The Very Best Roasts In Bristol
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6 months ago
Sunday hangouts in the foodie city
Home to an abundance of innovative chefs and endless charming pubs, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to roasts in Bristol. Whether you’re looking for a hangover cure after hitting it too hard at Motion or are planning the perfect wholesome Sunday, the foodie city is sure to deliver with succulent meat, nut roasts, crispy roasties and Yorkshire puds alenty. Read on for the C&TH pick, from Clifton to the city centre and trendy Stokes Croft.
The Very Best Roasts In Bristol
The Ox
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A subterranean restaurant found beneath The Commercial Rooms on Corn Street, The Ox has garnered a reputation as one of Bristol’s best steakhouses. Naturally, its chefs are experts in cooking up top-quality cuts of meat – so it’s no surprise the roast is also excellent. Diners have a choice of dry aged beef rump or slow roasted porchetta, or for veggies there’s a butternut squash roast, all served with a generous helping of roast potatoes, veggies and cauliflower cheese – plus a Yorkshire pud. There’s also a sharing roast on offer, plus a kids version for children aged six and under.
The Basement, 43 Corn St, Bristol BS1 1HT, theoxbristol.com
The Cottage
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Like your roast with a view? Head to The Cottage, a long-standing pub overlooking the harbour housed in a historic building once used by merchants for storing Baltic timber. With its traditional 19th century exterior, cosy furnishings and beer garden, the pub is always buzzing, but it’s particularly popular on Sundays thanks to its ‘Great British Sunday Roast’. Current offerings include Castlemead Farm chicken, West End Farm pork, and rump of Hereford and Angus beef, as well as a mushroom and kale wellington, with all the trimmings. Pair with local cider or a glass of red for the perfect Sunday afternoon.
Baltic Wharf, Cumberland Rd, Bristol BS1 6XG, butcombe.com
The Christmas Steps
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Despite the name, The Christmas Steps are well worth a visit year-round. One of Bristol’s oldest streets, it’s filled with quirky shops, cute cafes and – crucially – an eponymous pub at the bottom serving a stellar roast. Kick things off with a Bloody Mary before getting stuck into the main event: pick between beef, lamb leg, cider brined chicken supreme, or quinoa vegan seed roast, served with crispy roasties, seasonal veg and greens (add cauliflower cheese if you’re feeling extra hungry). Find some space at the end for the sticky toffee pud – or pop next door for a treat from beloved bakery Ah Toots.
2 Christmas Steps, Bristol BS1 5BS, thechristmassteps.com
Bar 44
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For something a bit different from your classic roast, book a table at Clifton’s Bar 44, a Spanish-inspired restaurant housed in an old bank on Regent Street. The British tradition is given a Spanish twist: roast platters include dry aged picanha of Hereford beef, slow roasted Duroc pork belly, or celeriac steak, served with sides of manchego cauliflower cheese, jamon fat roast potatoes, and cabbage with miso herb butter. These are designed for sharing between two or more people, with an extensive drinks menu that includes everything from sangria to beer and orange wine.
18-20 Regent St, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4HG, grupo44.co.uk
The Albion
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After a walk around the Suspension Bridge, refuel with a roast at pretty Clifton Village pub The Albion. Housed within a Grade II listed building, with chic decor, log fires and a cobbled courtyard, it’s an upmarket spot with a top-notch food offering. There’s a choice of roast beef, lemon and thyme chicken, pork loin, slow braised lamb shank, or a classic nut roast, served with a large helping of sides – plus the option to add extra Yorkshire puds or roasties if you’re feeling ravenous. Easily one of Bristol’s best roasts.
Boyce’s Ave, Clifton, Clifton Village, Bristol BS8 4AA, cliftonalbion.co.uk
The Bank Tavern
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Those after a table at The Bank Tavern might be waiting a while: apparently, the pub has a four-year waiting list (a result of a backlog from Covid). The historic spot has been around since the 1800s, and its roasts have garnered a cult status over the years, scooping up a string of awards along the way. Those who do manage to get a booking on one of its hotly sought after seven tables will be treated to a huge sharing roast featuring the ultimate crispy roast potatoes, fluffy Yorkshires, and top-quality meat sourced from local suppliers, plus a great veggie loaf that won’t feel like an afterthought.
8 John St, Bristol BS1 2HR, banktavern.com
The Canteen
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Stokes Croft favourite The Canteen is best known for its live music offering, but it also does a really good roast. The menu is 100 percent vegetarian, with current offerings including a beetroot and goat’s cheese wellington with a red lentil tofu filling, and a mushroom loaf with butternut squash – both paired with garlic and rosemary roast potatoes, sauteed seasonal greens and veggie gravy. A couple of the small plates wouldn’t go amiss either: think heritage tomatoes with crispy fried polenta, and grilled Wye Valley asparagus with hazelnut breadcrumb. Enjoy alongside local beers or a glass or two of biodynamic wine.
Hamilton House, 80 Stokes Croft, St Paul’s, Bristol BS1 3QY, canteenbristol.co.uk
