Finally plucked up the courage to ask the object of your affection out for a drink? Or want to spoil your significant other?
Here are a few suggestions for your next date night, whether it’s a casual coffee, a slap-up dinner or a late night cocktail – all a bit special, not too noisy and with a nice atmosphere to allow you to have the perfect time with your beau. Happy smooching!
Skip to the bit that you need:
A Casual Cafe Date
Playground Coffee House
A coffee joint with swings and top notch coffee, plus boardgames to avoid any awkward silences! They also do some banging cocktails and even run cocktail masterclassses. They’re also next door to Brozen Bar who do frozen cocktails with liquid nitrogen, if you want to continue the fun!
Little Victories
Hip coffee shop in Wapping Wharf and from the team behind the excellent Small St Espresso (which I love, but is just that bit too small for a comfortable date). One to stop in for a pre-dinner cuppa or coffee cocktail before heading to one of the nearby CARGO restaurants.
Chez Marcel
Open 9 – 4 from Tuesday to Sunday, this little French creperie in the Old City not only does a fine line in sweet crepes, but also does savoury buckwheat galettes and some lovely French wines and ciders if you want something a bit stronger than tea or coffee.
St Werburghs City Farm Cafe
I try to avoid using the term ‘hidden gem’, but if a place was deserving of it, this is it. Tucked away behind the city farm in St Werbs, you can show off your Bristol insider knowledge by taking them to this charming spot after saying hello to the pigs and chickens next door, with quirky carved wood windows, a nice outside terrace and generally good vibes. It’s only open Friday to Monday, so one for a weekend date.
The Garden of Easton
If you’re struggling for conversation, the decor here should help, as it’s packed head to toe with plants, and the food is banging too. During the day you can choose from tasty brunch and lunch dishes, and the evenings moves to small plates and moodier lighting.
Cheaper Dates
Grano Kitchen
Treat your date to a tasty focaccia sandwich (£6) or pizza slice (£4-£6) and a drink with change for a tenner at lunchtime, or come in the evening to share a selection of small plates (£5-£7) or enjoy one of their freshly-made pasta mains (£12-£16). Make sure you save room for their homemade tiramisu, it’s so good!
For similar vibes closer to the harbour, check out Magari in Wapping Wharf or La Panza in Redcliffe.
Chido Wey
Another pick on Old Market! This little Cali-Mexican joint is always a lot of fun, with punchy cocktails (2 for £12 from 4-6pm Tuesday to Thursday, woop!) and hefty portions – if you manage to finish one of their burritos, kudos to you. Choose your filling from a range of meat or vegan options, then whether you want them in a burrito, tacos or quesadilla, prices range from £11 – £14 which for the portions and quality is great value, this is some of the best Mexican food I’ve tasted.
Thali
I’m a longterm fan of Thali (formerly Thali Cafe, now just the Easton and Montpelier restaurants remain and are run separately), and while the Easton Thali on St Marks Road is larger and great for hanging out with friends, Thali in Montpelier is cute and cosy, with some seriously tasty food. There’s a range of small bowls and snacks priced around £4 – £6, but the stars of the show are the thalis themselves which come with a curry of your choice, gunpowder potatoes, tarka daal, yoghurt, crunchy Keralan salad and rice.
Lucky Strike
Take your beau for a retro date in Bedminster – the brunch menu is great value and their dinner menu always has an option around the £10 – £11 mark, but you can eat well here for under£20 each, with nostalgic dishes like chicken Kyiv, devilled eggs, spaghetti hoops on toast and pineapple upside down cake. I’ve waxed lyrical about them a few times, as I’m always a fan of a place doing something simple so well.
Casual but still special
Bravas
Small, bustling and energetic – you’ll probably have to book but a seat up at the bar in Bravas is a great place not just for eating and drinking, but for watching the busy goings-on in the kitchen. Try the fried aubergine with molasses and their grilled Iberico pork, washed down with one of their fantabulous G&Ts, then thank me later. If you don’t manage to get a booking, Bar 44 in Clifton is also lush and is much bigger so usually has space!
