Bristol has a thriving street food scene that rivals those in bigger cities like London and Birmingham. There are several well-established food markets to choose from and the number of traders is growing all the time.
You can find cuisines from every corner of the world being cooked on everything from portable smokers, gas rings and charcoal, in pizza ovens attached to bikes, under gazebos and from vintage trucks.
The staggering number of choices can be overwhelming. Here are my top picks for a quick, tasty bite.
1. The Little Taquero
Hmm. tasty (Alex Ryder)
I’m pretty sure I’m the number one fan of the Little Taquero. They make amazing and authentic Mexican and Central American tacos, cooked from scratch and totally delicious.
You can’t miss these guys either in their super cute orange truck. Jump straight in with the ‘Al Pastor’ pork tacos complete with authentic Belizean refried beans, pico de gallo, guacamole and chargrilled pineapple.
Don’t forget a pile of napkins, it’s definitely going to get messy.
2. Momo Bar
Tibetan dumplings at Momo Bar (Alex Ryder)
Mr Momo, as we call him, has been around for a long time but the queues prove that the Momo Bar’s food is as popular as ever, especially on those mid week St Nick’s market lunchtimes.
Freshly made steamed Tibetan dumplings are available with a range of fillings and come with spicy homemade chilli sauce and pickled salads.
3. Eatchu
A shoyu egg from Eatchu (Alex Ryder)
With a constant flow of handmade Japanese gyoza sizzling away, the smell from Eatchu’s stall is enough to ensure there’s always a queue.
They recently took a permanent pitch in St Nicholas Market and even have an inside room to sit and eat in when the weather is chilly, which is perfect for lunch times.
If they have them, be sure to try a homemade shoyu egg. They're seriously good alongside those tasty gyoza dumplings.
4. Uchu Peru
Ceviche, Bristol-style (Alex Ryder)
Gone are the days when street food was dominated by pulled pork and burgers. I love that your tastebuds can now travel as far as Peru without leaving the harbourside.
Who’d have thought that ceviche was a thing you ate on the streets of Bristol? Uchu Peru are doing something new and fresh here, and I love it.
5. The Pizza Bike
Sour dough pizza (Alex Ryder)
The Pizza Bike claims it’s the ‘world’s smallest pizzeria’ and it very possibly is. It's a bike with two little pizza ovens on the back.
The stall is fun too, with road signs for menus. They serve wood fired sourdough pizzas with organic, locally sourced ingredients and can often be found at the various street food markets around both Bristol and Bath.
6. Gopal’s Curry Shack
A curry from Gopal's (Alex Ryder)
I’ve been known to waffle on about Gopal’s before now. They're well known on the street food scene in Bristol.
Their delicious indian food is all vegetarian and vegan, and their curries are so packed full of flavour that even the most hardened meat eaters won’t bat an eyelid. If they have them, stock up on the sweet potato and spinach pakoras. You won’t be disappointed.
7. Bearittos
What do you get if you mix a double decker bus in a place known as the 'bear pit' and Mexican food? Bearritos, of course.
The bear pit is a large sunken roundabout between Broadmead and Stokes Croft, popular with skaters and home to a Wednesday street food market.
Bearritos, in their bright green bus, are a permanent fixture and well worth a visit. Stop in for lunch and sit upstairs in the cute, brightly decorated space. Go for the chicken burrito with hot sauce and it’ll fill you up until dinnertime and beyond.
Alex Ryder is a Food & Travel Blogger, currently tasting her way across Australia. You can find her reviews and follow her adventures on her blog, gingeybites.com, or on Instagram.
Main image: A bike making pizza (thepizzabike.co.uk)
