Browns Bar & Brasserie - Bristol

The first Browns opened at Brighton in 1973 with one simple guiding belief, that classic food, well delivered in a stylish environment would be a recipe for success. The only thing that has changed since then is the number of Browns, now running at fourteen, of which six are in London, all prospering with the same theme.

Some of their buildings are particularly legendary in style, sometimes listed and always interesting. The premises at Bristol formerly served as the City's museum, art gallery and the University Dining Rooms, and are modelled on the Doge's Palace in Venice.

The main menu, available throughout the day, starts with appetisers, designed for sharing, with antipasti of Italian meat, vegetarian or seafood. Try the flatbreads with a range of interesting toppings.

In amongst the ten starters expect to find Belgium endive, pancetta, blue cheese and toasted pine nut salad or crab and avocado salad. The fish and pasta choices include chargrilled swordfish, angel pasta, and salmon and spring onion fishcakes.

The same theme of comfortable food, well-cooked and presented, continues throughout the mains course with Browns's steak, mushroom and Guinness pie well to the fore, a smoked bacon and Emmenthal cheese burger with chips, lamb cutlets with a Greek salad and very zesty hot chicken salad.

The chalkboard carries a list of the day's specials, but every day except Sunday is Browns's afternoon tea day, served from 2 - 5pm; and on Sundays it offers a choice of two roasts. It would be harder to find a dessert much more English than apple pie and custard, and vanilla cheesecake with strawberry coulis has a good appeal.

By the way their breakfast and brunch menu is just one of the best, and they do a very nifty pre-theatre menu - whether you are actually going there matters not.

The wine list is masterful and not over long, sometimes a great relief to those who find it difficulty to navigate their way through an interesting list. Many bottles are available by the glass, very few cross the £20 mark. Helpfully each group of wines is classified under headings such as 'elegant and crisp', or 'full and rounded'.

Browns at Bristol are well able to deal with groups, and have special menus to look after their particular interests. Click on their excellent Website for further details and menu changes.