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There are restaurants, cafes and bars aplenty in Bristol, with something sure to suit every taste and every budget. If you’re new to the city or simply want to try something new, check out some of our favourite places to eat in Bristol.

Where to eat in Bristol for an authentic Mediterranean brunch

The Mediterranean Souk Kitchen is famous for having one of Bristol’s quirkiest brunch menus. Vegetarians and meat eaters alike will be delighted by their signature dish of shakshuka – eggs poached in a delicious spicy tomato sauce with onions and peppers.

There are plenty of other choices too – the menu is a well-curated selection of treats, with veggie and seafood options, including grilled Cornish sardines and mackerel and even the traditional full English with a Mediterranean twist.

No Souk Kitchen brunch would be complete without trying their astonishing speciality drink, the harissa Bloody Mary. There’s no excuse not to – a virgin version is available for non-drinkers and it’s every bit as delicious.

Where to eat in Bristol for succulent seafood

Elegant and distinguished, the Wallfish Bistro is an absolute must for seafood lovers visiting Bristol.

The Wallfish’s nibbles menu alone consists of four different varieties of oyster, served steamed, baked, fried, grilled and of course raw on the half shell, alongside dishes of radishes and the finest Sicilian nocellara olives.

Lunch at the Wallfish Bistro may be a little more costly than a few alternatives, but it’s worth it for freshly-caught lobster, squid and ray, flawlessly cooked and dressed with a glass of Kir on the side.

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, choose from a selection of decadent desserts including roast peaches with amaretto, platters of local cheese and scoops of homemade ice cream.

Where to eat in Bristol for artisan wine with your meal                                                                                                          

With its wooden floors and minimalist decor, Bar Buvette offers guests a truly Parisian feel despite its location less than a block from the River Avon.

This stylish bistro serves only biodynamic organic wines from a carefully curated selection of artisan producers, many of which cannot be found anywhere else in the UK.

Sample marinated artichokes, braised cuttlefish and a whole range of delectable cheeses and charcuterie, accompanied by jams made from owner Peter Taylor’s French orchard and sourdough from a local bakery. It’s an exquisite tapas-style dining experience.

If you’ve still got room after sampling all that Bar Buvette has to offer, round things off with a superb custard tart. You won’t regret it.

Where to eat in Bristol for Chinese food

Chefs prepare food from all eight regions of China and serve them in an all you can eat buffet format at COSMO Bristol, which earned the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2018.

COSMO offers food from a variety of cuisines from Japanese teppanyaki to a classic carvery, so guests who’d prefer to sample food from other countries will also be satisfied. If you really can’t make your mind up you can also try a multitude of dishes served in tiny portions from the tasting kitchen.

The buffet consists of metres of dishes and desserts as well as a full bar so you can enjoy a variety of alcoholic drinks and bottomless soft drinks alongside your meal. As if the spectacle of all that food wasn’t enough by itself, COSMO has live cooking stations so you can enjoy the spectacle of watching the experts at work.

Where to eat in Bristol if you’re vegetarian or vegan

Cafe Ronak is a delight. The cosy atmosphere of this family-run independent cafe is enough to make any guest stay for one more coffee, which is Ethiopian, fairtrade and sourced from Wogan Coffee, one of the most eminent artisan coffee importers in Bristol.

The cafe is equally good for all day breakfasts, brunches and lunches. It specialises in meze, including baba ganoush, falafels and homemade hummus, served alongside delicious salads. If you’re not a coffee fan, sample one of Cafe Ronak’s lovely fresh smoothies alongside your meal.

The cafe’s interior is rustic and if you visit in the summertime you can enjoy your food and drinks outside in a charming courtyard behind the cafe.

 

Where to eat in Manchester for a touch of glamour

If you want a sophisticated evening out, then reserve a table at the renowned Australasia.

The striking glass prism shaped entrance leads down to a modern white, glossy interior with elegant driftwood arrangements.

The Australian food is as good-looking as the surroundings, combining European cooking traditions with Southeast Asian, Japanese and Indonesian food. Choose from small sharing plates or large plates like Chilean sea bass, Toban jang chicken breast or pot roasted lobster.

The desserts are extraordinary with candied ginger cheesecake and popcorn with peanut butter ice cream or coconut panna cotta with sesame and poppy seed tuile, all with perfect drink pairings. Understandably, the dessert menu will be hard to choose from so why not choose a bento box sharing selection with tasters of each?

The drinks list itself is vast with sake, Asian-inspired concoctions and fabulous cocktails to choose from.

Where to eat in Manchester if you want to spot a celebrity

A famous owner will always create a certain star attraction around a restaurant and ex-footballer Rio Ferdinand’s Rosso is no exception.

