On we trot into July, even though it feels like it’s been July for weeks with this heat! Luckily there are plenty of opportunities to cool off in beer gardens, restaurants terraces and at food festivals this month.

If there’s one thing I’d say this month, it’s to book a table at one or two of your favourites, because it’s been a brutal few months for hospitality businesses and if there was ever a time to show your appreciation, now’s the time. Alternatively, leave a lovely review on your platform of choice, or recommend your fave places to your pals, every little helps!

And now, on to the tasty events happening this month…

News

The Bristol 24/7 food guide for 2025 is now hitting the streets! Keep your eyes peeled for the free copies of Eat Drink 24/7 in cafes, bars and restaurants around the city.

Congratulations to Marmo on being named one of the best wine bars in the country by The Good Food Guide!

The Clear Head Cup returns to Bedminster on Sat 19th – if you want to combine a fun run with some great beer, head to Alpha Bottle Shop on Bedminster Parade btween 12 – 1pm, where you’ll then race from there to the Bristol Beer Factory Taproom, where you’ll get a can of Clear Head to rehydrate you before you run back to Alpha to get your final time (and drink more beer no doubt). All entry fees go towards the Talk Club charity.

Festivals and celebrations

Make sure to bring a thirst and an appetite, because there are a fair few food and drink festivals this month!

Bristol Seafood Week (7th – 12th July) will see a bunch of tasty events around the harbourside and some top restaurants, including a Sustainable Seafood Feast at The Olive Shed, Seafood Over Fire at Noah’s, Seafood Tasting Menu at BOX-E and an Oyster Shucking Competition in Wapping Wharf. See the full list of events here.

Bristol Harbour Festival is back from 18th – 20th and this year is probably the best yet in terms of food and drink – there will be multiple food stall locations, plus bars stocking beers from local breweries, including Left Handed Giant and Wiper and True. Many bars and restaurants around the harbour will be doing special offers and events, including Riverstation, who will be hosting a sustainable BBQ on their riverside terrace.

The last release of tickets are now out for Feast On food festival on the Downs from 24th – 27th July. Expect a mega line-up of food traders from Bristol’s best bars and restaurants, plus food demos, wine tasting, cookery classes, live music and more.

Bristol Cider Week (25 July – 3 August) is shaping up nicely too, with some fun events, including an opening party on board the SS Great Britain on Saturday 25th, Cider Salon, a citywide cider trail and a King Street Takeover.

The Somerset Food Trail is running from 18th – 27th July, and it’s a great chance to explore some local farms, markets, distilleries and restaurants in the countryside near Bristol.

Some smaller local celebrations include 31 Days of German Wine at Le Vignoble throughout July, Slice of Summer Pizza Festival at Left Handed Giant’s Taproom in St Phillips on Sat 5th, Cheese and Wine Fest at Beeses on Sat 12th, Yard Fest in Underfall Yard on 19th & 20th, and Bravas‘ 13th birthday party on 27th, with sangria and paella.

Good Chemistry Brewing also continue their birthday celebrations with Food Truck Friday Beach Party Birthday Bash at Tobacco Factory on Fri 4th, a Tap Takeover at The Robin Hood on Fri 11th, and a big Birthday Party at their taproom in St Phillips on Sat 26th.

They’re also hosting another Think While You Drink with Phil Mellows at The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer on Tue 22nd, on the topic of Beer Breaks In Britain, AND hosting another She Drinks Beer at The Good Measure on Tue 5th August. Phew!

