The cold snap may be in full force, but spring is round the corner, apparently.

In the mean time, we have plenty of tasty events, festivals and new places to keep us busy, hurrah!

So put on the kettle and get cosy with your hot water bottle, here’s the low down on where you should be munching this month…

Main events

The British Dal Festival returns for its second year from 10-17th February, with a programme of events across the UK, but still focused in Bristol. Events include:

• Sat 9th – 91 Ways Celebrates the Magic of Dal at Bristol Hindu Temple. Free.
• Sun 10th – Meet the Producers at Poco, a 3 course meal using UK pulses in every dish. £27-£32.
• 10-17th – The Dal Trail, a selection of special dal dishes at restaurants & cafes across Bristol (I’m hoping to try a few of these).
• Wed 13th – The Dal Takeover at St Nicks Farmers Market event, with a free dal lunch from Thali!
• Wed 13th – 4 course vegan feast at Gopal’s Curry Shack, £22.50.
• Fri 15th – BYOB dal feast by Bosh, a trio of dals with bread and sambals, £12.50.
• Sat 16th – The Grand Dal Finale (Free), cookery demos, talks, street food, family activities & market stalls at Paintworks.
• Sun 17th – Vela pop-up, five dishes using dal in different ways, £26.79.

You can also celebrate Chinese New Year at a range of festivities around Bristol, including at Bristol Museum on Sat 2nd & Sun 3rd February, at Wai Yee Hong in Eastville on Sat 9th and at WokyFest in Wapping Wharf on 9th. Woky Ko Kauto are also putting on a Chinese New Year banquet on 7th Feb which is just £27.50 for four courses and a glass of fizz. Yum.

There’s also a new vegan market coming to town this month. House of Veg is a new vegan street food market which will take place at the Pennywell Project near Old Market on Sat 23rd Feb, with stalls including Hummusapiens, Bun Fiction, Mel’s Kindness Kitchen, The Smoked Vegan and more.

And finally, Wriggle & Burger Bear are offering the prize of a lifetime’s supply of burgers! The competition winner will be able to claim one burger a day (including their own personally designed special) for the rest of their life from Burger Bear’s Gloucester Road restaurant. They will also see their dream burger feature on the Burger Bear menu for one month. The competition closes on Wednesday 6th February. To enter, fill in your details here, and describe your dream burger.

Valentine’s Day

Feeling schmaltzy? Here are some good events and offers to consider:

• Yurt Lush are doing a special Valentine’s Day dinner, 3 Courses for £35 or 2 Courses for £28, and it looks lush.
• Bertha’s Pizza in Wapping Wharf are doing a special Valentine’s Day menu for £40 per couple, which includes starters, a pizza each and a dessert each, plus a glass of Cava on arrival.
• The Malago in Southville is doing bottomless cheese fondue for just £12.50 per person on Valentine’s Day!
• Birch are doing a couple of Valentine’s specials, including chateaubriand with salad, bearnaise and chips for £50.

• Bristol Film Festival are doing a special screening : Amélie with Wine Tasting at Averys Wine Merchants on Friday 15th, tickets are £25 and include a tasting of four French wines. They’re doing quite a few foodie film events this year, so check out their programme!
• Fancy a bit of culture? Bristol Old Vic are doing a special offer for their performances of ‘Wise Children’ during the week of Valentine’s Day. On arrival guests will receive a glass of Prosecco with snacks, followed by a three course meal in the theatre’s 1766 Bar & Kitchen before the show. At the interval, guests will then be treated to macarons, dipped strawberries and another glass of Prosecco. More info here.
• The Square Kitchen are doing a 7-course Valentine’s menu for £55.

Not feeling the romance? Bristol Hoppers are doing a Singles Beer Tour on the 8th! Or you can get some more ideas from this guide to the Best Date Locations in Bristol.

