Lunching at Tradewind Espresso

Bristol isn't short of coffee venues, that's for sure and Whiteladies definitely has it's fair share. In the Autumn of last year Tradewind Espresso joined the ranks. A neat little cafe opposite the Kitchen's shop. Jo and I met for lunch one Friday to try out their food offerings. Priding themselves on seasonal menus of cafe classics with as much locally sourced produce as possible, Tradewind make all their own cakes, chutneys and even nut milks.

I decided to try out their Buddha Bowl, a roasted pumpkin and grain salad, with the optional poached egg and a date and walnut aioli dressing. Jo decided to opt for their Full Easterly, a full English breakfast. We sipped at green teas whilst taking in the decor. It's simple and the cushions and natural light make for a relaxed atmosphere. We weren't waiting too long before our food arrived.

Buddha bowl

Full Easterly

My bowl of goodness looked beautiful and Jo passed on her mushroom to me to add to my salad. The dressing was gorgeous really flavoursome. The egg was runny and went well with the quinoa. The only downside was that some of the leaves used in the salad were a touch too bitter for my personal tastes. And for £8.50 I did think it was a bit steep price wise. Likewise the breakfast was £9.50 which for a breakfast is above what the expected rate is. We decided to take in some of their home made cakes to finish off our visit so I had the apple one and Jo picked a brownie.

raspberry brownie

The cakes were perfect. I rarely find a decent apple cake and this one hit the mark. I hope this is one that's in their regular selection during the Winter. The brownie was gooey but the raspberries added the necessary tartness, both were devoured swiftly. Tradewind offers some great quality food and flavours, worth a visit perhaps more of a weekend treat than an every day lunch venue just because of the price. To find out more about Tradewind check out their website.

Sunday Brunch at Brew

I have found my new favourite brunch, and it's at Brew Coffee Co. on Whiteladies road. I had been tipped off by Beth the previous day and so Kym and I wasted no time in meeting up for a Sunday brunch there. This site has always been a coffee place for as long as I can remember but it's latest incarnation as Brew is the first time I have been tempted along to try. It was fairly busy, but it is quite a small venue, the menu consists of a variety of things on sourdough or bagels, with vegan options also. You can also order porridge or yoghurt with many toppings.

Our eyes immediately honed in on the Brewfast (£7) which is smoked bacon, poached eggs, avocado on sourdough topped with tomato relish. I was starving. So two orders of the above were made along with two pots of English breakfast tea.

Aren't you just salivating looking at that? It was as good as it looks, the crown jewel being that tomato relish, sharp and sweet in equal measure it really gave the avocado an extra zing. The sourdough toast was plentiful and delicious and the poached eggs runny but not watery. Basically my perfect breakfast.  Kym and I wolfed down this plate with whoops and ahhs. In short, looking for a new place to wallow away a morning, go to Brew.  For a bit more information check out their website.