The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Saturday
LOCAL HEROES
Food insiders reveal their neighbourhood favourites
Chef Romy Gill first made a name for herself at her acclaimed Indian restaurant Romy’s Kitchen in Thornbury, a celebration of the Bengali and Punjabi cooking of her birth nation. The restaurant closed in 2019 but Gill has gone on to become a celebrated cookbook author and, more recently, a judge on the BBC reboot of Ready Steady Cook. Residing in Thornbury, Gloucestershire, she’s spoiled for choice when it comes to places to eat; here she reveals the hotspots we should all seek out in Thornbury and nearby Bristol.
LITTLE FRENCH
“When this restaurant first opened after lockdown, I ate there six times within the space of three weeks! I had to stop going so often because I had eaten the entire menu. It’s the perfect place to take friends and order lots of dishes to share; the menu is far too good to just have one dish each. You need to try as much as you can.”
2B North View, Westbury Park, Bristol BS6 7QB; littlefrench.co.uk
THORNBURY CASTLE
“Though I usually travel into Bristol when I want to go out for dinner, there’s a special place in my heart reserved for Thornbury Castle, which is a mere kilometre from my house. It’s a stunning setting, and the lunch menu is unbelievable value for money – three courses for 20-something pounds! Bristol is fabulous for its food, but this is where I go for a classic, unfaddy dinner.”
Castle Street, Thornbury, Gloucestershire BS35 1HH; thornburycastle.co.uk
BRISTOL SWEET MART
“If I want spices, this is the only place I go. It has spices and ingredients from all over the world, and you can buy in bulk, which is useful for recipe testing. The shop has been passed down one family for generations; it’s a real Bristol institution.”
71-82 St Marks Street, Easton, Bristol BS5 6JH; sweetmart.co.uk
HART’S BAKERY
“Situated in a large Victorian railway arch at Bristol Temple Meads station, this bakery knocks out the perfect sourdough loaves, as well as pastries, seasonal cakes and savouries. I had the honour of using the space for a pop-up cooking event once alongside food writer Fiona Beckett, and I really love the ethos of the founder, Lara Hart.” Arch 35, Lower Approach Road, Redcliffe, Bristol BS1 6QS; hartsbakery.co.uk
RIDDIFORD’S
“People say this grocery shop was the inspiration for Open All Hours, and although I’m not sure how true that is, you can certainly see it when you walk in. It really has everything. My daughters used to love going in and buying a bag of sweets from the jars on the walls and I like it for the local cheeses and top-quality vegetables.”
51 High Street, Thornbury, Gloucestershire BS35 2AR; 01454 412205