Love it or hate it, Bedminster and Southville have quickly become two of the coolest areas to hang out in Bristol. These two tight-knit neighbourhoods are separated by North Street – one of the city’s most bustling roads, brimming with quirky shops and exciting bars and restaurants. That’s before we even get to street art covering every square inch of this part of South Bristol. So here are just some of the best things to do in Bedminster and Southville.
1. Take the Bedminster Beer Trial
The BS3 postcode is full of amazing pubs and bars. Some of our favourites include The Spotted Cow, with its brilliant beer garden, high-quality beer enthusiasts The Old Bookshop and Bristol Beer Factory’s very own tap room – which also offers brewery tours. What we’re saying is there are a lot of great places for a drink in the area.
At various times throughout the year, many of them come together to form the Bedminster Beer Trail. There are over 12 independent venues on North and East Street that participate, with many producing unique drinks when the trail is on. Of course, it can still be completed at any point. We always say if you want to get to know an area well, the local bars and pubs are great places to start.
The Spotted Cow, 139 North St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 1EZ
The Old Bookshop, 65 North St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 1ES
Bristol Beer Factory – Tap Room, 291 North St, Southville, Bristol BS3 1JP
2. Visit some of the best restaurants in Bristol
If you want great food in Bristol, both Bedminster and Southville can provide it. Sonny Stores in Southville specialises in offering a delicious range of seasonal Italian food. Whether popping in for a quick lunchtime bowl of pasta or you’re more in the mood for a leisurely and romantic three-course meal. Bedminster’s COR is another of the Bristol’s best restaurants offering vibrant Mediterranean dishes. The Middle East-inspired Souk Kitchen is also worth stopping by.
Sonny Stores, 47 Raleigh Rd, Southville, Bristol BS3 1QS
COR, 81 North St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 1ES
Souk Kitchen, 277 North St, Southville, Bristol BS3 1JP
3. See some awesome street art
If you’ve ever seen some Bristol-based street art on the side of a house on Instagram, it’s likely you’re at Bedminster. Europe’s largest street art and graffiti festival, Upfest, takes place in the area every year. The best local and international graffiti artists transform the neighbourhood, painting mesmerizing murals on houses and shopfronts
Previous editions have brought phenomenal, large-scale murals to Bedminster including Kobra’s iconic John Lennon mural & Insane51’s 3D piece featuring Greek Goddess NYX. You don’t need to be in town during the festival enjoy either. It’s like an outdoor gallery that’s easy to enjoy all year round.
Upfest Gallery, 198 North St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 1JF
4. See a show at Tobacco Factory Theatres
If ever stuck for things to do in Bedminster, Tobacco Factory Theatres should be your first thought. A jam-packed programme always provides diverse and exciting shows that can always entertain. From comedy to dance to puppetry and so much more, you’ll never cease to be amazed by the amazing productions this intimate space puts together. To see the wide range of workshops and events it puts on the head here.
The Tobacco Factory, Raleigh Rd, Southville, Bristol BS3 1TF
5. Or support some local sellers at the weekly market
On Sundays, Tobacco Factory hosts a weekly market around the back selling street food, crafts and produce. Everything is made and grown in the local area with around 60 stalls to discover. You can buy everything from clothes and jewellery to patisserie and freshly baked bread. Bristol’s dedicated grilled cheese food truck, For Mice & Men, is a regular hangover favourite. It’s open 10 am – 2.30 pm every Sunday.
The Tobacco Factory, Raleigh Rd, Southville, Bristol BS3 1TF
6. Have a boogie at Friendly Records
If you’re into expanding your vinyl collection, then you have to hit up Friendly Records. Which sells both new and used vinyl records. They also have a cosy bar onsite, perfect for a late-night drink, and regularly put on music shows from traditional folk to ambient drone. Regular comedy nights have also become a local favourite.
Friendly Records, 59 North St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 1ES
7. Go vintage shopping
If you want a trendy vintage outfit that doesn’t cost the planet head down to Bedminster and Southville. Rhubarb Jumble on North Street stocks vintage clothes that come from any time period between the 1940s and 70s. It holds a particular affinity for mid-century aesthetics, which means you might find anything from a 60s shift dress to an 80s raincoat.
Meanwhile, East Street’s Revival Market is more than just a vintage clothing store; you can also find plenty of antiques, furniture, and collectables here too. The vintage market, Black Vintage, also stocks some unique finds every weekend.
Rhubarb Jumble, 52 North St, Southville, Bristol BS3 1HJ
Revival Market, 45 East St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 4HB
Black Vintage, Unit 19, Windmill Farm Business Centre, Bartley St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 4DB
8. Grab a glass of wine
KASK Wine follows the mantra: ‘Say no to shit wine’. Serving organic, sustainable, minimal intervention and vegan wine, the beautiful wine bar also has a cute garden to enjoy alfresco. Plus there are gorgeous cheese and charcuterie boards to eat. (You should also check out its rotating kitchen restaurant, Kitchen by KASK across the street.)
The wine bar also hosts cheese and wine-tasting sessions and flight nights where you can discover some of the ripest wines out there. But if you fancy taking a nice bottle home, however, make sure to pop into Corks. One of Bristol’s leading independent wine, spirit and beer shops.
KASK Wines, 51 North St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 1EN
Kitchen by KASK, 36 North St, Southville, Bristol BS3 1HW
Corks of North Street, 79 North St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 1ES
9. Take a step back in time with this modern take on the British caff
Bedminster is changing. Some might say for the better, others for the worse. But there’s no denying that it is happening. Lucky Strike feels like a throwback to a lost England on East Street in many ways. Serving nostalgia-filled British classics like spaghetti hoops, grapefruits, and a square sausage and black pudding scones, can cure most hangovers. While in the evenings, expect a restaurant vibe with an excellent array of cocktails.
Lucky Strike, 61 East St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 4HB
10. Pet some animals at the volunteer-run city farm
Windmill Hill City Farm has been a vital hub for Bedminster since it was created in the ‘70s. The volunteer-run farm provides a place of recreation and education using food, farming and the environment. You’ll find a café and a farm shop, plenty of green space for a picnic, community gardens, tree canopies and vegetable patches and of course the farmyard animals. Pet pigs, sheep, rabbits, chickens, cows and many more animals during your visit.
Windmill Hill City Farm also holds a monthly market too with up to 50 stalls. Plus, there’s a children’s nursery, community and kitchen gardens, play areas, indoor and outdoor spaces to hire and a 5-a-side football pitch. Entrance is free, so can guarantee a fantastic day out with the kids!
Windmill Hill City Farm, Philip St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 4EA
11. Visit the lush green space of Victoria Park
Whether trying to spot hot air balloons, enjoy a picnic, or take the kids somewhere to play, Victoria Park is one of the best green spaces servicing Bedminster and Southville (and pretty much all of South Bristol). The park is home to tennis courts, a bowling green, a skate park, a ping pong table, and a children’s play area. Plus, sometimes, you’ll stumble across musicians performing in the park.
Victoria Park, 12 Hill Ave, Bristol BS3 4LL
12. Grab a slice of 70-year-old pizza (kind of)
If you ask us, one of the best pizza spots in Bristol is on North Street. Pizzarova uses a starter that has been fed for over 70 years to make slowly fermented sourdough. Giving their puffed-up pizza crusts a distinct and moreish taste. They then finish pizzas with a smattering of classic, and uniquely delicious, toppings. For a quick bite to eat that you can have in or take away, look no further.
Pizzarova, 237 North St, Southville, Bristol BS3 1JJ