Special Events

Bristol generally has at least one major annual event each weekend throughout the summer. The most significant include:

• The Ashton Court Festival
• The Bristol Balloon Fiesta
• Bristol Open Doors Day
• The Venn Festival
• The Festival of Ideas
• The Harbour Festival
• The Soil Association Organic Food Festival

Listings

There are various websites publicising these events, but probably the best thing is to pick up a copy of Venue Magazine (analogous to London's 'Time Out') from a newsagent. Venue is weekly (except around Christmas/New Year), costs £1.50, and new editions are usually available on Wednesdays. Saturday's edition of the Bristol Evening Post has a free pull-out supplement called Seven that lists much of what is on offer in the city during the following seven days. Alternatively you can check out Bristol Music & Theatre listings online on Bristol Music which also house's contact details for all local venues and music contacts and reviews.

Cinema

• Watershed, Canon's Road, tel 927 5100, [12]. The primary hub for art-house film in the city centre with a lovely (WiFi enabled) cafe too.
• Cube Microplex, King's Square, [13]. An artist-run venue specialising in experimental film and music.
• Odeon Cinema, Union Street, 0117 929 0884, [14]. Three screen mainstream cinema located in the centre of Bristol.
• Vue Cinemas, [15]. There are two of these Warner Village cinemas in Bristol, one near the Mall out-of-town shopping centre at Cribbs Causeway (near the M5/M32 junction) and the other in Longwell Green, off the A4174 Ring Road. Both are modern multiplex type cinemas with approx 10 screens.
• Showcase Cinema, [16]. Bristol's first multiplex cinema, the Showcase has been open since at least the mid-1990s. Compared with the more-recently opened Warner Village cinemas, it's beginning to look a little tatty, but it does offer cheap tickets on Tuesdays - £3.75 all day. The Showcase is situated on the Avonmeads retail park, off the spine road that runs between the Lawrence Hill roundabout (take the exit before Junction 2 signposted as the A4320 to Bath) and the Bath Road in Brislington.
• Cineworld, [17]. Hengrove Leisure Park, Hengrove Way, off the A4174 Ring Road in the outskirts of the south of the city. Notable for showing at least one Bollywood film per week.
• Arnolfini, [18]. Right on the water's edge at Narrow Quay, this contemporary arts centre includes a cinema showing alternative and arthouse films. And the quayside is a great place to soak up the sun with a beer from the cafe!
• Showcase Delux, [19]. New multiplex in the Cabot Square shopping centre next to Broadmead.

Theatre

• Tobacco Factory Theatre, North Street, tel 902 0345, [20]. A hidden gem outside the city centre, in the Southville area of town. Well known for being involved in some of the most cutting-edge theatre in the city.
• Bristol Old Vic, King Street, tel 987 7877, [21]. Bristol's main repertory theatre, located in the city centre, although it is currently closed for a long-term refurbishment.
• Bristol Hippodrome, St Augustines Parade, tel 0870 607 7500, [22]. Showing large West End-style shows.
• Alma Tavern Theatre, 18-20 Alma Vale Road, tel (0117) 973 5171 (reservations at (0117) 946 7899), [23]. Theatre located on the first floor of the Alma Tavern & Theatre pub in Clifton, a short walk from Whiteladies Road. The theatre seats 50, with the bar on the ground floor.

Music

• Colston Hall, Colston Street, tel 0117 922 3682, [24]. Wide variety of concerts, gigs and performances.
• St George's, Great George Street, off Park Street, tel 0845 40 24 001, [25]. Wide variety of acoustic music including classical, world and jazz.
• Bristol Hippodrome, [26] St Augustines Parade. Now rarely a concert venue and instead usually hosts long-running musicals.
• Bristol (Carling) Academy, Frogmore Street, [27]. Large gigs and club nights.
• Anson Rooms (University Union), Queens Road, [28].
• The Fleece, St Thomas Street, [29].
• Bristol Bierkeller, All Saints St., [30]. Rock, Metal, Punk, Goth, Alternative.
• Full Moon & Eclipse, North St./Stokes Croft Rock, [31]. formerly an important Metal and Punk venue but has now become a backpacker hostel with some music events targeted at their guests.
• The Croft, Stokes Croft, [32].
• The Louisiana, Wapping Road/Bathurst Terrace, [33].
• The Junction, 51 Stokes Croft, opposite City Road junction, [34]. Punk/Alternative.
• The Old Duke, King Street, [35]. Jazz, Blues.
• Black Swan, 438 Stapleton Rd, Eastville, 0117 939 3334. A pub that regularly hosts alternative liberal, electronic dance, rave music events.

