The Canteen

This place was amazing! Just the job when you are hungry. This is a very cool place to hang out but nobody seemed to mind that we were there too (we were the oldest people there). The food was excellent, the service was fast and efficient. I would definitely go here again next time I'm in the area.

Nice spot on Stokes Croft, really good selection of local beers and drinks combined with a good selection of food in the kitchen. It appears the menu is Vegan only, so that may sway you one way or another.

Better and better over the years and for me, the best roast dinner in the city, veggie, vegan or not. A perfectly flavoured, fresh, and balanced nut roast and trimmings. Beautiful.

Really loved the food here and the busy atmosphere showed lots of others do too. I am not vegetarian but this restaurant made me question why. Good food in all senses of the word. Great to be able to see the team working in the kitchen too and liked the lively decor. A particular favourite was crispy smashed potatoes with aji aji aioli and pickles. They also do a lovely cup of tea 👍

Had a lovely time with my friends who I hadn’t seen in ages here. Good drinks, good vibes and amazing staff! Joe was hilarious and very hospitable. Talking to him behind the bar felt like catching up with an old mate.

I've eaten here after work twice in three weeks once with my parents, once with some friends. Really good quality food with so many different flavours going on! Wish I took more photos but usually eat the food before I get the chance to. Very inclusive menu, friendly and fun staff, good drinks, lively atmosphere. Would recommend the tempeh burger, either smashed potato options, the aubergine starter and foccacia. Personally wasn't a fan of the tomato salad starter which was a little light. Will be back！

Best place in Bristol innit. Went for me birthday n all the staff are so suave, lovely, and accommodating. Music is always swagger jagger, great for a boogie. Vegan drip for days and everyone is bloody lovely. Banksy said it’s better than his school canteen x

Good food and friendly staff. Had to order yourself at the cashier, though. Loves the hummus and butter squash salad and the korean BBQ burger; the potatoes were just ok, in my opinion.

Great live music and delicious food! We came here for dinner and to watch the live jazz band that was playing. When we walked in the place was packed but we were lucky to find an empty table right in front of the stage. The food here is all locally sourced and organic, the day's menu is written on a chalkboard and when they run out of certain items they cross them out. I ordered the steak with chimichurri sauce and chips. The steak was seasoned well and cooked medium rare just like I like it, the chips were crispy and delicious!! I also tried my friend's fries and they were amazing! If you're looking for a fun night with great music and tasty food this is definitely a great option.

This place has confused me for a long time.... Firstly I just thought it was a big disused office building where the drunk, jobless people would hang out at all hours of the day. Then they put massive amounts of scaffolding up (carefully avoiding Banksy's 'Mild, Mild West' piece) but yet again, more people would congregate outside it with pints of beer and glass of wine in hand. Then the scaffolding came down, but apart from a new graffiti piece on the side wall I couldn't see any difference. I must visit I thought to myself. I was pleasantly surprised (and slightly ashamed that I thought it was a communal area for the homeless). It's a large bar area with enough seats to hang with your mates and put the world at rest, yet small enough to retain a good atmosphere. There are some comfy sofas if you fancy a coffee and weirdly (in what is essentially a pub) a bookcase with second hand books and magazines. It's a bit of everything but it works. I am not exaggerating when I say that everyday it is packed to the brim so they are obviously doing something right!

I've been to the Canteen during the day, evening and late at night. I've been for events, gigs, drinks in the summer and also just to sit with my laptop and work for a few hours. I've been there loads of times, so it's safe to say that I'm well placed to review it - and I'm a big fan! It isn't, however, somewhere I go a lot or often. I think it's because there are better places to go if you're looking for a coffee, better places to go if you want to hang out with mates in the summer, and there's better places to catch a gig. But that said, there isn't many better places that do it all, and I think that's why it's so popular! The food they serve is really good. It's always seasonal and always fresh and has a definite hippy theme to it. Drinks wise they have a pretty standard bar, 5-7 draught ales, lagers and ciders and a decent top shelf. The Canteen is a great all-round day and night venue and one that I'm sure will be around for s long time.

