I took January off, but I’m glad to report that there are plenty of things to talk about this month, from Valentine’s Day feasts to a kids party food buffet for grown ups.

Warm your hands with a cuppa and get cosy, here are the February food & drink events you won’t want to miss…

News

Leading from all the #Veganuary shenanigans (I’m actually really keen to try the vegan steak bake), Woky Ko now have an exclusive vegan available on Deliveroo –

In food festival news, the British Dal Festival will be back from 21st-31st March, with a special Dal Edition of St Nick’s Night Market on Friday 27th March. I was also really excited to hear that Eat Drink Bristol Fashion is coming back in May for a weekend of food stalls, workshops, live music and banqueting in Castle Park.

Hyde & Co, the well-loved hidden cocktail bar just off the Triangle, celebrates its 10th birthday this month! It’s mad to think that this bar opened after I moved to Bristol, and it started the business which has since given us the brilliant Milk Thistle, The Ox, Pata Negra, Bambalan and Seven Lucky Gods. Head along to Hyde & Co between 3rd-9th February for a special menu of old favourites and a sample of some creations from their forthcoming menu.

The 2020 accolades have started already, with 30 Bristol restaurants appearing in the 2020 Hardens Guide, and The Pony & Trap making it to no.8 in the Top 50 Gastropubs list.

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Main events

Have you ever been to a wassail? Now’s your chance to see the weird West Country tradition in action on Sat 8th at The Community Farm, with music, singing and of course lots of cider!

The Circle Project (made up of a group who previously traded in the Bearpit) are running the first of their Food for Thought events on Thu 13th, a cooking workshop with a twist. Groups will be encouraged to cook from scratch using seasonal ingredients, while meeting new people and learning some new stuff along the way!

Join the brewers from Good Chemistry for Kokomo Crawl 2020 on Friday 21st, a pub crawl taking in several bars serving their very tasty Kokomo Weekday and Kokomo Weekend (other beverages are available) and ending at their pub The Good Measure in Redland.

Paco Tapas are hosting a wine dinner with Suertes del Marqués, the top wine producer in Tenerife. On Wed 26th they will be pouring a handful of different wines alongside a menu of complementary classics, learning how they communicate the story of the incredible place where they were grown. Tickets are £90pp, inclusive of wine.

Party games, a party buffet and even a magic show come to Noche Negra above Pata Negra on Fri 28th for their Kids Party (The Grown Up Edition) . Party like you did in 1989, except with more booze and drag queens!

Valentine’s Day

If you’re looking for ideas to spoil that special someone (or treat one of your mates!), the city is full of Valentine’s Day menus and events.

I’ve seen some incredible Valentine’s Day menus at The Cauldron, Pasta Loco, Bristol Spirit, but I’m pretty sure they’re all sold out, so here are some other options…

• Book in for five courses + bubbles at The Pony & Trap for £60pp (optional wine flight £40). Reservations via email – info@theponyandtrap.co.uk, or phone 01275 332627.
• Enjouy four courses plus a Champagne cocktail at Glassboat for £50pp, accompanied by live music from a local jazz and swing band.
• Munch your way through a vegan sharing dinner for two at the Love Your Planet Valentine’s Day Supper at The Vegetable Diva, £30pp.
• Add a bit of crime while you dine at the Valentine’s Day Murder Mystery Dinner at Ashton Gate Stadium, which includes a 3 course meal, an arrival drink and tea/coffee for £39pp.
• Enjoy four courses and a glass of Champagne at Harvey Nichols for £50pp.
• The Pump House are doing a taster menu including Portland oysters and Champagne for £45pp (optional drinks flight £35).
• The team from acclaimed veggie restaurant Acorn in Bath are doing a seasonal 6-course tasting menu at The Forge for £55pp.
• Get a large sharing platter of meats, cheese and more with some fab wines at Le Vignoble for £50pp.

If you don’t fancy doing anything too schmaltzy, how about a Scotch egg masterclass at Little Kitchen, Wine tasting masterclass at Two Belly, a rum making experience at Bristol & Bath Rum Distillery or winter beer festival at Fierce & Noble’s brewery?

