Well as summer begins to limp off into the distance, you could be forgiven for thinking the festivals and frolics would fade with it – but no! September is possibly even boozier than July & August combined.

It’s a great time for celebrating, as Bristol nabbed SEVEN new entries in the Good Food Guide, so pick a few places to raise a toast this month!

Big events

I’m ridiculously excited for Bristol Cocktail Week at the end of the month (25th-1st Oct), they’ve scaled back the events this year but the ones they are running look incredible, plus there’s a Bristol Cocktail Week boardgame dotted around various bars for you to play during your cocktail quests!

Take a look at the full listings, but my highlights for the week are:

• Art & Absinthe (Tues 26th, £15)
• Bristol Cocktail Pub Quiz (Tues 26th, £40 for a team of 4)
• Good Things to Drink, Outside! (Wed 27th, £20)
• Beer & Whisky Showdown (Wed 27th, £20)
• Only One Quality, the Finest (Fri 29th, £25)

If bingeing on cocktails isn’t enough for you thrillseekers, how about eating your dinner 100ft in the air? Dinner in the Sky comes to the harbourside from 7-12th and will be hosting breakfasts, lunches, dinner and cocktails from some of Bristol’s best chefs and local businesses (if you can handle heights).

The fun doesn’t stop there – on Saturday 9th I’d advise you to join me at Whisky Bristol Underground at Loco Klub next to Temple Meads, where you can sample oodles of whisky from local & international brands, take part in a masterclass, smoke cigars & munch on street food – £39 gets you as much whisky as you want, plus a glass and festival brochure – boom!

Other exciting events to check out this month include the Bristolian Supper from 91 Ways, Cocktails in the City (sixteen pop-up cocktail bars come to The Passenger Shed) and Foozie’s Retro Crisp Pop-Up (I’ll be hoarding the Frazzles & Chipstix).

Oh, and the Rum Bus and Aperol Spritz Bus are back – possibly for their last outings before winter!

Beer mania

I’ve had to dedicate a whole section to beery events this month – and it’s not even Bristol Beer Week until next month (you can get a sneak peek of what to expect from that at the Rainbow Project 2017 launch on Sat 9th).

One of my favourite beery events takes place from 8-10th Sept – Factoberfest! Tobacco Factory’s annual beer festival will be serving up over 70 craft beers, including special brews from Bristol Beer Factory and other local breweries. There will also be live music, DJs and a street food market from Bristol Eats on the Friday & Saturday.

Just a few days later sees the return of the mega Bristol Craft Beer Festival (15-17th), which will be showcasing over 25 breweries from around the world, as well as several excellent Bristol-based ones too!

The festival will also feature street food stalls, an exciting one-off menu from Eat Drink Bristol Fashion and music from DJs Yoda, Olugbenga (Metronomy) & Jamie MacColl (Bombay Bicycle Club) – this was a great party last year so I’m really looking forward to it! Tickets are £38 and include as much beer as you’d like (be sensible), a tasting glass and a booklet.

There are also the usual tap takeovers (Dugges at Wild Beer on the 6th, Thornbridge at The Three Tuns on the 15th, or Good Chemistry at The Hillgrove on the 29th) and beer tours (check out Bristol Brewery Tours or Bristol Hoppers for their latest availability), phew!

Classes & workshops

Learn somat new this month! Here are a few suggestions:

• Sat 9th – Bristol Gin Club: Gin and cheese pairing, £35
• Mon 11th – Woodchester Valley wine tasting at The Library, £18
• Wed 13th – Chocolate making workshop & afternoon tea at Thornbury Castle, £35
• Fri 15-17th – Funghi cultivation course at Feed Bristol, £90
• Wed 27th – Champagne and sparkling wine tasting at Averys, £45
• Thu 28th – Perfecting the Martini at Hyde & Co, £25
• Fri 29th – Chinese cookery evening at Little Kitchen, £45
• Sat 30th – Chocolate & wine tasting at Bordeaux Quay, £35