Great for a little daytime work...coffee and wifi...plus plug sockets incase you need extra power. I love visiting this place during the daytime. Based in Stokes Croft, you can purchase a coffee (reasonably priced), and set up your laptop on one of the tables. The staff are always friendly, the music always good, and a little outdoor sun trap in case you feel the need for a little sun. You can even purchase CD from one of the many local bands that perform there, as they adorn the wall on the stage and are a fiver each. In the evening, it is much busier, with live music and DJs. Come prepared though if it's sunny, as it can be a bit on the hot side - well more like a sweatbox, so short sleeved tops are a must. On weekends, it's best to get there early, as you could end up queuing outside as this is a popular venue, especially when the students are about.

The Canteen is an amazing hub for art and music and really encapsulates the community of Stokes Croft. I think I prefer going down there for a cappuccino during the day, there's huge outside seating area or if it's too cold for any of that, one of the walls inside is basically a window from floor to ceiling, so it lets in loads of natural light. I thought I drank all the rum there is around but the bar staff introduced me to Green Island rum, which was delicious and it's always pretty great when a bar can recommend and introduce you to something new, and tasty. I went on a night out there last week with a mate I hadn't seen for a while, don't go to catch up with an old mate while there's a band playing, you won't hear each other talking. But definitely go to watch some live music. This is a really cool space and they have done some really fantastic things with it. Check out the graffiti art in the toilets (slightly more advanced than the usual stuff). If you get the chance to take part in some of the amazing work coexist (that's who lives above the canteen) are doing for the local community, you really should. They are basically doing what the local council should be; talented taking responsibility for their local community, the people in it and the environment and getting valuable things done.

Canteen is the uber-cool bar café that opened up on Stokes Croft, where it meets Jamaica Street, about a year ago. With regular music nights, great food, and a huge terrace, its got all of the ingredients it needs to complete a winning recipe. Upstairs they have rented out studio and workshop space to some of Bristol's cutting edge artists and musicians. With about five floors of rooms, there's plenty of creative energy surging through the place. Since Canteen has opened there has been a shift in emphasis on the Croft. Leftbank seems to have suffered a little bit (probably owing to the fact that it doesn't have an outside terrace), and The Full Moon and Attic Bar has taken a severe nose-dive. I walked past the other day, and there was no-one in the Full Moon courtyard, even though it was sunny. Conversely, Canteen was brimming over with people. We Are The Nynes recently took full advantage of the ready-made audience on the Canteen terrace when it played a spontaneous gig on Turbo Island opposite. So many people flooded the area that traffic came to a standstill and the police were called. The Nynes were able to play a full set before order was returned to this regularly chaotic quarter. They are a class act, and I hope that the publicit5y has served them well.

Awesome locale. Delish (cheap!) food, friendly bar staff and proper ales. The place gets pretty crazy on Saturday night as it transitions to a live music / dance venue, but it's all in good fun. Just don't expect to have much conversation after 10pm! The menu rotates daily, with mains costing between £6-10. I had mussels with chorizo that were fantastic. Plus, all meals include soup and bread. Menu Super Bonus: You can get a bowl of jelly beans with your pint!

Great vibe, great crowd, really captures the essence of what Bristol is all about. I've been to the canteen every time I go to Bristol, either playing with bands or just somewhere to start a night out. Always full of happy faces and the food is great too! Staff are cool and smiley :-) Gets a but stuffy when it's full but that's like any other venue really. Also the sound when playing has never been great but I guess that isn't really a problem with the venue itself. All in all, a great place!

Just outside of Bristol's central business district (that's a GCSE Geography term, it just means the area in the middle of the city with all the shops and offices) you will find Stokes Croft. It is a bit of a desolate pace, where residential housing has stopped but department stores and offices haven't started. With abandoned buildings and lots of traffic, it is a brave person that puts a large bar here. This is what has been done though, and with considerable success. The Canteen, housed in an old office block, describes itself as a music venue, bar and restaurant. On entry there's a warning sign saying that you are entering a building site. It certainly looks like one, although I can't help thinking that this is a bit of a gimmick. This sort of try-too-hard pretentiousness is the only downside of The Canteen, however. Bar staff zoom around and are chirpy and quick to serve. When I went, the music was excellent - relaxed hip hop by a local group which fitted with the vibe of the place. The food is good as well, with an emphasis placed on organic and vegetarian cooking. With that said, I wouldn't recommend coming here for dinner - it gets too rowdy in the evening for a meal. This effort to bring something vibrant to a rather grey corner of Bristol is a success. The Canteen is well run, exciting and trendy without being oppressive. I hope it is the precursor of further similar regeneration in Stokes Croft.

