( R E S TA U R A N T S O N T H E R I V E R )
UNDER THE STARS
IT MAY HAVE TAKEN HER A FAIR WHILE TO EAT AT THIS UNIQUE CITY CENTRE JOINT, BUT SURELY IT’S BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, SAYS JESSICA CARTER
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his floating bar and restaurant has been moored up at the cobbled harbourside, by Cascade Steps, for exactly eight years now. It’s eluded me for all that time, though; I have a hazy memory of after-work drinks here one summer evening a few years ago, but apart from that I’d never stepped foot aboard. I can only explain this, really, with the same rule that keeps locals from ever visiting their town’s famous landmarks: it’s part of the furniture, so you take for granted that it will always be there and feel no immediate need to actually visit. And, in many cases, you never do. In all the years I’ve lived in Bristol, for instance, I’ve never been inside St Mary Redcliffe. Or up Cabot Tower. Or inside Bristol Cathedral. (Yes, I’m ashamed. Happy?)
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Although very much a year-round venue, it’s surely this season when cool river venues like this come into their own, be it for the aforementioned drinks to celebrate the end of the working day, lapping up the remaining sunshine from the top deck, or getting a proper feed onboard while staring out across the river. It was the latter that L and I rocked up for on a recent Monday evening. It was pretty chilly (the weather gods clearly hadn’t got the memo about it being May), but there were still people sat out on the top deck, enjoying the fresh air. We – not made of such strong stuff – made our way down inside, though. Light and cosy, the restaurant sports lots of rustic wood and touches of deep teal and mustard yellow. You can see that the back bar is well stocked, and there are plenty of wines and local beers on
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