BANK

Set in a former Lloyds Bank building less than a ten-minute walk from Bristol Temple Meads Station, neighbourhood restaurant BANK enjoys a city-wide reputation for its contemporary flame-cooked food.

Crisp white walls, offset by navy wood panelling and caramel-leather banquettes, sit beneath exposed lightbulbs in an easy-going atmosphere. At BANK, fire is treated more like seasoning than a method of cooking and is incorporated into every dish on the menu – even desserts.

Head chef and co-owner Jack Briggs-Horan is a true champion of local ingredients. All meat is sourced from within a 30-mile radius, while vegetables are harvested from the restaurant’s own smallholding.

While BANK enjoys a loyal following for its Sunday lunch (voted among the top 50 in the country by The Good Food Guide), the main menu features a generous selection of innovative dishes, the ingredients of which change regularly to reflect the seasons and Jack’s penchant for fusing flavours from different cultures.

Landrace pork chop is pimped with miso mustard sauce and grilled shallot, beef shin nugget is doused in Dorset Red custard and jalapeño butter, and jerk wild duck shares plate space with sweet potato and a hot rhubarb sauce.

Special occasion? Plump for one of the larger sharing mains, perfect as a showstopping centrepiece when feasting with friends.

Trencherman’s tip

Check out Lapin, BANK’s new French bistro-style sister restaurant on Bristol Harbour, where 60 wines are available by the glass.