The upside to the end of summer fun times is that now we get into the season of fireplaces, thick socks and darker beers – plus tenuous excuses to eat German food and listen to oompah music – what’s not to love?

Have your calendar at the ready, here’s what you can look forward to in October…

News

First up, a few bits of good news! Bristol has two restaurants in the top 50 of The Good Food Guide 2020 – well done to Casamia and Wilks!

Bristol has also been shortlisted as one of the world’s best food destinations by the World Food Travel Association – see the full list here.

There will a lot of celebrating on Sunday 6th as the winners of the 2019 Crumbs Awards are announced – follow the announcements live on the Crumbs Twitter feed or see the full list of winners after the event on the Crumbs website.

Festivals

There are shindigs aplenty this month, starting with The Volunteer’s 8th Birthday Beerfest from 3rd-6th, St Nick’s Night Market on Friday 11th, the Source Oyster Festival from 23rd-26th, the Brandon Hill Beer Festival  from 24th-27th and a party to celebrate Cowshed’s 10th Birthday on Sunday 27th.

October is many things to many people – if you like beer it’s all about Hoptober (there are tons of beer events listed below, or read this handy round-up from Bristol Hoppers), or if you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’ll be all over Choctober at Zara’s Chocolates, which includes events like Cake Decorating with Chocolate, Taste Your Way Around the World, Talk and Tasting on Chocolate, Halloween Spooktacular and some Kids workshops.

A main feature this month is Oktoberfest, with events taking place across the city, including  The Grand Pierkeller in Weston on Sat 5th, the mega Oktoberfest at The Passenger Shed from 11-12th, German-style beers and bratwurst at Fierce & Noble on Fri 25th and another big Oktoberfest party at The Pennywell Project on Sat 26th October

There are also a range of German beer specials available at King Street Brew House this month, and special dishes and beers at Brewhouse & Kitchen until 8th October. The Victoria in Clifton are also combining their 4th birthday with some Oktoberfest-inspired festivities, and The Prince Street Social are doing a dog-friendly Oktoberfest event on Sun 6th.

Dinners

Treat yourself to a special evening out this month…

• An Evening of Plantbased Gastronomy at La Ruca – Sun 13th, £35, BYO.
• Osborne brandy Dinner at Bar 44 – Wed 16th, £45 for four courses paired with drinks (they’re also doing a Rioja Wine Dinner with Fiona Beckett on Wed 30th)
• Riverstation Classic Wine Dinner in support of PHASE Worldwide – Thu 17th, £50 for four courses paired with wine.
• Box-E X Two Belly – Thu 24th, £60. A four course cheese-inspired menu with snacks and five matched beers. Email hello@boxebristol.com to book.
• Syrian Supper Club at Harts Bakery – Thu 24th, £30. A delicious Middle Eastern meal raising funds for the Hands Up Foundation.
• Clandesdiner Supper Club – Sat 26th, £30 for six courses and nibbles.
• Poco Tapas Bar Presents: Wild and Foraged – Tue 29th, A meal celebrating the bounty of Somersets hedgerows and woodlands. Early bird tickets are £28 (full price £35)
• Remain: A Celebration of European Produce at The Pony and Trap – Thu 31st, £58 plus £40 for wine pairing. Six courses celebrating ingredients and dishes from across Europe. To reserve a table call 01275332627 or email info@theponyandtrap.co.uk.

Pop-ups

Tsukemono are returning to Bristol Spirit from the 2nd of October to the 2nd of November. In addition to their popular regular menu, they’re adding some szechuan spice for autumn!

You’ll also find Nomad Kitchen serving up Chilean dishes at The Hare on the Hill this month, and Japanese delights from Kansai Kitchen at The Good Measure on Chandos Road on Mon, Thur, Fri & Sat 18:00-21:00 – they’re still serving at The Hillgrove too, don’t worry!

Alchemy 198 on Gloucester Road will be the base for the veggie ‘Eat Me’ cafe from 2nd November. Menu items will include brunches, salads, sformato (a delicious Italian inspired tart), maple smoked tofu, vegan mayo and salad sarnies. Eat Me will compost food waste at their allotment, keep other waste to a minimum, use local produce wherever possible and avoid anything wrapped in plastic.

Classes and Tastings

Learn something new to impress your buddies!

