Stokes Croft - Our pick of old favourites and notable newcomers in the Stokes Croft area
Posted on: 29 Mar 2017Stokes Croft is a thriving centre for arts, music and independent shops in Bristol. Choosing our favourite places to eat and drink was a tough job as there's so much choice. We finally managed to narrow things down and hope you agree...
Cox and Baloney was recently named Best Cafe/Tea Room in the South West, courtesy of the Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism Awards, so it’s no surprise that they’re a brilliant place to visit for a meal in Stokes Croft. Offering “breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and evening drinks” as well as afternoon tea, and gin and cheese tastings on Fridays, Cox and Baloney suits all occasions.
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The Crafty Egg ticks all the boxes for a fantastic brunch spot; it’s bright, has great coffee, avocados and eggs, and is perfect for people watching. They’re introducing an evening menu soon too. Here’s our review of their delicious brunch.
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Located within Coexist’s Hamilton House, and awarded the maximum three stars by the Sustainable Restaurant Association, The Canteen is a place where you can be reassured that not only are you going to get great food, music and arts, but also be contributing to the work of somewhere that values its community and the environment. Check out our review here;
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No 51 Stokes Croft is well known for its sunny beer garden and as being a great place to go for late-night drinks, but did you also know they do fab pizzas and homemade burgers? Here’s our review.
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Bristol legends Biblos have a bustling restaurant right in the heart of Stokes Croft which is perfect for a casual meal with friends, or for nipping in to get takeaway. Here’s our review
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The next three picks are all relative newcomers to Bristol, but have already made a name for themselves.
With all of their recipes coming from their granny, Ms Cat, Caribbean Croft is all about “big, bold and boisterous West Indian flavours”. As well as their food menu, and regular drinks menu, they also serve a huge selection of quality rums and a short but comprehensive selection of cocktails. Look out for our review coming soon!
Review coming soon
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Ceres describes itself as a “Start-up Melbourne inspired cafe On Stokes Croft Bristol UK serving modern eclectic breakfast, Brunch, Lunch & square mile coffee, spinning plates & tunes”. Their menu ticks all the boxes; avocado, poached eggs and bacon all feature, as well as heartier dishes like their ‘Kettle Black’ which is braised red lentils, fennel seeds, Lincolnshire sausage, and cavolo nero. All dishes are less than £10, and the cafe is bright and relaxed.
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If you’re in Bristol and ever go on twitter or Instagram, then the wonders of Oowee Diner are unlikely to have escaped your attention. The home of exquisitely dirty burgers, fries and chicken, Oowee is the place to go when only meat, cheese and buns will do.
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One of the real long term success stories of Stokes Croft is Cafe Kino. They first opened on Nine Tree Hill in 2006, and then moved to their current site in 2010. Cafe Kino’s spicy bean burgers are fantastic, and their chips are some of the best in the city. Their food is vegan (although I admit I had eaten there about half a dozen times before I realised this!) but with the addition of dairy milk for hot drinks. The vast majority of their ingredients are organic and local, and the cafe is run as a non-profit workers co-op. Cafe Kino states on their website that, “We strive to provide a community resource. The work of local artists hangs on our walls and we have an affordable event space downstairs, which has become a venue for meetings, workshops and music events”.
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At The Well is probably the nicest launderette you’ll find. As well as doing your washing, you can eat at their lovely cafe between 10:00-16:00, Saturday to Thursday. The ‘Transatlantic’ pancakes are American pancakes with scrambled egg, mushrooms, streaky bacon and maple syrup. Or if you are after something lighter, try the homemade superfood granola packed with dried blueberries, nuts, seeds and goji berries. Almond milk is available, making this a great vegan dish. There are also cakes and smoothies, with the vast majority of items being home-made, including their syrups and drinks.
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Another place offering a great choice of vegan and vegetarian options alongside the usual meaty choices is the Stokes Croft branch of Boston Tea Party. A break from the typical vegetarian options is the Sweetcorn Hash with and Avocado Salsa, to which you can add poached eggs and halloumi if you’re veggie. They also have a Brown Rice Porridge which is made with coconut milk, cinnamon and maple syrup.
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Poco serves tapas, brunch, and cocktails. Their focus is on seasonality, locality and sustainability, and the quality of their food is wonderful. I had my first espresso martini here, and I’ve yet to find one to match it. The menu changes with the seasons, but expect a variety of meat, fish and veggie dishes.
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Article by:
Sarah is a writer and blogger, as well as running workshops and teaching. Her passions are food and travel, and you can follow her on Instagram at YesStarling and find her website at www.yesstarling.com .
