Where To Find The Best Street Food in Bristol

Bristol is a foodie’s dream, especially if you’re an aficionado of delicious snacks and indulgent meals served by friendly street shops. This city has a world-class street food scene. In just about every neighborhood, there are streets and town squares filled with stalls, food trucks, fish and chip joints, and restaurants serving up the best fried, jerked, grilled, and fresh bites you can find in the UK. 

Even better, there are dozens of markets all over the city where you can find amazing street food. There are pop-up markets along the waterfront, in the shopping quarter, trendy neighborhoods, and historic districts. You’ll find everything from pizza, Mexican street food, Japanese dumplings, iconic Caribbean chicken, and everything in between. 

In Bristol, street food has an elevated place in the city’s culture. It’s a social institution where friends gather around a food truck or walk through a farmer’s market together. Street food also fits into many different Bristol pastimes, including shopping, strolling along the waterfront, and taking in the historic sights. And you'll have a much easier time getting around if you leave your bags behind at a Bounce luggage storage in Bristol.

However you prefer to grab a casual bite from a street food stall, here are the best recommendations for street food in Bristol:

The Best Street Food Vendors in Bristol 

The Little Taquero Food Truck 

One might be forgiven for not associating Bristol with Central American cuisine, but the Little Taquero has been serving iconic Mexican cuisine out of their food truck for years. Having learned their craft in Mexico over the years, this team has perfected the art of the taco, and Bristol foodies certainly reap the benefits!

The best place to start with this menu has to be the ‘Al Pastor taco. This iconic handheld is a favorite in both Mexico and the US, and for good reason. Crispy pork belly combines with grilled pineapple to make distinctive flavors beloved throughout the world. 

These things can get a bit messy, but it’s beyond worth it. All of their ingredients are ethically sourced, free-range, and sustainable. Their team works with local producers for vegetables. They also import authentic seasonings and ingredients the right way. They prepare everything they can in-house, including their tortillas, which are made by hand (extremely important if you ask any taco nerds). 

While The Little Taquero team roams through Bristol’s many markets and popular streets, you can keep tabs on their whereabouts through social media and their website’s calendar. Either way, keep a look out for a bright orange truck surrounded by hungry and happy customers!

Murray May’s 

Some say Turkish food is the original street food, and it makes sense! Stroll through any and every major European city and you’ll find kebab stands and restaurants serving hungry customers a late-night (i.e. post-pub) or afternoon (i.e. pre-pub) snack. Murray May’s takes this tried-and-true street food tradition and bumps the flavors up a notch with their harissa-infused seasoning and perfectly charred chicken shish. 

Keep an eye out for their food truck (converted from a military ambulance) around town. You might not even need to look, because their charcoal mangal grill and spice blends will have mouthwatering aromas wafting through the markets or down the street. The best place to find them is the Harbourside Market, make sure to get there early because these kebabs are VERY popular with locals!

Wood Chop Pizza 

Pizza might not seem like obvious street food, and yet, Wood Chop Pizza churns out countless pies out of their food truck for hungry customers. It certainly has something to do with their Neapolitan-style baking method, where the pie goes into their wood-fired mobile oven at 450 degrees and bakes for just a few minutes. The result? A perfectly charred sourdough crust topped with the freshest Italian and local ingredients. Everything is made to order, and this pizza is rated some of Bristol’s best pizza, let alone “street pizza.”

The Wood Chop truck can be found at Harbourside Market near the Cascade Steps every Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. There will most certainly be a line when the truck opens, but it’s well worth it! The truck also makes appearances in Temple Quay Market outside The Knights Templar pub (near Temple Meads Train Station). If you are out and about at either Finzels Reach Market or Tobacco Factory Market, you can also find this mobile pizzeria slinging pies every week. 

High Steaks 

If you’re a carnivore in search of familiar and interesting flavors, the High Steaks team has some serious bites for you. With their flagship dish, Chimmi The Philly, they have married the distinctive Argentinian steak tradition with the Philly-cheesesteak institution to come up with some amazingly flavorful meaty handhelds. They grill the Chimichurri-marinated rib-eye steak on open flames, slice the meat thin, and serve it on a bun with intensely flavorful caramelized onions, melted Emmental Cheese, and their signature chimichurri sauce. The quality of the meat, the toastiness of the bun, and the incredible toppings all make this a must-try street food spot in Bristol. With such a delicious and indulgent snack, you’ll want to check out one of Bristol’s many local hiking trails to sweat out the chimichurri!

Jerk King (The Best Jerk Chicken Food Truck In The World) 

Armed with a compelling backstory of their family’s culinary heritage and an encyclopedic knowledge of Caribbean spices and cooking methods, Jerk King has become one of Britain’s most endearing success stories. Having first sprouted up as a pop-up restaurant in St.Paul’s Carnival, the owner and operator (or “Jerk King”) of this food truck has turned this food truck into a national brand. Caribbean Jerk Chicken has become a popular street food in the UK, owing to the prominent Jamaican immigrant community, and is now firmly entrenched in the national food culture. There are few dishes better suited to street food than Jerk chicken. It can easily be grilled outside, it’s handheld and easy to eat, and it is undeniably delicious. 

While the Jerk King has taken his food truck business national, they still owe their roots to Bristol, and they showcase their amazing flavors in town more than other markets. Keep an eye on their social media or check the calendar on the website to find out when the Jerk King makes their glorious return to markets like Harbourside or Temple Quay. It’s also impossible to miss, should you stumble upon their food truck’s loud Caribbean music, happy crowds, and unmissable aroma of grilled jerk chicken. 