Pubs offering live music of some sort are extremely numerous in most areas of the city.

Comedy

• The Comedy Box, [36]. Usually hosted above the Hen and Chicken pub on North Street, Southville but sometimes at the nearby Tobacco Factory (especially for more popular acts). Has hosted a number of major stand-up acts, including Mark Thomas, Sue Perkins, Ed Byrne and Marcus Brigstocke.
• Jongleurs, 28 Baldwin Street, [37].
• Jesters Comedy Club, 142 Cheltenham Road, [38].
• Oppo Comedy [39], at Oppo [40], Park Street (entrance on Park Street Avenue). Sunday evenings from 2030hrs, hosted by Mark Olver. £2+
• Comedy Rocket [41], at the Thunderbolt [42] pub, Bath Road, Totterdown. Occasional Wednesday evenings from 2000hrs (doors 1900hrs). £3

Temple Meads Area

This is the area surrounding Bristol's main rail station. Whilst certainly not the most attractive part of Bristol, there are a couple of attractions worth seeing before moving on:

• St Mary Redcliffe Church. Described by Queen Elizabeth I as "the goodliest, fairest and most famous parish church in England"
• The Empire and Commonwealth Museum, [4]. Located in Brunel's historic railway terminus building adjacent to the current rail station at Bristol Temple Meads. The museum is moving to London and the main galleries closed 6th October 2008.

Harbourside

The floating harbour is the jewel in Bristol's crown, and many of its attractions are on or close to the harbour:

• SS Great Britain, Gas Ferry Road, tel 926 0680, [5]. The world's first iron hulled, screw propeller-driven, steam-powered passenger liner, built by Brunel in 1843 and now preserved in a dry-dock alongside the floating harbour. The preservation works are still underway (as of December 2004) and only small parts are publicly accessible. Winner of the Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year 2006 - the Biggest Arts Prize in the U.K. Open every day Apr-Oct 10am-5:30pm; every day Nov-Mar 10am-4:30pm; closed Dec 25/26. £8.95 (adults); £6.95 (senior citizens); £4.95 (children).
• Bristol Museum, 7 Great George Street, tel +44 117 922 3571, [6]. Scheduled to open in 2009. It will be located in the L-Shed at Princes Wharf, the former site of the Bristol Industrial Museum that closed in October 2006.
• @Bristol, Harbourside, tel 0845 345 1235 (within UK only), [7]. Explore (science and technology displays), (Wildscreen and IMAX Cinema are now closed). Explore science centre and planetarium with interactive displays covering the brain, inventions and unexplained mysteries. Open every day 10am-6pm; closed Dec 25. £9.00 (adults); £7 (students & senior citizens); £7 (children).
• Brandon Hill & The Cabot Tower, off Park Street (about 10 mins walk up a steep hill from the centre of Bristol). This attractive and hilly park is worth visiting, if only for the views over Bristol from the hill-top. Even better views can be gained by climbing the narrow spiral staircase within the Cabot Tower atop the hill. Open every day from 8am to 30mins before dusk. The tower is currently closed for significant structural maintenance and will reopen in summer 2009.

Old Bristol

Between the Frome and Avon branches of the harbour, and rising up the ridge that separated these two rivers, are the remains of mediaeval Bristol most of which is of some historical interest. Here are some of the highlights:

• Corn Exchange & The Nails, Corn Street. The Palladian Corn Exchange, built in 1743, boasts a clock on its frontage that ingeniously tells time both in the new-fangled GMT and the old Bristol time. In front are nails (in reality Bronze pillars) over which the local merchants did business; from these come the expression 'paid on the nail'. Exterior always open. Free.
• Castle Park & St Peters Church. It is difficult to imagine now, but this large harbour-side park was a network of busy streets and shops until it was bombed out during the second world war. Within the park are the excavated ruins of Bristol Castle, and the ruined St Peters Church preserved as it stood after the bombing as a memorial to those killed. Open during daylight hours. Free.
• King Street. King Street is now the heart of Bristol's theatre-land (see 'Old Vic' below) but it once lead down to the docks at Welsh Back, where the old sailing trows (a type of sailing barge) used to dock after their journeys from South Wales. The street has changed little since those days, and the Llandoger Trow pub dates back to 1663. It is rumoured to have been patronised by pirates of old, not to mention Robert Louis Stevenson whilst writing Treasure Island.

