Mega short intro this month as there’s so much to tell you about!

The sun is here, then it isn’t, Grillstock is here, and then it isn’t…what a time to be alive. In any case, here are all the fun food events coming up this month (or check the Events Calendar if you don’t have time to read the full list)

Bristol Food Connections

The citywide mega food festival returns from 11-17th June, and you can find events in all corners of the city.

Many events are free (including those at the festival’s city centre Food Connections Hub), or under £30. Wriggle also rounded up some of the best Food Connections events under a tenner if that helps.

Here are some of my personal favourites from this year’s events – I’d also recommend reading Natalie Brereton’s list of festival highlights! Otherwise, you can see the full programme here.

• Mon 11th: FUTURE: FEAST (£25)
  Described as a ‘cross between Star Trek and Come Dine With Me’ – this 2hr banquet set 100 years in the future sounds immense!
• Mon 11th: Chocolate Gala Dinner (£35)
  The official opening event of the festival, featuring several courses of chocolate-themed dishes (including sirloin & ox cheek pie with cocoa) in the old Fry’s/Cadbury’s chocolate factory in Keynsham.
• Tue 12th: Whisky and the Senses (£8)
  Find out why whisky tastes the way it does and why you prefer some over others.
• Tue 12th: Startup Stories (£10)
  Hear the stories behind local indie food businesses from the owners themselves, from street food vendors to food tour organisers. I’m also chairing a panel about street food at this which should be fun!

• Thu 14th: Fermentation Collaboration with Pickled Brisket & Cider Shop (£25)
  A talk about the process & benefits of fermentation, plus a mega sarnie from Pickled Brisket (their Reuben, oh my), a cider flight AND a goodie bag of fermented goodies. I’ve nabbed my space – hopefully see you there!
• Fri 15th: Thyme Trail (£15)
  A wander around the food businesses of Wapping Wharf, eating as you go and finding out the stories behind each of the vendors, along with some top tips on how to cook with herbs (which you can get from the Edible Bristol garden nearby)
• Thu 14th: The Food Programme: What Does the Future Hold for the UK’S Restaurants? (Free)
  Foodie famohead Grace Dent chairs a panel including Russell Norman (Polpo), Tim Hayward (Financial Times critic) and Romy Gill (local chef and owner of Romy’s Kitchen) talking about the state of the restaurant industry in the UK.

• Fri 15th & Sat 16th: A Seasonal Feast (£30)
  Square Food Foundation and Bristol 24/7 have teamed up to get the next generation of Bristol chefs to cook up a tasty feast including pasta, charcuterie and more.
• Sat 16th: TimeZone (£4)
  Eat your way around the world at this community event in Easton, featuring music, craft workshops and food from Jamaican, Indonesian and Spanish vendors. Yum.
• Sat 16th: Portuguese Wine Dinner (£45)
  I’m so excited for this one – a traditional three-course Portuguese menu with a matched wine flight, and some Portuguese fizz to start. Plus the option of a cheese & port course to finish. Yes please!
• Sat 16th: Food Choices Panel (Free)
  A debate around why we decide (or should) to eat or avoid animal products, featuring Gaz Oakley (Avant-Garde Vegan), Rachel de Thample and FlexiBristol.
• Sun 14th: Ethics of Global Food Production (£14)
  A discussion around whether it’s possible to eat ethically, and whether buying local helps. Ticket includes a breakfast bap and tea or coffee)

Event Highlights

Some other exciting events coming to town this month…

• Pop-ups at Corner 77: This new Stokes Croft venue kicks off with Tsukemono, The Ice Cream Box & Temple Mama on the first weekend of the month, with more TBC!
• Rose and gin boat cruises (Thu 7th, £29.50) – a 2hr cruise around Bristol’s harbour, with 3 drinks included in the price – either G&Ts from Bristol Dry Gin, or rose wines selected by Corks.
• Bottomless boozy BBQ at Steam (Sun 10th, £30) – 2hrs of unlimited sangria, prosecco or cider, along with a banquet of burgers, steaks, piri-piri chicken, veggie skewers and more!
• Hennessy Cognac dinner at Milk Thistle (Thu 14th, £65) – an extravagant French-inspired dinner matched with a flight of cognac cocktails.
• Avery’s Summer of Wine (Sat 16th,  £17.50) – over 100 available to taste over 3 floors of Colston Hall. I am SO there.
• Burger Theory x Otomi collaboration (Thu 21st) – a night of Mexican-inspired burgers, tequila and Margaritas!

