Andy’s guidebook
Breakfast and brunch cafes
Bristol's cafe and restaurant scene is huge now, so explore - don't take this guidebook as anything like definitive!
The nearest breakfast option is Rubicon cafe, just round the corner on Chandos Road. Just beyond is Redland bakery for bread, pastries and breakfast rolls.
A little further are Cotham Hill (most of which is flat) and the shopping precinct by Clifton Down station where a number of good cafes are clustered. My favourites are Boston Tea Party and Coffee #1.
Further afield, probably my favourite brunch option is the fabulously quirky hobbit house of City Farm Cafe in St Werburghs (10-4, closed Tuesdays), which won an Observer Food Award a few years ago for its "food yards".
There are also lots of cafes in Clifton Village (try the lovely Primrose Cafe or Spencer & Cole), and all up and down the Gloucester Road / Stokes Croft corridor (try The Social).
Rubicon
26 Chandos RdGood for breakfast and within a minute's level walk of the house.
Coffee#1 Clifton Down
Whiteladies RoadTrendy but relaxed interior and good cakes
Good breakfasts/brunches, excellent midrange mains and a lovely vibrant, relaxed, comfortable vibe.
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The Social Bar & Cafe
130-132 Cheltenham RoadGood breakfasts/brunches, excellent midrange mains and a lovely vibrant, relaxed, comfortable vibe.
A cornerstone of Bristol's unique alternative culture, this odd little handmade hobbit house serves delicious brunches and lunches. It's an especially lovely place to go in spring and summer with kids playing in the little homemade adventure playground outside and you really get a sense of the community here.
Specialising in local produce, it once won an Observer Food Award for its "food yards".
Open 10-4, closed Tuesdays.
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St Werburghs City Farm
Watercress RoadA cornerstone of Bristol's unique alternative culture, this odd little handmade hobbit house serves delicious brunches and lunches. It's an especially lovely place to go in spring and summer with kids playing in the little homemade adventure playground outside and you really get a sense of the community here.
Specialising in local produce, it once won an Observer Food Award for its "food yards".
Open 10-4, closed Tuesdays.
Rubicon
26 Chandos RdGood for breakfasts and just a minute's walk from the house.
Attractions
Bristol is famed for its diversity. Our premier attractions are the magnificent Clifton Suspension Bridge (free; £1 to drive across) and the SS Great Britain (about £13, but they then give you a yearly pass). Both well worth a look. If you go to the bridge check out the wonderfully eccentric observatory looking down over it. The curious and bizarre Clifton Rocks Railway just below is worth a look but only opens a few weekends a year. If you go to the SS Great Britain and the restored kitchen looks familiar, it's because the same joiner built our kitchen and staircase.
Culturally, two polar opposites are: the lovely St Georges classical music venue just off Park Street; and the very different leftfield, volunteer-run Cube Cinema (also a music, performance and arts venue) just by Kings Square.
As for theatres, as well as the beautiful, recently-restored Old Vic, Bristol has many small innovative theatres: check out the Tobacco Factory, the Wardrobe and the Alma Tavern.
For concerts, choose the venue according to your tastes:
The big, comfortable Hippodrome for big shows and musicals;
The Fleece, the Exchange and the (rather chlaustrophobic) O2 Academy for rock;
The Full Moon and Attic for top-rate DJs and earthy club-type and African bands;
The tiny top room of the Miners Arms on Tuesday nights for intimate, diverse open-mic acoustic music;
The Old Duke pub for free jazz and blues seven nights a week;
Canteen for a wonderful diversity of groundbreaking acts, again free and seven days a week (my favourites are usually Thursday evenings [9.30-ish] and Sunday late afternoons);
The Fringe Bar in Clifton for decent quality pub acts and if you want to be in Clifton;
The Marble Factory for good quality acts from around the globe.
Traditionally our main high-profile rock/soul/jazz/world music venue is Colston Hall, but the main auditorium is undergoing a major refurbishment at present.
Superbly restored old ship, the world's first metal-hulled vessel which plied its why to Australia and back throughout the Victorian era.
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SS Great Britain station
Superbly restored old ship, the world's first metal-hulled vessel which plied its why to Australia and back throughout the Victorian era.
Our main classical / world music venue famed for its high quality acoustics.
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St George's Bristol
Great George StreetOur main classical / world music venue famed for its high quality acoustics.
A vast range of creatures from all corners of the world and of the animal kingdom. Even if you're not fond of the idea of zoos, it's fascinating.
The no. 9 bus that stops just round the corner from us (on Redland Road) will drop you off at their door.
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Ogrody zoologiczne Bristol Zoo
College RoadA vast range of creatures from all corners of the world and of the animal kingdom. Even if you're not fond of the idea of zoos, it's fascinating.