Workshops & classes

Learn something new this month!

• Beer & Alpine Cheese tasting at New Bristol Brewery, Thur 6th, £30.
• February’s Triple Brewery Night with Bristol Hoppers, Fri 7th, £29.
• Vietnamese street food class at Little Kitchen , Fri 7th, £45.
• Explore Australia and New Zealand wine tasting, Wed 12th, £30.
• Cider vs Cheese at Tobacco Factory, Thu 13th, £20.
• Distiller’s Table: Medicine at Psychopomp, Sat 15th, £35.
• Vegan cheese & wine evening at FLIP Deli, Wed 19th, £16.50.
• Turkish Delights cookery class at Papadeli, Wed 19th, £95.
• Redfield Wine Society at Bristol Spirit, Thu 20th, £20.
• Chocolate & Wine tasting at Avery’s Wine Cellars, Wed 26th, £30.
• Gambian cookery class at Coexist Community Kitchen, Wed 26th, £38.
• Bristol Whisky Appreciation Society, Thu 27th.
• Warner’s Gin Club at Milk Thistle, Thu 27th, £22.
• Bread Matters class at Square Food Foundation, Thu 27th, £45.
• ‘Call my Bluff’ wine tasting at Le Vignoble, £15.
• Introduction to Cider, Fri 28th, £20.

New places

It’s been a slow start to the year, but there are a few new places for you to visit, including Sweven specialist coffee shop on North St, Big Juice in Hamilton House on Stokes Croft and the new Emmeline at Spike Island.

We’ve got some exciting stuff coming soon though, including the Ahh Toots shop at the bottom of Christmas Steps, a move to Cargo 1 for Squeezed, a new Burger Theory on Stokes Croft, Cave wine bar on Gloucester Road, Indian restaurant Mowgli on Corn St and an exciting new venture from the team behind Michelin-starred Casamia and Paco Tapas, The 3rd.

