It can be tricky to keep up with Bristol's food scene at times, with a constant stream of new places to try out and regular closures. But while some restaurants are short-lived, with more closures sadly predicted due to the cost of living crisis, others have been feeding Bristolians for decades.
It wasn't easy for restaurants to survive even before the recent spiralling costs and the pandemic before that, so the ones that manage it should be applauded for standing the test of time. Whether it's Mexican food or a fancy restaurant to celebrate a special occasion, there are plenty of long-running establishments across Bristol to suit every occasion.
Below are some of the very best.
Read more: All the new restaurants and bars that opened in Bristol in 2022
Giuseppe's
Where? 59 Baldwin St, Bristol, BS1 1QZ. Tel: 0117 926 4869.
Bristol's oldest Italian restaurant has been serving pasta and pizza since 1961. Originally “Marco’s” after Marco Berni of the “Berni Inns” Family, the restaurant became Giuseppe's on the Steps referring to Giuseppe Calcagno, a former Marco’s waiter who bought the business in 1994 and changed the name.
The food at Giuseppe’s On the Steps is proper old-school Italian favourites and specials made with delicious seafood - awarded five stars upon BristolLive's visit in May 2022.
Curry House
Where? 393 Bath Road Brislington, Bristol BS4 3EU. Tel: 0117 977 9090
It claims to be Bristol's oldest Indian restaurant and was first established in 1983 by the late Mohammed Mashuk. It's now run by Hassan Mashuk, offering a range of tandoor grills, curries and chef's specials. The restaurant is open seven days a week for dine-in or takeaway. Curry House is one of Bristol's highest-rated restaurants on Tripadvisor, praised for its high-quality curries and stellar service.
Prego
Where? Prego, 7 North View, Westbury Park, Bristol, BS6 7PT. Tel: 0117 973 0496.
Open for more than a decade, Prego is fairly young compared to some of the restaurants in this list - but we're certain it's got years of success ahead. The Westbury Park Italian was so good, in fact, Mark Taylor said there 'wasn't a dish on the menu' he wouldn't eat and gave it a rare five stars.
He said the neighbourhood, family-run restaurant offers top-quality food at a good price, with excellent pizzas, pasta dishes and specials on offer.
Pieminister
Where? Various locations
Pieminister first opened in Stokes Croft almost 20 years ago, and has since gone on to expand across the UK. But the team have never forgotten their roots, basing their headquarters in Bristol and opening two further restaurants here.
Anyone who has visited one of its restaurants before will tell you just how good its pies are. Our reporter Emma Grimshaw was definitely impressed when she visited. You can read her full review here.
The Pump House
Where is it? The Pump House, Merchants Road, Hotwells. Tel: 0117 927 2229
The Pump House was taken over by chef Toby Gritten 12 years ago, and has remained a popular destination ever since. It sells more than 300 different types of gin and has an equally impressive reputation for its food.
BristolLive said it achieves that tricky balance between being a "pub for the masses and a top drawer destination for discerning diners both sides of the river". You can read the full review here.
Casa Mexicana
Where? 29-31 Zetland Road.
Casa Mexicana offers up huge plates of Mexican classics including sizzling dishes of fajitas, quesedilas and enchiladas. Its nachos come with lashings of dips and melted cheese, so make sure you're ravenous when you visit so you can fit everything in.
After serving for more than 30 years, the laid back Mexican restaurant is a firm favourite for many in Bristol. You can read our full review here.
Who did we miss? Let us know in the comments
La Grotta
Where? 9 Union Street, Broadmead, Bristol, BS1 2DD. Tel: 0117 9290466
La Grotta prides itself as the only independent Italian restaurant in the heart of Broadmead. It has been within the same family for over 35 years earning a place on the list of some of the city's longest-serving restaurants.
The kitchen serves an enormous menu consisting of pizza, pasta and meat dishes as well as some of the best cheesecakes in town. Open Tuesday to Saturday.
La Campagnuola
Where? 9 Zetland Road, Redland. Tel: 0117 924 8102
After 37 years, this charming restaurant is still one of Bristol's very best. That was the BristolLive verdict on our last visit.
It said: "Restaurants come and go but La Campagnuola is still going strong well into its fourth decade for the simple reason that it continues to serve great value Italian home cooking backed up by the sort of old-school charm and smile they don’t teach on corporate hospitality management courses."
If that's not reason enough to visit, we don't know what is. You can read Mark Taylor's full review here.
For the latest food and drink news, visit our What's On homepage
Read next:
