May Digest: Bristol food and drink news
The closure of Paco Tapas
We awoke today to the heartbreaking news that one of Bristol’s best and most beloved restaurants, Paco Tapas, has closed its doors — effective immediately. Speaking to The Bristol Sauce, Chef Proprietor Peter Sanchez-Iglesias indicated that difficult financial circumstances are to blame. Following the loss of Casamia, Pi Shop and then Casa, Paco represented the last food-focused anchor that Peter had to his home town of Bristol, which makes me fearful of losing him entirely to London. Despite the loss of their Michelin Star, Paco Tapas was still no doubt one of Bristol’s best restaurants. I loved sitting at the counter, sipping on a sherry, feeling the heat of the grill warming my cheeks. Such a closure represents a huge loss for Bristol’s food scene and, indeed, for the whole of the UK.
We can only hope that Peter has plans for another restaurant in Bristol at some point in the future, but given the current climate for hospitality, that will be very difficult.
Aside from that, it’s been a big month for ice cream and Italians.
Sonny Stores have launched Little Knuckles ice cream based on flavours they’ve developed in the restaurant — a subscription service which almost instantly sold out. Fans of the swirling soft stuff can sign up to the waiting list here to be in with a chance of getting frozen treats delivered once or twice a month.
Continuing the frozen theme, you can now get Swoon gelato to round off your meal at Redland’s Pizzaland. Not familiar with Swoon? You should be. They’re one of the South West’s finest gelatarias, with shops on College Green, at Wapping Wharf, and in Bath. I’ve yet to find a gelato I would pick over their buttery salted caramel. As for Pizzaland, read The Bristol Sauce review here.
Further good news for lovers of pizza and pasta; you can now find Grano tossing pastas and sauces to order under the eaves of St Nick’s Market at their new pasta bar. The move harks back to the Old Market restaurant’s days of touring various sites as a pop-up — you may remember the iteration on Whiteladies Road or the collaboration with Pizzarova at Bristol Old Vic. Grano’s evolution continues.
The brilliant Back Garden Pizzeria, which originated in a genuine Redfield back garden before graduating to a residency at Art Club, is now preparing to open their own space — though we have yet to establish exactly where or when.
If you prefer your pizza by the (enormous) slice, you’ll be pleased to hear Pizza is Lovely’s New-York inspired creations are now available at The Farside in Stokes Croft. Sadly it doesn’t look like their famed Detroit deep dish pies have made the transition yet, so best to stick to Renato’s on King Street if you want to sink your teeth into something stodgier.
Thus ends the Italian chapter of this newsletter; but it’s not the end of the new openings. Moving into the old Four Wise Monkeys site is Flat Iron, a steak restaurant chain from London. They already have a vast number of branches in the capital, plus some further flung in Cambridge, Manchester and Leeds. Apparently the steak is reasonably good, though it’s hardly Hawksmoor. But with that many branches, you can be sure that Flat Iron will bring with it a hefty marketing budget — so expect influencers drooling over it when the doors open.
Continuing the seemingly never-ending string of closures and openings on St Nicholas Street is La Brousse, a French restaurant which has opened where there was until recently the creatively named ‘Asian BBQ & Hotpot’. La Brousse is led by, and named after, head chef Oakan John Brousse who was previously making afternoon tea at The Library next door. No further intel… yet.
Baldwin Street’s Turkish sensation Cappadocia is opening a second branch on Whiteladies Road in the old Flour & Ash site. Renovations appear to be underway but an opening date has yet to be confirmed.
Brum’s acclaimed two-star chef Aktar Islam is entering the Bristol market with Kush, which now has a website, and seems set to take over the site of Mint Room in Clifton Village. I have high hopes for this one.
Following successful sites in Reading, Farnborough and Swindon, The Bap will soon bring their Korean rice bowls to Park Street. The Bap will open imminently in the site that belonged to Crosstown Doughnuts, which lasted all of a year.
Continuing on a brief Korean tangent, Bokman recently announced a very enticing series of ‘Seoul Sessions’ with collaborators from around the country, including Matsudai Ramen (Cardiff), Higher Ground (Manchester) and Landrace (Bath). The Seoul Session dates are being announced on Bokman’s Instagram and will be well worth clearing your calendar for.
After over a decade of serving late night whiskies and jugs of cider to Park Street revellers, The Woods has been forced to close by their “aggressive landlords”. If the outpouring of grief on Instagram and Reddit is anything to go by, the bar will be sorely missed.
If you haven’t already, become a paying Saucer to continue reading about a burger pop-up rumour, two rebrands, a drag-diner and more.