Our favourite branch (the in-store café at indie record shop Rise) of Bristol mini-chain Friska is rammed at lunch, making breakfast the preferred time of day to sink into one of its coveted booths, watch the Queen’s Road go by and sample their locally admired wares.
There’s plenty to choose from: porridge, yoghurt, doorstep bacon toasties on Hobbs House bread and eggs five ways served in their trademark brown cardboard boxes.
Early morning caffeine fixes are catered to perfection by Clifton Coffee, while a roaring lunchtime trade churns out delicious Vietnamese pho, soups and curry/chilli hot boxes, along with a selection of sandwiches and wraps.
The feel-good vibe extends beyond the food here with a refreshingly committed approach to social and ethical responsibility. Friska won the 2014 Best Ethical Restaurant title in the Observer Food Monthly Awards, maintains a zero-landfill waste policy and strives to be a model employer. A post-brunch browse round Rise’s brilliant selection of music, cult fiction and indie mags is non-negotiable.