The no. 9 bus that stops just round the corner from us (on Redland Road) will drop you off at their door.
Bristol's greatest annual spectacle is over four days each August.
You'll actually see a lot of the balloons fly over the house, if the wind is coming from the west (which it usually is).
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Bristol International Balloon Fiesta
Bristol's greatest annual spectacle is over four days each August.
You'll actually see a lot of the balloons fly over the house, if the wind is coming from the west (which it usually is).
The museum of past and present day Bristol.
I find it a little dry in parts, but it's pretty interesting and the view from the top verandah back across the harbour to the cathedral is worth the trip on its own.
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M Shed
Wapping RoadThe museum of past and present day Bristol.
I find it a little dry in parts, but it's pretty interesting and the view from the top verandah back across the harbour to the cathedral is worth the trip on its own.
A wonderful, often eccentric conglomeration of fascinating and apparently randomly placed exhibits. Expect to see aviation memorabilia sharing space with enormous and unusual prehistoric skeletons. The museum also hosts also some fascinating temporary exhibitions, and the Wildlife Photographer of the Year show opens here each year.
Open every day till 5, free.
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Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
Queens RoadA wonderful, often eccentric conglomeration of fascinating and apparently randomly placed exhibits. Expect to see aviation memorabilia sharing space with enormous and unusual prehistoric skeletons. The museum also hosts also some fascinating temporary exhibitions, and the Wildlife Photographer of the Year show opens here each year.
Open every day till 5, free.
This is the fabulous gothic structure that looms down over Park Street. At just under 100 years old, it seems somehow a lot older.
Part of the University of Bristol, the Wills has vast oak panelled lecture theatres that look straight out of Harry Potter. But the main attraction is going up the tower for a panoramic view of Bristol and to meet George - the great, booming bell that marks each hour over the city. The tours are at 1pm on Saturdays and a couple of other arbitrary times of the week. You have to book and they do get popular.
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Wills Memorial Building
This is the fabulous gothic structure that looms down over Park Street. At just under 100 years old, it seems somehow a lot older.
Part of the University of Bristol, the Wills has vast oak panelled lecture theatres that look straight out of Harry Potter. But the main attraction is going up the tower for a panoramic view of Bristol and to meet George - the great, booming bell that marks each hour over the city. The tours are at 1pm on Saturdays and a couple of other arbitrary times of the week. You have to book and they do get popular.
Music and theatre
Bristol's music scene is legendary, but perhaps less widely known is an eclectic collection of theatres, many of them tiny rooms over pubs but also including the beautifully refurbished Old Vic and the large and comfortable Hippodrome.
Our main theatre, recently the subject of extensive and loving restoration.
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Bristol Old Vic
King StreetOur main theatre, recently the subject of extensive and loving restoration.
Small and eclectic theatre at the back of the Old Market Assembly, itself a great place to eat locally-sourced food, drink craft beers and dance to free live music.
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The Wardrobe Theatre
25 West StSmall and eclectic theatre at the back of the Old Market Assembly, itself a great place to eat locally-sourced food, drink craft beers and dance to free live music.
Tiny theatre above a comfortable pub, that hosts some powerful performances.
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The Alma Tavern & Theatre
18-20 Alma Vale RdTiny theatre above a comfortable pub, that hosts some powerful performances.
Our largest theatre venue, the Hippodrome is the place for musicals and West End shows.
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Bristol Hippodrome
Saint Augustine's ParadeOur largest theatre venue, the Hippodrome is the place for musicals and West End shows.
Magical cosy volunteer-run venue, recently bought for posterity with the help of those nice people at the Lottery, the Cube is a cinema, theatre and music/performance venue, famed for its archetypally Bristol subversive streak and generally pushing boundaries. The warm acoustic is possibly the best in town for intimate music performances. They even make their own Cola.
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Cube Microplex
Magical cosy volunteer-run venue, recently bought for posterity with the help of those nice people at the Lottery, the Cube is a cinema, theatre and music/performance venue, famed for its archetypally Bristol subversive streak and generally pushing boundaries. The warm acoustic is possibly the best in town for intimate music performances. They even make their own Cola.
Long-standing independent cinema with a high-quality art house movie repertoire. There's a cafe bar with OK food and nice views over the water.
It's also home to an artists' coworking space called Pervasive Media, where every Friday you can have a look around or use the space yourself, as well as attending an interesting range of free lunchtime talks by local artists.
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Watershed
1 Canon's RdLong-standing independent cinema with a high-quality art house movie repertoire. There's a cafe bar with OK food and nice views over the water.
It's also home to an artists' coworking space called Pervasive Media, where every Friday you can have a look around or use the space yourself, as well as attending an interesting range of free lunchtime talks by local artists.