Weekly roundup

The Word on the Street

It’s been a significant week across the city's food scene, with some major moves from Bristol favourites. A much-loved brunch institution has unveiled its biggest site yet in a former Wetherspoons, while elsewhere, a national podcast gives one of our own a huge shout-out and a local burger pop-up gets hailed as one of the best in the city. From major openings to notable praise, here’s the full breakdown.

New Openings & Recent Reviews

A Crafty Takeover, a "Top 3 Burger" & a Hidden Gem

The Crafty Egg, Redfield: Without a doubt the biggest opening of the week. The team behind the beloved Stokes Croft brunch spot has officially opened its third and largest site, taking over the former St George's Hall Wetherspoons on Church Road. The vast space has been completely transformed with their signature greenery and art, offering an expanded menu featuring breakfast poutine and eggs Benedict on crumpets. A massive and welcome addition to Redfield.

New Chinese, 72 Park Street: A new spot is flying under the radar on Park Street, but word is already spreading. Currently unnamed, this restaurant at number 72 is getting rave reviews for its authentic Cantonese and Szechuan dishes, roast meats, and dim sum. It's being tipped as a "hidden gem" with serious potential, and there are even karaoke rooms upstairs. One to watch.

Fat Dads Kitchen at The Gallimaufry: Local food reviewer 'The Food Guy' has hailed the burgers from Fat Dads Kitchen as "top 3 in Bristol" with a 9.5/10 score. They're serving their incredible Oklahoma-style smash burgers out of The Gallimaufry on Gloucester Road from Wednesday to Saturday. High praise indeed.

COR Restaurant: The North Street favourite received a major national shout-out on the hugely popular Off Menu podcast. Co-host James Acaster declared their now-famous tiramisu "one of the best desserts I've ever had." A massive, and well-deserved, nod for one of the city's best restaurants.

Catley's Bakery at CRISP: Great news for fans of the popular Clifton Village bakery. Catley's is set to open its second site this Wednesday, August 6th. They are expanding into the CRISP co-working and beauty space on Old Market Street, where they will be serving their much-loved pastries, cakes and coffee.

Don Restaurant: A new restaurant called 'Don' officially opened its doors last week on Tuesday, July 29th. They are serving from 8am, offering coffee, food and drinks.

Omar's Kitchen: A reminder that Bristol classics are classics for a reason. The long-standing Caribbean street food vendor received high praise from Jurassic Foodies this week, who called their food "consistently good." You can find their stall in the city centre.

Upcoming Food Events

Seoul Sessions, a Spanish Takeover & an Indian Masterclass

Seoul Sessions Vol. 3: Bokman x Landrace: On Sunday, August 10th, two of Bristol's finest independents are teaming up for a special one-day menu. Korean restaurant Bokman and bakery/restaurant Landrace Upstairs are collaborating for Seoul Sessions. For £25, you get a side, main, and a soft serve, with menu items including Gochujang chicken kkochi and Sedanini with pecorino & doenjang. Booking ahead is essential as this will sell out.

Kitchen Takeover: Truffled at Bruhaha: Local chef Tim Owen of Truffled of Totterdown is taking over the kitchen at Bruhaha brewpub for a weekend of Spanish-infused food. This celebration of two Totterdown independents takes place on Friday, August 22nd and Saturday, August 23rd.

Harbour House 5th Birthday: The independent waterfront restaurant in the former transit shed is celebrating its 5th birthday. Keep an eye on their social media channels for details on how they are celebrating throughout the month.

Indian Grandma Cooking Masterclass: The Pony Chew Valley is hosting a unique masterclass with Krishna and her grandson Jay of Gran's Spice. They will be teaching traditional Punjabi recipes and handcrafted spice blends. Head to The Pony's website for upcoming dates and to book your place.

Local Highlight

COR Restaurant

It's always a proud moment when the Bristol food scene gets the national recognition it deserves, and this week the spotlight fell firmly on COR. Situated on North Street in Bedminster, the restaurant from the team behind Marmo has been a firm favourite since it opened, serving exquisite Mediterranean-inspired small plates with a focus on high-quality sourcing and flavour. It’s a place that feels special enough for an occasion but relaxed enough for a midweek treat, which is a balance many strive for but few achieve.

The recent praise on the Off Menu podcast, where co-host James Acaster lauded their tiramisu as one of the best desserts he's ever had, is a testament to the quality that chef Mark and the team are consistently producing. It’s the kind of simple, perfect dish that can only be achieved with exceptional ingredients and serious skill. For those looking to try it (and you should), the famous tiramisu is also served at their sister restaurant, RAGÙ, Wapping Wharf. Cheers to the whole team at COR.

That’s it for this week.

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