How to enjoy a long weekend in Bristol

Ideal for date night or a girls’ get together – and for those that love tapas and seafood. The food here is absolutely delicious, featuring ever popular choices from croquettes to calamari, as well as fantastic wine and cocktail options. Gambas Tapas Bar is the ideal romantic setting, overlooking Bristol Harbourside on top of the cargo containers and only a short walk to M Shed and the Arnolfini, it is the perfect venue for a post-walk dinner or pre-exhibition drink. 

An absolutely cracking spot that is perfect for a big family (dogs welcome too!) Sunday lunch or hangover recovery. Found in the heart of Clifton Village, this is a great location for a stroll around the independent boutiques, or over the Suspension Bridge to Ashton Court for outdoor fun with the family. You can expect to find the biggest array of sausages you’ve ever seen on a menu, complimented by a classic, creamy mash. You can even go bold and order the sausage tasting platter, upgrading them all to ‘toad-in-the-hole’ style.

If you’re a keen meat eater and find yourself in Bristol, Pasture is an ideal spot for you. This late night bar and steakhouse features its own in-house butcher that handpicks every steak, giving you the confidence that your meal will be excellent every single time. Using local produce and fire-based cooking, epic service and an open interior, we can’t get enough of the “fine dining for everyone” attitude here.

The best way to describe The Mall Deli would be proper country food. From Scotch eggs to jam-packed salad boxes, pasties, cakes and more, this is the perfect, organic, sustainable picnic supplier or lunch break nourishment. You can also pick up local produce groceries here, and we love the refillable organic milk station, perfect if you’re local to the village! The team is super friendly here and always a good vibe!

For those of you that follow us closely at Dish Cult, you will already know we are a big fan of Root. Another Wapping Wharf venue on top of the cargo containers, this is an ideal venue for both date night or family get-together. With sustainability being at the forefront of Root’s mind, minimal waste is created here – perfect for those too that are eco minded. With a seasonal, plant-focused menu we love the delicious and nutritious food here and the relaxed welcoming vibe. 

Perfect for date night, Smoke & Mirrors is a 1920s themed, award-winning venue that offers classic cocktails, cider, stone baked pizza and cracking entertainment. Smoke & Mirrors often hosts on its secret stage stand-up comedy, magic shows, live music and burlesque, all of which is perfect if you are looking for something slightly different and exciting for your long weekend. 

Kabala Kitchen is a female-led, independent vegan eatery, where you can find Alice running the show on the Bristol street food scene. Perfect if you are out and about over the weekend, you can find her seasonal, homegrown “Vegan Comfort Food” at Bristol’s Harbourside Market.

A cracking eatery that’s part of the Pony family, you can find Pony Bistro in South Bristol. With locally sourced food and beer, as well as featuring local art and playlists by Bristol based DJs, this is a brilliant spot. The menu here is seasonal and responsibly sourced, with the vegetables grown in the bistro’s own pony garden, and fish caught in Cornwall and arriving in the venue within 24-hours, you can’t get fresher than this! Expect a menu featuring a lot of seafood cooked over an open fire, with the dinner menu being a set four courses at £43. A great spot for foodies and creatives alike. 

An ethically minded, LGBTQ+ proud venue based in Bristol’s Old Town, Chido Wey is a cracking long weekend spot for you and your pals! With super tasty Cali-Mexican food and fun vibes, this is a brilliant venue serving up cocktails and burritos. Having opened relatively recently in 2020, and with fab service, this is definitely a good spot to enjoy some good food!

A buzzing independent brewery that is both dog and large group friendly. With a relaxed environment and long bench seating that encourages meeting new people, Left Handed Giant is the perfect start to a night out. Serving good woodfired vegan pizza and hosting a games room on the top floor, this is a super fun and vibrant venue, ideal for big groups of friends or workmates. If you’re looking for a weekend activity, you can even book a brewery tour.