Dinners

Some other dining events to tempt you this month…

• Sinner, Saint and Purgatory supper club at The Victoria, Wed 6th – devilish dishes from Dante’s Food, including Back in black mackerel, and Rhubarbara Streisand custard doughnuts. £23 for 4 courses.
• Pitchfork Cafe: Winter Banquet at Cafe Kino, Tue 12th – several courses of seasonal, vegan food. £20 for all courses, £16 for all courses minus pudding.
• New Zealand wine dinner at Hotel du Vin, Fri 15th – a three course meal paired with wines, plus canapes and an arrival drink. £70 per person.
• Mamma Mia matinee & Greek lunch at Bristol Spirit, Sat 16th – a screening of the film accompanied by a Greek brunch. £25 including a welcome cocktail.
• Dine Naked at Bristol Cookhouse, Sat 16th – a three course supper club where all guests are naked. £28.
• Clandesdiner, Sat 23rd – a secret supper club in a mystery location. Suggested payment £30.
• Spanish Wine Dinner at Pata Negra, Wed 27th – a selection of tapas matched with some top notch Spanish wines, explained by experts The Three Amigos and Andy Clarke. £45.
• 91 Ways Egyptian supper club – a three course Egyptian dinner, the proceeds of which go to funding 91 Ways projects in the community. £30.

Workshops & tastings

Learn something new this month!

• Vegan food tour with The Bristol Food Tour, Sat 9th, £45.
• 6 O’ clock Gin masterclass & food pairing at 1766 Bar & Kitchen, Tue 12th, £20.
• Cider & cheese tasting at The Bristol Cider Shop, Thu 14th, £25.
• Truffles & pralines workshop at Zara’s Chocolates, Sat 16th, £50.
• Decadent Desserts class at Little Kitchen, Sun 17th, £50.
• Beer & Cheese night at Small Bar, Mon 18th, £17.50.
• Triple brewery beer tour with Bristol Hoppers, Fri 22nd, £25.
• Kimchi College: An Introduction to Fermenting Vegetables, Sat 23rd, £45.
• Vegan cake baking workshop at Bakesmiths, Sat 23rd, £49.99
• Teachu: Gyoza masterclass & Japanese cooking, Sat 23rd (SOLD OUT, March dates available)
• Bristol Whisky Appreciation Society, Thu 28th, £21.55.
• Knife skills & basic cookery class at Square Food Foundation, Thu 28th, £49.

Pop-ups

Tsukemono are returning to Bristol Spirit from February 6, offering soba and udon noodle dishes based around kaeshi – a distinctive broth base which is a staple of Japanese cuisine.

Criminal Donuts are doing a one night only pop-up at No.12 Easton on Sat 16th, followed by another at Milk Teeth in St Pauls on 1st March.

Come and get your fill of Gujarati dishes from Naasto Basto at The Volunteer Tavern this month, they’ve been getting rave reviews, so I need to head over myself!

That’s it for this month, follow more food updates on the blog’s Facebook page, say hello on Twitter, or you can see what I’m eating on Instagram.

Other guides you might like…
– Bristol’s Best Harbourside Spots
– Bristol’s Cosiest Pubs
– Bristol’s Best Curry Restaurants
– Bristol’s Best Brewery Tap Rooms (Visit Bristol)
– The Most Sexual Food You Can Put in Your Mouth in Bristol (Stuffed)

Dates for the diary
(or check the Events Calendar)

