25 new food and drink openings to look forward to in Bristol in 2018

After an unprecedented year for new food and drink openings in 2017, as well as some high-profile closures, can this year be even better?

Expect some new openings from familiar Bristol favourites, a few restaurants with London outposts heading west and plenty of newbies.

Here is a roundup of what we know about so far:

1. Pasta Ripiena

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcKjxvLnhHa

The most exciting new arrival of the year is set to be Pasta Ripiena from the team behind Pasta Loco on Cotham Hill, who are opening the UK’s first dedicated ravioli bar on St Stephen’s Street. The new kitchen will be headed up by co-owner Ben Harvey’s chef brother, Joe, who previously worked at Bellita and Bell’s Diner, with a menu changing with the seasons.

2. Roots Lounge

Staying in the Old City, Roots Lounge hope to open in February next to Chomp on St Nicholas Street. The vegetarian and vegan restaurant’s opening has been delayed due to the ceiling in the Grade II-listed building collapsing, which the owners went through the council to fix rather than pulling down like one of the most infamous stories from last year.

3. Woky Ko

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcKNx0HHtVd

Building work has already started in the former Caffe Nero on Queen’s Road at the top of Park Street, which early this year is set to become the second home of Wapping Wharf favourites Woky Ko.

4. Pigsty

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbMVWjGnOUZ

It’s not yet been officially confirmed, but Woky Ko’s near neighbours Pigsty are also hoping to open a second restaurant this year, no doubt larger than their original home at Cargo 1. Somewhere on Gloucester Road looks like a good bet for its location.

5. Pizzarova

https://www.instagram.com/p/BW7WRlslrDR

Pizzarova, who occupy a crate next to Cargo 2, are also set to open their second restaurant following the success of their original bricks and mortar restaurant on Gloucester Road. Its location has yet to be revealed.

6. Pasture

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcSvDtwjBQe

Pasture on Portwall Lane will be a steakhouse and bar from Sam Elliott, former nationwide chef director at Jamie’s Italian. “In a nutshell Pasture is glamorous and elegant, yet fun and bold,” former Backwell School pupil Elliott says. “It’s about fine dining for everyone, with slick, engaging service, top-quality food and a team whose knowledge is as strong as its passion.”

7. Burger Bear

https://www.instagram.com/p/BdSSIvZBXMu

Bristol’s appetite for burgers shows no sign of slowing down. Burger Bear – a restaurant with a cult following in London – have confirmed that they will be opening on Gloucester Road in February in what used to be Bagel Boy.

8. Honest Burgers

Honest Burgers in Marylebone

Honest Burgers have yet to confirm they are opening in Bristol, but they tested the water last summer at Moor Beer. The restaurant inspired by British produce began in London and recently opened in Reading, so are heading in the right direction to come to Bristol.

9. Happy Bird

A new restaurant promising “the best chicken you have ever tasted”, Happy Bird is due to open this month on Whiteladies Road.

10. The Florist

https://www.instagram.com/p/BdX3um1jPql

The most opulent opening of this year could be The Florist. A range of cocktails and world beers, and a food menu including deli, rotisserie and grill dishes will all be available in the new restaurant and bar with Victorian touches that will occupy the maze of rooms that make up the former Goldbrick House on Park Street.

11. The Alchemist

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbpDaKEDP1h

Close by comes another big new opening as The Alchemist is set to pump £1.3m into the premises on Queen’s Road most recently occupied by Rise and Friska to create a two-floor cocktail bar and restaurant.

12. The Foundry

A few hundred yards away, The Foundry next to Waitrose will be a new bar and restaurant from Marston’s, offering sourdough pizzas and burgers alongside ‘smoked’ cocktails and craft beers. There are currently two other Foundry bars in Edinburgh and Harrogate.

13. A new bar in Redfield

More excitingly, the ground floor of the former Lloyds bank on the corner of Church Road and Blackswarth Road in Redfield could this year become a new bar to be operated by the team behind the Christmas Steps and the Spotted Cow pubs.

14. Wetherspoons on Gloucester Road

Staying on n the pubs theme, don’t expect Wetherspoons giving up on their plans to open on Gloucester Road. The proposed pub at numbers 349-353 was most recently an extension of the next door reclamation yard and is situated between the Anchor and the Royal Oak.

15. The Bristol Cookhouse

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcvErK1AH-k

Further up Gloucester Road at number 405 (most recently a wool shop but in former incarnations a dining rooms, cafe and Indian restaurant), The Bristol Cookhouse from Samantha Waterhouse promises to be “a hub for food enthusiasts” encompassing a cafe, dining club and cookery workshop with a focus on health, wellbeing, environment and food sustainability.

16. New bar and restaurant on Picton Street

The former Magpie squat – photo by The Mild Bunch

In what used to be the Magpie squat on the corner of Ashley Road and Picton Street in Montpelier, a new bar and restaurant could appear this year from the same company behind The Lanes and Crofters Rights.

17. New bar and restaurant on Stokes Croft

Expect the arrival of a new bar and restaurant at the former motorcycle showrooms on Stokes Croft, opposite Pieminister.

18. Airstream caravans in the Paintworks

Triple Co. Roast of Stokes Croft will be supplying the coffee in an as-yet unannounced new cafe taking over the two retro Airstream caravans in the Paintworks, most recently the home of the Tube Diner.

19. Artist Residence

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc4ekMch6oR

On Portland Square in St Paul’s, trendy hotel chain Artist Residence hope to turn the building at number 27 into swanky rooms with a restaurant, bar and cafe. Artist Residence already runs four hotels – in Pimlico in London, South Leigh in Oxfordshire, Brighton and Penzance – and is known for its quirky take on design.

20 & 21. Dawkins and Arbor taprooms

Taprooms were a theme of 2017 and are set to continue this year. Dawkins on Lawnwood Road in Easton are now confirmed to be opening their taproom on February 3 for the Six Nations kick-off, and Arbor could also be opening their own tap room a few hundred yards away on Easton Road more permanently.

22. Left Handed Giant brewpub

Overlooking the Floating Harbour in the new Finzels Reach development, Left Handed Giant’s new ‘brewpub’ will house their new brewery from where beer will be able to be poured directly to customers’ glasses.

23. New Finzels Reach restaurant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNDAiOrO4qk

Above the Left Handed Giant brewpub will be a table-service restaurant, whose kitchen will also provide a smaller menu for patrons in the bar downstairs. Expect more announcements of new openings at Finzels Reach as the year progresses.

24. Hugo’s greengrocer and deli

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcuCeTOAtiZ

Over on North Street, Hugo’s successfully crowdfunded towards the end of last year to help them open this year, with the aim to source nearly all its produce from just 15 miles away from the city centre. As well as selling fresh produce, the shop will be putting on monthly evening demonstrations from local chefs and people passionate about food.

25. Naked dining

And for something completely different, Bristol could be getting a naked dining experience this year, following naked restaurants opening in London and Paris.