From the welly to the bearpit - a guide to gloucester road

Claimed by many Bristolians as the longest road of independent shops in the UK, although it disqualifies itself with the occasional Tesco or Costa, Gloucester Road is more of a treasure trove than a simple street. From quaint coffee shops to terrifyingly masculine pubs, ‘G Road’, as it’s known by the youth, offers more than your average high street. So sit back and relax, as I take you through the cheap and cheerful, the weird and wonderful, but above anything, the essential stops along Gloucester Road.

Our first stop is Deck cafe, a seemingly average coffee shop, just on the corner of Merton Road. Although Gloucester Road is packed with little cafes, this place gets a specific mention due to its décor; the interior is filled with wooden bookcases, benches with cushions instead of chairs, and the walls are covered in book pages that have been nailed up, like a sacrifice. If you hate to see books used as decoration, you might have to skip this one, but being surrounded by words makes it ideal to stop for a coffee with a book of your own. Just don’t leave it lying around in case one of the owners steals it and staples it to a wall.

“We are more than just an alleyway,” claims The Reclaimers Reclamation Centre. Never has a saying been more apt, as what does admittedly seem like ‘just an alleyway’ leads on to an open space full of second-hand furniture, crockery, statues and so-forth. Even without the intent to purchase anything, I’d recommend taking a good amount of time to ponder through the collection, as you never know what you might find.

Three stops in and we’ve reached our first pub! The Anchor tends to attract herds of students throughout the week, which you can choose to view as a positive or a negative. The most engaging thing about this otherwise average pub, is that they offer money-saving weekly deals and events. From Wing Wednesdays, chicken wings for 25p each, to £2 pints on a Thursday, The Anchor is centred on saving your pocket while you enjoy your evening. Whether you’re a student or not, there is one thing to know; if somewhere is popular with students, chances are it’s cheap.

Presumably, you will have heard of Boston Tea Party before, as there are six different branches in Bristol, however this one in particular gets a mention because of its décor; the café extends into a seated area, where the walls are made of recycled doors. Match this with Boston’s brunch-style menu and specialist coffee options, this becomes much more than just a café.

Further down the road, we reach The Golden Lion, made hard to miss by the giant mural of, you guessed it, a golden lion on the side of the building. Apart from being a generally nice pub with friendly staff and affordable pints, there is live music six days a week, as well as open mic nights, for those who fancy themselves a bit of a performer, or those who just wish to drink and silently pass judgement on others. All are welcome.

If you, or someone you know, is a proud or closeted nerd, and also a fan of burgers, you might strike gold with this next one. Atomic Burger, if the name didn’t give it away, is a gamer/sci-fi themed burger restaurant, with an almost arcade-like atmosphere. Atomic Burger is an essential stop, with its old-style arcade games, and even a life-size model of a storm-trooper, matched with an extensive menu of burgers, milkshakes, and the to-be-feared ‘freakshakes’.

Another place favoured by students, Cider Press is known for having a lot to offer; they are home to 32 draught ciders, live music and open mic nights, pub quizzes, pool tables and table football, as well as classic pub food served until 9pm every day. Another benefit for students is that you can buy a student card that gives you discounts of a range of drinks, as well as daily deals on food and drink. But beneath the gimmicks and attractions, Cider Press remains popular because of its simple but friendly atmosphere, making it a necessary stop along the way.

Unlike any other places in this list, Scoopaway is a health food shop specializing in natural and organic wholefoods, selling a range of products, such as dairy-free, wheat-free, gluten-free, and veggie and vegan. As well as this, they have zero waste refill stations, for things like grains, nuts, seeds, spices and seasonings, where you can bring your own container and pay for however much of each product you’d like. So if you’re trying to live a greener lifestyle, or you’re just sick of your recycling bin being full of one-use packaging, have a look at how you can make less wasteful choices, by making small changes.

Books For Amnesty is a local and independent book shop, providing a range of different genres, from poetry to children’s books, as well as selling vinyl, CDs and DVDs. They accept donations, and their sole purpose is to benefit the Amnesty organization, that focuses on respecting human rights. So if you have clutter in your house you’d happily donate to a good cause, or you just love browsing through shelves of book spines, Books For Amnesty is an important stop for you.