The Baffled King
Head to this bijou French bistro in Easton for some classic, comforting munch. I’ve had the French onion soup twice, but there are always several starters that tempt me, from oysters to ham hock terrine. Get a few small plates to share, order a bottle of wine and sink in for the evening.
If you don’t want to trek over to East Bristol, La Guingette on Gloucester Road also does some excellent French fare, from steak and frites to sharing platters.
Little Hollows
Gorgeous fresh pasta in Redland with some great set menu deals – £19 for two courses or £24 for three courses at lunchtime, and the quality is so good that they were added to the Michelin Guide within a year of opening. On sunnier days, make the most of their little garden out the back, then maybe round the night off with a nightcap at Snobby’s across the road (or The Good Measure if beer is more your thing)
Bertha’s Pizza
Go for a romantic harbourside stroll, then duck into Bertha’s for some top notch sourdough pizza, where you can scoff a whole one to yourself without feeling bloated (trust me, I’ve eaten at their bottomless Pizza Giro nights, and even after that I didn’t feel rough). There are small tables for tall or high tables upstairs and outside where you can watch the action. Menu staples like the Meat & Heat or Umami Bomb are both delicious, but try some of their seasonal specials too.
COR
It feels like everyone is raving about COR since it opened, from locals to critics and national magazines, and deservedly so! I’ve had many a date night here sat up at the bar working my way through their small plates, and the menu du jour is a steal too – from Tuesday to Friday lunchtime you can get a starter, main & dessert for £30.
Harbour House
Take a seat on their terrace for some lush harbour views and tuck into their menu of crowd-pleasing classics, from fish and chips to seafood linguine, pork chop and fries or club sandwiches. They also do some banging cocktails and have an extensive gin collection if you fancy sipping a G&T while watching the boats go past.
Pasta Ripiena
Another pasta choice, this time in the city centre. Top vibes, top pasta, top wine. Lovely stuff. Pop in for lunch and get two courses for £22 or three courses for £25. You can’t really go wrong with a Bianchis Group restaurant – Bianchis in Montpelier is the place to go and settle in for the evening with multiple courses, while Pazzo is the fun younger cousin mixing things up with influences from across the world.
Splashing Out
The Ox
What could be more romantic (for meat eaters) than a grand and low-lit steak restaurant? The Ox has that understated oppulence feel to it, with a top notch wine list and plenty of steak options to suit different tastes & price points – go for their early bird deal (£20 for rump steak, fries, sauce and a glass of wine) if you’re on a budget, or the 30oz T-Bone to share if you’re feeling flashy. If you really want to go balls out, for £100 you can get their Set Menu for 2 sharing feast: a cured meat board, a mixed grill with tenderloin and sirloin steaks, crispy pork belly, chips, greens and sauce, plus an ice cream sharing board to finish.
BOX-E
You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to special little restaurants in Wapping Wharf, but Box-E just pips the others on the romantic front. The restaurant itself is teeny (but does spread out a little more on the terrace when the weather is good) so always feels intimate, and for a really memorable evening you should go for the seven course unwritten tasting menu at £55 per person – a matching wine flight is also available for £40 per person. If you don’t manage to nab a table on the date of your choosing, both Tare and Root are excellent, with Tare Bistro also offering some great dishes at a lower price point.
Marmo
If I was asked to think up the ultimate romantic restaurant, this is the place that would come to mind. Whether you choose to take a seat in the window looking out at bustling Baldwin Street or sit at one of their tables so you can get a better look at the mega wine shelves, you’re in for a special meal, with recent highlights being steak tartare, tagliatelle with ragu or smoked eel with polenta, cherry and lardo (trust me, it was DELICIOUS).
Flow
Quiet, friendly and with a pleasantly intimate vibe nestled next to the Bearpit, Flow prides itself on serving the best veggie dishes in the city, but its appeal goes way beyond just vegetarians. The cocktails are often made using infused spirits created in-house, and the food is inventive without being pretentious or too out-there.
