Finding a table in Weston-super-Mare’s restaurants seems to have become more difficult, as more Westonians head into town to tuck in to the delicious food on offer. A new batch of top-quality restaurants, a thriving community of foodies and more big-name eateries heading to town have propelled Weston into the midst of a restaurant revolution. Reporter SAM FROST assesses what is cooking.
Weston is fast becoming a hub for great restaurants. The town is home to two food festivals, each now held twice a year, and boasts an ever-growing list of excellent eateries.
I like food – a lot – and while the latest additions to the town’s restaurant sector may be bad news for my waistline, it is great that there are plenty of options on the menu when eating out in Weston.
Fresh offerings
A number of top-quality restaurants have set up shop in Weston of late, and the town has welcomed them with open arms.
Bistrot Pierre has brought delicious French-inspired food, picturesque views and an unmatched ambiance to the seafront, delighting diners who are lucky enough to secure one of its sought-after reservations.
Its pre-theatre menu, which offers two expertly-prepared courses for just £15, is just too good to pass up.
Just a short walk away is Brunello Lounge, which successfully marries a quirky aesthetic and funky furniture with tasty tapas and expertly-made cocktails.
The likes of Bare Grills and La Tapa Continental have also appeared in recent years, adding depth and quality to the growing list of restaurants in Weston.
What is next?
Weston will soon be home to dessert parlour chain Kaspa’s, provided North Somerset Council grants the firm planning permission to redevelop the old post office in Regent Street.
It will be home to mouth-watering mountains of ice cream, cake and other delicious sweet treats.
Weston will soon be welcoming its first Nando’s, too. OK, the chicken chain may not be as glamorous as some places on offer – but it will head a fresh batch of chains which will bolster the town’s collection of eateries when they open at the revamped Dolphin Square in August.
Alongside Nando’s will be Pizza Express, Italian food chain Prezzo, buffet restaurant Mimosa, and Brazilian eatery Preto.
And with the opening of Dolphin Square expected to generate increased footfall in the town centre, you can expect many more national chains to try to grab a slice of the pie and bring their offering to Weston.
Paul Batts, chairman of Weston Business Improvement District, believes the food offering at Dolphin Square will have a big impact on trade in the town centre.
He said: “We want people to engage locally and Dolphin Square will help that happen.
“Rather than going to Cribbs Causeway people will think ‘do I want to go up the M5 on a Friday afternoon?’ Instead people will go to Weston and grab a bite to eat, with some more well-known names there like Nando’s.
“I think chains are great and they’re improving Weston – but we also have some fantastic independent offerings in places like Orchard Meadows and Grove Village which need promoting.”
The stalwarts
It would be rude to forget some of the great independent restaurants in Weston which have been satisfying our taste buds for years, and keep getting better.
Demitris Taverna is a favourite for many, home to authentic Greek cuisine, and known for its fantastic atmosphere. Its owners opened a new restaurant in Oxford Street called Meze Mazi in March, which already boasts a five-star rating on Facebook.
Il Michelangelo in Marine Parade, too, has been a go-to place for a meal out for years now, thanks to delicious Italian classics and excellent service.
The Old Thatched Cottage, in Knightstone Road, is Weston’s oldest building and the long-established restaurant is home to award-winning Mediterranean-insipired food.
Duets, The Cove, Tarantella, and many others have also been churning out great meals for years, while a number of Indian restaurants in Orchard Street make that the go-to destination for spice lovers.
Foodie boom
Away from the formality of tables and cutlery, Weston is experiencing a foodie revolution on the streets.
The town is now home to two food festivals, Eat: Weston and Weston-super-Food Festival.
Both received thousands of visitors who sampled an extensive range of delicious street food and innovative artisan creations.
Do not just take my word for it, though; the brains behind Weston super Food Festival Sally Packer believes Weston has undergone – and is still undergoing – a restaurant renaissance.
She added: “There certainly does seem to be a bit of a food revolution going on in Weston at the moment.
“It’s so encouraging to see so many quality restaurants recently opening in the town – like La Tapa Continental and Bistrot Pierre – adding to our already-great line up of well established restaurants like The Cove, Duets, Michelangelo, Demetris, Yoji and more, and they all seem to be busy.
“I’d like to think that all the hard work we’ve done in establishing the Weston super Food Festival four years ago has had something to do with this food revolution and helped put Weston on the foodie map.
“More than 30,000 people attended our festival last year from all over the South West and beyond which we felt was an amazing achievement.
“We are applying for Heritage Lottery funding to tell the long-forgotten food stories of Weston, like the sprat fishing industry, which will add further interest to Weston as a foodie town.”
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