Best restaurants in Bristol: 21 lip-smacking spots

Website: bokman.co.uk
Address: 3 Nine Tree Hill, Stokes Croft, Bristol BS1 3SB

Dishes and cocktails at Ragù

Ragù

Best for: Authentic ragu pasta dishes
Dish to order: Pappardelle pig cheek ragu

One of the newest additions to Bristol’s Wapping Wharf, the collection of sea containers right on the harbourside, which has become its own little food mecca since opening in 2016, is the Italian-inspired Ragù.

It’s run by the experienced Mark and Karen Chapman, who also own COR (also listed here) in Bedminster. Here at Ragù, they’ve extended their love and expertise of seasonality and small plates, but this time they’ve focused on Italian food. Think Roman artichoke fritti to dip in creamy aioli, sourdough crostini piled high with slices of mushroom, Tuscan mortadella and salty parmesan, or Calabrian anchovy slivers in oil. Of course, order the ragu, not only as it’s the namesake dish. It might come in the guise of lamb shoulder, pig cheek or Calabrian cuttlefish, or something else wonderfully tender and delicious. Weekday set lunches are a steal at £30.

Address: Unit 25, Cargo 2, Museum Street, Wapping Wharf, Bristol BS1 6ZA
Website: ragurestaurant.com

The Kensington Arms Pub

Best for: Countryside pub restaurant feel
Dish to order: Hereford flat iron steak

Affectionately known as The Kenny to locals, the pub is set among the leafy suburban roads of Redland, just off Chandos Road. Michelin-starred chef Josh Eggleton and sister Holly took over running the pub almost a decade ago, and are the sibling duo behind the Pony & Trap pub in near-ish Chew Magna and ROOT in Wapping Wharf, among other restaurants, giving a taste of what to expect – in short, that means very good food.

There’s a proper pub as you enter (full of locals that know each other) and the restaurant side on the left. The latter has more of a countryside pub feel to it than a pub near-ish a city centre, with plenty of dark wood softened with candlelight. Large paintings adorn the walls, which at first look appear antique, but have tongue-in-cheek paintings like a woman chef with a pigtail. It’s a compact menu, and dishes might include silky chicken liver parfait with pickles to start or Hereford flat iron steak with an indulgent onion and bone marrow butter.