The most important thing to get at Christmas? No, it’s not the Christmas tree. Or the presents. It’s the food. We don’t know about you, but we wait all year just to taste all our favourite festive foods. When it comes to Bristol’s foodie scene this Christmas, it’s certainly the case that the grub is both naughty and nice.
Bristol’s imaginative chefs have come up with some gurt lush creations this Christmas. Taking festive flavours to a whole new level for the occasion. Check out some of the best festive food in Bristol to try this December, because Christmas food is too good to be reserved for only one day a year.
1. Fat Hippo
Some of the most stonking burgers in Bristol can be found at Fat Hippo. So of course they’ve got into the Christmas spirit. They’ve produced two (that’s right, two!) Xmas-themed burgers. The Hans Gruber-ger tells us exactly where Fat Hippo stands on the ‘Die Hard is a Christmas movie’ debate. It combines a beef patty with pork stuffing patty, American cheese, maple-basted Southern fried chicken, cranberry jello and Christmas ‘slaw. A festive overload of flavour.
And for vegans? The Fairytale Of No Pork is a Southern fried plant-based patty, deep-fried vegan halloumi, cranberry jello, maple fakon and Christmas ‘slaw. Both come with a serving of festive fries. Perfect for stuffing your face next time you fancy bowling this Christmas.
Lane 7, Millennium Promenade, Bristol BS1 5SZ
2. The Coconut Tree
Sri Lankan food doesn’t scream “festive food” to those of us from England. But The Coconut Tree‘s Sri Lankan-style split sprouts and cashews have changed our mind. Okay! We know to some, sprouts are the devil. But we love them at Secret Bristol, and we guarantee you’ll feel different about them after tasting them here.
If that still doesn’t convince you, then try the turkey baubles instead, crispy fried balls filled with minced turkey; devilled pigs in blankets; and a toasted marshmallow shot. For dessert, enjoy a nice slice of Christmas cake and ice-cream. Whether you’re looking to spice up your festive food intake, or just devour it all, The Coconut Tree’s H0-Ho-Hopper menu is worth discovering this Christmas.
Clifton Triangle, 2 Byron Place, Bristol BS8 1JT
237-239 Cheltenham Road, Bristol BS6 5QP
3. Burger Theory
Bringing some awesome flavours to Bristol this Christmas, Burger Theory has created a massive new menu for the festive season. Old favourites like The Cheese Board burger – oozing with assorted cheeses – return, but new this year is the Christmas Crackler burger, topped with crackling obviously. Inspired by Christmas markets, the Currywurst Fries are the perfect blend of crispy and comforting this winter. There’s a whole festive menu to discover at Burther Theory, however, from pigs-in-blankets to honey mustard.
Burger Theory, 37-38 St Stephen’s Street, BS1 1JX
4. Pigsty
For all things pork, you have to head to Pigsty, with The Hogfather its festive food speciality this year. For £18, pick up this mammoth sandwich – slow-roasted pork belly, crackling, stuffing, cranberry sauce and black treacle baconnaise – with a side of loaded house fries. And, of course, what would a festive meal be at a pork restaurant without pigs in blankets?
Pigsty, Cargo 1, Units 1 & 2, Wapping Wharf, Gaol Ferry Steps, BS1 6WE
5. Sandwich Sandwich
The purveyors of possibly one of the best sandwiches in Bristol, if not the country, pulls out the stops every Christmas with some sensational festive foods. For their annual Christmas sandwich 2023, Sandwich Sandwich, which has five Bristol branches, wanted to go bigger and better than ever before.
If you thought they created “the best and biggest Christmas Sandwich last year then you’re about to be happily mistaken.” This year, it’s loaded with turkey breast, sage and onion sausage stuffing, sticky pulled turkey thigh, cranberry sauce, parsnip purée, thick-cut bacon, and herby mayo and crispy onions. Nothing can beat it. Unless of course, it came with a side pot of turkey dipping gravy (which of course this also does!)
Sandwich Sandwich, 48 Baldwin Street, BS1 1QQ
100 Queens Road, Clifton, BS8 1QE
1 Temple Way, BS2 0BY
19 Cotham Road South, BS6 5TZ
12 Park Row, BS1 5LJ
6. Yorkshire Pudding Wraps
We love when a place names itself after its product. Cuts out all confusion. We love it even more when said product is one of the tastiest festive foods we’ve ever had. Yorkshire Pudding Wraps is back at Bristol Christmas Market this year selling the god of all Xmas foods! Cramming a whole roast dinner into the palm of your hand shouldn’t feel so satisfying, but it just does. Trust us. Perfect for warming up after finishing off your Christmas shopping in the evening.
Broadmead, Bristol BS1 3EA
7. Deliveroo
Is this Bristol’s most divisive festive food? The Christmas Sproutwich is a Deliveroo exclusive this Christmas, paying homage to the controversial round leafy green vegetable. It consists of six different sprout-infused ingredients: a green artisan sprout-infused focaccia spread with lashings of garlicky lemon zest sprout mayo, layered with crispy maple bacon, a succulent sprout stuffing, buttery Emmental cheese, roasted sprout halves, fried sprout shavings, and finished off with zesty lemon and olive oil marinated sprout leaves.
This isn’t going to be everyone’s first choice of Christmas sandwich (there’s plenty on this list that look and, probably, taste better). But the limited-edition ‘Christmas Sproutwich’ is available via Deliveroo Editions in Bristol for just 99p. Grab this bargain from December 6 to 8, while stocks last.