ABOE
If you’re looking for something memorable and bit different, ABOE (A Bit of Everything) on Whiteladies Road should create a fair bit of conversation! The small plates draw on inspiration from across the world and have weird and wonderful takes on classic dishes, from hake kiev and coronation tempeh to kimchi sushi rice fries. You won’t want to miss the Rolo Finesse for dessert – perfect for sharing!
The Lido
Fantastic food matched with a special venue – if you’re feeling keen maybe you could suggest a spa day with your loved one before you head to the restaurant to perk up your energy levels (you can get a package to combine the two if you like). The restaurant overlooks the outdoor pool which is lovely, and the menu is great whether you’re going for breakfast, some snacky tapas or their a la carte menu.
littlefrench
Go full indulgence at this Westbury-on-Trym restaurant, whether you opt for one of their decadent mains or get one of the sharing plates – recent options included côte de bœuf with frites and béarnaise or whole roast guineafowl with olives, frites and aïoli.
Wilsons
Often tipped as Bristol’s best restaurant, this Michelin-rated restaurant in Redland prides itself on sourcing the best ingredients from small and local producers (the team have their own market garden and chef Jan oftens shoots the game they then serve on the menu). Their six course set menu (£68) is served lunchtimes and evenings and they also do a reduced set menu of three courses on Wednesday, Thursday & Friday lunchtimes for £30, making this the best value fine dining experience in the city.
Drinks
Finally, if you’re just going for a get-to-know-you drink, here are some of my other recommendations:
The Gallimaufry
The perfect blend of chilled lounge barat the front and ambient dining at the back (with a chatty front terrace to boot) – there aren’t many things The Galli doesn’t excel at. Treat your date with a selection of their small plates and stick around for their nightly (and free) live music.
Strawberry Thief
This cosy bar in the Old City conjures up the best of bars on the continent, with table service, beers from across the world (with Belgium particularly well represented) and a great selection of nibbles, sharing boards and delicious mains to go with your drinks.
KASK
A stylish wine bar in Bedminster, specialising in organic and low intervention wines. They do regular wine tasting events and also offer a £5 wine tasting option. Meat and cheese boards are available too, and I love taking a seat in their back garden.
If you want to try an even broader selection of wines, Le Vignoble in Finzels Reach is good fun, with over 60 wines available to try in varying sample sizes from their self-service machines.
Sidney & Eden
A fab lineup of beers and lush cocktails, plus regular events including comedy, open mic and quizzes. One of the smaller bars along Gloucester Road too, so it doesn’t get rowdy. If you’re in this neck of the wood, it’s also worth paying a visit to wine shop and bar Cave – which along with S&E are among my most-recommended places to people!
El Rincon
I love this dinky little Spanish bar on North Street – during the week it host Spanish classes, chess nights and live music, and when Bristol City are at home it fills up with lairy football fans. Pop in on a quieter evening for some simple tapas and boardgames.
Cotto
An award-winning wine bar on St Stephen’s Street in the Old City, I’m a frequent flyer here and love the selection of wines, small plates and general bustle of the place. I usually opt to sit in the window or one of the high tables by the bar to be nosey.
Hyde & Co.
Small and moody prohibition-style cocktail bar hidden away near The Triangle. It fills up quick, so booking via their website is advised.
Friendly Records
A quirky bar on North St with a good selection of drinks and regular live music or DJs. Vinyl records line the walls and there’s always a good tune on in the background, perfect for setting the mood.
6 O’clock Gin at The Glassboat
Gin, boat and views – what more do you need for a good date? The Glassboat has always been a bit of a romantic spot, and its latest incarnation as a gin bar is no different.
Good luck on your romancing, and if you need some further tips for where to munch and drink up around Bristol:
A Life Less Organised 
21 thoughts on “Bristol’s Best Date Locations”