1 York Place

On a quiet corner of Clifton Village, 1 York Place has the buzz of somewhere special. The latest opening from Bristol’s Freddy Bird (Little French, LittleShop & Pantry), the 46-cover restaurant has huge windows, wood floors and dried foliage hanging from the ceiling.

Our server’s welcome matches the inviting interior. Water is poured, cocktails mixed at the mirrored bar are served in teeth-shatteringly-thin glass. The Americano is vibrant and wonderfully bitter, the Martini ice cold, lifted with two sea-green olives.

A compact menu offers plenty of variety. A la carte and almost impossible to choose between, dishes boast seasonal bounty and cross-European influence.

We start with scallops, sweet, delicate and swimming in vermouth butter and fresh dill. Gloriously seasonal starters follow. A zingy plate of creamy burrata, yuzu, fresh peas and broad beans. Wye Valley asparagus, steamed and brought to life with herbs and a toffee-sweet brown butter hollandaise.

Next, one of the restaurant’s signature sharers. For £70-100, you can feast on a platter groaning with lobster and shellfish, beef, or as we decide, Pyrenean leg of lamb. The lamb is rich, silky and perfectly seasoned, a result of its 4-hour cook with anchovy and onions. Served with a bowl of crisp, golden, garlicky potatoes, the recommended dry, fruity Nebbiolo pairs well. Soft tenderstem with salty anchoiade and toasted nuts also come with a fennel, basil and nectarine salad - the bright flavour and crunch proving the perfect accompaniment to the meat.

For dessert, balls of ice-cold, sweet rhubarb sorbet and a moussey chocolate tart with airy, salty brown sugar cream and roasted nuts.

Every dish is perfectly balanced - acidic yuzu cuts through creamy burrata, salty anchovies marry with sweet slow-cooked onions, fresh vegetables are brought to life with rich sauces and roasted nuts bring welcome texture to soft, airy tart. It's a masterclass in championing good ingredients, lifting simple dishes with clever pairings and sticking to flavour fundamentals.

You can't visit 1 York place every night, even if your funds could take it, it books up in advance - but make sure you do come, to celebrate a special occasion, or simply the joy of good food and service.

Named for the road on which it is located, 1 York Place is the second independent family-owned neighbourhood restaurant of Bristolian husband and wife duo Freddy and Nessa Bird. 1 York Place follows in the footsteps of the Little French, the couple’s inaugural restaurant in Westbury Park showcasing an unpretentious French fare of sensible charming food and pleasing wines. Since then, Bird has opened the Little Shop, created the Menendez & Bird Oil, and Buxton & Bird Pies, which used to have a unit at Bristol’s Cargo 2.

Now, they have snapped up some prime real estate in the neighbourhood of Clifton Village known for its elegant boutiques and cosy cafes. It’s one of Bristol’s most picturesque and sought-after quarters, popular with tourists and locals alike. 1 York Place is a quaint and cosy 46-cover neighbourhood restaurant which spotlights the best that European produce has to offer. The group’s ethos asserts that small businesses should support other independent family-led businesses both on the continent and closer to home.

This might have something to do with their background. Freddy, trained at Ballymaloe Cookery School before moving to London and gaining experience at the prestigious two-Michelin-starred restaurant, The Square - then headed by Phil Howard. After, he did a four-year stint at Moro alongside Sam and Sam Clark. In 2008, finding his way back west, Freddy took on the role of executive chef at the Lido Bristol before extending his expertise to the Thames Lido in Reading. A familiar feature on the small screen, Freddy cohosted the Channel 4 programme Hidden Restaurants with Michelle Roux Jr in 2017. He more recently worked with Roux again on the BBC's Remarkable Places to Eat.