Emma Pizza perfection at Bocabar Bristol?
After a full day of exploration, Bocabar was the ideal location for dinner as it is within the Finzels Reach complex and very near to Cleyro Apartments, where we were staying, meaning that it was only a short 2-minute walk to get back to our accommodation in Bristol.
As you approach you’ll see that it’s in the same building as Channel 4. In addition to indoor dining, there’s a large outdoor area with tables that is partially covered. It was a pleasant night when we visited so the terrace was busy and we chose to sit just inside at the window, from where we got a good view of both inside and out.
The interior is quite a large space with bare brick walls, lots of with wood, cosy lighting, and a mix of seating, from comfortable leather couches to high tables. It felt relaxed and friendly, like the kind of catch-all place where you could grab dinner with friends, meet the family for a special occasion or have a cosy date night – in fact, we saw all of that happening here.
One side of the building had a bit of a portrait gallery going on, while the music in the background carried enough bass without being too loud. Initial impressions were good as we settled down to peruse the menu.
Menus
Pizza is the main draw but if you don’t want that they also have things like chicken wings, panko prawns, sweetcorn and daily specials.
We discovered that Bocabar started as a pizzeria 20 years ago, and this is now their third location, with each move they got closer to the city centre so are now perfectly situated for city dwellers, commuters and tourists alike. Their pizzas are made from a hybrid sourdough made daily. All pizzas are 13″ and thin and crispy Roman / New York style, the choice is quite large and varied with a number of the names suggesting a love for Brazilian football. Vegan cheese and gluten-free bases are also available.
They do a pizza and pint deal for £15 on Mondays and Tuesdays between 5-8 pm and two spritz cocktails for £12 on Fridays and Saturdays between 4-6 pm and 8-10 pm.
What we ate and drank
It was a hot day so what better way to sort out a thirst than with a fresh apple juice soda, we were embracing the Somerset lifestyle after all and Iford apple juice soda isn’t something you find in Glasgow. They had a selection of craft beers on draught and in bottle so Mark had a pint of Pitt Stop from Hop Union, a local Bristol-based brewery, which had a pleasant peachy aroma and taste.
We ordered some fried pickles to nibble. Look at the size of these crispy fellows! Crunchy gherkins with crisp batter and a lush dill mayo, yummy.
We wanted to try what they do best and so onto the pizzas…
While the man picked AMAZONIA – tomato sauce, mozzarella, artichoke hearts, capers, roasted mixed peppers, spinach, Kalamata olives, and basil. Another well topped pizza that was a filling and colourful with fresh ingredients and savoury, briny flavours.
As we’d been out exploring Bristol earlier we’d built up an appetite so we had room for pudding – well, some ice cream to share. We couldn’t resist the unusual flavours on offer which were: tiramisu; ginger, maple and miso; and mango and lime. Very good they were too so it meant we finished our meal on a sweet spot but didn’t have to be up all night with indigestion!
We finished our meal satiated and retied to our beds, just a short walk away, in fact it’s just through a doorway in the building opposite.
Overall Verdict
Bocabar is a vibrant social hub with a diverse pizza menu and varied drinks selection. Both of our pizzas had ample fresh toppings, plenty of cheese, were well-cooked, and delivered promptly, and we loved the battered pickles too.
We really enjoyed our visit to Bocabar with its lively urban boho-chic atmosphere, and friendly service. Everything is on the ground floor with step-free access so is disabled-friendly.
Toilets were clean and well-maintained on our visit. Dogs are welcome in the covered outdoor seating area. We would certainly eat here again when we return to Bristol.
Book a table at Bocabar
Click here to book a table directly with Bocabar
Where
Bocabar, Fermentation, 1 Hawkins Lane, Finzel’s Reach, Bristol BS1 6JQ
