Russell Norman and business partner Richard Beatty will open POLPO Bristol at 50 Whiteladies Road in August 2016.
POLPO is modelled on the scruffy wine bars of Venice and feels urban, rustic and stripped back. The interiors feature a reclaimed timber floor, rusted tin ceiling and a huge skylight that floods the restaurant with light. POLPO’s trademark deep red leather banquettes line the walls alongside old chemistry lab tables, classic bentwood chairs and antique maps of Venice.
“I often wonder how differently my life would have turned out had I got into Bristol University in 1985. Instead, I flunked A Level French and ended up at Sunderland Polytechnic. Bristol still holds a magic and a fascination for me. It is a wonderful city full of beauty, culture, and charm, and we are extremely lucky to have found a site for POLPO on Whiteladies Road. We can’t wait to open our doors this summer and welcome fans of good food, good wine, Venetian spritz and old-school hospitality,” says Russell Norman.
Following on from the traditions of its sister restaurants, POLPO Bristol is a bacaro. This is a Venetian word to describe a humble restaurant serving simple food, and good, young northern Italian wines. Open all day, signatures on the menu are cicheti such as fried stuffed olives; arancini; and chopped chicken liver crostini. Small plates include fritto misto; pizzetta bianca; spicy pork and fennel meatballs; and sliced flank steak while the dessert list features affogato al caffe; gelato cone; flourless chocolate and hazelnut cake; and Tiramisu pot.
POLPO will open its doors earlier on weekends for brunch, offering dishes such as poached eggs & scafata (a Spring dish from Umbria); brunch pizzetta with Italian sausage, wild mushroom, Parmesan & a soft egg; and ‘frittole’, sweet Ricotta doughnuts rolled in cinnamon sugar.
POLPO would not be complete without a spritz, and served with both Aperol and Campari, alongside Negronis and Bellinis. The exclusively Italian wine list begins with POLPO’s own label Garganega, Corvina and Prosecco.
For more information click here