June Digest: Bristol food and drink news
What do you get when you redevelop a banana and a doughnut?
With the news this morning that Keir Starmer has resigned as Prime Minister, and the increasing likelihood that Andy Burnham is set to become our new leader, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon for the hospitality industry. Burnham has backed calls to cut VAT for hospitality businesses to 10 per cent, which would offer a lifeline to struggling businesses. I have my fingers firmly crossed; writing about new openings is far more fun than covering closures. Thankfully this month, the number of openings is more than triple that of closures. If you’d like to read about them all, please consider upgrading your subscription and becoming a paying Saucer. Thank you!
The news
The most exciting news from the last month is that the Lloyds buildings, often referred to as the banana and the doughnut, on the harbourside are to be redeveloped. Canons Wharf will retain a lot of office space, but the ground floor of the ‘banana’ looking out onto the amphitheatre is set to become cafes, restaurants and shops. Apparently there will also be a cold-plunge pool, saunas, a gym and a podcast studio. I love that we’re now unable to conceive of a development without a cold-plunge pool and a podcast studio. But new restaurants and cafes is great news, although no timeline for the development has yet been released — and if other Bristol building works are anything to do by, we probably shouldn’t get too excited just yet. Read A Bone To Pick: Bristol’s Harbourside Needs a 180.
On Chandos Road celebrations are in order as One Fish Street has been added to the Michelin Guide. The guide notes: “A wide range of oysters is at its core, joined by other seafood plates such as red mullet with a piquant shellfish sauce. Look out for the selection of high-end tinned fish too”. It seems like the move from St Ives was a good one. Read The Bristol Sauce review of One Fish Street.
Pizzeria-cum-micro-brewery Zero Degrees has new owners — a company called ‘Saffron Sky’. The team will apparently rebrand in the coming months and launch a smash burger menu (just in time for the death of the trend) in partnership with Ruby & White Butchers. We shall be keeping a close eye on the proceedings.
Cocktail bar Milk Thistle has new owners too after its previous parent company Hyde and Co went into liquidation. The new owners are working in partnership with the Spirit of Bristol, who will be distilling Milk Thistle gin — allowing you to both poison yourself and detox in one drink — and vodka on the top floor and offering tastings and tours.
Press
I have joked before about naming this section the Dongnae edit, and, well, they’ve done it again. The National Restaurant Awards took place earlier this month and Dongnae has been ranked the 12th best restaurant in the country. Congratulations also to Wilsons, which climbed to number 32. That’s it for Bristol entries on the list, although Osip in Bruton was awarded joint second!
Mental health advocate and all-round lovely man Dan from Dan Dan’s Coffee Van has been going viral over the last few weeks for his sweet video messages on Instagram. He even ended up on BBC News. Dan’s Instagram is well worth a follow for seriously wholesome content.
Closures
One of the more bizarre reasons for a closure this year is that of the Orchard Coffee Company in St George, where the landlords will be taking back the site at the end of August to turn it back into a church, which sounds like a God awful decision. In a heartfelt video on Instagram, owner Joel shared the sad news and thanked his staff. The Stokes Croft branch of Orchard Coffee will remain open.
After a turbulent few years involving a pest problem and several rebranding exercises, Gepetto’s Pizza — formerly G Bros — has served its last slice. The team shared on Instagram that they could no longer keep up with the rising costs facing the hospitality industry.
Another casualty comes in the form of The Social bar and restaurant on Stokes Croft, which is due to close permanently on 4 July after 15 years. On Instagram the owner Charlie shared that ‘they’ve reached the end of the road’, but also that ‘we've got some killa send off parties to come’.
New openings
The Root team are opening a restaurant within a restaurant in the form of Koji Izakaya on the ground floor of Root Bath. Koji will be open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 24 June, led by Root Bath’s head chef Joe Fowler who previously ran the much-loved Bushi Sushi. On the menu are skewers, hosomaki, nigiri and gyoza-stuffed chicken wings.
It is my pleasure to announce that new french restaurant in Clevedon, Mon Plaisir, is now open from father-and-son duo Toby and Harry Gritten, who previously ran The Pump House. Review coming soon!
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