Clifton

The old and up-market suburb of Clifton contains several more places of interest, as well as much of the city's student population:

• Bristol Zoo, tel 0117 974 7399, [8]. Open summer 9AM-5:30PM; winter 9AM-4:30PM; closed Dec 25. £9.50 (adults); £8.50 (students & senior citizens; £6 (children).
• Clifton Suspension Bridge. Possibly the city's most famous landmark, Brunel's 19th century suspension bridge spans the spectacular Avon Gorge at a height of 75m. Always open. Free to walk across, 50 pence to drive over. Daily tours operate at 3pm during the summer (Free). There is also an observatory tower next to it. There is a small charge to go in.
• Clifton Downs and Observatory. The Downs provide a huge open space within Bristol, with great overlook views over the Avon Gorge and the suspension bridge. Atop the Downs closest to the bridge is the Observatory, housing a camera obscura and a tunnel to an observation point in a cave within the 250-foot sheer cliff face of the gorge.
• Clifton Lido & Victoria Pub. A Grade II* listed building. The Lido and pub are separately managed, the historic Lido [9] having closed in 1989, completely refurbished and reopened 24th November 2008. The Victoria freehouse pub [10] stands in one corner of the site; it was created in 1851 to provide the funds to rescue the Lido the first time, and was itself saved from closure in April 2006.

Eastside

Bristol's Eastside is the multicultural centre of Bristol and offers visitors a refreshing alternative side of the city, made up of a colourful collection of neighbourhoods that boast independent retailers from all around the globe. The wonderful thing about this side of town is simply walking around it - and most of the good things to do and see are free!

• Montpelier (pronounced Mont-pelly-err, rather than the French-accented Mon-pell-ee-ay!). The bohemian heart of Bristol and home to artists and musicians of all descriptions. The streets are often canvases themselves and you'll find work by famous graffiti artists around every corner. great music, cafes, an independent cinema, and a treasure trove of vintage clothing.
• St Pauls. Is the Afro-Caribbean centre of Bristol and home to the world famous St Pauls Carnival. It still suffers from the negative reputation of having been home of the St Pauls riots over 25 years ago but visitors today will find it a colourful, friendly area with fantastic reggae pubs and clubs and a great street art scene. Host to an Asian supermarket on Ashley Road next door to Teoh's pan-Asian cafe.
• St Werburghs. Is the alternative quarter and a green oasis in the heart of the city. Filled with allotments, a city farm, eco-housing and lively pubs including the award-winning The Duke of York in Jubilee Road and The Miner's Arms in Mina Road [11] . The most recent addition to the area is the multi-million pound Eastgate Oriental City complex which features a large Chinese supermarket and Chinese restaurant.
• Easton. Is possibly the most multicultural area in Bristol where people of all nationalities rub shoulders. Here you can find anything from anywhere in the world - black hair and beauty, saris, Moroccan and Somalian cafes...You name it, you'll find it in Easton! This area is quite rightly home to the World On Your Doorstep festival held every June on Stapleton Road. For fantastic cafes and specialist shops (including the locally-famed Bristol Sweet Mart selling a large range of south-Asian foods and ingredients) head to St Marks Road.

By plane

Bristol International Airport is situated 8 miles south-west of Bristol city centre and offers scheduled flights from major European cities, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Paris and Prague (but not London), and as of May 2005 a daily flight from New York. There is no train link between the airport and the city, but there is a 'Flyer' bus service that takes 30-45 minutes and has a peak-daytime frequency of every 20-30 minutes, costs are £8 for a day-return ticket, £6 for a one-way.

