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Breaking news

January 2023: what was Bristol’s top culinary destination as Casamia has been relaunched by the Sanchez-Iglesias family as a relaxed, accessible setting with a more affordable menu. See Casa.

survey result

Summary

£203
£££££
4
Very Good
3
Good
2
Average
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

Chef Zak Hitchman has taken over the culinary reins from founder Peter Sanchez-Iglesias at Bristol’s brightest foodie star. And his ‘Casamia 2.0’ – the new, August 2020 iteration of this famous property (sometimes cited, including by us, as the UK’s best) – receives a mixed reception from reporters. Covers are down from 32 to 18, street art and bespoke projections enliven the walls and there’s a new sound system – making it “a joyous temple to food and inventiveness, with a fun club-like atmosphere” to those who vibe with its funky new guise. The quality of the cuisine is not in doubt. “The menu is brevity itself, giving no clue as to the clever interaction of the main listed ingredient and its supporting cast. And what is so impressive is not just the combinations of ingredients, producing visually attractive and novel taste experiences, but also the way dishes that have had similar predecessors are brought up to new, even more striking levels by the clever intensification of various elements.” But even some big fans note that “it’s a fine line between religion and cult, and the slightly messianic service perhaps comes down on the wrong side”. In some cases, the approach seems to verge on the confrontational (“we were told not to return if we do not like the music blasting away…”; “they did not allow for our dietary concerns, and if we couldn’t eat a course told us to skip it – a draconian and arrogant disregard for hospitality”). And then there’s the pricing which seems “hiked” and ever-more “greedy”. Even one or two rating the food “outstanding” say that as a result they “won’t be going back”. “Pity, because the food is just so enjoyably inventive and the atmosphere so unlike any of the other food temples in the UK.”

Summary

£149
£££££
5
Exceptional
5
Exceptional
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“WOW!”“every mouthful is wonderful and foodgasmic” at the Sanchez-Iglesias family’s “sensational” HQ: a “flawless experience” that has regularly won a place at the top of our list of the UK’s top 100 restaurants. It marries a “stunning, stone-walled venue” on the ground floor of the city-centre’s former General Hospital with “sublime” dishes from a twelve-course tasting menu, with the option of “perfectly matched wine flights”. Getting a reservation is no mean feat though: availability is released on the first Tuesday of each month at noon (UK time) for the period four months in advance! And even fans “dislike being required to pay (non-refundable) in advance at the time of booking”.

For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).

Have you eaten at Casamia?

Delivery, Take out & Mail order

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The General, Lower Guinea St, Bristol, BS1 6FU

Restaurant details

Entertainments,Menu
No dress code
18
12

Prices

Traditional European menu

Starter Main Pudding
£10.00 £30.00 £8.00
Drinks  
Wine per bottle £30.00
Filter Coffee £3.50
Extras  
Service 10.00%
The General, Lower Guinea St, Bristol, BS1 6FU
Opening hours
MondayCLOSED
TuesdayCLOSED
Wednesday5 pm‑11 pm
Thursday5 pm‑11 pm
Friday12 pm‑3 pm, 5 pm‑11 pm
Saturday12 pm‑3 pm, 5 pm‑11 pm
SundayCLOSED

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