Dates for the diary

• Sat 1st – Clandesdiner Supper Club
• Sat 1st & Sun 2nd – Alkemio Kitchen Goes Vegan
• Tue 4th – Beer & cheese evening wth Broaden & Build at Two Belly
• Tue 4th – Fiesta biscuits class at ANNA Cake Couture
• Wed 5th – Sudanese cookery class at Coexist Community Kitchen
• Wed 5th – Explore Bordeaux, Rhone and South of France wine tasting
• Wed 5th – Wines of France tasting at Avery’s Wine Cellars
• Thu 6th – Startup Stories: Wiper & True
• Thu 6th – Ladies’ Lunch with Julia Weston-Davies at Bowood Hotel
• Thu 6th – A Mexican Feast at Square Food Foundation
• Thu 6th – Beer & Alpine Cheese tasting at New Bristol Brewery
• Fri 7th – Vietnamese street food class at Little Kitchen
• Fri 7th – February’s Triple Brewery Night
• Sat 8th – Garden to Plate Masterclass at St George’s Bristol
• Sat 8th – Wassail 2020 at The Community Farm
• Sun 9th – Figure moulding with salted caramels at Zara’s Chocolates
• Sun 9th – One hour Valentine’s Day chocolate class at The Chocolate Tart
• Sun 9th – Yoga Brunch Club with beer & pizza at Left Handed Giant Brewpub
• Mon 10th – Beerd Pizza Night
• Tue 11th – Cider Tasting with The Ciderologist at The Good Measure
• Wed 12th – Pakistani cookery class at Coexist Community Kitchen
• Wed 12th – Explore Australia and New Zealand wine tasting
• Thu 13th – Three Bros Anti Valentine X Tiny Rebel Birthday Tap Takeover
• Thu 13th – Syrian Supper Club at Hart’s Bakery
• Thu 13th – Valentine’s chocolate workshop at The Chocolate Tart
• Thu 13th – New Bristol Brewery tap takeover at Snuffy Jack’s
• Thu 13th – Sun 16th – Winter Beer Festival at Fierce & Noble
• Thu 13th – Food For Thought #1 at Sundial Kitchen
• Thu 13th – Cider vs Cheese at Tobacco Factory
• Fri 14th – Wing’s Diner Valentine’s Menu at Bristol Spirit
• Fri 14th – Scotch egg masterclass at Little Kitchen
• Fri 14th – Starting your own microbrewery at Bristol Brewery School
• Fri 14th – Cheesy Valentine’s at Moor Beer
• Fri 14th – Valentine’s Day tapas & wine at Le Vignoble
• Fri 14th – Acorn Kitchen Valentine’s Feast at The Forge
• Fri 14th – Valentine’s Day at Glassboat
• Fri 14th – Wine tasting masterclass at Two Belly
• Fri 14th – Valentine’s Murder Mystery Dinner at Ashton Gate Stadium
• Fri 14th – Love Your Planet Valentine’s Supper at The Vegetable Diva
• Sat 15th – Bristol Beer Tasting
• Sat 15th – Distiller’s Table: Medicine at Psychopomp Microdistillery
• Sat 15th – Bristol Craft Beer Experience
• Sun 16th – Bottomless Burger Club at Burger Theory
• Mon 17th – Easter Egg class (ages 14-16) at Zara’s Chocolates
• Mon 17th – Morgenrot x Mevalco tasting at Bar 44
• Mon 17th – Truffles and pralines class at Zara’s Chocolates
• Mon 17th – Beer & Cheese at Small Bar
• Tue 18th – Macaron class at ANNA Cake Couture
• Tue 18th – The Best of Bristol Beer at Little Kitchen
• Tue 18th – Hotel Chocolat Masterclass at Piccolino
• Tue 18th – Thu 20th – Children’s cookery class at Cooking It!
• Wed 19th – Vegan cheese & wine evening at FLIP Deli
• Wed 19th – Turkish Delights cookery class at Papadeli
• Wed 19th – Sri Lankan cookery class at Coexist Community Kitchen
• Wed 19th – Explore Burgundy and Loire wine tasting
• Thu 20th – Redfield Wine Society at Bristol Spirit
• Thu 20th – Tongerlo tasting at Brewhouse Bar + Kitchen
• Fri 21st – Kokomo Crawl 2020 with Good Chemistry Brewing
• Fri 21st – 91 Ways Palestinian Vegan Mezze evening at Resbite Cafe
• Sat 22nd – Sherry tasting
• Sat 22nd – Veggie/Vegan Yoga Brunch at Amba House
• Sat 22nd – Bristol Prosecco Festival
• Sat 22nd – Chimaek tasting at Amba House
• Sun 23rd – Pizza Masterclass at Piccolino
• Mon 24th – Smoke & Spirits Masterclass at Black Rock
• Tue 25th – Celebration drip cake class at ANNA Cake Couture
• Wed 26th – Chocolate & Wine tasting at Avery’s Wine Cellars
• Wed 26th – Suertes del Marqués dinner at Paco Tapas
• Wed 26th – Gambian cookery class at Coexist Community Kitchen
• Wed 26th – Explore Chile and Argentina wine tasting
• Thu 27th – Brick Brewery Meet the Brewer at The Good Measure
• Thu 27th – Warner’s Gin Club at Milk Thistle
• Thu 27th – ‘Call My Bluff’ winetasting at Le Vignoble
• Thu 27th – Brewing crash course at New Bristol Brewery
• Thu 27th – Bristol Whisky Appreciation Society
• Thu 27th – Mexican street food cookery class at Cooking It!
• Thu 27th – Bread Matters class at Square Food Foundation
• Fri 28th – Kids Party (The Grown Up Edition) at Noche Negra
• Fri 28th – Introduction to Wine Evening at The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer
• Fri 28th – Meowstermind Cat Quiz at Bristol Spirit
• Fri 28th – Curry Express at Little Kitchen
• Fri 28th – Introduction to Cider at Mokoko
• Sat 29th – South of the River food tour
• Sat 29th – Prosecco and sparkling wine tasting
• Sat 29th – East to West food tour
• Sat 29th – Sushi Making at The Community Farm
• Sat 29th – Gin masterclass