The alternative is to use one of the London airports or Birmingham airport and travel on to Bristol by train, car or bus. The most convenient are:

• Heathrow Airport is about two hours drive straight down the M4 (westbound) motorway. Alternatively the RailAir express bus service (running every 20 minutes) connects with the main London to Bristol rail service at Reading rail station; expect the total journey to take slightly over two hours.
• Birmingham International is within quicker (and cheaper) reach of Bristol than London's two other airports, Gatwick and Stansted. By car it takes about 1h45min and you'll be avoiding the congestion-prone M25. Rail services connect Birmingham International to Bristol every 30 min at peak times with a change in Birmingham New Street. The journey takes between two and two and a half hours.
• Gatwick Airport is about three hours drive away via the M23 (northbound), M25 (clockwise) and M4 (westbound) motorways. a half-hourly rail service from Gatwick connects with the main London to Bristol rail service at Reading rail station; expect the total journey to take slightly over two hours.
• Stansted Airport is about three hours drive away via the M11 (southbound), M25 (anti-clockwise) and M4 (westbound) motorways. By train you will need to catch a Stansted Express train to London Liverpool Street station, the tube to London Paddington station, then follow the directions below; expect the total journey to take around three and a half hours.
• Cardiff International Airport is about one hour west of Bristol, going northbound from Culverhouse Cross, to J33 of the M4, then Eastbound, to Bristol. Alternatively take the train direct from Cardiff Airport, to Cardiff Central Station, then take another train to Bristol Temple Meads Station .Direct services from both Toronto and Vancouver, as well as numerous services across Europe.

By train

Bristol Temple Meads station is located approximately 15 minutes walk from the city centre and has regular inter-city and regional train services from Bath, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, London, Plymouth, Southampton, Swansea and York.

Bristol has a second main railway station in Bristol Parkway, which is located several miles north of the city centre. Although this station also has frequent services to many of the same locations as Temple Meads, it is principally aimed at suburban residents and is unlikely to be useful to visitors.

From London, you can travel from London Paddington station. There are several through trains an hour, the fastest of which take under two hours for the journey. Train times (from any location) can be found on the National Rail Planner or by calling 08457 48-49-50 from anywhere in the UK. Alternatively, there is Megatrain, a budget train service running out of London Waterloo to Bristol Temple Meads, with one or two trains a day taking just over two and a half hours.

By bus

National Express operate services to Marlborough St Coach station, located in the city centre, from cities throughout the UK including London. The journey from London to Bristol takes about 2h30min. Tickets are much cheaper if booked in advance online.

MegaBus also operate budget coach services from London to a stop outside the Colston Hall in Colston Street (Behind Yates Winelodge City Centre). Tickets must be booked online and fares are demand responsive but can be very cheap (£1.50 if you book far enough in advance). The journey to London takes about 30 min longer than by National Express.

By car

The M5 and M4 motorways intersect near Bristol and the M32, a motorway 'spur', brings traffic directly into the city centre. The M4 links London with Bristol with a driving time of some two hours.

The city also has 3 Park and Ride facilities, A4 Portway, Long Ashton and A4 Bath Road sites, for more information see National Park and Ride Directory

Parkopedia.com is a free service that allows users to search and compare parking rates and locations for commercial and private parking facilities in Bristol.

Maps

Visit Bristol, the official tourism website for Bristol has free maps of the city for visitors. Distinctive blue A3 tourist maps which cover the city centre, the Harbourside and Clifton, are available for free from locations such as libraries, shops, Temple Meads railway station, tourist information offices and the YHA hostel.

Detailed maps for districts within the city (such as Fishponds and Lockleaze), cycle, bus and a very detailed harbourside map are available from the City Council.

Bristol is also home to a branch of Stanfords, a very large supplier of maps and tour guides. Maps of Bristol with all the city centre street names and destinations marked sell from £1.50. Stanfords can be found at 29 Corn Street, and the staff double as local travel experts.

On Foot

Most locations in central Bristol (the Harbourside and Old City areas) are reasonable easily walkable, and there are plenty of attractive walking routes along the quaysides and in the pedestrianised central streets. The main rail station (Bristol Temple Meads) is a little further (about 15 mins walk) but still accessible by harbourside walkways or by bus.

Bike

Bristol has plenty of bike paths and routes and is at the centre of the National Cycle Network [2]. Free cycling maps for the Avon Cycleway, Bristol and surrounding council regions (South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Bath and North-East Somerset) can be obtained by emailing, telephoning or writing to Bristol City Council's Transport Planning Team [3].

