Anyone else feel like they can never keep up with Bristol’s continuously fabulous food scene? Well there is one way to efficiently tick off a few of our wonderful independents in one fell swoop… The Bristol Food Tour.
I had the absolute pleasure of trying out the new East to West tour with some fellow food lovers and had the most marvelous of afternoons eating my way across the city. Here is a little taster of some of the deliciousness you could experience:
West Street Kitchen, Old Market – a cosy cafe (by day anyway) run by Nathan (coffee roaster and enthusiast) and Millie (the baker of stunning cakes). Nursing a small wine-head I was very appreciative of the up-front sugar and caffeine hit to start the tour. The lemon curd and meringue cake was almost too beautiful to eat…almost. This is the perfect spot for a coffee and natter. Their ever-changing seasonal evening menu also looks fab!
The Assembly Bakery – savoury stop (although I was definitely eyeing up all the sweet treats on the counter). Reminding me that cheese board should not just be reserved for Christmas, we tucked into some tasty cheesy delights from local cheese legend – The Bristol Cheesemonger with gorgeous chunks of sourdough from the bakery. The Elmhirst from Totnes was one of the creamiest cheeses I have ever had – definitely add it to your next cheeseboard. Balanced with the stronger taste of a Cornish Gouda. Dreamy.
Time to head West… but no need to worry about energy levels, as we had treats from Zara’s Chocolates to try en route. A selection of exquisite truffles, including tastes such as Espresso Martini or Orange Praline. Tasted as stunning as they looked.
Our next savoury spot was one of my absolute fav lunch spots – Eatchu! Down the side of St. Nick’s Market, Eatchu serves the most scrumptious gyoza – these are little dumplings of pure joy! I would always recommend going with the chef’s choice of toppings and sauces to make sure you are experiencing the top flavour combinations.
In case the sugar levels were running low, we had a bit of a nibble on some of the gorgeous cakes from AhhToots . Wander down St. Nicholas Market to gaze at the cake cart of wonder – always adorned with a variety of the most magical looking sweet treats.
Onward – to soak up the party vibes at Harbourside Food Market. With a Bristol Dry Gin and Tonic in hand (all this walking and eating is thirsty work!) we sat down to sample some of the wondrous street food that this market has to offer (so spoilt for choice!) Tasters of lush paella from Riceminster was a highlight of the afternoon for me – packed full of flavour and generous amounts of chicken. I just about had enough space left to try one of the beast of a burger from Buckland Burgers!
Not quite home time yet… popping a little way up the hill, we finished in the gelato legends of Park Street – Swoon! In the Summer you can expect to queue along the streets for this sweet treat – but it is worth every second. They offer a huge variety of creamy gelato – which you are welcome to sample before you buy as the decisions are tough when everything looks so good! Dark Chocolate Sorbetto is a personal fav of mine – which the rest of the group saved for me! Good karma to you!
As you can imagine, I left the tour very full and happy! (and ready for a very long nap….) Bristol Food Tours now run in a variety of locations, with super friendly guides ready to help showcase the delights that Bristol food scene has to offer. They also offer gift vouchers – the perfect gift for any food lover!
Booking your tour: https://www.thebristolfoodtour.com/contact-and-book
Instagram: @TheBristolFoodTour
Twitter: @BristolFoodTour
Disclaimer: I was provided this meal free of cost, however I was not asked to send any copy in advance and this didn’t affect my opinion of the meal – all thoughts are my own.
