november-2012

u BCN BSL BRS HAJ MRS OSL PRG BMA TLV TRN
bristol
united kingdom
63,047,162 +44 7°C
british pound (gbp)
three times daily
Emma Howarth
Art exhibitions, secret cocktail haunts and
indoor markets offer respite from the cold
CITY CENTRE &
HARBOURSIDE
There’s plenty of charm in central
Bristol, if you know where to look.
SLEEP Brooks Guesthouse (Exchange
Avenue, via St Nicholas Street, (0)117
930 0066, brooksguesthousebristol.
com, rooms from €87/£70) offers
much more than just a convenient
location. There’s a lovely courtyard
garden, bathrooms stocked with White
Company products, an honesty bar and,
most importantly, very reasonable rates.
EAT St Nicholas Market’s Source Food
Hall & Café (1-3 Exchange Avenue,
(0)117 927 2998) serves up seasonal
dishes alongside a food hall stocked
with top-quality meat, fish, cheese and
charcuterie. No time for a leisurely
lunch? Wander through the market’s
Glass Arcade, where global street food,
freshly squeezed juices and Bristol’s
feted Pieminister pies await. And few
places beat the Olive Shed (Floating
Harbour, Princes Wharf, (0)117 929
1960) for atmospheric waterside
views, good wine and spot-on tapas.
CULTURE Bristol Jam at Bristol
Old Vic (King Street) is a festival of
improvisation, showcasing impromptu
comedy, music, poetry, dance, drama
and storytelling (until 11 November).
LATER Hip but undeniably grown-up,
Milk Thistle (Quay Head House,
Colston Avenue) takes its cocktails
seriously. Once you’ve gained entry
INFO
Bristol Airport is
13km south of
the centre.
Bus
The Airport Flyer
Express Link bus
operates 24 hours
a day (except
Christmas Day),
connecting the
airport, city centre,
bus and train
stations. Travel time
to central Bristol is
30 minutes, and
services depart
every 10 minutes at
peak times. An adult
return costs
€12.50/£10.
Taxi
Checker Cars
operates a 24-hour
service from the
airport. A taxi to
Bristol city centre
costs €32.50/£26
and takes around
30 minutes.
Tourist info
The Tourist
Information Centre
is located on the
harbourside in the
E-Shed building at
1 Canons Road,
(0)906 711 2191,
visitbristol.co.uk
(ring the doorbell or book ahead), you’ll
find a creative drinks list and strict
house rules: no name-dropping, fancy
dress, swearing, hooting, shouting or
shrieking. You have been warned.
CLIFTON
Georgian terraces and chic
boutiques make this Bristol’s
most upmarket locale.
SLEEP Set in a Georgian townhouse,
Number 38 (38 Upper Belgrave Road,
(0)117 946 6905, number38clifton.com,
rooms from €124/£100) has put Bristol
on the boutique hotel map with its sleek
decor, city views and sterling breakfasts.
The green expanses of Clifton Down
are just across the road.
EAT The Albion (Boyce’s Avenue,
(0)117 973 3522) ticks all the gastro
pub boxes with hearty dishes like fish
stew and massive steaks, a pretty
courtyard and real ales; the hot cider is
a sellout at the first sign of frost. The
Lido Restaurant (Oakfield Place, (0)117
933 9530) serves up well-presented
modern European dishes, with views of
the beautifully renovated Victorian lido.
CULTURE The 160th Autumn Exhibition
at the Royal West of England
Academy (Queen’s Road) runs
throughout November, with hundreds
of works by established and unknown
artists on sale.
LATER Hausbar (52 Upper Belgrave
Road) mixes perfect – and potent –
Work up an appetite at
the Lido Restaurant
cocktails in a speakeasy-style
basement. Ring the bell for entry.
TIP Bristol’s Lido & Spa (see left) is
heated to perfection for year-round
open-air swims. Non-members are
welcome on weekdays (1pm-4pm).
STOKES CROFT &
MONTPELIER
Independently minded Stokes Croft
and bohemian Montpelier showcase
Bristol’s celebrated counter-culture.
EAT Runcible Spoon (3 Nine Tree Hill,
(0)117 329 7645) is adored by Stokes
Croft’s defiantly anti-capitalist locals.
Run as a worker’s co-operative, it
champions seasonal British food with
imaginative dinner menus, Saturday
fry-ups and hangover-defying Sunday
roasts. Montpelier stalwart Bell’s Diner
(1-3 York Road, (0)117 924 0357) takes
things up a notch with its serene dining
room, Blumenthal-esque tasting menus
and sophisticated wine list.
SHOP Love Bristol Pop Up Bakery
(123 Stokes Croft) sells locally sourced
baked goods. In Montpelier, La Belle
Boutique (47 Picton Street) houses a
beautifully curated mix of vintage
clothing and homeware.
LATER Come 10pm at the weekend,
Canteen (80 Stokes Croft) is signposted
by a sizeable queue. Head here early to
beat the crowds, claim a sofa and tuck
into the good-value bar menu before
the nightly live music and DJs kick off.
82 november 2012
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