Can you smell it? Love is in the air. If you’ve got a hot date coming up or a romantic anniversary, you’re most likely looking for the you’ll be looking at romantic restaurants in Bristol. Somewhere to wine-and-dine that special someone, shower them in gifts and show off how much they mean to you.
Good grub is a must, but a romantic atmosphere is equally important. Finding a nice restaurant isn’t always easy, however. So to avoid taking your loved one down the local fish and chip shop again – although that does sound like a great date too – we’ve rounded up some of Birmingham’s most romantic restaurants.
1. Root
If you and your partner are vegan or vegetarian – or maybe just one of you is and you want to split the difference – head to Root in Wapping Wharf for a romantic evening. This vegan-friendly restaurant puts vegetables front-and-centre of almost all its small plates, though some fish and meat are still served.
There’s nothing less romantic than being over-bloated and suffering meat sweats after eating. So why not enjoy a seasonal, healthy yet equally tasty dining experience instead? Root also has a light and airy atmosphere, balanced with an intimate yet casual vibe.
Unit 9 Cargo 1, Gaol Ferry Steps, Bristol BS1 6WP
2. Casa
For our money, the most romantic cuisine in the world is Italian and you won’t find better in Bristol than Casa. It might technically be brand new, but we see it as more of a spiritual successor to Peter Sanchez-Iglesias’s former Michelin-star restaurant Casamia. For modern-Italian dining, Casa offers a relaxed environment with a bright and spacious interior. While a dynamic menu is filled with high-quality pasta and more. For an alternative fancy restaurant in Bristol, check out Casa’s Spanish sibling, Paco Tapas, next door on Lower Guinea Street.
The General, Lower Guinea Street, Bristol, BS1 6FU
3. Bravas
Seating can be a tight squeeze at Bravas, especially with mountains of Spanish tapas plates stacking up on top of each other at the end of the evening. But when did getting up close and personal with your partner ever hurt the romance? This warm and cosy restaurant encourages diners to get down and dirty with its food; peeling off shrimp shells with their fingers and dangling ibérico ham into each other’s mouths (please don’t actually do this). Bravas is an exciting eating experience for anyone looking for romantic restaurants in Bristol.
7 Cotham Hill, Redland, Bristol BS6 6LD
4. Bristol Lido
Not only is The Lido a fantastic place for a romantic meal in Bristol, but potentially a loving way to treat yourself and your partner. Start your day with a dip the in oldest surviving heated pool in the country. Afterwards head up to the viewing gallery, overlooking the pool, for some Spanish-style dining. It’s the closest you’ll come to the Mediterranean without leaving Bristol.
Oakfield Place, Clifton, BS8 2BJ
5. Wilsons
Recently ranking among Britain’s best restaurants, Wilsons is the perfect restaurant for couples concerned about where their food comes from. This neighbourhood restaurant in Redland grows all its vegetables, fruits and herbs for truly farm-to-table fine dining. While everything else on the menu is ethically and low-impact sourced.
A commitment to no food waste also produces some of the most enthralling and unexpected, regularly-changing menus in Bristol. Light and airy inside, Wilsons’ small available seating means you can enjoy an intimate affair – while it brings new meaning to the phrase: ‘nicest restaurant in Bristol.’
24 Chandos Road, Bristol BS6 6PF
6. Mugshot
Some might consider a romantic date to involve quiet and intimate restaurants. For others, meanwhile, it’s all about spectacle: Creating a memory that neither of you will ever forget. Known for theatrical ‘hot stone dining’ – where your (often massive, always delicious) steak finishes cooking at the table – that’s exactly what you get at Mugshot.
After eating at this 1920s-style restaurant, take your romantic evening in Bristol a few doors to The Library. Sharing the same owners at Mugshot, the entrance is excitingly hidden behind a bookcase and continues the prohibition-era New York vibe. A simple yet romantic experience you’ll remember forever.
18 St Nicholas St, Bristol BS1 1UB
7. Pasta Loco
This small, intimate yet lively pasta restaurant sits in the heart of Redland, close to another of our most romantic restaurants in Bristol: Bravas. We’re absolutely crazy for Pasta Loco, which blows our home-cooked, date night carbonara out of the water. These vibrant, seasonal and original dishes prove with passion how pasta should be served.
37A Cotham Hill, Redland, Bristol BS6 6JY
8. COR
It might be one of Bristol’s newest restaurants, but already COR is among its best and loveliest. COR’s vibrant, Mediterranean dishes and neighbourhood restaurant vibe mean this is a cute spot perfect for your next romantic date in Bristol. If you’d prefer a more simple romantic evening out, why not just pop in for a glass of wine and charcuterie instead of a full-course meal?
81 North St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 1ES
9. Cargo Cantina
Snug and simple, Cargo Cantina serves frozen margaritas and the tastiest tacos in Bristol. Which sounds like a recipe for an amazing date if you ask us. Sometimes not overcomplicating it produces the most romantic restaurants – some spicy Mexican cuisine will crank the heat only higher. A small yet mighty menu and offers a delicious selection of tacos, such as trout ceviche tostada and braised chicken barbacoa tacos – with vegan options too. You’ll never forget your date at this Wapping Wharf joint unless, of course, you have one too many mezcals…
15 Cargo 2, Bristol BS1 6ZA
10. The Botanist
This beautifully decorated spot is perfect among romantic restaurants in Bristol. At The Botanist, become lost among the magical botanical-inspired interiors, twinkling fairy lights and exposed brick walls – and each other’s eyes, of course. Unwind in comfy seating and dine on Mediterranean and British classics, anything from prawn, crab and chorizo linguine to freshly-caught cod ‘n’ chips, a sweet potato curry and butternut squash pizza. Finish the evening with The Botanist’s signature warm cookie dough dessert, complete with two spoons, before heading home to snuggle up on the sofa.
20a Berkeley Square, Bristol BS8 1HP