Whether its a catch up with friends, a date night, or just as a means of treating yourself, there is something hedonistic about making the time to eat out, but this can sometimes be tricky to arrange when you are trying to watch your spending. However, whilst eating out might be a great way to unwind, celebrate or bond, it need not come essentially with a hefty price-tag. From low-key, feel-good street food steals, to more formal affairs with indoor seating and extensive menus, there is plenty on offer in Bristol to suit any mood or occasion without forcing you to break the bank, check out just a sample of what’s on offer here:
Franco Manca
Franco Manca on Baldwin Street offers itself as the perfect date night venue for when you want to enjoy an intimate sit-down meal in a stylish venue but don’t want the hefty price tag or ostentation that often accompanies this. With all pizzas on the menu costing under £10, and appetisers from just £2.45, Franco Manca allows you to experience the luxury of eating out, exemplified through its warm lighting, industrial-meets-rustic interior and wide array of drink choices, without having to worry about the bill.
The restaurant specialises in Neapolitan style pizza (the best type, in my humble opinion), using Gozney ovens and slow rising sourdough for a blast cooking that ensures flavour and moisture. Toppings include vegetarian roasted potatoes, stilton and pesto (number 3), and 8 hour slow cooked beef and pork ragu (number 8), and any pizza can be made using vegan cheese, guaranteeing that there is something for everyone.
The restaurant also runs a great offer for UniDays members, allowing you even more value for money. From Sunday to Thursday, you can enjoy a pizza and a soft drink for just £8.20. And, whilst the portion sizes at Franco Manca are exceptionally generous; I don’t actually think I’ve ever been able to finish a whole pizza from there, at such a steal, you can get a dessert to extend your dinner plans and indulge in something sweet without breaking the bank.
Tinto Lounge
Tinto Lounge offers a range of genuinely delicious dishes accompanied by funky music and friendly service . The ‘Lounges’ venues, of which there are multiple nationwide, are a great choice for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Don’t let the fact that these restaurants are part of a chain fool you; each one is unique, friendly, welcoming, and serves soulful, nourishing food in eccentric locations adorned with a range of art and eclectic light fixtures and decorations.
Their delicious brunch dishes are available all day which, if, like me, you are a breakfast person, is a dream, and most are available for under £10, including hearty Spinach & Feta Shakshuka and Asian-inspired ham hock with kimchi. There are also plenty of main dishes, such as fragrant curries, stacked burgers, substantial salads and nourishing ‘superbowls’ available for under £10. All sandwiches on the menu are under £10, served with house slaw and fries and sure to keep you full for the rest of the day.
Tinto Lounge also runs a promotion on Monday evenings, where you can get a free pudding with any purchase of a main or burger. With options including brownies, sundaes and waffles, the deal is a great way to enjoy a comforting two course meal without breaking the bank. You’re not going to find much better value, nor enjoyment, than a crispy halloumi burger with chipotle chilli jam, rainbow slaw and flies, followed swiftly by banoffee waffles with vanilla ice cream, brownie pieces and whipped cream- all for just £9.50.
With its wide range of choice, welcoming staff, and laid back, casual but comfortable vibe, Tinto Lounge is an ideal spot for a lowkey date night, or dinner with friends. Its versatility and breezy atmosphere make it a top choice for any dinner plan when you don’t want to overspend.
Three Brothers Burgers
Whilst the burgers at Three Brothers Burgers will typically send you over the £10 mark when accompanied with a drink and a side, their student deal is potentially the best meal deal offered to students in the city. With proof of student status, you can get a vegan or original burger, a portion of fries and a soft drink for just £5, saving you approximately £8.50. And if this doesn’t satisfy, you can also customise your burger with a range of toppings, from caramelised onions to the seriously indulgent beef brisket chilli.
Situated on the harbour at Welsh Back, Three Brothers Burgers can lay claim as a seriously cool venue, with the food cooked on barbecues on the covered deck of a moored boat. Patio heaters and warm, comforting lighting ensure its suitability year round, and the food of course never fails to satisfy any desire for a pick me up- the kind of burger that make you sit back, eyes closed and just consistently reiterate “oh my god”. My first Bristol burger was at Three Brothers, certainly setting my expectations high for the rest of the city, and its remained one of my favourite dinner spots since. Their meat-based burgers are seriously indulgent, from katsu chicken to triple stacked, dripping, rich, beefy goodness, and their vegetarian menu is in no way inferior to its counterpart, featuring buttermilk chicken substitutes and ‘double everything’. The sad, neglected veggie burger of the past is no more.
Given the massive saving that their student deal offers, you can afford to treat yourself to a Three brother’s milkshake to follow up your burger, and still spend under £10. Choose from plain, chocolate, biscoff or oreo, as well as ever-changing seasonal shakes.