Dinners

Treat yourself to a memorable meal…

• Burra x Pazzo summer tasting menu (Fri 4th)
• Greenhouse Plant Based Dining at The Manor House, Coalpit Heath (Sat 5th, £40)
• Seafood over fire at Noah’s (Tue 8th, £65)
• Seafood Supper at Salt & Malt Wapping Wharf (Wed 9th, £40)
• Steak and lobster night at The Kenny (Thu 10th, £65)
• Seafood Tasting Menu at BOX-E (Thu 10th, £65)
• Seafood Banquet in Wapping Wharf (Sat 12th, £65)
• Moroccan Dining at Beeses (Thu 17th)
• A Night of School Dinners at The Upton (Sat 19th, £19.75)
• Afro Brunch at The Pickle Factory (Sun 20th, £18.50)
• Blindfolded Dinner Experience at The Lost & Found (Tue 22nd, £44.95)
• Sicilian Wine Dinner at The Clifton Sausage (Thu 25th, £75)

Tours, classes & meetups

Learn or try something new this month…

• Fri 4th – Wine & Cheese in the Somerset Valleys tour, £135 (also Fri 1st Aug)
• Sat 5th – Bristol Cider Tasting Tour, £34
• Sun 6th – Limeburn Hill Vineyard Tour & Tasting, £20
• Mon 7th – Make Your Own Hot Sauce or Chilli Jam at Easton Chilli, £60
• Wed 9th – Rum + Rum Cocktail History at Spirited, £25
• Wed 9th – Grand Summer Wine Tasting at Le Vignoble, £15
• Wed 10th – Easy Tapas and Pintxos Workshop at Cooking It, £80
• Wed 10th – L’affinage du Fromage Cheese & Wine Tasting at Averys, £35
• Fri 11th – Gin Lover’s Masterclass at Psychopomp Microdistillery, £30
• Sat 12th – Wapping Wharf Street Food Tour, £35
• Sat 12th – July Avon Gorge Wild Food Foraging Walk, £15
• Sat 12th – Wine Tasting in Stokes Croft, £20

• Tue 15th – Kurdish Cookery Class at The Mazi Project, £45
• Tue 15th – Prawns & Pink tasting at Cave, £45
• Tue 15th – Cheese and Wine Matching Evening at The Scrandit, £45
• Wed 16th – Turkish Cookery Class at Coexist Community Kitchen, £45
• Wed 16th – ‘Love Me For A Riesling’ cheese & wine tasting at KASK, £35
• Wed 16th – Macbeth Act II Whisky Tasting at Spirited, £35
• Thu 17th – Cocktails in the Dark at The Lost & Found, £27.95
• Thu 17th – Pour Decisions with… Ben Walgate at KASK
• Thu 17th – The Ultimate Rum Experience at Industry Bar & Kitchen, £30
• Fri 18th – Thai Cuisine cooking class at Cooking It, £85
• Fri 18th – Open Cellar Night at Averys, free
• Sat 19th – Hotspots & Hidden Treasures food tour, £60
• Sat 19th – Vine to Wine tasting at The Square Club, £99
• Sat 19th – Jazz and Wine Saturday at Averys, £45
• Wed 23rd – German Wine Tasting at Le Vignoble, £20
• Wed 23rd – Tequila and Tacos with Vivir at Spirited, £35
• Fri 25th – Limeburn Hill Vineyard Tour & Tasting, £20
• Fri 25th – Sparkling Wine Tasting at Averys, £40
• Sat 27th – Latte Art 101: How to Pour Like a Pro, £70
• Tue 29th – Make Your Own Sauerkraut Fermentation Class, £20

New places to visit

In between visiting some of your old favourites, find some time to check out one or two of these newbies…

Now open are Basma Cafe on Cheltenham Road, Anaya on Old Market, and Miro Lounge in Paintworks.

Check out some new rebrands too, Terrace at 43 on Whiteladies Road (was Brace & Browns), and Froth & Fries on Broad Street (was The Strawberry Thief). The Hideaway in BS9 has also reopened as a bar and cafe with more of a community focus.

That’s it for this month, let me know what you’re planning on booking over on Threads, see what I’m eating on Instagram or see the latest local food news by following A Life Less Organised on Facebook.

If you found this or any of the other guides useful, you can set up a subscription or shout me a coffee to say cheers if you like.

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