I went here on Sunday night and wasn't quite sure what to make of the place. It's basically like a mini-Tobacco Factory housed in the massive squat building in Stokes Croft next to the 'Mild, Mild West' Banksy. I went along as my friend was doing a gig there, though it's not a great place to hear live music (he said he'd never play there again). Basically, it's big and echoey, so lacking in intimacy with most of the punters ignoring the music. It also all seemed a bit trustafarian to me (the idea of middle class people trying to be edgy by sitting in a swanky bar set in an old squat). The pumpkin curry (see what I mean?!) was tasty, though, and very good value at a fiver, so maybe this is a better daytime venue. I may have to go back again before I completely make my mind up.

I originally went here as there was a band on that I wanted to see, but I had to search to find where "the canteen" was! However once I found it I was very pleased I did, it was a great little gig venue, excellent good value food and a good selection of local beers. I've since been many time for food or just as a good venue to go with friends. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed. Toilets are a bit minky, though.

Otherwise known as Hamilton House, the canteen is a new community orientated venture on stokes croft. And it's a very good idea. Giving Stokes Croft a much needed new lease of life, the canteen offers cheap food, a swanky looking bar selling ales, spirits, and all the peripheries of mainstream drinking you can ask for, and a stage for live music. The premises used to be a squat, but last year the owners of the building gave a chance to a group of entrepreneurial young types to turn the buildings' fate around, so this is the story so far. They have big plans - they've started using the rest of the building as meeting/conference rooms, and Bristol Music Foundation are planning to be based there, with a few music studios/rehearsal rooms at the back, along with other creative plans. It's an absolute boost for the local area, and this spot of stokes croft is definitely on the up as a result - especially with Mr Wolf's recent purchase of the Junction just down the road. The canteen is a good new bar, and the place to be seen in Bristol.

Over the last few years Stokes Croft has seen a very pleasant emergence of cool, colourful and downright delicious eateries. The old crowd of Turbo Island hangouts are moving out and making way for a very exciting artistic movement. The Canteen @ Hamilton House is the latest in the series and quite possibly, the front runner. Nestled amongst Banksy - esque street art and a wall of interesting books, antique sofas and a grand piano open onto an inviting restaurant, coffee shop, art space. Students, families and business meetings jostle for tables in this warm, friendly atmosphere. Live music (almost!) every night, a long colourful bar and a superb kitchen sourcing local ingredients and bashing out incredible meals for a fiver - this place is onto something very good indeed.

Great arts, live music space. You can also get food and there is a full bar. Beers looked crafty, lots of spirit choices. The space really is like a canteen but with a lot more atmosphere and vibe. And the things that you can eat are a thousand times better. The are lots of large tables and a fair few smaller ones too, a couch area and the front has lot of casual outdoor seating. Food wise, it's another great 'support local', ever changing depending on whats in season type menu. Vegetarians and vegans are very much looked after and there is a huge amount of colour all through the menu because of all the great veggies used. Even the meat dishes sound really wholesome but satisfying. There are also fries. There is wifi and a couple of power points scattered around so if you're there during the day to work it's quite a nice environment. Staff are happy, high energied which is infectious.

Once the hang-out of choice for Stokes Croft's considerable homeless population, Hamilton House has been recently redeveloped into the latest and (arguably) greatest addition to Bristol nightlife. On Friday and Saturday nights queues down the block are almost inevitable beyond a certain time, as The Canteen fills up with bohemian types in search of good music, cheap drinks and a laid-back atmosphere. There's also cheap eats on offer, with a regularly changing menu. Food runs out quickly and by the end of the night usually only a few dishes remain on offer. For the price, the meals are fine, if nothing special, and all are preceded by a complimentary (and occasionally dubious) soup. More than anything really this is a great place to get a drink, watch a concert (the weekly programme is chalked up on a blackboard) or soak up the distinctive atmosphere.

