Despite the dire situation our food and hospitality industries find themselves in right now, thanks in part to our government’s poor handling of the coronavirus pandemic, there is some glimmer of hope out there with new businesses beginning to open alongside those sadly closing. The Red Church in Bristol’s St George area is one such glimmer.
A couple of weeks ago, Dave and I were invited for a first look at their offering. It was our first evening meal out since pre-lockdown and to say we were giddy with excitement at the thought of dressing up and going out for dinner was an understatement.
The Red Church is the brainchild of the team behind Crack magazine – who also run The Christmas Steps and Spotted Cow pubs. As expected, this was a delayed opening due to the pandemic and I’m so pleased the team managed to pull it off where so many others haven’t.
The space
We were greeted by masked wait staff, asked to check-in and taken to our table on the mezzanine overlooking the main space. And what a space! Home is a former Lloyds Bank in St George, with victorian detailing, high ceilings, almost floor to ceiling windows and exposed brick and metal for a modern, industrial vibe. We loved it.
There’s definitely a bar-vibe here more than restaurant. Eating there at night was quite dark with loud (very good) music, making it more a place for parties and group gatherings in the future rather than a romantic date. I would suggest though that it’s a brilliant place for brunching.
The food and drink
One of the things that piqued my interest about this place was the fact that the head chef has come from The Ethicurean, which is one of my absolute favourite places to eat. Simon Miller has created a brunch menu available daily from 10am with pizzas on the menu from midday and a modern European menu at night. Oh, and roasts on a Sunday!
There is a brilliant wine menu with plenty of favourites alongside some more interesting options. We had a Gonzalo Gonzalo Gran Cerdo Tinto – a Spanish natural red wine made with Rioja grapes. It was really tasty and fresh, perfect for cutting through the dense sourdough pizza.
We had a taster of a few different dishes. We started with a selection of sharing dishes which represented the type of food found on their menus. Firstly, braised beef shin, rigata macaroni, shitake & pecorino romano. Not photogenic at all but very tasty, like a posh mac and cheese. For me, I wanted a little more salt but honestly, it was really tasty.
Next, heritage tomato, goats curd, honeydew melon & sourdough crouton. This was very fresh and tasty, and pretty as a picture – reminiscent of the plating you see at The Ethicurean. A perfect starter or light side.
The final shared dish was a tomato, chickpea, Cornish mussel stew with parsley & Pedro Ximenez. This was the most disappointing. The stew was thin, more like a soup, and lacked the depth I was hoping for.
Disappointment aside, it was time for pizza!
For me, a classic pepperoni with fior de latte, basil & regiano. And for Dave, flamed aubergine, lemon thyme, caper, parmesan, caramelised onion & rocket. Both were lovely. Big fluffy chewy crusts and high quality, tasty ingredients.
Prices are reasonable for Bristol with all pizzas under £10 and Sunday roasts between £10-£15 with all the trimmings. As a neighbourhood bar, I think that feels about right. I’m sure they’ll do well for both drinkers and diners throughout the day and into the evenings. I can imagine post-Covid that it’ll be a great spot for Friday night drinks to celebrate birthdays and celebrations, especially given their live DJs playing excellent tunes (see listings on their instagram).
Mate, if you’ve got space for dessert at this point, you’re a bigger man than me. Dave is that man. He always has room for dessert. This warm vegan pecan and chocolate brownie with raspberry gel did the job nicely despite not actually being warm.
Final thoughts…
We thoroughly enjoyed our evening at The Red Church and will visit again in the future. I’m keen to try their Sunday Roast and will return for pizza with the girls at some point soon. Overall, hats off to the team for pulling this off under the toughest circumstances the industry has ever known. You gave us a night off from groundhog day and for that alone, you made this girl smile. You’re also going to make the residents of St George smile.
Find them here:
*We were invited to dine at The Red Church free of charge on their pre-opening night. All opinions are my own.*