This grand venue is known for its famous clientele, hosting many Manchester United team parties over the years. The interior is rather imposing with celebrity pictures adorning the walls and classical features such as marble columns and a central dome on the ceiling.

The menu is varied, offering many classic Italian favourites. Rosso also has a ‘bambini menu’ with a wide selection of wholesome dishes for children.

This is a restaurant that might welcome celebrity guests, but stays true to its Northern roots and remains welcoming and unpretentious with a focus on high quality food for everyone.

Where to eat in Manchester if you are on a student budget

Dining out can put a strain on your finances, especially on a tight student budget. It’s hard when you are tempted into a restaurant only to discover that it costs the equivalent of your entire weekly food budget, without getting much food on your plate!).

However, everyone deserves a treat, especially when beans on toast becomes a bit monotonous. Luckily, COSMO Manchester comes to the rescue with a high quality and affordable dining experience. If you and your fellow students have a big appetite after lectures or before a night out, there is no better place to head than COSMO Manchester.  

With the new £1 million interior you will be dining in glamorous surroundings. The restaurant offers a global buffet menu of 160 dishes including Chinese, Indian, Japanese and a carvery so there will be something there for everyone. There is also an array of desserts in bite sized portions so you can try each one.

If you choose to go to COSMO for lunch, the bonus is that with so much delicious food on offer you may only need a light snack in the evening at home.

Look out for special student offers and you could get even more value for your money.

Where to eat in Manchester for the best Yorkshire steak

The reviews crowning Hawksmoor the king of steaks are reason enough to visit this powerhouse. The bold, dignified interior reflects the self-assured attitude of this restaurant with wooden flooring and wall panels alongside 1950s lights.

The mouth-watering steaks are signature dishes, using Yorkshire meat ‘dry aged’ for at least 28 days. There is also a selection of sauces on offer for your steak such as anchovy, stilton or classic peppercorn.

Sides include classic triple cooked homemade chips and delicious ‘dripping’ chips. For the ultimate comfort food you can even have a side of macaroni cheese.

For dessert you can choose the tongue-in-cheek ‘Ambassador’s Reception’ – a nod to the 1980s Ferrero Rocher advert – or you can opt for a traditional favourite like sticky toffee pudding.

Where to eat in Manchester if you want an authentic curry

Indian food restaurant Mughli is one of the city’s most popular restaurants with food bloggers and critics alike talking about it.

It manages to stand out from the crowd in the famous Rusholme Curry Mile. In fact, Mughli remains ahead – by a Curry Mile! – with the focus on Indian street food in sharing plates along with all the usual favourites.

India is of course a vibrant sub-continent with a huge variety of traditions, spices, ingredients and different ways of cooking. Choose from Kati rolls from Kolkata, starters from Delhi and snacks from Lahore and Shimla.

You can also choose from Indian inspired ‘twisted cocktails’ to add to a fun evening out.

For an Indian dining experience that appeals to diners of all tastes, ages and budgets, COSMO’s Indian selection should not be missed.

Where to eat in Manchester without derailing your diet

Kettlebell Kitchen specialises in high-protein, low-carb meals for anyone that wants to dine out but not break their fitness routine or healthy diet. Kettlebell proves that fast food doesn’t have to be junk food.

The food is so delicious it still feels like a treat to eat here. The menu features dishes such gluten free protein pizza, protein burgers in low-carb buns and mix-and-match ‘Kettleboxes’ where you can choose fish, lean meat, halloumi or tofu on a bed of sweet potato mash, cauliflower rice or others.

Where to eat in Glasgow for traditional Scottish food

Restaurants in Glasgow have been updating traditional Scottish dishes and giving them a modern twist. Offering the best in Scottish fare, you can also sample the vast array of rich produce the Scottish countryside provides.

Cail Bruich is located in the West End of Glasgow and offers modern Scottish food created using fresh and seasonal British produce. The suppliers – including Loch Fyne Sea Farms and St Brides Farm –  are proudly listed on the Cail Bruich website,, so you know exactly where the food on your plate comes from.

Due to their faithfulness to the best fresh produce, the dishes on the menu evolve with the changing seasons and supplies. You can expect dishes such as west coast scallops and wonderful taste combinations such as lamb saddle with goat curd, plus rabbit with asparagus or flame grilled mackerel with gooseberry.

You can also pair this high quality Scottish food with Scottish spirits and craft ales to add to your dining experience.

Where to eat in Glasgow for fine dining

If you want to eat out for a decadent special occasion, veteran chef Brian Maule at Chardon d’Or won’t disappoint with every detail thought of and perfected – from precise white tablecloths to the exquisitely presented food.

There is a special mouth-watering celebration menu which includes seared peppered tuna loin, pickled mouli, chilli, sesame, tomato vinaigrette and loin of scotch lamb, truffled polenta and aubergine caviar.