• Roll Your Own Sushi Workshop at The Nectar House – 6th & 13th, £20
• Garden to Plate Masterclass at St George’s Bristol – Sat 12th, £21
• A Persian Feast at Square Food Foundation – Thu 17th, £45
• Sherry and tapas tasting at The Kensington Arms – Sat 19th, £35
• Autumn in Italy cookery class at Papadeli – Tue 22nd, £95
• Japanese whisky tasting at Weber & Tring’s – Wed 23rd, £35
• Rum Club: El Dorado Tasting at The Clockwork Rose – Wed 23rd, £14.95
• Vegan cheese & wine tasting at FLIP – Wed 23rd, £16
• Gin Club with Porter’s Gin at Milk Thistle – Thu 24th, £20
• Triple Brewery Tour with Bristol Hoppers – Fri 25th, £25
• Bread Making Course (including lunch) at The Assembly Bakery – Sat 26th, £110
• East to West Food Tour – Sat 26th, £50
• Patisserie Masterclass at Little Kitchen – Sat 26th, £60
• Distill your own gin at Psychopomp Microsdistillery – Sat 26th, £110
• Meat and Wine with Somerset Charcuterie at Avery’s – Wed 30th, £30
• Halloween Workshop at The Chocolate Tart – Wed 30th & Thu 31st, £25
• Champagne, sparkling and fish & chips night – Thu 31st, £40

Newbies

There are plenty of new places for you to visit this month, including:

• HallPass is a new sports bar on Small Street in what used to be Faraway Cocktail Club
• The Bristol & Bath Rum Distillery opens on Park Street in early October.
• Jamaica St Stores has reopened on Stokes Croft, hurrah!
• Spoke & Stringer have opened a new bar on Whiteladies Road.
• New Moon on the Quay opens on the Harbourside on 13th October.
• Palomar is a new seafood restaurant on Gloucester Road (formerly Urban Standard)
• The Swan With Two Necks is newly reopened in St Judes, serving local beers.
• Farahway is a new art and crafts cafe on Nort St.
• Cocksure Brewing have rebranded as Tapestry Brewery – head along to their relaunch party at the brewery on Sat 5th.

And coming soon, Bocabar and its neighbour Le Vignoble in Finzels Reach, plus a new wine bar on North St, Kask.

That’s it for this month, let me know what you end up doing over on Twitter, or keep up to date with other food news by following A Life Less Organised on Facebook. You can also see what I’m eating over on Instagram.

Looking for somat else to read? How about…

– Bristol’s Cosiest Pubs
– Classy Cocktail Bars in Bristol
– The Best Indian Restaurants in Bristol