Starting off as a market stall in London, Re-Psycho offers vintage and reworked fashion, and prides itself in sticking out like a sore thumb along any high street, which is the message enforced into their clothes. With fur coats, snazzy sunglasses and typical dad-on-holiday Hawaiian shirts, Re-Psycho caters for any wardrobe; so if it’s a fancy dress party, an upcoming festival, or just a Tuesday night, spice up your outfits at a reasonable price.

To the untrained eye, The Hobgoblin may seem like an ordinary pub and restaurant, but for those amongst you that live on the wild side, this will appeal to you; The Hobgoblin is home to the infamous eating challenge called The Kraken, consisting of: a ‘triple bypass burger’ (three 7oz burgers, six rashers of bacon, two hash browns and two gherkins), a ‘mound of dirty, dirty fries’ (spicy fries, pulled pork and melted cheese), 15 super-hot chicken wings, coleslaw, pickles and sauces). The meal is £25, but free if eaten in its entirety. Be aware: this challenge is not for the weak-stomached.

The name Eat a Pitta may sound familiar to you, as it is one that is on the lips on every local Bristolian. With four branches across the city, Eat a pitta serve freshly made falafel, with hummus, salad and pitta bread, in a picky-eaters dream come true, where you can make all the decisions regarding your lunch. They’ll often be someone stood outside the store offering free samples, so don’t hesitate to try one, as I can promise you, they’ll get you hooked.

The Gallimaufry is an independent restaurant, bar and live music venue, with a large outdoor seating area, and furniture that seems as if it has been lifted right out of your grandma’s living room. They offer a large range of food and drinks at affordable prices, including three sharing dishes for £12, as well as open mic nights, live music and DJs, giving you an evening of folk, jazz, disco and electronica. They’re also heavily involved in the art scene in Bristol, featuring work by local artists like Ged Palmer and Mr Mead. 

A few steps along is The Gallimaufry’s doppelgänger, Blue Lagoon, which offers weekday deals on cocktails from Sunday to Thursday. With a list of everyone’s favourite drinks, at £5.95 for one and £7.95 for two, and live music every night, Blue Lagoon provides exactly what you want out of a cocktail night. They have an heated smoking area, matching that of The Gallimaufry, which is usually overflowing with friendly people enjoying their night.

As Gloucester Road melts into Cheltenham Road, we arrive at The Bootlegger; a family run bar, which calls itself “a place without pretence”, which couldn’t be more apt. The quaint bar is easily missed because of its dark décor, but they offer a range of liquor, cocktails and beers and ciders in a live music environment. The live music focuses on the best of the 1920s and 30s, particularly swing and jazz, so if you fancy a funky night, this one’s for you.

Similar to bookshops, there is something magical about browsing through music stores, and Plastic Wax Records provides that perfectly. With a wide range of vinyl, CDs and LPs across many genres, and the affordable price to match, it’s a perfect place to meander through the boxes, whether you’re taking a trip down memory lane, or discovering something new.

Amongst pool tables, three jagerbombs for £6 and many other notable attractions, the key thing that makes The Cat and Wheel the place it is, is karaoke every Thursday and Sunday. Even if you arrive with no desire to get up and sing, you’ll be persuaded to within minutes, and before you know it, you’ll be stood next to the karaoke DJ, Barry, belting out pretty much anything by ABBA. With an atmosphere that is hard to put into words (which makes my job incredibly difficult), there is just something about this place that pulls you back in.

Just on the corner, as we begin to enter Stokes Croft, sits At The Well, a small but notable café with a twist; the twist being that it is also a laundrette. With a laid back vibe and friendly staff, they offer a quality breakfast menu, all available while you wait for your washing to dry. The quirky mix of the two worlds makes this place a must-see, as you won’t believe it until you see it.

The Social is a causal café bar that is usually dimly lit, but packed with people. With big armchairs and cosy fires, it makes an ideal place to spend the evening with a glass of wine and good company. Besides the relaxed ambiance, they offer weekly deals, such as two for one cocktails on Tuesdays, and 20% of all wine on Thursdays. The Social gives you the good food and drinks you expect from a café bar, wrapped in the cosy, relaxing environment.

Our next stop isn’t too far away, in fact it’s just next door. Left Bank is The Social’s neighbouring bar and music venue, which is considered a hub of music in Stokes Croft, particularly jazz and soul. With live music and DJs from Tuesday-Sunday, as well as open mic nights on Wednesdays, and regularly hosting spoken word events, Left Bank is definitely one to try out if you’re a music and literature lover.