They also do a special graduation menu for students graduating from the University of Glasgow wanting to celebrate with their family. This menu includes pot roast scotch beef, wild mushrooms and red wine jus and can be finished with a selection of homemade ice cream and sorbet for dessert.

Where to eat in Glasgow with the family

Glasgow is a mecca of food from all over the world, ranging from Indian to Japanese and Italian. For this reason it can be difficult to decide where to eat as a family. It is common to have different preferences in a family group – the kids might have their hearts set on pizza and ice cream (again), while you may prefer to to stick to a healthy diet with sushi and salad, or a traditional roast dinner at the weekend.

Thankfully, COSMO Glasgow comes to the rescue with an all-you-can-eat buffet menu featuring over 160 dishes from all over the world. Chinese, Indian, Thai, Japanese or a carvery, it’s all on offer here, so no one in the family has to compromise.

The family can also be entertained while they eat at the live cooking stations as the highly trained teppanyaki chefs prepare salmon, scallops, steak, chicken or tiger prawns with noodles and vegetables on an authentic ‘teppan’. Children will be in awe-struck by the rising flames – a sight they won’t forget!

Any children in the group will also be kept happy with bottomless soft drinks and there is a selection of tea, coffee, wine, beer and cocktails for the adults.

Diners at COSMO Glasgow certainly agree that COSMO Glasgow is something extra special with the restaurant receiving a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2018 for so many excellent reviews, so it’s a safe bet for a family meal.

Where to eat in Glasgow if you are a foodie

The Gannet is perfect for foodies looking for high quality food without the eye watering price tag you might find in other cities.

Chefs Ivan Stein and Peter McKenna have deserved their place in the Michelin Guide. In fact,  Conde Nast Gold List 2018 named the venue amongst the best restaurants in the world!

The interior is stripped right back with a New York, Brooklyn-style look featuring exposed bare pipes and lightbulbs, a metal staircase and contemporary art hanging on exposed brick walls – less is more here.

The menu offers dishes such as Inverness red deer, Shetland herring, Tweed valley beef and even Perthshire pigeon. For dessert, salted caramel fondant with tonka bean ice cream will melt in your mouth

The wine list is world class and guests can try extra special wine by the glass via an ingenious system that extracts the wine from the bottle without opening it!

Where to eat in Glasgow for the best kebabs

Alla-Turca won ‘Best Kebab in Scotland’ at the British Kebab Awards in 2017, so you know that this is the place to come if you are craving some  authentic Turkish food. In fact, the judges called it a ‘shining example’ of the British food scene – praise indeed!

The food is worthy of booking a table alone, yet people also come to this restaurant for the warm, magical atmosphere.

The tasting menu includes barbecued swordfish, hand dived Shetland scallops and creamy roast chestnut and mushroom casserole. The desserts are all homemade and offer the usual sweet sticky honey delicacies along with desserts such as peppermint and vanilla panna cotta with fresh berries.

Reviews online rave about this friendly family run restaurant and critics say the food and atmosphere is so authentic that they feel like they are actually in Istanbul!

For more information about where to eat in Scotland, please check out the following guides:

Where to eat in Aberdeen

Where to eat in Edinburgh

To both residents and visitors, Edinburgh offers a cultural feast with an enchanting blend of heritage, history and Scottish hospitality. Food and drink is a source of pride in Edinburgh for good reason – there are restaurants in the city to satisfy any taste and budget.

From street food on the go to Michelin-starred dining, it is possible to tour the world with food as you walk through Edinburgh’s cobbled streets. Food is a talking point in its own right in this city – haggis, salmon, beef, the infamous deep fried Mars Bars or tikka masala, the choice is eclectic!

There are so many restaurants that you might not know which way to turn, so we’re sharing some of our favourite Edinburgh eateries for you to explore.

 

Where to eat in Edinburgh for romance

If you want to impress a date, The Witchery offers a gloriously gothic, opulent and slightly eccentric dining experience. The interior design is part of the experience – exuberantly decorative with extravagant velvet drapes, rich tapestries, classical statues and rococo cherubs.

There is also an enchanting vine-wrapped Secret Garden hidden down a stone staircase and opening onto a hidden courtyard for magical al fresco dining.

The food here is a mixture of French and Scottish luxury with shellfish bisque and steak tartare alongside Scottish langoustine or lobster, Scotch beef and Arran beets.

The Witchery is located on the Royal Mile, moments from the castle entrance. There is no parking, but you can park at the luxurious sister hotel Prestonfields House and they will order and pay for return taxi transfers for you.

Where to eat in Edinburgh for brunch

Roseleaf is a friendly and quirky little cafe by day and a bar by night, bursting with fun and warmth. The interior is an eclectic mix of art on display, preloved furniture and treasures.