This place gives me very mixed feelings. One one hand, I do like it alot, and it is quite a good place to bring mates that are visiting Bristol, or just to hang out every other weekend with a good pint. However, I feel it has gained popularity rather too fast, and attracts quite a strange, mixed crowd. Don't get me wrong, a mixed crowd with lots of different types of people is a good thing, but there is something I can't quite put my finger on about it all. I cannot fault anything about the food served here though, as it really is good good food. The menu is constantly changing, and only costs from £5 to £7, and that includes a starter of soup and homemade bread - small in portion, but always very tasty. I had an octopus stew with quinoa and potatoes 2 weeks ago which was yummy, and great to see something different on a restaurant's menu. I personally think they do fish dishes really well, my butter steamed plaice with capers melted in my mouth and I was served the entire fish on the bone, which I really enjoyed! Teas, coffees and cakes here are served all day and night. The Canteen is busy from when it opens till closing. People come here to have breakfast, study, use the Wifi, listen to live music, grab a drink, have a dance - it's an all in one place for good times. The live music is a good draw for me. Music? Live? Free? Super. I would want to warn you though, if you carry handbags, to cling on to them tight as you can as I recently got my whole bag stolen here, which is quite a sad incident. Despite the masses of art and cool things going on in and around this whole building, The Canteen itself somewhat lacks depth, and can come off seeming like a facade and abit of a show.. but come check it out yourself (if you haven't yet) for the yummy food, and overall, it's still a nice place to hang out.

Wow, what a place this is. My Mother used to work in the building where the Canteen is located, and as a general rule, I tend to avoid anything and anywhere that my Mother tells me about. However, my Californian girlfriend had heard about the Canteen and insisted on going there. Firstly though, it's in the extremely Bohemian part of Bristol called Stoke's Croft (google/wiki it). Just walking around that area is a fix in itself. Banksy even has some stuff there. As well as the restaurant, there'd music every night, and noticeboards full of interesting adverts. It's only a matter of a few hundred yards to Bristol City Centre.

Lets start with the positives: one star for the nice healthy food and another star for the Barstaff, lovely....... and thats it..... Booze selection isnt the best and a little pricey for a place that looks like its been furnished by taking one item from every charity shop in bristol. Encapsulates all that i hate about the new regeneration of stokes croft, its not the area, or the venues, its the people. its always full of trust fund hippycrites who dress down to try and be cool & studenty hipster types that replace personality with a well trimmed beard. I just feel out of place for just being myself. Last time i went in there was the worlds worse band, talking anti war messages over poorly played punk. Was like a badly acted cliche. This place tries waaaaay to hard to be different and 'cool' and for that reason when im in the area, il choose the full moon every time !!!

The sort of place that can have the effect of making you feel not quite "cool" enough for it until you've become a regular, The (prosaically named) Canteen is a big, sprawling bar, restaurant and live music and arts venue that is quickly becoming the social nexus of Stokes Croft. If you like to hang out in a community atmosphere where everyone knows someone and you spend just as much time shaking hands with new people as you do talking to the people you came with, this place is definitely for you. Gazing down over The Canteen, as though dousing the place with his approval, is Banksy, via his "Mild Mild West" piece. And The Canteen is certainly a good advert for the mild community spirit of Stokes Croft and North Bristol. Come here to just soak up the friendly, warm atmosphere, hear some live music, eat good food and drink some cider. There is loads of space and seating outside on the street level and you feel quite contained from the busy road, thankfully, as it's raised up a few steps and shielded by a fence.

I had often walked passed this place on my way into town and had always wondered why it was so busy, so a few months ago I popped in for a quick drink on my way back from town. In essence this place doesn't have much to look at - it's a massive old building that looks kind of like a tacky college and it looks very run down. However, this place is a real hive of activity with a great buzzing atmosphere every day of the week (whether it's a weekday lunch time or evening). The Canteen does resemble a canteen, so I guess this is where the name came from, and it consists of the bottom floor of the building where there's a long bar inside with both indoor and outdoor (basic) seating. Prices are fairly reasonable, and the atmosphere really can't be beaten - it's also always open really late and they often have live music nights here. I would say the most attractive thing about the place is it's community feel, it's atmosphere and the large outdoor seating area - which is always bustling in the summer months. You need to check this place out to believe it!