 

• Cider Salon (Fri 22nd-Sun 24th) – a series of cidery events across Bristol, from cider & cheese tasting, to a cider dinner at Birch, rare ciders at Bar Buvette, and a grand tasting event at Old Market Assembly on the Saturday. Full events list here.
• Too Many Critics (Sun 24th, £45) – Middle Eastern feast in aid of Action Against Hunger, but the twist is that the food is being cooked by Bristol’s top food critics – can they stand the heat in the kitchen, and what will the real chefs & diners think?

Classes & workshops

Learn something new this month to show off to your mates!

• Foodie Photo Safari Tour – Sat 9th, £35
• Indian street food masterclass at Sholay – Sun 10th, £25
• Cider & Cheese Night at Bristol Beer Factory Tap Room, Wed 13th
• Introduction to Sushi class at Little Kitchen – Thu 14th, £50
• Bristol Hoppers 1st Birthday Bash – Fri 15th, Free
• Bread Making Course at Assembly Bakery – Sat 16th, £50
• Vegan food tour – Sat 16th & Sat 30th, £40
• 6 O’clock Gin tasting at Milk Thistle – Thu 28th, £25

Newbies

Some new faces to go and visit!

• The Stokes Croft Beer Garden (opens Fri 1st June)
• Woky Ko Kauto now open on the Triangle
• Koocha Mezze Bar is serving lush-looking treats off Gloucester Rd
• Pigsty have opened their second restaurant on Gloucester Road
• The Prince of Wales has now reopened under new management
• Big Bao have brought bahn mi and bao to Broadmead

 

 

And coming soon…

• Pizzarova on Park Street
• Happy Bird on Baldwin Street
• Taka Taka on Bridewell Street
• Miller & Carter in the Marriott Royal
• Honest Burgers on Clare Street
• Burger Bear on Gloucester Road
• Gambas in Wapping Wharf

 

 

That’s it for this month, stay up to date with the latest food news by following A Life Less Organised on Facebook, see what I’m eating on Instagram, or just say hello on Twitter.

Need more to read? How about…

• Bristol’s Best Date Locations
• Bristol’s Best Burgers
• The Best Pizza Joints in Bristol
• Bristol Pub Crawl Routes

Dates for the diary
(or check the Events Calendar)