Café Kino is a veggie and vegan café prides itself on being ethical and cooperative within the community, and being a workers’ co-op, meaning it is a non-profit organisation that any money made goes back into improving the café for the customers and the staff. They offer homemade food, a wide selection of loose leaf teas and Fairtrade coffee, and they regularly host events including gigs, meetings, workshops, rehearsals and more. If you find yourself there, make sure you get a portion of the infamous curly fries and grab a seat at the front window, as it’s perfect for people watching.

 It’s a bit of a stretch to claim Rita’s takeaway as a restaurant, although it does actually have two chairs in there, but it is so much more than a restaurant; it’s an institution. Nothing beats stuffing your face with something deep fried after too many pints, and if you’re going to stuff your face, why not stuff it with the best chips in Bristol? That’s right, I went there. The clientele are usually tipsy folk, but with that comes aimless conversation while you bond over a battered sausage. (Also, they’ll give you free chips if you rate them well on TripAdvisor)

 Made noticeable by the usual crowds of people stood outside, The Crofter’s Rights is a bar and music venue, hosting everything from indie, rock, folk and experimental to house, techno and drum & bass. With a casual bar scene, providing a wide selection of local, European and world beers and ciders, as well as a large selection of freshly-made pizzas, ‘Crofters’, as it is known, manages to mix the ‘casual pub’ vibe with the edgy music venue environment.

The Canteen is a restaurant, bar and music venue, perfect for a quaint evening of local ciders and live folk music. You could easily waste an entire day here, starting with coffee and pastries in the morning, onto the ever-changing seasonal lunchtime menu, then throughout the evening for live music, on every night of the week, across many genres, including folk, reggae and funk. Make sure to look out for the 8.5 metre painting of breakdancing Jesus, and Banksy’s classic ‘Mild Mild West’ artwork.

As we creep closer to the Bearpit, we reach The Vintage Market, at the bottom of Stokes Croft, selling restyled and recycled items, like clothing, furniture and crafts. They call themselves an ‘Aladdin’s cave’, being full of everything retro, vintage and antique, from toys and art, to vinyl’s, CDs and DVDs. On a sunny day, there is usually a collection of their products outside the market, set up on the pavement. This is yet another place where you’ll find it easy to lose track of time, and accidentally leave with a box of war medals and a life-size zebra statue.

We have arrived at our final stop, and it is one hell of a stop; in fact, it’s two. Full Moon serves a range of food and drinks, but most importantly, has a large sheltered beer garden, which proves very popular almost every night of the week. Full Moon is also a backpacker hostel, providing shared and private rooms for tourists and travellers. And just across the courtyard is Attic Bar, one of Bristol’s longest-standing venues, hosting gigs by bands and DJs across a range of genre, such as reggae, jazz, techno, and drum & bass. In one combination between casual drinking and dancing to live music, Full Moon and Attic Bar caters for every night out.

 

EATING CHALLENGES

Atomic Burger

Atomic Burger is home to the Fallout Challenge, which staff actively advise customers not to attempt. It consists of a triple burger, with triple cheese and onion rings, all covered in Fallout sauce, which contains a variety of chillies, including the Ghost Chili and the Scotch Bonnet. With this, and then a triple portion of chilli fries, you have 45 minutes to eat it to its entirety, in order to receive a free T-shirt and your name and photo on the wall of fame.

Hobgoblin

The Hobgoblin offers The Kraken, consisting of a triple bypass burger, which is three burgers, bacon, hash browns and gherkins, a mound of dirty fries, 15 hot chicken wings, coleslaw and sauces. If eaten within 45 minutes, the meal is free, and you receive a free T-shirt, a free pint and your name on the wall of fame, of course.

CENTRES OF CULTURE

The Canteen

Home to a community of design-makers, creatives, entrepreneurs, thought-leaders and change-makers, Hamilton House provides workspaces, from artist’s studios to private offices. It is an area known for being rebellious in nature, which is a spirit that has continued to this day. On site spaces include The Canteen, a café, bar, restaurant and music venue, and DMAC UK, a dance venue hosting dance and art classes over a range of different forms.

People’s Republic of Stokes Croft

Based just off Stokes Croft on Jamaica Street, PRSC is a community enterprise that promotes activism and vision in order to spread a message that through direct action, change is possible. They have many facilities as part of their objective, such as a china shop, workshop and kiln room, a Community Land trust, a co-operative media centre and a functioning building yard. Their belief is that in providing these new economy enterprises an opportunity to develop, beliefs can develop as well.