Bristol’s top spots to spend a cosy winter evening

This iconic, historic pub in the centre of Bristol has a hearty lunch and dinner menu, emphasising innovation and quality. It has a cosy atmosphere with vintage features and warm lighting, so there isn’t anywhere better to hide away from the cold. Its menu features lots of pub classics, which is exactly what you need on a winter evening. Expect butcher’s sausages, creamy mash, mac and cheese, and chicken supreme with Hasselback potatoes. These warming dishes, locally sourced drinks, and great music from the free Crack Magazine Duke Box make this cosy pub the perfect place to spend a cold winter afternoon.

A gorgeous little independent bistro found in Easton, you can find decently priced European wines, amazing small plates, and a menu stemming from traditional French cuisine. 

The Baffled King also supports the local community by serving some favourite Bristol beers. There’s no denying this eatery is a brilliant find this winter. You can also discover a cracking brunch here on a Friday and Saturday — ideal for a long winter weekend in the West Country.

Why not warm up your bones this winter with the power of Asian flavour from Four Wise Monkeys? 

Set deep in the heart of Bristol’s Old City, it offers the hustle and bustle of 1980s Tokyo with excellent dishes to match. Choose from delicious small plates, noodles, rice, and even sandos. Wash your meal down with a bespoke cocktail inspired by Japanese flavours or try some Japanese whisky, or maybe the old reliable pint of cold Asahi beer. The menu is served all day from 12 to 10pm — an exciting spot for an adventurous winter lunch or dinner.

Winter dining can be very meat-heavy, but it doesn’t have to be. Root is a gorgeous little restaurant in Wapping Wharf, and its menu is almost entirely vegetarian. 

Its chef heads to the local fruit and veg market twice a week to hand-pick the produce for the restaurant, meaning the dishes on the menu are always adapted to the season. Root’s ethos is to deliver delicious, sustainable and affordable dishes, and it shows. 

The one-page, small-plate menu creates a casual and social dining environment. Dishes like curd and ricotta dumplings, fried pink fir potatoes, and roast beetroot with fermented raspberry honey are perfect options for a cosy winter dinner. Root is ideal for an alternative but wholesome dining experience.

With its dark wood interior, warm lighting and roaring fire, The Pipe and Slippers creates the perfect homely feel. What could be more cosy on a cold winter Sunday than the classic British roast dinner? 

Tucha’s Kitchen, found here at The Pipe and Slippers, provides delicious roasts for great value. With meat, vegetarian and vegan options, there is something for everyone. All roasts come with crispy roast potatoes, garlic butter kale, creamy leeks and red cabbage. These guys really go all out with the trimmings. 

It’s also known for serving some of the best mulled wine, so keep your eyes peeled for that this winter. Talking of drinks, this place transforms from a cosy restaurant to a lively bar in the evenings, and it even has a famous cocktail menu, so remember to check that out whilst you’re here. If you want something to blow your socks off, try the Pipedream!

With great beer on tap, a cosy cottage setting, and brilliant cuts of meat, The Ashville Steakhouse is a fantastic, hearty winter dinner venue. Perfect for meat lovers and beer drinkers, this place offers a relaxed and toasty setting — an ideal spot to bring the family and young children, where you can also find Sunday roasts, burgers, ribs and even a T-bone steak challenge! With a friendly team and significant portion sizes, you’re sure to leave The Ashville Steakhouse full and happy.

Bulrush is the perfect place for a special occasion with loved ones that have a good appreciation for stunning food. This Michelin star restaurant serves set menus for lunch and dinner service, featuring six to nine courses. Discover an incredible combination of unexpected flavours, such as Baked Potato Ice Cream and Veal Cheek with Truffle.

If you’re looking for a winter adventure slightly outside of Bristol’s city centre, Berwick Lodge is calling your name. With two AA rosettes under its belt, Berwick Lodge is one of the best fine-dining restaurants to go to in Bristol this winter.

With a relaxed atmosphere and first-class service, you can dine from its seasonally-inspired menu showcasing the best modern British cuisine. Plus, it has no formal dress code, so you can sit back, relax, and focus on enjoying the delicious flavours.

With a cracking, reasonably priced menu available over the entire festive period, we love it here at The Shakespeare. A venue with a super friendly team, great hearty food, events such as the epic New Year’s Eve quiz and an outdoor – but covered – courtyard, this is the ideal winter Sunday roast spot. 

With some incredible weekday menus on offer, too, this is a great place if you are trying to keep your winter budget somewhat in check! Enjoy Tuesday Beer & Burger Night for just £15 and affordable Thursday Steak Night for two. It’s a truly brilliant eatery in Redland, perfect for sheltering away from Bristol’s wintry nights.

This small, independently owned bistro is based in Redlands. Wilsons champions using natural ingredients to then gather, grow, and form them into delicious dishes. 

In fact, these guys have a two-acre field just 20 minutes away from the restaurant, which focuses on biodiversity and soil health. Every two weeks, the produce is then harvested and delivered directly to the restaurant. The whole menu is created around the ingredients grown and harvested on the field! 

If you’re after a hearty winter’s meal made from the season’s best, you’ll find a set menu of six courses for £73 every lunch and dinner or a reduced set menu of three courses on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday lunchtime for £35.