Stokes Croft is predominantly known for its independent and artistic stance, which is mirrored by grafitti art, and the individualistic bars, namely The Canteen. Mention The Canteen to most Bristolians, and you will receive warm notes of appreciation - and there is a reason why. The Canteen anaesthetically appears average, if not somewhat large in size, but attracts a wide spectrum of drinkers, eaters and music lovers alike. The Canteen has a spectacular dedication to providing interesting, unique and worldly music, and does so on a daily basis, proving it to be one of the best underground venues Bristol has to offer. So exactly why is this well-loved, and well-rounded, music venue named The Canteen? It is quite simple. The Canteen offers superb quality, homemade and seasonal dishes for those who want a light snack or a hearty meal, and is easily one of the most popular places along Stokes Croft and Gloucester Road. The interior design of The Canteen is very simplistic, with a view to hold the greatest capacity for the space due to its high demand and popularity. Interesting artefacts can be found in a seating area in one corner, where there is a piano and some interesting books for intellects and those with curiousity. A generous seated area is provided for comfort of those smoking, and is an ideal spot for the summer-lovers to enjoy weather and watching the world go by. The Canteen is an ideal place for anyone wanting to go out on an average expenditure budget and to enjoy the homely vibe of great musical entertainment, food on offer with a long bar to select the most crisp pint of cider to quench your thirst for something really alternative.

Has a really lovely, friendly atmosphere and the staff are really nice. The decor inside is great to look at - really artistic/creative. Day and night it's family friendly and a nice place to relax and have a few drinks! The food's great which is nicely priced as well (had beetroot soup and a cauliflower cheese bake once which was really yummy!) First night I went was my 18th and they had a really great reggae/ska band playing (called the Resonators) for free! They have access for wheelchairs and bike lock facilities right in front of the decking which is great. Only thing I can think of that could be a bit better is if the dance space was a bit bigger but apart from that it's a great place, one of my favourite bars in Bristol!

A limited menu but always delicious home cooked food and incredible value. Tables fill and food sells out reducing choice further so get in early. Fine ales and plenty of live music -great. It's not everyone's taste though...

Awful experience, we booked a table for dinner at 19:00 on Saturday. About 5 minutes after we sit down a group of performers come through the room playing on drums and other instruments, so LOUDLY it was painful to be in the same room. People were getting up and leaving, parents were taking there children outside. It was physically hurting my ears, so i can only imagine how the children felt. Im not against this kind of performance at say - 21:00 onwards, but when half the room is sat down eating, you don't want drums being played 2 metres away from you at festival level volume. This carried on for about 30-40 minutes, we were unable to even hear the person next to us let alone have a casual conversation in our group. When the food arrived one of our dishes had a hair in it, the fish was part burnt; what was left was greasy and the mushrooms in the curry were slimy... I've easily paid less for far better food. I've been to the canteen alot in the past but this was the first time in a while and i think it was the final nail in the coffin. I will not be returning and will not be recommending the Canteen for eating in.

Ah, the Canteen. The place where up is down and left is right. I remember when this place used to throw parties upstairs and you could inject ethanol into your eyeballs and do the boogie woogie until the night grew old. Nowadays their approach is a little more relaxed and they don't serve the 2CB lattes I was so fond of. Never mind. They do a fine menu although I was a little disappointed to find out the meat was organic. If your friends (I'm joking, I'm joking) call you Ale Winton, then this could certainly be up your meticulously swept alley. If on the other hand, you lost all your friends to an addiction to Bee Stings, why not drink 15 more? They even cater to students and complete losers with their draught Carling. The crowd? A real mixed bunch of jobless drinkers, work-shy alcoholics and unemployed booze hounds. I think I even spotted a genuine stoner. The toilets have all these strange squiggles and letters that people have drawn all over the place. I found myself captivated by some of them for hours. The world is moving too fast for me.

Chilled out and home-made. Chilled out atmosphere with music that doesn't drown out conversations, with home-made and very good value food and wine. We had a tarka dhaal, cuttlefish, queen of puddings and you get a soup & bread with every main course!

