, cooking from the heart to produce flavour-packed dishes. Lidstone favours tried-and-tested combinations to produce assured, rustic food at a reasonable price, which has seen Box-E rewarded with a Bib Gourmand.

One of Bristol's finest restaurants, this MICHELIN-Starred spot is the product of Chef George Livesey and his abundant natural talent. Bringing subtle Japanese influences to organic and foraged seasonal ingredients has become his trademark style, and preserving and pickling play a key role too, with each dish showing imagination, a superb understanding of balance and clean, pronounced flavours. Situated in the Cotham neighbourhood, it's a simple, sweet and pleasingly relaxed place with a cosy feel. An intimate dining room is accompanied by a lively atmosphere and there's plenty to see in the open kitchen.

'Cor' is the Latin noun for 'heart', an appropriate name for this bright-red corner restaurant in central Bedminster, with an air of contagious positivity that perfectly suits such a buzzy neighbourhood. The look of the place is somewhere between a tapas bar and a Mediterranean restaurant, with counter dining available and shelves stacked to bursting with cookery books and wine. The Mediterranean influence extends into the menu, albeit with largely British ingredients. Dishes that include plenty of vibrant colours and complementary flavours are the order of the day, enhancing COR’s status as a modern-day neighbourhood restaurant.

More Mediterranean-influenced cooking can be found over in the Redland neighbourhood at this terrific little pasta spot. The approach is simple: a few well-constructed, flavour-packed small plates and salads to start, before around half a dozen pasta dishes that are so satisfying you’ll wish you could come here every day. The pasta itself is made fresh each morning, before being cooked to perfection and paired with a range of delicious and generous accompaniments.

In the older part of the city, close to the Hippodrome Theatre, you’ll find this trendy osteria-cum-wine-bar run by hands-on owners. Cosmo Sterck is in the kitchen working wonders with just a few prime ingredients to produce his concise seasonal menu of flavour-packed Italian dishes, while his wife Lily looks after the wine side of things, recommending options from their organic and biodynamic selection. They have certainly chosen a good location too, inside the former Guardian Assurance Building, where the high ceiling and parquet floor help to make this such a charming spot.

Artist Residence Bristol is a One-MICHELIN-Key hotel and is within walking distance of the restaurant.

The bright-orange walls may be what first catch your eye at this fun little bistro, but it’s the inventive small plates that will soon have your undivided attention. Each one comes brimming with flavour, joyfully drawing on influences from all over the world with no small amount of skill. There’s a playfulness to the cooking that really adds to the appeal, as does the kitchen’s knack for flavours and balance. The caring, chatty service and wallet-friendly pricing complete the package.

RAGÙ is one of the city’s best spots for Italian cuisine and comes from the same team behind COR. It also provides further explanation as to why Bristol foodies all head to the reclaimed shipping containers on Wapping Wharf. The chefs here excel in creating dishes that seem simple but deliver bags of flavour thanks to their skilful makeup and well-sourced ingredients – think knockout focaccia, comforting bowls of pasta, and prime fish and meat cooked over open flames.

As the name suggests, vegetables are the star of the show at this well-priced restaurant which is yet again located on Wapping Wharf. Sitting just a stone's throw from Box-E and RAGÙ, one of the many endearing features here is that the produce – from small local suppliers – is the focus, rather than the style of the cooking. The dishes show off the brilliant natural flavours of the vegetables, providing great depth of flavour and an inventive touch. Served as small plates, they're perfect for sharing and can include the odd fish or meat option too.

Venture out to the suburb of Henbury and you'll find this village pub that's now under the ownership of Chef Louise McCrimmon. She and her team provide everything you could want from a pub: a homely atmosphere is enhanced by friendly service; the bar is stocked with quality ales and well-chosen wines; and there are regular quiz nights. As for the food, traditional British dishes are skilfully cooked with a modern approach and the odd subtle twist – and a proper roast lunch on Sundays helps add to the comforting feel. Everything is run with true pride and they offer great value for money.

From the kitchen to the service team, everyone buys into the Wilsons ethos of local, seasonal produce and minimal waste – and they work together to run this appealing neighbourhood restaurant in perfect harmony. Mary Wilson tends her two-acre garden at Barrow Gurney on the southwest edge of the city, then provides Chef Jan Ostle with the ingredients for the brilliantly flavoured dishes on his blackboard-written tasting menu. The pair also own a successful neighbourhood bakery a few doors down – look out for the original Hovis sign above the door.

The nearby area of Clifton houses the One-MICHELIN-Key hotel Number 38 Clifton.