By Emma Bayley-Melendez, Deputy Food Editor
Situated in Clifton Arcade, the 25 year old Primrose Café should be on any Bristol food lovers checklist. With such homely decorations and many nooks and crannies to sit in, Primrose is truly the perfect place for a cosy coffee and cake or a hearty Sunday brunch to soak up the day. The quality of the food here is truly undeniable as is the service and with breakfast being served till 3:30pm it offers the perfect incentive for hungover students to indulge in comfort food following a night out on the Triangle.
The quality of the food here is truly undeniable.
Being located in the heart of Clifton Village you can expect the cafe to be filled with local residents and students alike. This is the perfect balance for me as I often feel like I can get quite stuck in the 'uni bubble'. Primrose Café really is the perfect escape especially if you have gaps between lectures and seminars. Having a few hours spare is obviously perfect for getting some extra work in but taking time away from study to catch-up with friends or even just have some time alone is also necessary.
Primrose Café really is the perfect escape especially if you have gaps between lectures and seminars.
Coffee and cake is always going to be a classic cafe duo but where Primrose Café excels is in their breakfast/brunch options. They have a great variety of options and in particular have many vegan options which is perfect for a city such as Bristol. On the occasion that I visited I enjoyed their Vegan Monty which takes all the classic elements of a full english breakfast with some delicious vegan twists. My favourite items included in this breakfast were the: crispy nut rissoles, aubergine bacon and hashbrowns!
They have a great variety of options and in particular have many vegan options which is perfect for a city such as Bristol.
The crispy nut rissoles were an unexpected surprise as I haven't tried something like that in the past but I loved the contrasting textures: the crunch from the coating combined with the densely packed nutty flavours I got when I bit into the middle. The rissoles with the hashbrowns and bagel was the perfect comforting combo. Equally delightful was the aubergine bacon! I know so many places that use branded items when making vegan food and whilst I'm not against this I love to see cafes getting creative when turning meat options into vegan alternatives.
Supporting independent businesses is really important to me and often when you visit independent places you can expect to see higher prices but with Primrose Café I don't think this is the case. Priced at £9.45 I believe the Vegan Monty to be a reasonably priced breakfast. At Primrose Café the ingredients are excellent quality, portions are excellent and service is fast and friendly.
So, the next time you have some space between studies do consider popping into Clifton Village for a break from the rush of university life and enjoy what Primrose Café has to offer.
Photos courtesy of Emma Bayley-Melendez