Train

Bristol Temple Meads offers direct trains to many UK cities including London (Paddington). It is also one terminus of the Severn Beach Line which passes through Lawrence Hill and Stapleton Road in the East of the inner city; Montpelier, Redland and Clifton Down in the north before heading north-west to Severn Beach, although off-peak trains terminate at Avonmouth. The route is quite scenic - the line itself has been voted one of the most scenic in the world by Thomas Cook; the fares are cheap (a 7 day season ticket between Temple Meads and Clifton Down is £3.90 and an off-peak day return is £1.50), quick (Temple Meads to Clifton Down takes about 15 minutes) and usually punctual and reliable. The The Severn Beach train usually runs approximately hourly from 0600 to 2200hrs, Monday to Saturday, but check details using Transport Direct before travelling.

Bus

Most bus services in Bristol are operated by First Bristol As most of Bristol's hotels and places to visit are located near the city centre or are in the upmarket suburb of Clifton, First Bristol's number 8 and 9 buses are probably the most useful for visitors. They follow a route from Temple Meads station to Clifton, passing through the main shopping area (Broadmead), the city centre (also handy for the harbourside) and the West End on the way. Single-trip tickets are a flat rate of £1.55. Not widely advertised is the fact that on the 8 & 9 you can get a return within the same fare zone for the same £1.55. The zones can be confusing; ask the driver.

Visitors planning on using the bus service for anything more than one short return journey may wish to purchase a FirstDay ticket. This will allow unlimited travel within zones 1 and 2 on most bus services for a one-off fixed fee. Currently, a FirstDay ticket will cost between £3.90 ( before 9 am Monday to Friday (except Public Holidays)) and £4.20 (any other time i.e. after 9 am Monday to Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays.)

Ferry

Because of the way the city centre is intimately interwoven with the old 'floating harbour', a boat is a good way of getting around as well as seeing a lot of interesting sights. Bristol Ferry Boat runs several ferry services around the harbour, stopping at various quays on route, and even providing a commuter service between the city centre and the main rail station.

Bristol City Council offers a useful walking and public transport journey planner at http://www.travelbristol.org/. Bristol is quite a hilly city, but if you don't mind walking up hills the walk can be pleasant on a fine day.

By Car

Driving is probably the best way of seeing the surrounding region. Many of the routes into Bristol during peak hours operate a car pool lane for cars with more than one occupant.

Driving in the centre of Bristol with its complex one-way system can be frustrating and confusing for the uninitiated - things will be worse than usual for the forseeable future thanks to the Broadmead redevelopment work.

Parking

There are plenty of NCP car parks, and street parking. The cheaper street parking is in short supply in the centre - however Queen Square can usually be counted on to have a few spaces at off-peak times.

Park and Ride

There are three Park and Ride schemes operating in Bristol, with an additional Park and Ride for the busy Christmas period based at UWE in Frenchay. The main park and rides are at Brislington, on the A4 opposite St Brendan's school. Another is in Shirehampton and a third is at the end of the A370 Long Ashton Bypass. For more information, see National Park and Ride Directory

Taxi

Due to the heavy traffic, taxis in Bristol can be quite expensive – and don't forget to allow extra time on your journey when taking a cab. There are about 700 licensed taxis (Hackney Carriages) and these can be distinguished by roof signs and meters charged at a rate set by the council. There are a similar number of private hire vehicles (without roof signs) that need to be pre-booked. All legitimate taxi and private hire vehicles should have a predominantly yellow council-issued plate at the front and back of the vehicle. More details on taxis and private hire vehicles can be found at http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/ccm/content/Transport-Streets/Taxis-and-Minicabs/taxis-in-bristol.en.

Malls & Shopping Centres

• Broadmead & Cabot Circus are the two major precincts within the city's central shopping district. The newer of the two is Cabot Circus which opened in September 2008. The name was chosen by public vote after it was decided that the name 'Merchants Quarter' brought with it too many connotations to Bristol's slave trade past. It is an architeturally impressive, large, and mostly under- cover shopping centre, containing over 120 shops including House of Fraser, Harvey Nichols, 'Apple', and Cinema Du Lux.

