Whenever I know somebody is coming to visit me in Bristol I get very excited about all the different places we can go to eat, what can lavish their pallet and where has a cool ambiance but isn’t too stuffy, pretentious or going to break the bank. So, with this in mind I thought I’d wittle them down to my top ten, hopefully the visitors amongst you will find them handy and the people of Bristol can disagree with me or agree with me. Let’s see…

1. Hari Krishna’s Kitchen: Just up from Green’s on Zetland road this unsuspecting little restaurant is the home to a feast of delights, great service and many reasonably priced dishes. Their menu contains all the regular Indian dishes and a few more exotic choices (the plantain & beetroot side dishes are out of this world)- and starting from £4 you can easily be pretty frugal but very well fed.

2. Bagel Boy: It’s probably on every cheap eats list ever, but it’s totally worthy of it again. Their quality is reasonable, selection is good (a few for veggies and they adapt for vegans) and despite its popularity, there’s always a seat. Bagels from £3.50, or bulk it out with chips/ side- around £5

3. Surakhan: Korean food, and not just that, amazing Korean food.  Situated just behind Park Street it isn’t in an idealic location (although very accessible) but the food makes up for it and it’s not usually very rowdy- bonus, i’d say. Lunchtime mains from £5.50- £10 so technically it isn’t an ultimate cheapie, but it’s a good option.

4. St Nic’s Market: I’ve decided to group this together which is possibly a bit of a cheat, however you could use up half a list on that place combined. Whatever you fancy it is pretty much there- amazing falafel, delicious Moroccan, Turkish wraps, pie’s, sausage, pork. Prices are around £5 – 6.50 depending on what you get.

5. Kino: This was one of the first food spots I fell for in Bristol and it’s a vegetarian and vegan cafe, with most of their stuff purely vegan, whilst still appealing to many carnivores. If you’re into meatier stuff usually, try one  of their burgers and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. Around £5. And their carrot cake is literally on another level.

6. Baowow: Rice or noodle boxes at £6.50 and even cheaper lunch time deals, this small spot on Baldwin Street offers an excellent range for everybody. Plus, they have sugar cane juice (that’s a bonus in my eyes).

7. No.51: Pizza at 2 for £12 that is as thin and tasty as this, the best. From their vegan veggie feasts, to their posh sausage and salmon topped pizza’s there really is something for anybody. The ingredients are good quality and the service is pretty zippy.

8. Sandwich Sandwich: Of course they’re king of the homemade sandwich, but don’t under estimate their flatbreads, varied range of salads and excellent cake selection. Average around £4 so excellent value for money there. (New store opening at the top of Park Street soon)

9. Poco: Back to Stokes Croft and Poco literally could not escape the list. This Portuguese cafe blends a mix of sophistication, reasonable high quality and a menu that ranges from well made traditional dishes, up to luxury desserts and exquisite cocktails. Up to the audience what you spend. With hard to beat eggs on toast and a generous salad plate (between £5-6) priced very reasonably, you can easily be healthy or completely indulge. Plus, as if things weren’t good enough, they’ve been awarded ‘Best Ethical Restaurant 2013’ by The Guardian & Observer readers- hats off, guys!

10. Moreish: Tucked away on Chandos Road in Cotham, Moreish has the luxury of a tidy little terrace and a comfortable inside cafe/ restaurant area- providing equal comfort for a beautiful sunny day or colder-wintry climes. The daytime vibe is pretty relaxed, a mix of couples, families and a few hungover students, while the evening vibe has a touch more sophistication, and great classic cocktails. The food is good quality and their prices are reasonable (with deals on their tapas menu through the weekdays). From £7 – 20 per head (depending on how hungry or luxury you’re feeling) it may not be classed as super budget- but for a high quality brunch, you’d struggle to find much better I’d say.

Do you agree or disagree? Opinions very welcome.

By Paris Bielby

Images: VIA The Guardian, 51 Stokes Croft, Guide2Bristol, Bristol Bites.

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What we’ve managed to do is give the app a full UI overhaul- streamlining the app and making it a bit more Android-ey.

The latest version of Google Maps is now installed, with smother scrolling and less data consumption. Native support for tablets: an optimised experience for large-screen Andriod devices An arrow that points you in the direction of the place you’re currently reading about, and tells you how far away it is. Numerous bug fixes and optimisation.

However, if you’re on an iOS then please download that version here.Upgrade ya If there’s any places, design features or anything in general that you think we’re missing, we’d appreciate a message, tweet or comment- Twitter or Facebook.

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After we were teased with the glorious sunshine and warmer weather just a few weekends ago it’s returned to a slightly colder and a more believable British March, so in that case let’s see if we can find some events fitting with that.

(Plenty of beer garden and picnic time to come, we’re sure! )

Friday 28th:

Our first Friday selection is a true theatrical marathon, it’s Jane Eyre at the Bristol Old Vic. This really is a feast at four and a half hours, but it’s totally worth it! Starting at 5pm means you have enough time to cram enough Bronte before bedtime- or maybe even a post theatre cocktail- and it’s a wonderful remake of a truly gripping novel. Tickets £45. More info.

Second up is the stunning Rebecca Ferguson at Colston Hall. She’s the endearing Liverpudlian girl that won the hearts of many in 2010 when she appeared on X Factor. In 2012 Ferguson was nominated for two MOBO Awards and an MTV Europe Music Award. Among her influences, she cites Aretha Franklin, Kings of Leon, Amy Winehouse and Sam Cooke. More info.

Saturday 29th:

From 10:45am at The Arnolfini there will be a free screening that will be exploring cities and inventions with animated adventure Robots.

In a robot world, a young idealistic inventor travels to the big city to join his inspiration’s company, only to find himself opposing its sinister new management.

Films are rated U and are suitable for all ages. More info.

Sunday 30th:

Our second freebie selection is the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, what’s new is their Orpheus Mosaic (exhibiting until April 20th) along with the regular excellent displays of French and Eastern art and World Culture and Natural Sciences. Details here.

For the last or first little dance of the weekend, why not check out Wild Beats & East India Youth at O2 Academy, losing yourself in intense electronic sounds (circa 1980’s and 90’s). Supported by the brilliant East India Youth it has expectations of a pretty excellent night. Tickets here.

In-case you missed the app or may not know how to find these places, then download it here.

(Image)

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Being the unique guide to Bristol we hardly find it surprising we’re reigning supreme over the other cities, as we love to showcase all the wonderful places and attractions we have on our doorstep- but what The Times so kindly pin pointed was our shopping, scenery and social scene.

As the app continues to grow with further places due to be added, we’d like to take the opportunity to involve you guys: the users. Anybody who wishes for specific places to be added then please tweet us or post on our Facebook and we will do our best to make that happen!

Not only that, Ed Cox completed his nine month cycle from Bristol to Brisbane, Australia. This is a magnificent achievement and all for Alzheimer’s! Here’s a link to his website where you can find images, information and ways to further support this guy. Well done, Ed!

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Search ‘Bristol Unique Guide’ in the iTunes store to download.

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