Independent brewer Bath Ales has unveiled two exciting new eateries inside the South West’s leading concert venue, Colston Hall.
With the focus firmly on quality and individuality, Bath Ales has transformed the first floor restaurant into a charcuterie bar called Gordito, whilst Colston Street Bar & Kitchen, the café bar on the Colston Street level boasts a menu drawn from modern American and European influences.
Inspired in part by the ‘La Boqueria’ market in Barcelona, Gordito serves the finest charcuterie and cheese as well as small plates to complement.
The restaurant has capacity for 56 covers and has been given a new lease of life by Bath Ales.
Robin Couling, Managing Director at Bath Ales, said: “Colston Hall is the perfect setting for a new concept for Bristol and we’ve been able to bring our ambitious ideas to life at this landmark location.
“With each new venue we try to offer consumers something original and genuinely exciting and I feel that we’ve achieved that with Gordito and the Colston Street Bar & Kitchen. Colston Hall is a centre for music and culture so we couldn’t think of a better partner to work with on these new venues.”
Colston Street Bar & Kitchen on the ground floor, which the Bath Ales team has been operating since November, has undergone a refurbishment to make it a stylish haven with space for 80 diners.
Alice Bowyer, Executive Chef at Bath Ales, said: “Top quality food is at the heart of both new venues in Colston Hall. We’ve wanted to open a wine and charcuterie bar for a long time and this location is a perfect fit for Gordito.
“We have put a lot of care and attention into getting the menu and ambiance right. For the food we’ve sourced the best cured meats and cheeses from home and abroad, which I’m sure will please foodie diners. We have found some of the finest Iberico ham and salamis we’ve ever tasted!”
“Colston Street Bar & Kitchen serves food all day with the focus on a fun breakfast offer, an American-European influenced menu, and great coffee and cakes. We’ve created some exciting dishes, not seen in Bristol before, but still using classic combinations of big flavours.
“Our favourites include a maple syrup pork belly and chipotle coleslaw, a sharing ice cream sandwich with salt caramel sauce and a selection of boozy milkshakes. We’ve worked hard to try and create an area that can be enjoyed at any time of the day, and hope that this venue will please those coming to see a show as well as becoming a destination in its own right.”
Marguerite Jenkin, Finance and Commercial Director of Bristol Music Trust which runs the Colston Hall, said: “We’re very excited to be working with Bath Ales, and the newly designed spaces look fantastic, stylish and welcoming. They have a real buzz about them and are a great fit with our vibrant foyer building.
“We’ll be catering for the lunchtime and business crowd as well as pre-concert and evening dining. The restaurants will also benefit from the programme of free concerts which take place on a regular basis. The partnership will ensure we deliver an exceptional audience experience, on a par with the entertainment we offer as the city’s leading concert venue.”