Broadmead remains a pretty dire indictment of post war planning and architecture; it contains the Mall Galleries, Bristol's city centre mall. It is large and has a good range of shops. Most of the major department stores can be found in the streets outside. Department stores in Broadmead a Primark flagship store and Debenhams. Stores found in Broadmead and nowhere else in Bristol include Lush, BHS, as well as branches of Next, H&M, New Look, River Island, M&S, Woolworths, Waterstones, and much more.

• The Mall Cribbs Causeway, [43], is an out of town mall off junction 17 of the M5. This has a large John Lewis and Marks and Spencer as well as lots of other fashionable shops. The surrounding area of Cribbs Causeway is also home to large stores such as TK Maxx and furniture stores, with The Venue – including the Vue cinema complex, and chain restaurants such as Frankie & Benny's, Chiquitos and TGIF's.

• Avonmeads Situated between St Philips and Brislington, Avonmeads has a few out of town shops, restaurants, Showcase cinema and bowling. Shops include Boots, Mothercare, Currys, Brantano, Outfit, The Range, and M&S Simply Food. A short distance away is Sainsburys.

Areas

• The area between the docks and the triangle centred around Park Street has a good range of fashionable clothes shops and smaller record shops.

• Clifton village contains a wide variety of smaller, more expensive boutique style shops, as well as some nice cafes and restaurants. This continues down Whiteladies Road to the Triangle.

Bristol also has quite vibrant district shopping centres. The best of these are probably:

• North St and East St, in Bedminster in the south of the city. Located here are a couple of pawn brokers as well as a mix of the usual high street names. Sadly, Replay, the popular local independent record shop chain has now closed.

• Gloucester Rd/Cheltenham Rd in the North, which contains a large number of cafes and restaurants, a number of instrument shops, many hardware stores and a good selection of independent butchers, bakers and greengrocers. At night, the restaurants and pubs attract lively nightlife.

• Fishponds Rd and Staple Hill in the East.

• St Mark's Rd in Easton, in the east of the inner city, which is particularly noted for its mainly South Asian food shops and restaurants. It is also home to a modern vegetarian/vegan restaurant (Café Maitreya) that has won national acclaim.

Markets

There are also a number of markets around the city. St Nicholas Market in the centre, near Corn St. is a permanent fixture and has stalls selling jewellery, books, CDs and fresh food. It also hosts the 'Nails' market on Fridays and Saturdays and a Flea Market on Fridays, as well as various special markets around the end of the year. There are a number of farmers markets (and similar events) held at different venues around the city. These include:

• Corn St. on Wednesday mornings 0930-1430hrs

• Fresh Saturday Food Market, St. Nicholas Street (behind Glass Arcade and Covered Market, in road that links High Street to Corn Street), [44]. Saturdays until Christmas 2006, 1000-1600hrs. Returning in January 2007 after successful trial period.

• Straits Parade, Fishponds, [45], second Thursday mornings 0900-1300hrs.

• Fear Institute, Keynsham, [46], second Saturday mornings 0900-1300hrs.

• Cheese & Grain Market Hall, Frome, [47].

• Tobacco Factory, Southville, [48], every Sunday, 1030-1430hrs.

• Green Park Station, Bath, first and third Saturday mornings 0900-1400hrs.

• St. Mary's Centre, Thornbury, [49], first Thursday mornings 0900-1400hrs.

• Chipping Sodbury High Street, [50], last Thursday and second Saturday mornings 0900-1300hrs.

• Slow Food Market, Corn St. on the first Sunday, 1000-1500hrs (needs to be checked)

• Whiteladies Rd. , [51] on Junction with Apsley Road near Clifton Down precinct, fourth Thursday 0830-1330hrs (needs to be checked)

• Christchurch Hall, [52]. Downend, fourth Friday 0830-1200hrs (needs to be checked)

Bristol has a huge choice of bars and restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. There are many around the Harbourside and The West End's Park Street and Whiteladies Road, but do not be dissuaded from trying those outside the centre as many are superior to those that attract passing trade due to their location.

