6 days ago
The 10 best brunches in Bristol
Brunch – that mid-morning mash-up of breakfast and lunch – may have Victorian origins but the rise of the 'bottomless brunch' gave it a further kickstart. And what better way to begin a weekend (or assuage a hangover) than with Turkish eggs, stacks of pancakes or a leisurely fry-up, accompanied, perhaps, by a Bloody Mary?
Bristol has a terrific variety of places to sate the weekend (or weekday) appetite and here we offer everything from brunch 1950s American diner-style to a café that resembles a luxuriant garden and another in a Victorian arcade – how appropriate.
All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert. Find out more below or for further inspiration see our guides to the city's best hotels, restaurants, nightlife and things to do.
FED
The most eye-catching feature of FED on Gloucester Road is the Instagram-worthy counter display with a gorgeous – decadent even – selection of cakes, pastries and over-filled brioche buns. Try and bag a table in the small, pretty, brick-walled garden as you peruse a breakfast/brunch menu that includes Cacklebean eggs on sourdough with streaky bacon, or the eggy Fed loaf with poached egg and tomato, accompanied by a refreshing blueberry ginger smoothie. If you've got room go for a slice of Guinness cake.
The Lounge
You'll find the 'Lounges' brand dotted around the country and (and there are others in Bristol), but this is the original and has the feeling of a proper local restaurant and bar. It's a simple and engaging concept with the interior (three rooms) dominated by an array of oil paintings. Sit at one of the colourful tables and sink into the good value, all-day brunch – maybe the Miami, or the popular Lounge breakfast (which is popular late at night too).
The Garden at Easton
What a treat this is – tucking into brunch seated in a café that's akin to a mini Kew Gardens. Calming, rustic and very green (a gardener tends the plants every day), there's a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern vibe here and a menu that includes Turkish eggs, French toast with streaky bacon and savoury Japanese pancakes; good cocktails too and tea is served in a fancy glass teapot. Grab a table upstairs, or sit at one of the outside window seats. There's also sister restaurant The Bristolian in Montpelier (Picton Street).
Mollie's
On the outskirts of Bristol at Cribbs Causeway (and its shopping mall), Mollie's Motel and Diner is part of the Soho Group and its take on an American classic. The retro 1950s-style diner with its booths and counter seating, black and white tiled floor is a treat – and with smiley and helpful service too. The steak and eggs is a definite brunch option as is the buttermilk pancake stack, but look out too for an ace hot dog.
Cafe Napolita
Unfussy and family run, Cafe Napolita is a hugely popular go-to Italian brunch spot in cosmopolitan St Werburghs. Simple and fairly unadorned inside, although the turquoise chairs add a splash of colour as do the bright paintings (which are for sale). The full English is very popular, but note too the hearty breakfast hash (with chorizo, peppers and chilli) and the honey berry pancakes with the honey sourced from Kurdistan; the various Sicilian cannoli are recommended.
Crafty Egg
The website suggests the Crafty Egg is an 'all-day hideaway' and it's hard to disagree as this is somewhere to hunker down. The pink cherry blossom hanging over the tiled bar is an eye-catcher and enhances the feminine tone; books on the shelves are there to browse should you need. On the eclectic menu, the Large Meat Crafty is one for the truly hungry, while the Afghan eggs (cooked in a skillet) is a local favourite.
Burra
Stylish, Antipodean-themed café with an upmarket feel, in keeping with the surrounding area. The refreshing design is enhanced by wooden flooring and white walls, aside from the colourful bird mural – Burra is a play on kookaburra and borough. The ricotta and eggs and shakshuka are among the menu highlights, and the various breakfast/brunch 'buns' are a treat as are the pastries and the cakes. You can even buy a Burra t-shirt here should you wish.
Cosy Club
Fancy taking your eggs and bacon in a neo-Palladian former banking hall? Then the grandstanding Corn Street incarnation of the Cosy brand is the place to be, with its long, saloon-style bar, leather seating, marble and wood flooring, glass roof domes and frescoes. You'll need to book at weekends, though; the Garden Brunch (vegetarian) and the punchy Butcher's Brunch are both available until 4pm every day.
Primrose Café
At the entrance to Clifton Arcade (a beautiful Victorian shopping mall), this sun-trap café has evolved over 30-plus years to be one of Bristol's most favoured spots. Grab a table outside (opposite a fruit stall) or head on to the pretty upstairs terrace. They do a must-have weekend brunch with a wide variety of dishes from a Scandi open (smoked salmon-based) to a Pan Catalan and that English brunch staple, kedgeree.
Chez Marcel
Small, very authentic and good value, Chez Marcel serves up brunch French-style with its tip-top crêpes. It's got character too from its red frontage and chalkboard menu to the brick-walled interior and wooden tables and chairs. Choose a table outside and pick one of the local favourites: La Complete or La Farick (with smoked sausage) and if you've room one of their sumptuous sweet pancakes, and definitely order a glass of Breton cider.
How we choose
Every restaurant in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets, from neighbourhood favourites to Michelin-starred restaurants – to best suit every type of traveller's taste – and consider the food, service, best tables, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest opening and provide up to date recommendations.
About our expert
Simon Horsford
I'm a regular visitor to Bristol, drawn by its maverick way of thinking, its enviable restaurant scene and range of attractions from museums and markets to, in particular, its music.
