Giuseppe’s – restaurant review

Soft lights cast a warm glow over the wet stone steps up to St Nicholas Market on a recent Friday night. Winter is still clinging on and the welcoming, understated exterior of Giuseppe’s shines like a beacon, guiding people inside.

A rush of hot air greets you as the door opens, the tantalising aromas of garlic and baked pizza setting the senses alight, as diners sit before crisp white table clothes, tucking into hearty plates of food while wine flows and post-work spirits soar.

The setting is traditional in décor and relaxed, with a constant bustle about it, as dough is expertly handled, people led to their seats, drinks carried and the proprietor, dressed in a smart suit, offers everyone a friendly greeting, enveloping many regulars in big hugs.

Bristol’s oldest Italian restaurant has been serving the city for more than 35 years and, in this time, has built up a loyal client base, many of whom have become lifelong friends.

In a world where big chains tend to rule the roost, British diners are all too often fed a bland, watered down and frankly stingy version of Italian cuisine, so the genuine article proves to be a joyous assault on the senses.

Smartly dressed, polite and efficient wait staff bring the wine, ordered from an extensive list. This is quickly followed by water and a generous basket of fresh, crusty bread (£2.95) – perfect for soaking in vats of rich olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Family gatherings, birthday parties, a romantic dinner for two – this is a restaurant that attracts a diverse local crowd and remains a firm favourite with people of all ages, as laughter ricochets between the many candlelit tables.

The bread proves a delicious but unnecessary stomach liner as starters arrive of equivalent size to mains in lesser establishments.

Pan fried fresh scallops (£9.95), served with white wine, mushrooms, garlic and just a hint of chilli, are beautifully light, delicate to bite and with a rich sauce, just made for soaking up with more chunks of crusty bread.

Cheese is the overpowering taste of the funghi Portobello (£7.95) – a large mushroom set upon a bed of fresh rocket with two token slices of cucumber and oozing with a pungent topping.

There’s barely a moment to sit, soak up the surroundings and sip some wine before the mains are proudly placed on the table.

Pizza (£10.95), topped with anchovies, olives and capers, is served hot and rustic, with cheese lightly bubbling and a perfectly crisp base – although, disappointingly, there is barely a trace of anchovy to be found.

The spaghetti con rucola e pomodori secchi (£9.50) is generous in both quantity and taste, the pasta dripping deliciously with a sundried tomato sauce, peppered with plenty of fresh rocket and coated in huge shavings of parmesan.

It is a hearty dish, designed to be devoured on a cold Friday night and is packed with a flavour that puts bland vegetarian equivalents to shame.

There is certainly no need and barely any room for dessert, but at a risk of doing Giueseppe’s an injustice, it seems only polite to at least sample one final course.

The tiramisu (£5.50) is a visual delight, lavishly dusted with cocoa powder and an arty scrawl of chocolate sauce. The taste is fresh and homemade, but lacking any hint of coffee or liquor that would have just given it the edge.

While food is more about hearty dishes than perfection, it is the Giuseppe’s magic that makes the evening radiate with a golden glow and it is this recipe that has kept people coming back for 35 years.

If Italian dining was just about the food, Giuseppe’s would just be another nice restaurant. It is everything else that really sets it apart.

Giuseppe’s, 59 Baldwin Street, BS1 1QZ
0117 926 4869
www.giuseppesitalianrestaurant.co.uk

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