Dates for the diary

• Thu 3rd – Sun 6th – 8th Birthday Beerfest at The Volunteer Tavern
• Sat 5th – Good Chemistry Brewery Tap Closing Party with Masa + Mezcal
• Sat 5th – Tapestry Brewery launch party
• Sat 5th – Gin Masterclass at The Kensington Arms
• Sat 5th – Fish cookery at Square Food Foundation
• Sat 5th – 4th birthday and Oktoberfest at The Victoria
• Sat 5th – Distillers Table at Psychopomp: Chilli
• Sat 5th – Dawkins Brewery Tour
• Sat 5th – Artisan cheese and wine pairing at The Kensington Arms
• 5-10th October – The Grand Pierkeller 
• Sun 6th – Roll Your Own Sushi Workshop at The Nectar House
• Sun 6th – Dogtoberfest at The Prince Street Social
• Sun 6th – Breweries, Brunel & Brigstow beer tour
• Mon 7th – Dawkins Brewery tap takeover at Watershed
• Mon 7th – Simple Meals for New Cooks at Cooking It
• Tue 8th – Children’s Birthday Cake Class at ANNA Cake Couture
• Tue 8th – Christmas Preview Evening at Zara’s Chocolates
• Wed 9th – Mastering Pasta at Little Kitchen
• Wed 9th – Champagne and sparkling cellar tasting at Avery’s
• Wed 9th – Other Half tap takeover at Left Handed Giant Brewpub
• Wed 9th – Cider vs Music at Friendly Records
• Wed 9th – Gin blending session at Weber & Tring’s
• Thu 10th – Startup Stories with Extract Coffee Roasters
• Thu 10th – The Brewer’s Lectures
• Thu 10th – Explore Italy wine tasting
• Fri 11th – St Nick’s Night Market
• Fri 11th – Introduction to Cider at Bristol Cider Shop
• Fri 11th – Spanish Highlights Wine Tasting at Avery’s
• Fri 11th – Bristol Dry Gin tasting
• Fri 11- Sat 12th – Oktoberfest at The Passenger Shed
• Sat 12th – Cake Decorating with Chocolate at Zara’s Chocolates
• Sat 12th – Moor Beer Brewery Tour
• Sat 12th – Garden to Plate Masterclass at St George’s Bristol
• Sat 12th – Tapestry Brewery tap takeover at The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer
• Sat 12th – Wiper & True Brewery Tour
• Sat 12th – South of the River Food Tour
• Sat 12th – Champagne and sparkling wine tasting
• Sun 13th – Truffles and Pralines workshop at Zara’s Chocolates
• Sun 13th – An Evening of Plantbased Gastronomy at La Ruca
• Sun 13th – Roll Your Own Sushi Workshop at The Nectar House
• Mon 14th – Moroccan Cookery Class at Cooking It
• Tue 15th – Charcuterie, cheese and wine evening
• Wed 16th – Cheese and wine tasting at Avery’s with Ach House Deli
• Wed 16th – Osborne brandy dinner at Bar 44
• Wed 16th – Thai Street Food Class at Little Kitchen
• Wed 16th – A Taste of Mexico at The Rose of Denmark
• Thu 17th – Tapestry tap takeover at The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer
• Thu 17th – Sri Lankan Cookery Class at Cooking It
• Thu 17th – Tiny Rebel tasting and food pairing at Brewhouse Kitchen
• Thu 17th – Taste Your Way Around the World at Zara’s Chocolates
• Thu 17th – A Persian Feast at Square Food Foundation
• Thu 17th – Explore USA and South Africa wine tasting
• Thu 17th – Persian Feast at Square Food
• Thu 17th – Riverstation Classic Wine Dinner in support of PHASE Worldwide
• Fri 18th – Bristol Dry Gin tasting
• Fri 18th – Designing Great Beers course at Bristol Brewery School
• Sat 19th – Bristol Brewery Tours
• Sat 19th – East to West Food Tour
• Sat 19th – Wiper & True Brewery Tour
• Sat 19th – Classic Workshop at The Chocolate Tart
• Sat 19th – Sherry and tapas tasting at The Kensington Arms
• Sat 19th – A Beginner’s Guide to Wine Tasting at Avery’s (or a few discounted tickets available here)
• Sat 19th – Bristol Craft Beer Experience
• Sat 19th – Moor Beer Brewery Tour
• Sat 19th – Eatchu Gyoza Masterclass
• Sat 19th – Spain and Portugal Discovered wine tasting
• Sun 20th – Bottomless Burger Club at Burger Theory
• Sun 20th – Yoga Brunch Club at Left Handed Giant Brewpub
• Sun 20th – Paella Cookery Class at Cooking It
• Mon 21st – Two Hour Workshop at The Chocolate Tart
• Mon 21st – Apple Pressing at Tyntesfield
• Tue 22nd – Macaron class at ANNA Cake Couture
• Tue 22nd – Talk and Tasting on Chocolate at Zara’s Chocolates
• Tue 22nd – Autumn in Italy cookery class at Papadeli
• Tue 22nd – Christmas Goodies Workshop at The Chocolate Tart
• Wed 23rd – Rum Club: El Dorado Tasting at The Clockwork Rose
• Wed 23rd – Vegan cheese and wine tasting at FLIP Bristol
• Wed 23rd – Halloween Spooktacular at Zara’s Chocolates
• Wed 23rd – Bertha’s Pizza Giro
• Wed 23rd – Japanese whisky tasting at Weber & Tring’s
• Wed 23rd – Sat 26th – Source Oyster Festival
• Thu 24th – DIY Pizza and Dine at Little Kitchen
• Thu 24th – Box-E X Two Belly beer and cheese dinner
• Thu 24th – Syrian Supper Club at Hart’s Bakery
• Thu 24th – Gin Club with Porter’s Gin at Milk Thistle
• Thu 24th – Explore Spain and Portugal wine tasting
• Thu 24th – Bread Making Class at Thornbury Castle
• Thu 24th – Sun 27th – Brandon Hill Beer Festival
• Fri 25th – Triple Brewery Tour
• Fri 25th – Burning Sky Tap Takeover at The Good Measure
• Fri 25th – Oktoberfest at Fierce & Noble
• Fri 25th – Introduction to Cider at Bristol,Cider Shop
• Fri 25th – Carry on Screaming – wine and film at Avery’s
• Sat 26th – South of the River Food Tour
• Sat 26th – Oktoberfest at The Pennywell Project
• Sat 26th – Harry Potter Bottomless Brunch at The Prince Street Social
• Sat 26th – Bread Making Course at The Assembly Bakery
• Sat 26th – Clandesdiner Supper Club
• Sat 26th – Bristol Dry Gin tasting
• Sat 26th – Moor Beer Brewery Tour
• Sat 26th – East to West Food Tour
• Sat 26th – Wiper & True Brewery Tour
• Sat 26th – Distill your own gin at Psychopomp Microsdistillery
• Sat 26th – Bristol Brewery Tours
• Sat 26th – Young Frankenstein – wine and film at Avery’s
• Sat 26th – Patisserie Masterclass at Little Kitchen
• Sun 27th – Cowshed 10th Birthday Party
• Mon 28th – Chocotober Children’s Workshops at Zara’s Chocolates
• Tue 29th – Celebration Drip Cake Class at ANNA Cake Couture
• Tue 29th – Poco Tapas Bar Presents: Wild and Foraged
• Wed 30th – Glenfarclas whisky tasting at Weber & Tring’s
• Wed 30th – Mexican Street Food at Little Kitchen
• Wed 30th – Meat and Wine with Somerset Charcuterie at Avery’s
• Wed 30th – Rioja Wine Dinner at Bar 44
• Wed 30th & Thu 31st – Halloween Workshop at The Chocolate Tart 
• Thu 31st – Remain: A Celebration of European Produce at The Pony and Trap
• Thu 31st – Halloween Mixology Workshop at Bird & Blend
• Thu 31st – An Introduction to Tequila and Mezcal at The Clockwork Rose
• Thu 31st – Champagne, sparkling and fish & chips night, £40