Budget

• There is a food aisle within the glass arcade at St Nicholas Market, near Corn Street. Many international cuisines are represented, including Italian, Indian, West Indian/Caribbean, Moroccan and Portuguese. Can be a bit chilly, depending on the weather, so keep your coat on!
• One Stop Thali Cafe, York Road, Montpelier, tel 942 6687, [53]. Tiny and always packed, a different menu every day, the Thali specialises in vegetarian Indian food and in terms of volume of food, must be one of the best bargains in the city! Loads of courses for very little outlay. On Sundays there is normally live music and bargain Thalis on a first-come-first-served basis (no reservations taken). Credit and debit cards are not accepted.
• Las Iguanas, Whiteladies Road (opposite Clifton Down Shopping Centre), Clifton, [54]. Delicious South American food with the fresh flavours of lime, salsa and chillis. Two-course lunch is a bargain at £8.
• Wagamama,Queen's Road, [55]. is a professionally run, good value Asian noodle bar. Main courses are filling, of consistent quality and cost £5-8. Walkable from the centre, or take a bus from St. Augustines Parade/College Green up Park Street.
• The canteen in the Fresh and Wild, [56] deli, Queen's Road, The Triangle is not the most atmospheric of restaurants but the food is superb and good value. At the counter you can pick and choose from a big choice of salads, soups, warm dishes and desserts. You pay by weight. Expect to pay about £10-12 For a main course + small salad + freshly squeezed juice + dessert, perhaps a bit less if you eat small portions. £3-6 main course only. Walkable from the centre, or take a bus from St. Augustines Parade/College Green up Park Street.
• Beijing Bistro, Park Street, [57]. Arguably much better than the London chain Wagamama and tends not to be overrun by hordes of students during term time. This family-run noodle bar has modern decor, a wide menu, friendly quick service and a good choice of beers. A great place to refuel when out shopping. All dishes between £5-7. Walkable from the centre, or take a bus from St. Augustines Parade/College Green up Park Street.
• Teoh's, Lower Ashley Road, St Pauls and North Street in Bedminster (in the same building as the Tobacco Factory). All meals £6, pan-Asian (somewhat comparable with Wagamama) - choice from Thai, Malaysian, Japanese and Chinese. Any chicken dish can also be prepared with Tofu instead. Excellent prawn crackers and friendly, fast service!
• Tripitakas, 80 Colston Street, Bristol BS1 5BB, [58]. Provides Thai soups and curry, sushi and baguettes from £2.00 - vegeatarian options

Mid Range

• Severnshed, The Grove, tel 925 1212, [59]. The famous eatery with a bar that moves (using compressed air). They serve modern cuisine, and prices can be reasonable (especially at lunch time / early evening when they do a number of meals for £9.77). Right in the heart of the city centre, on the waterfront. Open every day noon-late. £8-£30. Walkable from the centre.
• The River, 1 The Watershed, Canons Road, tel 930 0498. A newcomer to the bar scene and an opportunity to get a decent drink on the waterfront in decent company (at last!), they serve excellent good value food, including various sausages and mash and incredible pies. Open every day 11am–late. £3-£15. Walkable from the centre.
• Boca Bar, Paintworks, Bath Road, Arnos Vale, [60]. Gourmet pizzas from £9-12, tapas.
• Zero Degrees, Colston Street (between Christmas Steps and the bottom of St Michaels Hill), [61]. Californian-style gourmet pizzas (reminiscent of California Pizza Kitchen, but much thinner, biscuity bases) from £7-9, speciality sausages, mussels, salads. On-site microbrewery brewing Bavarian-style Black Ale, Wheat Ale, Czech-style Pilsner, New England-style Pale Ale and usually a special beer (usually a fruit beer such as Mango or Raspberry).