I have visited the Canteen a number of times over the years and I always enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and fun live music they have playing for free every night of the week! I had never tried the food before but my work booked a table for our Christmas party and I was really looking forward to trying it out. I had always heard good things about their food, that it was seasonal, rustic, good portion sizes and tasty, and I wasn't disappointed. We had meat and vegetarian sharing platters for the starter and they were great, accompanied by some good quality bread, the ham hock and cranberry terrine was a particular high point. The way they had organised their Christmas menu this year was to design it as a communal banquet, essentially this meant that there we a number of different meat choices which would be served to the table as a whole joint, with a minimum of 10 people sharing. As there were only 7 of us eating, and 3 vegetarians in the group, this left us at a bit of a disadvantage choice wise, so we all ended up choosing the vegetarian option, Puy lentil, apricot and pumpkin wellington, as we thought that was the only option we could really go for. We ended up being served individual portions of these anyway - rather than sharing it banquet style. I think that the idea of a communal banquet is really nice, but it did mean we didn't have any choice and couldn't have any of the meat options. However, the food was enjoyable and all the extra veg was delicious and well cooked. We were totally stuffed, with no room for dessert so £17.50 for two courses was a good price. I would happily go back again and sample some things from the daily menu! As it got a bit later they had a great live band on and we all stayed till the early hours enjoying the music and great drink selection!

I have been here on a number of nights, always a good crowd and mixture of music. Great staff and nice out side area even if it is close to the road :)

I have been in the canteen many times for drinks but never eaten in there. I went for lunch with some work colleagues and it was really good. All main meals come with free soup and bread to start which I think is a lovely touch, the soup was cauliflower and cumin and it was really yummy. I then had a smoked mackerel bruschetta, it was very tasty and there was plenty of it, the food all came out really quickly, the staff were very pleasant and efficient and for £6.50 it was a real bargain. I've always loved the relaxed atmosphere in this place and I will definitely be back for lunch again!

I come here with a friend of mine to work from once a week or so. Absolutely perfect atmosphere for it and always happy spending Lunch and Dinner here all day! Hot drinks are great and good selection of local beers. One issue we do have is that the menu is very very vegan and for us meat eaters we are always left a little empty. There are some rather strange choices available a lot of the time but will suit the quirkier customer! Very happy to continue coming back here weekly though! Thanks guys

The Canteen has been around for a couple of months now - I live literally a stone's throw away from it. I thought it was initially a little bit too swanky for the area - attempts to gentrify Stokes Croft should be resisted at all costs - but have since changed my mind. I was there on the first night, where posters outside simply said "Find out what's going on here", or something similar. My interest was piqued and I've been back many times since. The vibe has been kept very laid-back, with plenty of tables and chairs both inside and out for either small or large groups, plus there are newspapers to read, candles at night and some live music happening on the cosy stage - note that the PA is tiny, so you're only really going to get acoustic acts and the occasional DJ playing here. The drinks are fairly pricey considering that it's Stokes Croft - for example, a pint of Organic Larger is £3.30 - but they have a good range of beers, ciders and wines. However, the best thing about The Canteen is the food. Every time I've been there, there's been a completely new menu, with plenty of great vegetarian options among the free-range meat dishes. Prices range from £5 to £7 per meal and every dish comes with a free bowl of soup as a starter. Service is very prompt and friendly, so I cannot recommend eating at The Canteen enough. Upstairs, there are many studios for musicians and artists with cheap rents. I haven't been up there to have a look around yet, but I've heard from fellow artists that it's a fantastic setup, which is great to see in the vibrant arts scene in Stokes Croft. In short, The Canteen is well worth a visit. If you're anything like me, you'll keep coming back.

Love love love this place. Busy on a Tuesday!! About time Bristol had a buzzy sexy atmospheric place and in Stokes Croft too. And yes it does have an eclectic mix of people but I quite liked that. And to protest against another reviewer writing about 'middle class people trying to be cool by drinking in a squat?' What!!! We all don't like drinking in Clifton - If you put a bar next to Cotham then we shall come! It's worth risking me neck in high heels traipsing down Ninetree hill. Definitely worth it x

Eat Elsewhere!!! Went to the Canteen yesterday- Great Beers & Sad Food. My girlfriend ordered the "Cheese Platter" which when delivered consisted of literally a few stringy morsels of cheese and a thimble of chutney! £6 is massively overpriced for something so small. My friend ordered the "Spicy Carrot Soup" and you can imagine her surprise upon finding a button embedded within the bread! Not an extra anyone would want! Sage words of advice would be to go the burger bar over the road and fill up there. It won't be hideously overpriced nor will it contain someone's clothing.