If you're organising this year's Christmas party, whether it be for friends, family or your work colleagues, you'll want to find a venue that truly impresses. Sonny Stores is a cool, neighbourhood restaurant in West Bristol, with a concept that centres on seasonal, Italian food. After some incredibly impressive pop ups and a strong social media following, the team recently opened their first permanent restaurant, much to local's delight.
The vibe here is relaxed, with a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere, but with a serious dedication to fresh, tasty food. Dishes often change daily and the restaurant's aesthetically pleasing Instagram is a testament to their beautiful platefulls, which almost look too good to eat. While their Christmas menu hasn't been released yet, the website always offers a seasonal sample menu to whet your whistle.
At the moment, this looks like a selection of antipasti to start, mixing smaller plates like pizzetta with potato, fontina, olive and rosemary, alongside sea bass crudo with Amalfi lemon, chilli, fennel herb and basil, as well as baby gem lettuce with ubriaco rosso, salted almond and fried prosciutto.
Sonny Stores follows a traditional Italian format, next offering a pasta course with concoctions like ricotta ravioli with slow-braised English peas and old Winchester, as well as tagliatelle with buffalo butter, Cantabrian anchovies, parmesan and parsley. As for mains, think roasted cod with clams, yellow beans and San Marzano tomatoes, alongside sirloin, borlotti beans, horseradish and crème fraîche.
Finally, we love the sound of classic Italian desserts like tiramisu, as well as cherry and almond tart served with crème fraîche, or meringue with raspberries. As for the space, the team has opened a private dining room just for you with a capacity of 14 people. Here, you can host your team in exclusive privacy, which is perfect for popping crackers, sharing jokes and exchanging presents.