Newbies

I’m still struggling to keep up with all of the new places opening their doors across the city at the moment, but here are a few new faces for you to pop in to:

• Jamaica St Stores – a new ethical kitchen on Stokes Croft.
• West St Kitchen – a relaxed cafe in Old Market with high quality salads & sarnies.
• The Cotham Arms – a modern micro pub on St Michaels Hill.
• Wellbourne – already causing a stir with its dishes in Clifton.
• Burger Theory – finally opened their first restaurant on Baldwin St.
• Raffyz Lounge – Indian food in a family-run restaurant on Stokes Croft.
• The Sidings has replaced The Reckless Engineer next to Temple Meads Station.
• Chicken Shed is gone and replaced with Root – a top notch restaurant prioritising veg over meat.
• Squeezed – serving seriously delicious burgers & juices in Cargo 2.
• Hobbs House Bakery – two new shops for these lot on Gloucester Rd and North St.
• The RWA has a new cafe which is well worth a visit.
• Holy Cow has replaced Cafe Gusto in the harbour, serving mega milkshakes & waffles.

Did you hear that we’ll soon be getting a Chocolate House on Park St this month? Friska are also opening a new branch a few doors up, yum!

That’s it for this month, do come say hello on Twitter or keep up to date with my latest munching on Instagram, otherwise here are some other guides to tidy you over until next time…

1. Bristol’s Cosiest Pubs (get ready for a snug autumn)
2. 12 Tasty Bristol Roast Dinners
3. Bristol’s Best Date Locations
4. 9 Awesome Bristol Pizza Joints
5. Bristol’s Classiest Cocktail Bars

Dates for the diary
(or check the Calendar)