Roseleaf really do seem to have thought of everything with everyone welcomed through the doors.

By day you can enjoy choosing from a large array of brunch options or indulge in a ‘Mad Hatters’ T-Party’ – high tea with a twist!

If you have a passion for brunch but you aren’t an early riser, you will be pleased to know that brunch is served until 5pm.

By night try cocktails served by teapot, cheekily named ‘Pot-Tails’!

Where to eat in Edinburgh as a group

With a large group with a variety of different tastes it can be difficult to please everyone. Debating on which food to choose, especially when Edinburgh offers such a large selection, can be frustrating as you will always end up with someone in the group who has to compromise.

Located in the Omni Centre, COSMO Edinburgh caters for everyone whether you are having a pre-theatre meal, you are on a date or you are out with friends and family.

With a selection of over 150 dishes on the world buffet menu, choose from Chinese and Japanese buffet dishes, Thai curries, Italian wood-fired pizza or a classic carvery for fans of a roast dinner.

You can also enjoy the theatre of the live cooking stations while you eat, watching the skill of the teppanyaki chefs as they prepare your choice of food in front of you.

The selection of desserts will also cater for everyone in your party from healthy fresh fruit to a cascading chocolate fountain and pick and mix sweets for those who want to treat themselves.

Where to eat in Edinburgh for a good bar menu

A winner of ‘Best Restaurant Bar in the World’ you won’t find bowls of nuts, pork scratchings and crisps here.

The Bon Vivant takes the food as seriously as it does the drinks. The menu changes on a daily basis and offers tapas style dining.

Dishes that are on offer start at just £2 and might include mouth-watering options like smoked brisket hushpuppy, horseradish or mushroom, truffle and feta sausage roll, alongside mains such as Duo of Lamb, tabbouleh, feta, rose harissa, pomegranate or aubergine parmigiana, asparagus puree, crème fraiche fried basil – a true range of flavours!

The dessert menu is just as varied with buttermilk panna cotta, rhubarb, shortbread or raspberry, elderflower and almond Eton mess.

Where to eat in Edinburgh for Indian fine dining

Urban legend has it that Scotland was the birthplace of the nation’s favourite dish, from the premises of a restaurant in Glasgow.

MP Mohammad Sarwar has argued in the past that Glasgow should even be awarded EU protected geographical status for the tikka masala. Sadly, this notion hasn’t been taken forward, but there is no doubt that Scotland’s love of Indian food has led to some world-class Indian restaurants.

Head to Navadhanya in the Haymarket area of Edinburgh for a luxurious Indian fine dining experience where the food is prepared by Michelin trained chefs.

This restaurant combines the best of British ingredients with Indian heritage for a a twist on the favourite dishes and a different Indian dining experience than the usual Indian restaurant.

For a more family-friendly Indian dining experience, COSMO’s Indian selection caters for all tastes, ages and budgets.

Where to eat in Edinburgh for dining with a view

The Tower Restaurant  is located between the rooftops of Edinburgh’s Old Town. The view is the first reason why people choose this restaurant with stunning views of Edinburgh Castle. Floor to ceiling windows allow you to dine while taking in the spectacular views from the rooftop.

The restaurant is sleek and stylish with no fuss, simply white tablecloths and soft lighting to create a minimalist environment where the view takes centre stage.

The menu is premium, but then you are paying for the view. The food continues the traditional theme with Scotch beef, game or some fantastic vegetarian options. There are no surprises on the menu – just luxurious, high quality favourites.

Where to eat in Edinburgh for vegan food

Veganism is on the rise and Edinburgh caters for vegans wholeheartedly, with events such as the Scottish Vegan Festival.

Henderson’s is a meat-free zone with colourful and innovative salads as a speciality. Since opening in the 1960s Henderson’s has gone from strength to strength, now with a vegan bistro along with their vegetarian shop.

You can choose from dishes like the vegan haggis and root mash or the mouthwatering grilled goat cheese with caramelised beetroot served with watercress and garlic chives – which looks like a work of art.

If you love the food served in the bistro, you can buy a Henderson’s cookbook from the shop on the way out to recreate the dishes at home.

Where to eat in Edinburgh for haggis with a difference

You can’t talk about food in Edinburgh without mentioning haggis! If you don’t fancy the look of a traditional haggis, head to the Whiski Rooms where you can try haggis spring rolls with plum sauce and vegetarians can try the veggie haggis.

The menu also offers hearty food such as steaks and pies and traditional sponge puddings which you will need to line your stomach if trying the whisky on offer!

The restaurant more than lives up to its name – there are more than 300 whiskies which staff will help you to pair with your meal.

For more information about where to eat in Scotland, please check out the following guides:

Where to eat in Aberdeen

Where to eat in Glasgow