My Bristol Food with Andy Dodd
Posted on: 21 Nov 2017In our My Bristol Food series, we talk with some of the most prominent Bristol foodies around to get their take on what makes the city's culinary scene tick and also get their recommendations. This week we spoke with Bristol legend, Andy Dodd.
Who are you?
Andy Dodd, owner of Flipside Cocktail Club and a career bartender with over 24 years in the hospitality trade. I’m also chairman of BARBIE, the Bristol Association of Restaurants, Bars & Independent Establishments. I’m originally from London but Bristol is very much home now as I have been here for over 20 years. I came here for university but stayed for the party! No other city has it as good as we do here, and it’s only got better over the last 20 years. It started for me with the music scene, but the restaurant and bar scene here in Bristol is now probably the best in the country and it gives me great pleasure to have been a part of that for so many years now.
Where are your most-visited food places in Bristol?
My most visited food places have unfortunately changed over the last few years due to having children and it’s also a really difficult one to answer! I love a roast at The Royal Oak on Gloucester Road, especially as my two boys love the garden. It’s also an amazing place to ‘relax’ with a pint in the summer when their outdoor pizza oven is fired up. I’m torn between many of the delicious burger places we now have in Bristol too, especially as burger is my favourite food! The Hobgoblin on the G Road does this out of the world burger called the Cow & Chicken, which is a juicy beef patty, crispy fried chicken fillet all topped off with some bacon and brie. That, with some dirty fries on the side, is just as I said, out of this world. I love the new Burger Theory in town for their mashed up takes on classic burgers. But I think that Asado on Colston Street takes top spot for me. Mainly as the burgers are so juicy and pink with the taste of the wood fired grill not only getting into the meat & bun, but also filling the air in the restaurant.
The great thing about all of these places is the fact that I can have some great Bristol beers along with my burger. I’m also a big fan of Pasta Loco, as is the rest of the country now! Ben’s pasta is to die for and Dom gives front of house the feeling that you are round at your mates having a cheeky Negroni whilst he’s boiling up some pasta in the kitchen. If it’s for the special occasion then Casamia normally gets our custom, although we’ve been to Bulrush & Box E recently and they both were so good! One of the things that I would really miss though is all the street food that we have here in Bristol. I could eat out(side) every day and never get bored. Tacos from I Scream Tacos or Little Taquero, burgers from the guys at Buckland, Murray May’s and their beautifully restored Mercedes Van, Gopal’s Curry Shack, Los Hermanos, Feastie Boys, gyoza from Eatchu, Alp Mac, For Mice & Men. THE LIST IS ENDLESS and damn, I’m really hungry now.
Where in Bristol has the...
Best Burger
Best Sunday Roast
Best Pub/bar
FLIPSIDE COCKTAIL CLUB! The Lazy Dog, as it’s at the top of my road and I’m lazy, if I want a drink with friends and need to keep it local. Manos for after work drinks and a dance. The Rummer if it’s for a cocktail with the wife and I don’t want to go to work. The beer selection on King Street is amazing too!
Best Pizza
Pizzarova (but only if they give me a pink card) otherwise it’s Flour & Ash
Best for special occasions
Best Brunch
Bakers & Co if keeping it local or Rosemarino. Oh and I forgot Bakesmiths and their Dirty Beans!
Best indie producer/shop/market
On the drinks side of things then Bristol Beer Factory, Bristol Dry Gin, Moor Beer, Wiper & True and Lost & Grounded. BS5 Market. Joe’s Bakery. Dave Giles Butchers. Room 212 or Upfest for some art.
Best late-night kebab is the Charcoal Grill on the Gloucester Road
Any other top foodie tips?
Street food, street food, street food! Oh and Wapping Wharf
If you were the Mayor of Bristol for a day what would you do?
Stop all the bloody road works! Metro bus can do one. But on a serious note, I think that Marvin is doing a great job and a very hard one at that. I wouldn’t want to be the mayor, not even for a day.
You’ve got 24 hours in Bristol to show some visitors around. What are you going to do?
Start by meeting the visitors at Temple Meads, as I’ll assume that they’re coming in by train, and grab a Danish & coffee from Hart’s Bakery, as you can’t go near there without getting something from their amazing ovens. Walk through town to see what street food there is from St Nick’s Market, Temple Quay, Finzels Reach or Harbourside Market, depending on the day of the week. Possibly grab a quick drink or two at the Rummer or one of the great pubs on King Street, maybe a quick game of Pac Man or Street Fighter 2 at Kongs of King Street. Head up Park Street towards the Bristol Museum to see what exhibitions are on or just to show them a Banksy or two. Then head back down the hill to get some gelato from Swoon and eat that sat on College Green or on Brandon Hill to take in the amazing view of our gorgeous city. Take a walk over to Arnolfini & M Shed via the Harbourside with an aim to having some sundowners and some more food over at Wapping Wharf. Maybe get some beers from Beer Necessities & Wild Beer, a glass of wine of two from Corks at Cargo to go with the cheese we obviously bought from Bristol Cheesemonger. After we’ve had our fill it’s definitely cocktail time!
So up to Flipside Cocktail Club we go to have a warm up boogie as there’s always a great DJ on playing banging party tunes and the drinks are some of the best in Bristol. Now that we are all warmed up I feel that some live music is always needed. Quick check of what’s on. I normally use 365 Bristol as they’ve got a very comprehensive list of the best things happening around town. Possibly check out The Lanes, Thekla, Fiddlers, The Fleece, Mr Wolf’s or The Louisiana. One great thing about Bristol is there is generally some good live music on somewhere. If in doubt, head to The Old Duke on Kings Street or up to the Golden Lion or The Gallimaufry on The G Road. After all that, if the mood takes us for a proper dance, and we’re not feeling too old, it’ll be off to The Love Inn, Motion or Lakota to see what’s going down! A late night kebab from the Charcoal Grill will no doubt be in order after that sort of night.
The next morning to nurse that hangover and the late night, take a walk back down the G Road, the longest road of independent shops in the country, to grab some brunch at Bakers & Co as their Huevos Rancheros always hit the spot! Maybe some meat for dinner from Dave Giles butchers along with some bread or baps from Joe’s Bakery for later on. Then off to Temple Meads to drop my exhausted guests off for a little sleep on their train home!
Where else can we find you?
You can find me at: @drinksgeek (twitter) @flipsidebristol (twitter) @papamillian (Instagram) @flipsidecocktailclub (Instagram)
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 .
