So much has been written about the quality of Bristol restaurants in recent years, with the city often cited as being the epicentre of the UK’s culinary scene outside of London.
Less, it could be argued, has been said about the standard of fish cookery in Bristol; somewhat surprising considering its proximity to both England’s west coast and the country’s finest fishing waters off Devon and Cornwall.
In a city so defined by its water – with the Bristol Avon boasting world famous trout and pike, as well as spots for fishing off Bristol Marina and on the quay side of the Baltic Wharf – there must be some fine places to eat fish. These are those; the best seafood restaurants in Bristol.
Salt & Malt
The collection of cargo-container restaurants housed in a far corner of Bristol’s hip, harbourside Wapping Wharf quarter has become one of the city’s key culinary focal points, and it’s here that you’ll find Salt and Malt.
The brainchild of chef Josh Eggleton, a former Michelin-star holder who has appeared on BBC’s Great British Menu, Salt and Malt specialises in gluten free fish and chips alongside an ever-changing cast of carefully composed seafood small plates. With views over Bristol’s Floating Harbour (watch out for seagulls!), there are few more suitable settings to sample Britain’s most iconic dish.
But it’s away from the ‘classics’ side of the menu that things get interesting, with the monkfish ragu – rich, keenly seasoned, and spooned over toasted sourdough – a particular favourite in the IDEAL office. Similarly, the haddock Milanese (essentially a flattened fillet given the schnitzel treatment), served with an assertive anchovy butter, is a very satisfying plate for ichthyophiles, indeed.
All of this pairs perfectly with a can of Bristol Beer Factory’s Southville Hop; the ideal foil to the restaurant’s namesake chippy seasoning. Might just order a second, actually…
Address: Cargo 2, Gaol Ferry Steps, Bristol BS1 6WD
Website: saltandmalt.co.uk
Gambas
Alongside Tokyo’s Corridor-dori and Lyon’s rue du Boeuf, that aforementioned Wapping Wharf must be right up there in terms of the highest concentration of Michelin-awarded restaurants per square metre in the world.
And perhaps our favourite of all (yep, we have) the eateries housed in shipping containers here is Gambas, a tapas bar that places a heavy focus on all things prawn.
Inspired by Valencia’s Mercado Central, there are a few better ways to spend an afternoon than by taking a seat at the counter here. Roll up your sleeves, and prepare to nimbly peel burning hot prawn shells blistered by the grill, suck the rich, ruddy brains out of the heads, and generally get messy.
For those not in thrall to the sweet, briny flavours of the ocean, there’s still plenty to enjoy from Gambas’ De La Tierra (‘of the earth’) section of the menu, which despite its rather lofty subheading, is essentially a roll call of tapas bar classics. So, that’s patatas bravas arriving draped in all the right colours, presa Iberica quickly seared in a smoking hot pan, and some truly divine aubergine crisps, served adorned with a sweet and sticky reduction.
Though we’ve only visited in winter, we can only imagine how joyous an evening spent on the restaurant’s terrace would be during the warmer months; Summer 2023, we’re coming for you!
Read: The best tapas bars in Bristol
Address: Unit 12, Cargo 2, Museum St, Bristol BS1 6ZA
Website: gambasbristol.co.uk
Fishers *now sadly closed*
As much as we’d love to, we can’t spend our whole seafood based sojourn at Wapping Wharf. So, we’re heading to everyone’s favourite Bristol neighbourhood, Clifton, and to Fishers, on the famous foodie-haven of Whiteladies Road.
Here, all the right noises are made to assure fish fanatics that they’re in for a good meal. The words ‘’dayboat’’, ‘’freshly caught’’, and ‘’Cornwall’’ spill from the waiter’s lips. The maritime blue and white branding calls to mind a quintessential British vacation by the sea. There are, of course, lifebuoys and anchors adorning the walls.
Some of this may feel a little trite if the food didn’t deliver, but oh buoy does it; the no frills, (just fins and gills) dishes are resolutely crowd-pleasing, with a catch-curated menu that proudly puts the fish front-foot forward and firmly on a pedestal.
Come for the restaurant’s signature bouillabaisse, its red rusty-hue clinging to the sides of the bowl resolutely, just as it should be. Stay, if you like, for the hot shellfish platter for two, keenly priced at £46 and brimming with squeaky fresh prawns, Cornish king scallops, River Exe mussels and the rest.
Pair all of this (rather unusually, we accept) with a glass or two of Tarquin’s Pastis, shipped in straight from Cornwall, and you’ve got yourself a very happy afternoon of eating indeed.
*After 23 glorious years, Fishers (the restaurant) has recently announced its closure. The fishmongers and deli will remain open*
Address: 35 Princess Victoria St, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4BX
Website: fishers-restaurant.com
The Spiny Lobster
If your stirring for seafood still hasn’t been sated, then just a shell’s skim away from Fishers, and also on Whiteladies Road, is the Spiny Lobster.
Any seafood restaurant with an on-site fishmonger (his name’s Barney and he boasts 30 years of experience, if you’re asking) is a cheering place to dine if you love your fish shiny, slimy and bright eyed, and the Spiny Lobster is no exception, with the ‘Daily Catch’ section of their website updated each and every day with what’s good and fresh.
If you’re keen to dine in, the restaurant specialises in cooking that daily catch over coals, with the chefs working a central Josper grill to impart that distinctive smoky flavour into their prized primary ingredient.
Of course, when the product is this good and the cooking method so pronounced, the accoutrements should stay straightforward and streamlined so flavours don’t get muddled.
Unsurprisingly, the Spiny Lobster understands this, whether it’s in their chargrilled seabass served just with a small ramekin of salsa verde, or in their whole bream, blistered and burnished from the Josper, and simply adorned with rosemary. For something more delicate, the fillet of gurnard with fennel mayo is airily composed but still reassuringly fully-flavoured.
You get the picture, and it’s a commendably ascetic, aesthetically pleasing one. The Spiny Lobster is the type of local fish restaurant that any neighbourhood – whether in Bristol, London, Paris or Melbourne – would be proud to call their own.
Address: 128-130, 128 Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2RS
Website: thespinylobster.co.uk
Palomar Fish House & Bar
One for the road? If you find your stomach stirring on the twenty minute walk from Clifton to Montpellier station, then stop off at Palomar Fish House & Bar for a final fishy feast that’s sure to tick all the boxes.
That is, if those boxes concern the pursuit of the freshest fish in Bristol. That fish arrives on Palomar’s famous fish trolley, which is wheeled to your table to display the catch of the day; it doesn’t get more enticing than that.
The restaurant also excels at the retro stuff, with the fisherman’s pie and prawn cocktail both indulgent, rich, and nostalgic. But hey, we mustn’t dwell in the past too long; we’ve a train to catch.
Address: 35 Gloucester Rd, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8AD
Website: palomarfishhouse.co.uk
Shall we see you somewhere by the sea for our next seafood eating adventure? We can’t wait!
