‘Tis the season to be jolly! Unless, as is always the case at the end of semester one, you’re being plagued by deadlines and crumbling under the stress of sourcing a suitably funny, nevertheless usable secret Santa present. During these last two weeks, it can sometimes be hard to find the Christmas spirit, but there’s no better solution than finding the time to have a celebratory meal with your flatmates. The question is, where do you go?
Home
It seems almost too obvious, but if you’re keeping to a budget, cooking a Christmas meal in your very own kitchen is the best option. Of course, this relies on at least one of you having the ability to recreate some semblance of a Christmas dinner. Potential problems might arise if you have more than one kitchen control freak in your flat; an argument over how best to roast potatoes could easily result in a life-long grudge, not to mention over-boiled sprouts. Catering for vegetarians and vegans could also be problematic, because if they don’t enjoy a nut roast, they’ve got limited options. Despite all this, if you think your flat could survive the experience of doing a communal Christmas meal with friendships remaining intact, go for it! Good luck – you’ll need it.
Full Christmas Dinner
If you’ve decided that cooking as a group is too stressful, but still want a full Christmas dinner, there are plenty of pubs and restaurants in Bristol which offer just that. For those of you who are feeling fancy, Glassboat Brasserie is offering a prix fixe Christmas lunch menu at £16.50 for 2 courses and £21 for 3, as is Aqua for very similar prices. Both restaurants have great atmospheres, ideal if you want to make your meal an occasion, especially as Glassboat is, to state the obvious, on a boat. For a more traditional pub roast, Clifton is the place for you – The Clifton, The Landsdown, and The Albion are just a few of the huge selection of pubs the village boasts.
Glassboat Brasserie (Photo Credit: christmaspartyvenue.co.uk)
Christmas Brunch
Christmas brunch is a great alternative for the flat which isn’t fussed by having a full roast. In all honesty, this only counts as a Christmas meal because it involves celebrating the end of term in style with all your friends, because the food choice is decidedly untraditional. The Crafty Egg in Stokes Croft has every type of classic brunch food you could ever imagine, including lots of vegetarian options, all at great value for money. Primrose Café in Clifton is another good option, and a meal there could be coupled with a brisk walk across the Suspension Bridge, to uphold that standard Christmas convention.
Pancakes at The Crafty Egg (Photo Credit: thecraftyegg.co.uk)
Best of the Rest
If you really want to throw tradition out of the window, then there are plenty of other great restaurants in Bristol which have something for everyone, no more so than Za Za Bazaar. This popular buffet restaurant is even doing a Christmas lunch and dinner menu from December 1st to January 1st. If you’re looking to spice up your Christmas meal, Thali Café offers authentic Indian food, and Sticks and Broth has a delicious choice of ramen bowls.
Thali Café in Clifton (Photo Credit: Pinterest)
These are just a few of Bristol’s many independent restaurants, but as long as you’re spending time with the people you love, any of them would be ideal for a flat Christmas meal.