Going to Bristol on business: Any ideas on restaurants? Day trips?
 

I'll be spending a week at a conference in Bristol next month, staying at the new Radisson hotel in the city center (Broad Quay). As a woman traveling alone, I'd love to have some restaurant recommendations: I'm up for any kind of cuisine except great heaping slabs of beef. Also: I have a few free days and hope to hop on a train (or bus) and see nearby sights. Bath is on the list, but ideas for other day trips are welcome--along with advice on how to get there!

I'm visiting Bristol in October. I'm planning a day trip to Chepstow and Tintern and another to Wells and Glastonbury. Both are by bus, unless I get back to Chepstow too late in the afternoon to catch the last bus, in which case I'll have to take a train back to Bristol.

The bus to Wells is Firstbus 376. The bus to Chepstow is the X14, operated by both First and Stagecoach. The bus to Monmouth which passes through Tintern is the 69, run by a local company whose name I didn't note down.

Bristol has a wide range of pubs and restaurants, so it is hard to know what to recommend without having a better idea of your preferences and price range. Venue is a local listing and arts magazine and their website at www.venue.co.uk/eow/eow_home.html will give you a full list.

There are lots of cheap places and also examples of the better chains like Pizza Express, Cafe Rouge, Strada, Loch Fyne and Wagamama. You can find the details by googling the name and "Bristol". Some are within easy walking distance of your hotel. You will also find lots of ethnic restaurants - Italian, Chinese, Indian, and middle eastern. There is a Thai restaurant right next to your hotel.

The Radisson is very near the Harbourside area, so you may like to try "Bordeaux Quay", about 300 yards away. This has both a more informal bistro downstairs and a proper restaurant upstairs. It specialises in locally grown and ethically sourced produce, but is in no way ascetic. A little further away are River Station and The Glass Boat, both overlooking the harbour, and Brown's Restaurant, next to the City Museum.

Another option is to take a bus or taxi up to Clifton, a Georgian suburb next to the eponymous suspension bridge. The Bridge Restaurant at the Avon Gorge Hotel is an attractive venue with a good menu, while one of our favourite fish restaurants is Fisher's in Clifton. They do a special cheaper early evening menu. There are several other good restaurants in Clifton.

Many good Bristol restaurants are in the city suburbs. These may be difficult to find for a visitor to the city, but if someone at the conference suggests a trip to Bell's Diner, Cafe Maitreya, Culinaria or Casa Mia, go with them.

Many of the city pubs and bars also serve good food. Don't be put off by small shop front premises - just check the menus which they will all have posted outside and see if it suits your palate and price range. Great slabs of beef are not a common sight in Bristol restaurants.

There are frequent express buses and trains to Bath - several each hour, so there is no need to book. Other good local destinations are Wells and Chepstow, as Ron has mentioned. Salisbury is about 70 minutes by train, and trains run hourly. You are not far from the Cotswolds or from Stonehenge, but would need a car to visit them.

The Radisson is a new hotel, and its opening has been delayed. You will be one of the first guests to stay there.

Thanks so much for the tips on getting around, Ron, and for the advice on restaurants, Chartley. The informal bistro at Bordeaux Quay is just what I'm looking for, and a Thai restaurant next to the hotel is a real bonus. I'd like to spend an afternoon in Clifton, so I'll put Fisher's at the top of the list. Here's hoping the hotel is open!

The Bristol Restauarant Scene: http://tipdrops.info/the-bristol-restaurant-scene