• Fri 1st – Stokes Croft Beer Garden launch
• Fri 1st – Tsukemono & Temple Mama at Corner 77
• Sat 2nd – Tropical Rooftop Brunch
• Sat 2nd – Temple Mama and The Ice Cream Box at Corner 77
• Sat 2nd – Gloucester Road Summer Street Party 
• Sat 2nd – Great Bristol Food Tour
• Sun 3rd – A Tavola wine tasting at The Forge
• Tue 5th – Vegan Hangout at Wagamama
• Tue 5th – Tap Room Tasting: Milk Stout at Bristol Beer Factory
• Thu 7th – Cafe Surplus Launch Party
• Thu 7th – Siren Craft tap takeover at The Beer Emporium
• Thu 7th – Rose and gin boat cruise
• Thu 7th – 3 Course South American Dinner at Mark’s Bread
• Fri 8th – Bristol Dry Gin tasting at The Rummer
• Fri 8th – Taste the Heat cookery class at Little Kitchen
• Fri 8th – Bottomless pizza & prosecco at Dough Ballers
• Fri 8th &Sat 9th – Bristol Bites & Sights food tour
• Fri 8th &Sat 9th – Croft Ales tap takeover at The White Rabbit
• Sat 9th – Foodie Photo Safari Tour
• Sat 9th – Bottomless Prosecco & Mimosa brunch at Steam
• Sat 9th – Wiper & True brewery tour
• Sat 9th – Curry Legend Workshop at The Spicery
• Sat 9th – An Indian Fusion Supperclub at the Bristol Cookhouse
• Sun 10th – Mastering Pasta class at Little Kitchen
• Sun 10th – Sunday Markets food tour
• Sun 10th – Afternoon Tea with Prosecco at Cox & Baloney
• Sun 10th – Indian street food masterclass at Sholay
• Sun 10th – Bottomless boozy BBQ at Steam
• Sun 10th – One Day Bread Course at Mark’s Bread
• Mon 11th- Sun 17th – Bristol Food Connections
• Tue 12th – Cream tea cruise with Bristol Packet
• Wed 13th – Gloucester Road indies food tour
• Wed 13th – Cider & Cheese Night at Bristol Beer Factory Tap Room
• Thu 14th – Hennessy Cognac dinner at Milk Thistle
• Thu 14th – Introduction to Sushi class at Little Kitchen
• Thu 14th – Off Flavours brewing course at Bristol Brewery School
• Thu 14th – BBC Food Programme debate: What does the Future Hold for the UK’s Restaurants?
• Fri 15th – Homegrown Collective Supper Club
• Fri 15th – A Celebration of Bread and Beer at Finzel’s Reach
• Fri 15th – Bristol Fruit Market Tour
• Fri 15th – Cretan Feast at Hamilton House
• Fri 15th – Bristol Hoppers 1st Birthday Bash
• Fri 15th – Sat 16th – Bristol Leaf vegan pop-up at The Bristol Loaf
• Fri 15th – Sat 16th – Bristol Bites & Sights food tour
• Sat 16th – Bread Making Course at Assembly Bakery
• Sat 16th – Bottomless Prosecco & Mimosa brunch at Steam
• Sat 16th – The Pink Gin Bus
• Sat 16th – Distillery tour & tasting at 6 O’Clock Gin
• Sat 16th – Avery’s Summer of Wine at Colston Hall
• Sat 16th – Soul Stretch yoga brunch
• Sat 16th – Vegan food tour
• Sat 16th – Lost & Grounded Summer Brewhouse Session: Northern Monk & Wylam
• Sat 16th – The Great Bristol Food Tour
• Sat 16th – Gloucester Road indies food tour
• Sat 16th – Family pick, cook and eat day at The Community Farm
• Sat 16th – Just Desserts food tour
• Sat 16th – Easton Garden Party 
• Sun 17th – Bottomless boozy BBQ at Steam
• Sun 17th – Cider making and orchard tour at Barley Wood
• Sun 17th – Breweries, Brunel & Brigstow beer tour
• Sun 17th – Afternoon Tea with Prosecco at Cox & Baloney
• Tue 19th – 91 Ways: Malaysian supper club
• Tue 19th – Thu 21st – Craft Brewing 3 day course at Bristol Brewery School
• Tue 19th – Italian Wine Dinner at Thornbury Castle
• Wed 20th – Bristol Syrian Supper Club
• Thu 21st – British Classics brewing course at Bristol Brewing School
• Thu 21st – Supper Club with 6 O’Clock Gin at Riverstation
• Thu 21st – Midsummer Wine Festival at Avon Valley Railway
• Thu 21st – Curry Legend Workshop at The Spicery
• Fri 22nd – A vegan evening with BOSH! 
• Fri 22nd – Bottomless pizza & prosecco at Dough Ballers
• Fri 22nd – Bristol Dry Gin tasting at The Rummer
• Fri 22nd – Sat 23rd – Cider Salon
• Fri 22nd – Sat 23rd – Bristol Bites & Sights food tour
• Sat 23rd – Malaysian Supper Club at The Bristol Cookhouse
• Sat 23rd – Bristol Brewery Tour 
• Sat 23rd – Bottomless Prosecco & Mimosa brunch at Steam
• Sat 23rd – Wiper & True brewery tour
• Sat 23rd – South of the River food tour
• Sat 23rd – 1 day Wines of Italy course
• Sat 23rd – Bingo Wings: Hip Hop Edition
• Sat 23rd – Clandesdiner Supper Club
• Sat 23rd – Brewing Crash Course at Bristol Brewery School
• Sat 23rd – Sun 24th – Longleat Food & Drink Festival
• Sun 24th – Bottomless boozy BBQ at Steam
• Sun 24th – Too Many Critics at Bambalan
• Wed 27th – Rangoon screening with Indian wines at Avery’s
• Wed 27th – Catalan wines and pintxos at Bravas
• Thu 28th – Spanish Steps at Square Food Foundation
• Thu 28th – 6 O’clock Gin tasting at Milk Thistle
• Thu 28th – Little Galicia beer tasting & tapas at Pata Negra
• Fri 29th – Thai Street Food Evening at Little Kitchen
• Fri 29th – Steak Night at Source
• Fri 29th – Bottomless pizza & prosecco at Dough Ballers
• Fri 29th – Pop-up dinner at Aron’s Deli
• Fri 29th – Sat 30th – Bristol Bites & Sights for tour
• Sat 30th – The Bristol World Wine Tour at No.4 Clifton Village
• Sat 30th – Vegan food tour
• Sat 30th – Cycle food tour
• Sat 30th – Fish & Trips cruise on The Matthew
• Sat 30th – Crafternoon Tea at Bristol Beer Factory
• Sat 30th – Bottomless Prosecco & Mimosa brunch at Steam
• Sat 30th – Summer BBQ Party at New Bristol Brewery
• Sat 30th – Saturday Introduction to Wine Lunch