Summer tiiiiime, here we go! We’re firmly into beer gardens and Harbourside drinks terrritory, and dare I say it, cider slushies if that’s your vibe (it very much is mine).
St Pauls Carnival was a hoot, and we still have Bristol Pride, Harbour Festival and the Balloon Fiesta to come!
Take a look at the tasty things happening this month, and let me know what takes your fancy over on Twitter or Instagram.
Exciting updates
On the subject of festivals, you’ve only got a few weeks left to wait before Valley Fest returns to Chew Valley for a weekend of food and music – final tickets available!
Cider Salon also returns in early August, with 20 cider producers coming to The Salon on 5th August, plus lots of other cider tasting events throughout the week.
As well as their popular DIY wine tasting kits, KASK in Bedminster are now doing mini wine kits for picnics! They’re also still do their £5 wine tastings every other Wednesday, plus weekly cheese and wine tastings.
Jean’s Bistro on Gloucester Road is doing a noodle buffet every Sunday from 12-5pm, it’s BYO and no advance booking, just rock up and help yourself to your own combo of noodles, sauces and toppings for £15 per person.
Planning an event and need catering? The home cooks at All About the Cooks can put on a delicious spread for you! Find out about their new Curation Service here.
Just outside of town, Ring o’ Bells in Compton Martin just by Chew Valley Lake has a new smokehouse BBQ menu every Friday and Saturday featuring brisket burgers, steak and more. There are also a couple of new summery menus for you to choose from at Cadbury House in Congresbury, including some Italian specialities at Bardolino.
I’ll round off the news section on a more solemn note, as many much-loved food and drink venues have announced that they’re closing in recent weeks, including Eat Your Greens, The Ethicurean and Future Doughnuts. It’s a really tough time for businesses, so try to book in with one or two of your favourites over the coming weeks.
Celebrations and special events
First things first, Bristol24/7 are having a big party at Wapping Wharf on Thursday 20th July to launch their 2023 EatDrink24/7 guide. More details and tickets to come, but expect street food stalls, unique collabs, an epic all-female tasting menu line-up and lots of lively tunes!
- Wed 5th – Queer Beer Here at The Kings Head
- Wed 5th – 31 Days of German Riesling launch party at Box-E
- Fri 7th – St Nicks Night Market
- Thu 13th – Gin Cruise with Bristol Ferry, £20
- Thu 13th – An Evening with Wilding Cider & North Street Cheese at Wiper and True Taproom, £20
- Fri 14th – Attic Brew Co Brave Noise beer launch at The Good Measure
- Sat 15th – Portishead Cider Festival, £10
- Thu 20th – Little Summer Beer Bash, Warm Up Party with DEYA at The Old Bookshop
- Sun 23rd – Afternoon tea on Brunel’s SS Great Britain, from £15
- Thu 27th – The Kernel Tap Takeover & Meet The Brewer at The Good Measure
- Fri 28th – Fish & chips trip on The Matthew, £33 for adults
Dining events
Treat yourself to a memorable meal this month…
Enjoy some relaxed family-style dining with Grub Club: Supper Club Easton on Sat 8th. It’s BYO and tickets are £39 for four courses.
Enjoy five courses of organic and vegan dishes at Acacia’s BYO event on Fri 14th. Tickets are £65pp.
ABOE are hosting a special Wine Dinner with Vineyard Productions on Fri 21st, £120 per person, with ticket including canapes on arrival and a specially-created menu, all paired with six of Vineyard Production’s speciality wines.
Tours, tastings and workshops
Learn something new this month!
- Wed 5th – Kylie Minogue Wine Tasting Masterclass at Harvey Nichols Second Floor Restaurant, £30
- Sat 8th – Food & Drink Tour: Hotspots & Hidden Treasures, £65
- Sat 8th – Truffles & Pralines workshop at Zara’s Chocolates, £50
- Sat 8th – An Intro to Orange Wine Tasting with Native Vine, £22
- Mon 10th – Quiquiriqui Mezcal Tasting at The Clockwork Rose, £25
- Wed 12th – Bastille Day Brandy Tasting with Cheese at Spirited, £30
- Wed 12th – Sudanese cookery class at Coexist Community Kitchen, £35
- Fri 14th – Thai Street Food class at Little Kitchen, £68
- Fri 14th – Foraging & Wild Food Lunch at Oxwick Farm, £40
- Fri 14th – Gin Lover’s Masterclass at Psychopomp, £30
- Sat 15th – Summer Reds Wine Tasting with Native Vine, £20
- Sat 15th – Vietnamese Street Food class at Little Kitchen, £68
- Sun 16th – Introduction to Biodynamic Winegrowing at Limeburn Hill Vineyard, £80
- Mon 17th – Biscuit Decorating Workshop at Windmill City Farm, £30 for adults and children
- Wed 19th – Fullers Vintage & Cheese: An Evening with John Keeling at Wiper & True Barrel Store, £20
- Wed 19th – Averys Aromatics Cellar Tasting, £30
- Thu 20th – Whisky Lover’s Masterclass with Circumstance, £30
- Fri 21st – Chew Valley Gin Tasting Experience, £30
- Fri 21st – Gin Lover’s Masterclass at Psychopomp, £30
- Sat 22nd – West Country Cider Tasting with Native Vine, £18
- Sat 22nd – Tapas Social at Little Kitchen, £68
- Sat 8th – Tempering & Bar Moulding at Zara’s Chocolates, £50
- Sat 22nd – Sherry tasting at The Kensington Arms, £40
- Sat 22nd – Bristol Cider Tasting Tour, £34
- Tue 25th – Yoga & Wine Tasting at Averys Wine Cellar, £40
- Tue 25th – Nigerian Cookery Class at St Werburghs Community Centre, £35
- Tue 25th – Knife Techniques Cooking Class at Cooking It, £65
- Thu 27th – Yoga class and G&Ts, £15
- Thu 27th – Cider vs [VEGAN] Cheese at The Cider Box, £23
- Fri 28th – Wine and Cheese Tasting Tour in Cheddar Valley, £125
- Sat 29th – Deluxe Belgian Chocolate Truffles Masterclass at DoubleTree by Hilton Bristol City Centre, £45
New places to visit
Despite the challenges at the moment, places are still opening at a rate across the city – give them a warm welcome and pop in!
Recently opened are Poquito Coffee in the former Emmeline cafe on Stokes Croft, Kin on Sandy Park Road in Brislington, Interlude Coffee on St Michael’s Hill, and French-inspired bistro The Baffled King in Easton. The Clifton pub has also reopened under new management, and Greenshank Cafe on the harbourside has also reopened. Oh, and the Bianchi’s group now have a street food van if you want them to come to you!
Opening in July are arcade bar NQ64 on Baldwin Street, and Bessell Scott House of Jazz – a music bar and New Orleans-inspired restaurant on Bedminster Parade. 808 Bristol at the bottom of St Michaels Hill is promising ‘Eats, beats, brews and booze’ from their cafe-bar once they open, and new tapas joint Bomba on Glouc Road, opening in what was Bomboloni.
A bit futher down the line are a new bar from Left Handed Giant in the historic Carriageworks building on Stokes Croft, and work has restarted on Box Hall on Welsh Back. Redcliffe burger restaurant Prime by Pasture has also been pushed back to next year.
That’s it for this month, let me know what you’re planning on booking over on Twitter, see what I’m eating on Instagram or see the latest local food news by following A Life Less Organised on Facebook. Cheers!
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