• Wed 6th – Whisky Social at The Dark Horse
• Wed 6th – Sinner, Saint, Pugatory supper club at The Victoria
• Wed 6th – Southern French wine tasting at Avery’s
• Wed 6th – Tacos & beer at Cargo Cantina
• Thu 7th – Chinese New Year banquet at Woky Ko Kauto
• Thu 7th – New Bristol Brewery beer tasting
• Thu 7th – Beer & cheese evening at The Grain Barge
• Thu 7th – Wine tasting at The Square Club
• Fri 8th – Introduction to Cider at Bristol Cider Shop
• Fri 8th – Singles beer tour with Bristol Hoppers
• Fri 8th – The Grand Budapest Hotel with Wine Tasting at Averys Wine Merchants
• Sat 9th – Vegan food tour with The Bristol Food Tour
• Sat 9th – Chinese New Year celebration at Wai Yee Hong
• Sat 9th – WokyFest in Wapping Wharf
• Sat 9th – Paleo lunch & cookery lesson at The Bristol Cookhouse
• Sat 9th – Wassail at The Community Farm
• Sat 9th – East to West food tour with The Bristol Food Tour
• Mon 11 – Tue 12th – Cabrito dinner at Flour & Ash
• Tue 12th – 6 O’ clock Gin Masterclass and Food Pairing at 1766 Bar & Kitchen
• Tue 12th – Pitchfork Cafe: Winter Banquet at Cafe Kino
• Tue 12th – Off Flavours Course at Bristol Brewery School
• Wed 13th – British Dal Festival: 4 course vegan feast at Gopal’s Curry Shack
• Thu 14th – Valentine’s Day dinner at Yurt Lush
• Thu 14th – Bottomless fondue at The Malago
• Thu 14th – Valentine’s Day dinner at The Square Kitchen
• Thu 14th – Cider & cheese tasting at The Bristol Cider Shop
• Thu 14th – Explore Australia & New Zealand wine tasting
• Fri 15th – Bristol Film Festival: Amélie with Wine Tasting at Averys
• Fri 15th – British Dal Festival: BYOB Vegan Dal Feast from Bosh!
• Fri 15th – New Zealand Wine Dinner at Hotel du Vin
• Fri 15th – Sat 17th – Winter Beer Festival at Fierce & Noble
• Sat 16th – Dine Naked at Bristol Cookhouse
• Sat 16th – Breweries, Brunel and Brigstow beer tour with Bristol Hoppers
• Sat 16th – East to West food tour with The Bristol Food Tour
• Sat 16th – Criminal Donuts pop-up at No.12 Easton
• Sat 16th – Stokes Croft food tour with The Bristol Food Tour
• Sun 17th – Truffles & Pralines workshop at Zara’s Chocolates
• Sun 17th – Bottomless Burger Club at Burger Theory
• Sun 17th – Decadent Desserts class at Little Kitchen
• Mon 18th – Beer & Cheese night at Small Bar
• Mon 18- Wed 20th – 3 Day Brewing Course at Bristol Brewery School
• Tue 19th – Wafer Paper Birthday Cake class at ANNA Cake Couture
• Wed 20th – Wines of Japan tasting evening at Riverstation
• Thu 21st – Syrian Supper Club at The Bristol Cookhouse
• Thu 21st – Explore Burgundy & Loire wine tasting
• Thu 21st – Mini Pizza Making at Windmill Hill City Farm
• Fri 22nd – Triple brewery beer tour with Bristol Hoppers
• Fri 22nd – Introduction to cider at Bristol Cider Shop
• Sat 23rd – Kimchi College: An Introduction to Fermenting Vegetables
• Sat 23rd – Bristol Brewery Tour
• Sat 23rd – House of Veg vegan market
• Sat 23rd – Gyoza masterclass & Japanese cooking lesson
• Sat 23rd – Vegan cake baking workshop
• Sat 23rd – Clandesdiner supper club
• Tue 26th – Vegan cake workshop at Bakesmiths
• Tue 26th – Macaron class at Anna Cake Couture
• Tue 26th – Tempering chocolate workshop at Zara’s Chocolates
• Wed 27th – Spanish wine dinner at Pata Negra
• Wed 27th – Introduction to Wine evening
• Wed 27th – Flamenco & tapas at El Rincon
• Wed 27th – Chocolate & wine tasting at Avery’s Wine Merchants
• Thu 28th – 91 Ways Egyptian supper club
• Thu 28th – Knife skills & basic cookery class at Square Food Foundation
• Thu 28th – Explore Chile & Argentina wine tasting
• Thu 28th – Bristol Whisky Appreciation Society