• Fri 1st – Beerd reopening party 
• Fri 1st – Pop-up: The Beautiful South at Milk Thistle
• Fri 1st-2nd – Murder Mystery Supper at Bristol Hippodrome
• Sat 2nd – Bristol Brewery Tour
• Sat 2nd – Clandesdiner
• Sat 2nd – The Rum Bus with Appleton Estate Rum
• Sat 2nd – Summer Brewhouse Session #4 ft. Brew By Numbers
• Wed 6th – Dugges tap takeover at Wild Beer Wapping Wharf
• Wed 6th – Caribbean cookery class at Little Kitchen
• Wed 6th – Retro Crisp Pop-Up
• Wed 6th – Hive Minds Budvar cocktail launch at Milk Thistle
• Thu 7-12th – Dinner in the Sky
• Thu 7th – Bristol Open Doors tasting at Averys Wine Merchants
• Fri 8th – The Great Bristol Food Tour
• Fri 8th – Triple Threat: Pies & Pints at Moor
• Fri 8th-Sat 9th – Beeses Beer, Cider & Music Festival
• Fri 8th – Introduction to Cider at Bristol Cider Shop
• Fri 8th – British Classics beer tasting at Bristol Brewery School
• Fri 8th-10th – Factoberfest at Tobacco Factory
• Sat 9th – Whisky Bristol Underground
• Sat 9th – Bristol Food Tour: Sweet Tooth tour
• Sat 9th – Rainbow Project 2017 Launch at Wild Beer Wapping Wharf
• Sat 9th – Bristol Open Doors tasting at Averys Wine Merchants
• Sat 9th – Bristol Gin Club: Gin and cheese pairing
• Sat 9th-10th – Bristol Rum Festival
• Sun 10th – Yoga Brunch Club at The Forge
• Mon 11th – Woodchester Valley wine tasting at The Library
• Mon 11th – Beer & Cheese at Small Bar
• Mon 11th-Sun 17th – Stroud Brewery tap takeover at Watershed
• Tue 12th – Sour Beer Course at Bristol Brewing School
• Wed 13th – 91 Ways: Bristol Supper Club
• Wed 13th – Retro Crisp Pop-Up
• Wed 13th – Chocolate making workshop and afternoon tea at Thornbury Castle
• Wed 13th – Burger Wednesday at Birch
• Wed 13th – Champagne and sparkling wine tasting at Jamie’s Italian
• Thu 14th – Wing’s Diner pop-up at Bristol Spirit
• Thu 14th – DIY pizza and dine at Little Kitchen
• Thu 14th – Beer Ingredient Course: Hops at Bristol Brewing School
• Fri 15th – Cocktails in the City
• Fri 15th – Thornbridge tap takeover at The Three Tuns
• Fri 15th – Introduction to Cider at Bristol Cider Shop
• Fri 15th-17th – Funghi cultivation course
• Fri 15th-17th – Bristol Craft Beer Festival
• Sat 16th – Bristol Brewery Tour
• Sat 16th – Bottles & Books opening
• Sat 16th – Bristol Tequila Festival
• Sat 16th – The Aperol Spritz Bus
• Sat 16th – Food and wine matching at Bordeaux Quay
• Mon 18th-Sun 24th – Butcombe Brewing Co tap takeover at Watershed
• Tue 19th – Guest chef evening at The Pony & Trap
• Wed 20th – Retro Crisp Pop-Up
• Thu 21st – History tour and afternoon tea at Ston Easton Park
• Thu 21st – Cheese & wine tasting at Bordeaux Quay
• Thu 21st – Good Chemistry Disco Fizz launch at Small Bar
• Fri 22nd – Middle East Supper Club at Spike Island
• Fri 22nd – Nose to Assembly 7 course tasting menu at Old Market Assembly
• Fri 22nd – The Great Bristol Food Tour
• Fri 22nd – Introduction to Cider at Bristol Cider Shop
• Sat 23rd – Hops and Harvest Festival at Old Market Assembly
• Sat 23rd – Zwanze Day at Moor Beer
• Sat 23rd – Averys Masterclass Session
• Sat 23rd – Introduction to Wine at Bordeaux Quay
• Sun 24th – Grains, Gradients and Graffiti beer tour
• Sun 24th – Bristol Pudding Society
• Sun 24th – Cupcake masterclass at Little Kitchen
• Sun 24th – Chandos Road Festival
• Sun 24th – Spanish Sunday: bottomless cava & tapas at Pata Negra
• Sun 24th – Bishopston Supper Club Sunday Roast
• Tue 26th – Bristol Cocktail Week: Cocktail Pub Quiz
• Tue 26th – Bristol Cocktail Week: Ardbeg, Release the Beast
• Wed 27th – Champagne and sparkling wine tasting at Averys Wine Merchants
• Wed 27th – Bristol Cocktail Week: Good Things to Drink, Outside!
• Wed 27th – Bristol Cocktail Week: Beer & Whisky Showdown
• Wed 27th – Chocolate Discovery Class at Ston Easton Park
• Thu 28th – The Fitzharding Dinner at Bristol Cathedral
• Thu 28th – Bristol Cocktail Week: Perfecting the Martini
• Thu 28th – Bordeaux Wine Dinner at Hotel du Vin
• Fri 29th – Good Chemistry tap takeover at The Hillgrove
• Fri 29th – Beats Eats Steam: Street Food Party at Steam
• Fri 29th – Chinese Cookery Evening at Little Kitchen
• Fri 29th – Introduction to Cider at Bristol Cider Shop
• Fri 29th – Bristol Cocktail Week: Only One Quality, the Finest
• Fri 29th – Bristol Cocktail Week: Gypsies, Gin, Rouges and Thieves
• Sat 30th – Prosecco tasting at Bordeaux Quay
• Sat 30th – The Bristol Food Tour
• Sat 30th – The Big Bristol Burger Crawl
• Sat 30th – Bristol Cocktail Week: Cocktails and Cheese Pairing
• Sat 30th – Chocolate & wine tasting at Bordeaux Quay