Splurge

• Bell's Diner, 1-3 York Road, Montpelier, tel 924 0357, [62]. A very well respected Bristol institution for those who know, Bell's serves up some of the most unique menus in the city, including their 'taster' menu where you get to work your way around everything. Open Tu-F noon-3PM (lunch); M-Sa 7PM-10:30PM. £18-£35.
• Hotel du Vin, The Sugar House, Narrow Lewins Mead, tel 0117 925 5577, [63]. This hotel has a wonderful Bistro with a great atmosphere. Food and service is of good quality. Starters about £7, main course £15 and dessert around £7. Walkable from the centre.
• Cafe Maitreya, St. Marks Road, Easton, tel 0117 951 0100, [64]. Nationally acclaimed vegan/vegetarian restaurant. So good, even many omnivores enjoy it too! Open Tu-Sa 6:45PM-9:45PM. £16-20, excluding drinks.
• City Cafe, City Inn Bristol, Temple Way, tel 0117 925 1001, [65]. Head Chef Peter Quinion joined in 2003. £16-32, excluding drinks. Walkable from the centre, or get a bus to Temple Meads.
• Bordeaux Quay, V-Shed Canons Way, Reservations: 0117 9431200, [66]. Bordeaux Quay is a new (2006) harbourside venue with an upmarket restaurant upstairs, a casual brasserie, bar, deli downstairs, with a bakery and cookery school - all under one roof. They aim to offer the very best in regionally sourced organic food and drink, while it tries to maintain environmental sustainability, energy consumption, minimising waste and reducing food miles. Grab a coffee and freshly baked pain au chocolat for breakfast, or delight in succulent mussels for dinner.
• River Station, The Grove, Res: 0117 9144434, [67]. The restaurant aims to be carbon neutral with naturally generated air-conditioning. Great location on the harbourside looking towards Redcliffe. Fresh locally sourced menu with a lean towards mediterranean, seafood.

The fact that it's the home to around 30,000 students probably says a lot for the quality of the city's nightlife. Surprisingly, though, it's relatively expensive, with prices similar to those in London. Mainstream nightlife centres on Corn Street in the 'old city', the Harbourside and Whiteladies Road which are dominated by chain bars and get extremely busy, if not rowdy, at weekends. The eastern end of King Street in the old city provides a slightly more relaxed, but popular, outdoor drinking area on sunny summer evenings, surrounded by historic pubs such as the 17th-century Llandoger Trow (reputed to have been the haunt of pirates and the model for the Admiral Benbow in Robert Louis Stevenson's novel "Treasure Island").

Notable Pubs include;

• The Hillgrove, on Dove Street, a few minutes' walk from Broadmead, The Bus Station, The BRI. Winner of the CAMRA Bristol pub of the year in 2007, a freehouse with ten real ales and cider, perry. A wide mix of customers, good food and heated beer garden, open til midnight Sun-Thurs, 1am Fri & Sat.

• The Miner's Arms, Mina Road, St Werburghs is the type of large, multi-roomed community local that is increasingly rare. Declared the Best Pub in Bristol by Venue Magazine in 2005 it has mirrored the resurgence of this vibrant community.

• The Green Man, in Alfred Place, Kingsdown opened in September 2008 as the first 'Organic' Pub in the city. The pub was formerly the Georgian-built 'The Bell'. Notably, all the alcoholic drinks are Organic and the freshly-prepared food is all Organic or Free Range. Two of the six real ales are served on gravity from the barrel.

• The Highbury Vaults, on St Michael's hill, about 10 minutes from the Triangle. Winner of the CAMRA Bristol pub of the year in 2003, the Highbury Vaults is a classic traditional pub with 8 real ales available on cask. Popular with students and older customers alike, and with a large heated garden. Open until midnight.

• The Portcullis, freehouse on Wellington Terrace is very near Brunel's Suspension Bridge. A Grade II listed Georgian building, it has been a pub since the 1850s. On two levels, the bottom bar and main entrance is one of the smallest pubs in Bristol.

• The Victoria, freehouse in Southleigh Road, Clifton is part of the Grade II* listed Clifton Lido site.

• The Hatchet, [68]. near the city centre. Reputedly the oldest pub in Bristol (licensed since 1606). The hatchet is a favourite of many various 'alternative' sub-cultures and is sometimes the venue for related club- and live-music events. It also runs a noted free stand-up comedy event ("Gagging for It") on Sunday evenings, serving as a showcase for local talent. Due to its proximity to the Bristol Academy venue, it's convenient for pre-gig drinks. Open until 2am on weekends.

• The Coronation Tap, a small West-Country cider house in Clifton, famous for its Exhibition cider - sweet, innocent looking but lethal. Gets rammed at weekends.

There are a number of pubs located around the City Docks, such as The Cottage at the Hotwells end of the Floating Harbour. These pubs can be accessed by foot or by harbour ferry.

Non-alcoholic venues include:

• The Big Banana Juice Bar, [69]. Great juice bar in the centre of town at St Nicholas's Market on Corn Street. Fruit juices and organic wheatgrass. Into health and wellbeing. Juice promotions and promotional events.

• Blue Juice, 39 Cotham Hill, Cotham. Also serves wraps and salads.