Pieminister
If you’re after seriously good food without the bells and whistles , Piemininster is am obvious choice. Focused on using ethical produce and keeping things sustainable, Piemininster serve award winning pies in a range of flavours, catering for vegans, vegetarians and gluten free customers. Delicious and unique options include paneer & potato and beef steak & bacon, as well as more traditional favourites such as steak & ale and chicken & mushroom.
Pies are available for just £5.75, or, for £9.50, you can make it a meal with two sides. Piemininster’s pies are truthfully the best they city, perhaps even the country, has to offer, and for such a low price and something for everyone, their restaurants at Broad Quay and Stoke’s Croft are an ideal spot to grab a dinner with friends when you want a cheap treat.
Za Za Bazaar
Arguably the best value for money on this list, Za Za bazaar offers an all-you-can-eat buffet, which has over 300 international dishes, including a range of appetisers, main dishes and desserts. Situated on the second floor of their huge venue opposite the harbour, their colossal world buffet is organised into ‘5 continents of flavour’, including India, the Far East, the Caribbean, Tex Mex, the Americas and Europe. Expect a range of delicious curries and Indian starters, Cantonese classics such as Kung Pao chicken and beef in black bean sauce, jerk chicken drumsticks and curried goat, as well as staples to suit fussy-eaters, such as pizza and wings. Whilst their dinner prices will set you back more than £10, you can get full access to all that Za Za has to offer at lunchtimes from Monday to Friday with valid student ID for just £8.99. Whilst there isn’t as much freedom offered here in terms of applicable timings, it is exceptionally hard to complain when you can sample over 300 plates for under £10, giving you the chance to fill up for an entire day.
Whilst, given the very nature of the restaurant, the food at Za Za Bazaar might not be quite as impassioned as some of the other places on this list, the wide range of cuisines available means that you are sure to get your money’s worth from this venue. The restaurant also has cooking stations which allow you to choose your own fresh ingredients and have them cooked to your liking in front of you.
Za Za Bazaar is a top choice for group outings, offering a laid-back but indulgent dining experience, so forget your regular meal deal lunch and check out what the restaurant has to offer between 12-4.45- trust me, you won’t need to worry about dinner.
St Nick’s Market
Although St Nicks might not provide the same luxuries of table service and indoor seating that the aforementioned venues do, if you’re after a quick and cheap lunch, there is some genuinely delicious food available at this market which will see you satisfied all day for well under £10. Here are just a couple of the best:
Low & Slow
If you’re a fan of anything barbecue, Low & Slow is absolute must-visit. Their slow cooked meats are smoked over a blend of maple, hickory and cherry wood for up to 20 hours, and served alongside unreal sides such as seasoned fries, pit beans and soulful mac & cheese. Their stall at St Nick’s market offers incredible value for money, with all burgers £6 and under, and box meals (your meat of choice and two sides) £6.80 and under. To get the full Low & Slow experience, however, you should really opt for the Barbecue Box: pulled pork, beef brisket and crispy burnt ends, served with two sides of your choice, salad, pickles, jalapeños and any sauce- all for just £8.20. These boxes are undoubtedly a feast, able to be spread over multiple meals (if you can resist eating the whole box at once), giving you the fulfilment of hearty food cooked with care & skill for such a low price
Eat-a-Pitta
If you’ve been in Bristol for some time, then it’s likely you’ve already had the privilege of eating at one of many Eat-a-Pitta joints around the city. While the restaurants are fairly casual and small, their food is anything but unassuming, and their portions are pretty unrivalled. Eat-a-Pitta serve up some of the city’s best falafels, packed, along with their delicious salads and hummus, into pitta breads or boxes. Crispy, aromatic and nourishing, their falafels have gained Eat-a-Pitta a reputation as one of the top vegan restaurants in Bristol, and their mountains of salads and chickpeas have become something of a trademark. If you haven’t had the chance to visit and see for yourself, let this be your sign to go immediately.
At all venues , you can get falafels and all of Eat-a-Pitta’s delicious trimmings in a pitta or box for £6.75 and £6.95, respectively, along with your choice of sauce, and the stall at St Nicks also occasionally runs promotions such asa 20% off everything, so its worth keeping an eye on the company’s social media pages. Seriously hearty and nourishing, a meal from Eat-a-Pitta is sure to satisfy body, soul and bank account.
Good food, and the good times that accompany sharing good food, need not cost a fortune . Some of my favourite lunch and dinner plans have taken place sat on a bench outside, sharing an array of market trader goods with a plastic fork and cardboard box. Some of the city’s best food can be sampled for well under £10, and companies are also consistently putting out student deals. So, keep an eye on socials, keep exploring and keep eating well. :)