It’s caught the attention of famed food critics, but is loved most by the businesses who settle here
Grace Dent said we should “all hail the Bristol Riviera” when talking about Wapping Wharf and Cargo(Image: Paul Gillis/Reach Plc)
It is safe to say there is no shortage of foodie spots in our city, but a recent review from a famous restaurant critic and MasterChef alumni has us delving deeper into one community of local independent restaurants and businesses serving up top notch grub with a proper Bristol view.
Grace Dent described Wapping Wharf and the Cargo development as being a ‘true independent food destination in its own right’, in a review she wrote around one of the area’s most recent openings – Ragu.
She said: “To my mind, Wapping Wharf has gone from strength to strength in recent years, and no longer feels at all like one of those novelty ‘box parks’ that have about them a heavy whiff of the edgy temporary fixture.
“With a bird’s-eye view from one of Ragu’s window seats… you can watch the crowds head for the likes of the modern French Lapin, Tokyo diner Seven Lucky Gods, modern British Box-E, Gurt Wings and many more; by day, there’s also a bakery, a butcher, a fromagerie and so on.”
She even ended her review with the words ‘all hail the Bristol Riviera’.
Wapping Wharf and the Cargo development houses some of Bristol’s best food places, as well as other businesses overlooking the Harbour(Image: Paul Gillis/Reach Plc)
While Bristol is set to get its own BoxHall venue in the near future, in this current climate, where so many of our favourite businesses in the industry and beyond are facing the tough decision of closure or that sense of being temporary pop-ups, Wapping Wharf feels like a protective flood wall or barrier standing strong on the front line.
Just walking through on a mild weekday afternoon it is glaringly obvious that this would be a go-to place for anyone who was visiting the area, or nearby, who needed food options displayed in front of them, all in one place, like films and TV shows on a streaming platform.
One customer, Helena, was tucking into a quick spot of lunch while enjoying views out across the Harbour when BristolLive visited and she said she loved the destination as it ‘shows off just how great and varied Bristol cuisine, culture, and business can be’.
And it is described by many who work there as being a community within the wider Bristol one – even a family, made up of chefs, restaurateurs, business owners and Bristolians. A force to be reckoned with in the current economy, and a sturdy structure of support.
The home of Gurt Wings
Gurt Wings staff Phoo Myat Myat Thew, Shallom David Chinwuba, Joshua Etheredge-Ryan and Mya Porton say Wapping Wharf is like a family(Image: Paul Gillis/Reach Plc)
The Gurt Wings team, many of which have either been working here since the restaurant opened in February or for as little as a few weeks, were wide-eyed and eager to talk. And this was just a matter of days following a break-in at the venue.
Joshua Etheredge-Ryan, Mya Porton, Pho Myat Myat Thew, and Shallom David Chinwuba, described how it feels like a “close knit community”.
“We all go and visit each other’s restaurants,” Joshua said. “We’ll pass other people who work here and know each other and say hello. It’s like one big family.”
‘A thriving hub of independent businesses’
Meanwhile, Will and Heidi from Cord Kitchen at Junction echoed that sentiment and said: “It’s really transformative being a part of such a thriving hub of fantastic independent businesses. It really feels like a community and to us, feels like a great example of a rising tide carrying all ships – pun intended.
“When we first joined Junction, lots of people asked how we felt being amongst so much tough competition, but we don’t see it that way. Seeing all the amazing things other businesses are doing is inspiring and keeps us on our A game and of course, Wapping Wharf provides a real destination for Bristol foodies which can only be a good thing.
“Of course the industry is struggling in so many ways but Wapping Wharf makes it feel like there is light at the end of the tunnel and a thriving indie scene isn’t just a pipe dream in these trying times.”
Wapping Wharf and the Cargo shipping containers, which stand proudly overlooking the water, could very easily be described as a place you’d want to be if the world were to turn post-apocalyptic.
In amongst the grab-and-go food vendors, the proper sit-down restaurant venues, award-winning noodles and fish and chips, there’s everything from a yoga studio to an independent book shop, a fishmonger, salon and hairdressers, dog groomers, gift shop, cheesemonger, wine bar, butchers, vintage clothes shop, spa, bakery, and even a delivery and collection point for post.
Cargo 2, Wapping Wharf(Image: Paul Gillis/Reach Plc)
It caters to all tastes, all trends – be it healthy eating, bubble tea, vegan or other – and businesses seem dedicated to their eco footprint too. It’s even got somewhat of a ‘shipping port’ for wines which are sold right here.
Lela McTernan and Anton Mann from Port O’Bristol Wine Bar and Shop told BristolLive: “Wapping Wharf is a genuinely supportive community. It’s full of passionate, independent business owners who look out for one another and bring a real creative energy to the area. There’s so much talent and diversity here, and we feel lucky to be part of it.”
“Being by the harbourside just fits for us. It’s where our Portuguese wines arrive after their journey by sail ship from Porto. We can carry the cargo straight from the port to our bar, which means the wines reach us with almost no fossil fuel used. It’s a simple, low-impact way of doing things, and being here makes it possible.”
And it seems that customers aren’t fazed by the shipping containers that house some of these foodie spots.
Chris and Efty from Pancake Man at Wapping Wharf(Image: Paul Gillis/Reach Plc)
Chris and Efty, owners of The Pancake Man, whose pancakes are all gluten-free, said: “I think what makes this location so unique, so special, so vibrant, is not necessarily the shipping containers, but rather the variety of different foods. The community is great as well. It’s right down by the harbour, a lot of people come down and sit by the water, a lot of people live here in the community within the condos around us.
“And we’ve become like a family with the rest of the vendors in other restaurants, so it’s really nice.
“I think it’s normal for our customers to see food places in shipping containers. We don’t get any comments about it being weird. The only comments we do get are that they wish there was more seating. But other than that they come, grab and go, sit by the water.
“It’s very centrally located. You have everything around you you need – a lot of students come here, it’s very multicultural, visitors and tourists come just to see the view. Then you have things like the SS Great Britain and the M Shed nearby.”
When it comes to the future of the destination, the ‘Pancake Guys’ add: “We hope it grows bigger. We know they have plans for new developments, so I don’t know how that’s going to go, but in the future I hope this place just grows bigger and the community stronger.”