11 of the best cheap eats in Bristol

As Bristolians will tell you, Bristol is a thoroughly affordable city when it comes to food. If you’re used to London prices, and regularly walking out of restaurants with a much lighter wallet, Bristol’s quality-to-price ratio will leave you feeling rather buoyant by comparison. There are many Bristol restaurants that turn out quality food that would fetch double the price in London.

Such is life when you get out of the capital - it’s no wonder that many have been leaving London for greener (or at least cheaper) pastures. That makes for a tricky cheap eats list, though - if you’re used to London pricing, more than a few of Bristol’s best restaurants will feel relatively cheap! Take Bravas for example, a cracking tapas bar where you can consume your bodyweight in croquetas, patatas bravas and manzanilla, and walk out without paying much over £30. Or how about Root - a beloved, sustainability-focused small plates restaurant in Wapping Wharf that dishes up some pretty generous portions at friendly prices.

For this cheap eats in Bristol list, we’ve really tried to dig down and find the spots that boast absolute, outrageous value for money. Some of these qualify simply because of the food they cook - Bosco Pizzeria, for example, isn’t particularly cheap by pizza standards, but offer us a top quality Neapolitan margherita for a tenner and we’ll bite your hand off for it. Bear in mind as well, that Bristol has a number of excellent food markets, all stuffed with affordable bites - check out the Harbourside Street Food Market and St. Nicholas Market, for example.

Best cheap eats Bristol

So without further ado, scroll on for our pick of Bristol’s best cheap eats and affordable restaurants, from the mouth-numbing spice fest that is Chilli Daddy, to Tuk Tuck's comforting Korean street food.

Rice and Things

What: Rice and Things promises authentic Jamaican food right in the centre of Bristol. If you're in the mood for something cheap and definitely cheerful, then look no further. For just £10, you can get your hands on a large portion of Spring Village fried chicken or Jamaican capital ackee and salt fish. Better yet, extra large portions are available for £12. 
Where: 120 Cheltenham Road, BS6 5RW 
Book now: Rice and Things 

Chilli Daddy

What: Chilli Daddy himself hails from Sichuan; he came to Bristol as a PhD student and promptly stayed, opening a Sichuan street food business that has won many awards over the years. These days you can find Chilli Daddy on Baldwin Street or at St. Nicholas Market - dive into a delicious bowl of hot pot noodles for under a tenner and thank us later.
Where: 45-47 Baldwin Street, BS1 1RA
Book now: Chilli Daddy

Cafe Kino

What: This vegan and vegetarian haven in Stokes Croft triples up as a neighbourhood shop and a community event space. Kino really cares about sourcing proper produce and working with good local suppliers. Most dishes are available for less than £10, meaning it's pretty affordable (and impressive, too). 
Where: 108 Stokes Croft, BS1 3RU
Book now: Cafe Kino

Bosco Pizzeria

What: Imagine the perfect Neapolitan pizza - angry, blistered spots on its crust, with generous lumps of fior di latte and a rich, tangy pizza sauce, and you have painted a picture of what's on offer here. We live in an age where it's almost impossible to get your hands on a decent margherita for less than £10. Just crossing the line at £11, Bosco’s is as good as we’ve tried anywhere. The lunch set menu is pretty reasonable as well, at £15 for two courses, and they serve it right up to 5pm - perfect for early bird eaters.
Where: 96 Whiteladies Road, BS8 2QX
Book now: Bosco Pizzeria

Baba Ganoush Kitchen

What: If you're in the mood for falafel, you'll be spoilt for choice in Bristol. Why not head over to Baba Ganoush Kitchen in St Pauls which loads up giant Lebanese flat bread wraps with a mixture of falafel, mixed vegetable or halloumi, alongside salad, pickles, tahini and chilli sauce. A large wrap is just six pounds, and there’s some cracking vegan mezze available too, which will also leave you change from a tenner.
Where: 81 St Nicholas Road, BS2 9JJ
Book now: Baba Ganoush Kitchen

Matina

What: If you’re noticing a pattern with our cheap eats (hint, it’s things wrapped in bread), well, get ready for more things wrapped in bread. This time said things are delicious chunks of marinated, grilled chicken, lamb or halloumi, wrapped in fresh Kurdish naan breads. If you’re heading for lunch, be prepared for a bit of a queue thanks to boxes that give you change from a fiver.
Where: The Glass Arcade, St Nicholas Street, BS1 1JQ
Book now: Matina

Eatchu

What: Another St. Nicholas Market stalwart, Eatchu’s crispy dumplings fill a perfect I-want-to-spend-less-than-£10 shaped hole. Chicken and pork dumplings are available alongside a couple of very tasty veggie options - triple mushroom with pickled radish and nori, and broccoli, pea and edamame with schichimi and crispy garlic.
Where: The Old Mess Room, St Nicholas Market, BS1 1JQ
Book now: Eatchu

Hart's Bakery

What: You'll find Hart's Bakery under the Victorian railway arch at Temple Meads station. Tuesday through to Saturday, they crank out all manner of sweet and savoury treats from around 7am. Stop in for a very generously-stuffed sausage roll (£3.90), an almond croissant (£3) and a little cake for to take home with you. 
Where: Arch 35 Lower Approach Road, BS1 6QS
Book now: Hart's Bakery

Pizza Bianchi

What: Bianchis really have Bristol on lockdown, between the excellent eponymous restaurant, Pasta Loco and Pizza Bianchi just off the Clifton Triangle. Again, it’s not dirt cheap pizza, but you can't really go wrong with an £11 margherita. It also happens to be fantastic, as is everything else on the menu. 
Where: 1 Queens Road, BS8 1EZ
Book now: Pizza Bianchi

Three Brothers Burgers

What: A cheap eats list without a good burger? It just wouldn’t be right. Three Brothers is our go to in Bristol (though admittedly there are lots of good options). A classic burger and fries will set you back just £7.50 on the Three Brothers lunch deal, or you can get a quality cheeseburger for £8.50.
Where: Welsh Back, BS1 4SB
Book now: Three Brothers Burgers

Tuk Tuck

What: If you love Asian food and flavours, you’re pretty well served in Bristol. Korean food fans should head to Tuk Tuck for dumplings, pumpkin croquettes, beef bulgogi, bibimbap and huge piles of kimchi fries with chicken, beef or tofu and mushroom. Almost everything on the menu is under ten pounds, so you can really load up.
Where: 5 St Stephen's Street, BS1 1EE
Book now: Tuk Tuck

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