Where to eat in September
Meg's six top picks for saying goodbye to summer
I remember it well, going back to school in September. Writing the date in the top corner of my workbook with a little extra flourish and actually bothering to tuck in my shirt. September is a time of newness, of possibility and of reinvention.
I have come to the realisation that people do not want to be pummelled with two or three reviews a week. There is such a thing as too much. Instead, I am starting a monthly guide to where to eat — a short handful of places I think are either doing something novel or noteworthy, or old favourites that deserve some love. So if you don’t have time to sift through reviews but want to go out to eat, here are my personal recommendations for September.
Somewhere new: Back Garden Pizzeria, St Stephen’s Street or Jikoni at The Station
Running a pizzeria out of your Barton Hill back garden is a good story; running one in the heart of the city is a better business plan. It’s a testament to Danny’s pizza skills that the following he built from his literal Barton Hill yard has catapulted him to a proper bricks and mortar site. Back Garden Pizzeria opened on St Stephen’s Street last week and is well worth dipping your crust into.
£ | Booking recommended | Tues - Sun, lunch & dinner | backgardenpizzeria.com/pizzeria
Only a short walk away, East African flavour maestros Jikoni have taken up residence at The Station serving breakfasts and lunch inspired by the foods of Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania. Expect loaded injera, slow cooked goat curry, charcoal-grilled meats and chapatis. This is the sort of brunch that makes you question all other brunches.
£ | No bookings | Tues - Sat, breakfast & lunch | instagram.com/jikoni_eastafrica
A one-off: Cichetti & Vino at Ragù, Wapping Wharf
Executive chef Vyck Colsell has created a seven-course tasting menu inspired by the bacari bars of Venice for Ragù’s first themed event, which will take place on Monday 22 September. The menu is £60pp, or add a £38 wine pairing to have each course supplemented with a vino chosen by ops manager Tallulah. Based on the pair’s previous tasting menu endeavours, we are expecting excellent things. Bagging a ticket to this event will also mean you’re one of the first through the door since Ragù was added to the Michelin Guide.
££ | Booking essential | Monday 22 September | ragurestaurant.com
A day trip: Higher Farm, Shepton Mallet
As reviewed by Chris in Sunday’s Sauce, Higher Farm is a relatively new regenerative farming project in Shepton Mallet. On the farm you’ll find a lake to swim in, a sauna to sweat in and a very good restaurant to anchor the lot. Higher Farm is closing for renovations at the end of October and likely won’t reopen until the new year — so our advice is to go now and experience this seasonal sensory bolthole while you can. Buy a ticket for Higher Farm’s harvest festival on Saturday 27 September to harvest your own squash while enjoying live music, games and more.
££ | Booking advised | Weds - Sun, breakfast, lunch & dinner | higher-farm.co.uk
A classic: Sonny Stores, Raleigh Road
Sonny Stores is one of Bristol’s best restaurants, but I get the impression that, like many places, they’ve been having a hard time of it recently. So I’d like to take this opportunity to remind you of this excellent, casual, Italian-inspired bistro on Raleigh Road, just a short stretch from North Street. And now I’ll hand over to one of my favourite restaurant writers, Jay Rayner, to tell you more:
“I am babbling like a love-struck teen, but it is all so very babble-worthy. Usually with menus this punchy, the ball is dropped somewhere. But no, here comes dessert, and the balls are all where they need to be… They get things absolutely right here at Sonny Stores.”
These quotes are taken from Jay’s review for The Observer in 2021 - but I can assure you Sonny Stores is just as good as it was then, if not better. And if you don’t want a fully-fledged dinner, visit their hatch for a superlative sandwich.
££ | Booking advised | Open Tues - Sun, check website for full hours | sonnystores.com
A lunch: Hart’s Bakery, Temple Meads
One of my favourite Bristol chefs, Issy Cox, has recently taken over whipping up Hart’s Bakery’s lunch provisions. Issy has always been a great cook, but now she’s in her self-professed dream job she is flying — and the sandwiches and salads being served over the Hart’s pass sing of passion and sensational seasonal ingredients, which is perhaps why they were just name-checked in The Observer. Keep an eye on Hart’s Instagram for updates on the day’s special (I’ve heard French onion soup is about to hit the pans) and get down to that Victorian railway arch pronto.
£ | No bookings | Tues - Sat, breakfast & lunch | hartsbakery.co.uk
Et voilà — a September shake-up, no new pencil cases required. Unless this new format prompts a resounding recoil of horror (and feel free to let me know in the comments), I’ll be back in October with another curated list of spots worth your time. Until then, happy eating.
All words and photos by Meg Houghton-Gilmour
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August Digest: Bristol food and drink news
Buenos días, Saucers. The end of August is nigh, and September marks a whole year of The Bristol Sauce. That went fast! I’ll be sending out a little editor’s note on our actual anniversary to commemorate the occasion, and we’ll be launching some new content for our paying Saucers next month too. That’s all still to come. For now, let’s get stuck into August’s headlines — from openings and closures to the usual mix of triumph, tragedy, and the downright bizarre.