Your Bristol Favourites: Cafes

In the first instalment of a series of daily features all this week, we’ve collated the top places to sip coffee and nibble cakes in our city – as chosen by Bristol24/7 readers.

It’s to celebrate the launch of the fifth edition EatDrink24/7: your definitive guide to Bristol’s thriving food and drink scene, filled with recommendations from a panel of industry experts, our own trusted editorial team and our readers.

2023’s guide is hot off the press, so keep an eye out for free copies across the city as it gets distributed from Monday.

These are the best cafes in Bristol according to our readers:

Sundial Kitchen

The Sundial Kitchen is a vegetarian-focused cafe making dishes based on the seasons – photo: Sundial Kitchen

1 William Street, Totterdown, BS3 4TU / www.thesundialkitchen.co.uk

Run by Chloë Hunt and Paul Lusmore, the Sundial Kitchen offers a place to try restaurant quality food in a cafe setting, with a variety of breakfast brunch and lunch options, small plates, cakes with plenty of hot sauces, ferments, beers, wines and coffee to go with it.

New Cut Coffee

Find New Cut coffee on the Floating Harbour next to Wapping Wharf – photo: New Cut

Museum Street, Bristol BS1 6UD / www.newcutcoffee.com

Jack Hudspith and Katie Evans have swiftly created a brilliant cafe since opening in May 2021. Try the trio of components from New Cut’s house blend brewed as a single origin espresso and filter; with coffee here best accompanied by the all-vegan food offering including their already legendary pies.

Mokoko

Mokoko is an independent bakery with cafes in Bristol, Bath and Portishead – photo: Mokoko

2 Gaol Ferry Steps, Wapping Wharf, BS1 6WE / www.mokokocoffee.com

Selling speciality coffees from carefully selected roasters, as well as homemade sandwiches and a range of salads, displayed on the counter – now with a sister cafe in Temple Quay.

FED

FED is famed for its overflowing counter of sweet and savoury treats – photo: Martin Booth

313 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, BS7 8PE / 4-6 Abbotsford Road, Cotham, BS6 6HB / 755 Fishponds Road, BS16 3UP / www.fedcafe.co.uk

Showcasing an array of cakes, Yallah coffee with a selection of vegetarian and vegan options, their most recent cafe opened in Fishponds in May 2022.

Emmeline

Emmeline takes “pride in our healthy approach to making delicious food for all tastes and dietary requirements” – photo: Emmeline

116a Cheltenham Road, St Paul’s, BS6 5RW / 133 Cumberland Road, BS1 6UX  / @emmeline_bristol

Find the excellent Emmeline without Hamilton House and Spike Island, both fresh, bright and friendly spaces with a focus on wholesome food and drink, and conscious environmental practices.

Albatross

A local, independent cafe serving locally roasted speciality coffee – photo: Albatross

60 North Street, Southville, BS3 1HJ / www.albatrosscafebristol.business.site

A cool cafe by day and a cool bar by night. enjoy coffee, cake, brunch, cocktails and wine. Many of the drinks here are served in pottery within a room full of plants, or on the seating area on the road. In the evening, an espresso martini is a must.

Bristol Loaf

The Bristol Loaf is an artisan bakery operating across three sites in Redfield, Bedminster, and Bristol Beacon – photo: Bristol Loaf

96 Bedminster Parade, Bedminster, BS3 4HL /  213 Church Road, Redfield, BS5 9HF, Bristol Beacon, Trenchard St, BS1 5AR / www.thebristolloaf.co.uk

A food emporium under one roof with regular queues out of the door. Check their original cafe in Redfield, their cafe within the foyer of Bristol Beacon or their latest pop-up cafe on Gloucester Road.

Dareshack

It’s described as “a creative studio powered by coffee” – photo: Dareshack

Vintry Building, Wine St, Bristol BS1 2BD / www.dareshack.com

A popular cafe within an ever-dash evolving location that also offers bespoke exhibition and installation spaces, a live music venue, and more.

Burra

Burra is co-owned by Bristol Bears professional rugby player Jake Heenan – photo: Burra

7 Lower Redland Road, Redland, BS6 6TB / 401 Gloucester Road, BS7 8TS / www.burrabristol.co.uk

An Antipodean-themed cafe in Redland – now with a sister cafe on Gloucester Road – which aims to promote an ethical lifestyle through organic produce, fantastic coffe and a locally sourced menu.

EatDrink24/7, which is being distributed from Monday, contains recommendations from readers and a panel of industry experts

Main photo: Martin Booth

Read next:

• In photos: EatDrink24/7 2023 has officially launched
• Plant-based cafe to close
• Cafe to reopen with ‘coffee, booze and music’

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