Eatchu 

This charming little dumpling spot is located in St. Nick’s, which makes it a perfect place to stop for a quick snack while shopping in one of Bristol’s best retail destinations. Gyoza (famously delicious Japanese dumplings) are perfect street food because they’re portable, inexpensive, and are the right size. They’ll fill you up, but you won’t feel stuffed after eating a portion from Eatchu. So you won’t have to worry about ruining dinner! 

With the sounds of sizzling gyoza dumplings, amazing scents of umami and soy, and the line of eager customers, Eatchu is hard to miss! There are dozens of flavor and filling combinations, but some of the most popular flavors are spicy rayu and shibori. Keep an eye out for this Asian pop up at one of the many amazing markets around Bristol!   

The Best Street Food Spots in Bristol 

St Nicholas Market

Known locally as St. Nick’s, this historic market is one of the most popular shopping destinations in Bristol City Centre. While many folks come for retail therapy, most stay for the incredible selection of street food shops. While the roster of vendors rotates regularly, mainstays include stalwart purveyors of Gyoza Eatchu, falafel emporium Eat a Pitta, and Pie-and-Mash-to-go from Pieminster. You’ll also find a variety of street food favorites like pitas, kebabs, curries, and even classic Italian dishes. The surrounding scenery and quaint architecture make for the perfect setting for an afternoon picnic! St. Nicholas Market is conveniently located near Bristol Coach Station and the Shopping Quarter. 

Harbourside Market 

No matter what you’re into, this is the place to be. Harbourside Market is a must-hit destination for street food, culture, music, and shopping. On any given Wednesday or Thursday, and every weekend, there are dozens of Bristol’s best street food vendors set up to serve the hungry masses of shoppers and locals looking for their favorite snack. Look at every list of the best street food vendors in Bristol, and they are all showing up at Harbourside Market once or twice a month. Even better, the market turns festive on certain weekends, with local breweries serving their beers, and DJs or live bands turning the Harbor into a mini-festival. It’s a can’t-miss destination for any local and every traveler. The crowds can be pretty big on Saturday afternoons, but the tacos, dumplings, cheesesteaks, or pizza are well worth the wait! 

Street Food Market - Wine Street 

Every Tuesday and Friday around lunchtime, Wine Street is transformed into a bustling street food carnival, with over a dozen stalls popping up to serve every type of handheld food you can imagine. The crowd skews towards workers taking a fun lunch break, but on Fridays, there is electric energy as locals and travelers start their weekend with a band by indulging in an incredible lunch or afternoon snack. 

Wine Street Food Market has a quality roster of regular stalls to choose from. DonDon serves Japanese donburi rice bowls with a variety of flavorful toppings. Enggi’s Kitchen brings Indonesian street food to Bristol with a wide array of vibrant flavors. Everything at Enggi’s is sourced from local producers, with the exception of authentic spices, which arrive from Indonesia to create the best possible flavors. Speaking of flavors, the father-daughter team from Niang’s Thai Snacks serves up organic and traditional Thai cuisine from an entirely vegetarian menu.

Momo Bar is an outstanding option if you can’t shake your craving for well-crafted Japanese and Tibetan flavors. If you’re looking for something sweet, Pippin Doughnuts serves up freshly-made delectables. Flavors range from fruity jam doughnuts and plain-jane glazed doughnuts to unusual specialty creations that will pique your curiosity. Pippin Doughnuts are widely regarded as some of the best in the UK, and the doughnut kings of Bristol. 

Temple Quay Food Markets 

Located in the heart of Bristol’s City Centre, this weekly street food market is held every Thursday afternoon from noon to 2 pm. Local restaurants, food trucks, producers, and street food vendors set up stalls every week to serve their wares at one of Bristol’s best locations. Being located across the ross from Bristol Temple Meads Rail Station, Radcliffe, and Old Market, the crowds understandably can accumulate, especially on weekdays. The roster rotates, as spots in the market are competitive for vendors, but you can expect a nice variety, from Thai curries, to Chinese dumplings, pizza, and there’s almost always a bakery serving freshly-baked sweet treats and bread. 

Tobacco Factory Market 

There are over 40 stalls at this Sunday market, including a variety of produce stands, street food vendors, handmade clothing, crafts, and art. The main focus of this trendy gathering has to be sustainability, fair-trade, and organic products. This ethos can be applied to everything from pastries, jewelry, coffee, kombucha, and produce. All of these vendors are local producers, restaurants, and food trucks. Some of the best vendors on this list regularly show up at Tobacco Factory Market! 

Finzels Reach Market 

Located in the heart of downtown Bristol, this weekly street food market is held every Wednesday and Friday from 11 am to 2 pm. Many of the patrons are local commuters looking for an exciting lunch, but plenty of foodies make Finzels Reach their go-to source for quality Bristol street food. Expect local restaurants and producers, and there are certainly high standards at Finzels Reach. This market is one of the most reliable places to find Bristol’s favorite wood-fired pizza, jerk chicken, Vietnamese street food, and more. The fact that you can find some of the city’s most delicious curries reflect this market’s quality. 

Conclusion

Whatever your taste in food is, Bristol has you covered. There is such a wide variety of cuisines reflected in the Bristol street food scene. What’s most impressive about street food in Bristol is the level of quality that can be expected from every neighborhood. With so many street food markets and pop ups, it’s no wonder every aspiring restauranteur is picking up an old vehicle and converting it to a food truck! However you plan on tracking down your next unforgettable street eat, let Bounce take care of the luggage!