Europa Italian Restaurant in Bristol food review

Posted on: 2015-09-10

Our rating:

Classic Italian dishes using the finest quality ingredients at prices that won't break the bank and served by wonderful, friendly staff. Let's raise a glass to Europa's next 25 years.



Europa Italian Restaurant on St Stephen's Street in Bristol is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year - and with its outstanding range of authentic Italian dishes, it's easy to see why this fantastic venue has remained the city's top Italian eatery.

Europa in Bristol - 37 - 38 St Stephens St, Bristol, BS1 1JX  Tel. 0117 9297818

Surviving a quarter century in the ever-changing, mercurial world of restaurants is indeed something to be proud of as well as setting the benchmark for unparalleled success and longevity. Practically every other week ushers in the opening of a new food establishment and the transient, unpredictable nature of the restaurant business has repeatedly proven that only the best can genuinely succeed, and that's precisely why Europa has given its competitors the ultimate run for their money.

Teresa and Pietro Tallo, owners of Europa Restaurant in BristolSet up in 1990 by Pietro and Teresa Tallo, this family-run independent establishment has beaten off every other restaurant in the surrounding area by consistently offering the essential, basic staples that are guaranteed to bring back the punters  - superb venue and atmosphere, efficient, friendly staff and first-class food. 

They've also racked up considerable success with exemplary reviews on Trip Advisor which resulted in being awarded the Certificate of Excellence, as well as notching up impressive gastronomic accolades including most recently being named as finalists in the Best Italian and Best Front of House categories at the 2015 Bristol Good Food Awards.

When my brother and I visited on a dark, damp Wednesday evening, Europa was luring in the crowds, many of whom were clearly regulars, like a reassuring food-based beacon and culinary haven. The restaurant is brimming with chilled out, rustic, Mediterranean charm, reminiscent of an Italian bistro or taverna with stone arches, aged yellow walls, caged filament light bulbs, stripped wooden floors and dark wood rustic tables. There's also now an al fresco eating and drinking area at the front which is sure to be buzzing with activity when the sun shines.

With the Bristol Old Vic, Hippodrome and Colston Hall all within a stone's throw, Europa offers a pre-theatre menu from Monday to Thursday from 5.30pm until 7pm for the superb price of £12.95 for three courses or £10.95 for two. There's also an extensive a la carte menu which offers an impressive range of starters, pizzas, pasta, meat and fish dishes, sides, special and desserts. 

My funghi di prato starter (£6.65) was a gargantuan portabello mushroom loaded with melted, deliriously pungent Italian blue cheese, exquisite wafer thin rolled parma ham and a generous drizzling of piquant balsamic oil. My brother's carpaccio di manzo (£8.95) was thinly sliced, almost creamy fillet of beef that was complimented well by the peppery rocket and beautiful parmesan full of nutty flavours and a marvelous crumbly texture.

Funghi Di Prato at Europa Italian Restaurant in Bristol

If you're going to eat in a proper Italian restaurant it makes sense to try the classics, so I hesitated not a jot with the spaghetti alla bolognese (£8.75) which was as consummate a version of the dish I've ever eaten, the thin tendrils of perfectly cooked spaghetti macerated in the intense, rich beef ragu and tomato sauce. 

Spaghetti Bolognese at Europa Italian Restaurant in Bristol

Pizza was the only thing on my brother's mind, and his Angelo pizza (£9.75) was loaded with tomato, mozzarella, mushrooms, artichokes, bacon, sliced tomato and anchovies which was amazingly rich, giving a real depth of flavour with the subtle artichoke working as a great balancer between the varying, dynamic ingredients.

Pizza at Europa in Bristol - Highly Recommended!

We were already reaching the ready-to-pop stage, but had absolutely no intention of abandoning the desserts. My homemade tiramisu (£4.95) was, hands down, the best I've ever tasted, the thick, creamy top layer giving way to the soft, pervasive, coffee-soaked sponge fingers. My brother's pasticcio di mele caldo (£4.95) was similarly top notch, warm apple pie with cinnamon and sultanas with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that worked impeccably contrasting the strong, flavoursome apple with a punchy cinnamon kick and counterbalanced by the heavenly ice cream. 

Tiramisu at Europa in Bristol

Europa genuinely brings an authentic taste of Italy to Bristol and continues to show why customers return time and again. Classic Italian dishes using the finest quality ingredients at prices that won't break the bank and served by wonderful, friendly staff in an unpretentious, buzzy venue, let's raise a glass to Europa's next 25 years. 

Europa Italian Restaurant, 37 - 38 St Stephens St, Bristol, BS1 1JX

Tel. 0117 9297818

Web. www.europarestaurant.co.uk
 

5/5

Reviewed by Jamie Caddick for 365Bristol - the Bristol website where local information matters.

Europa Italian Restaurant in Bristol - Tel 0117 9297818
 



Article by:

James Anderson

Born and raised in the suburbs of Swansea, Jimmy moved to Bristol back in 2004 to attend university. Passionate about live music, sport, science and nature, he can usually be found walking his cocker spaniel Baxter at any number of green spots around the city. Call James on 078 9999 3534 or email Editor@365Bristol.com.