Avenue Cafe

Someone from this business manages this listing.

283 reviews

#1 of 6 Quick Bites in Emersons Green££ - £££, Quick Bites, Cafe, British

+44 117 305 0505+ Add website

Hours

Mon

8:30 - 17:00

Tue

8:30 - 17:00

Wed

8:30 - 17:00

Thu

8:30 - 17:00

Fri

8:30 - 23:00

Sat

8:30 - 17:00

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Ratings and reviews

4.5

283 reviews

#1 of 6 Quick Bites in Emersons Green

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Food and ambience

Local cuisine, Quick Bites, Cafe, British, Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options

“The quantity of curry was reasonable; there was plenty of well cooked salmon...”

“Today I had the eggs florentine and all I can say is wow!”

“They also have a range of delicious cakes.”

“... looked fantastic, judging from the neighbouring table, as did the cakes.”

Location and contact

Emerson Way St. Luke's House, Emersons Green BS16 7AR England

+44 117 305 0505

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Is this restaurant good for local cuisine?

Yes

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About

Bristol's foremost family run cafe at the forefront of the regions cafe scene since 2000.

CUISINES

Cafe, British

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service

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4.5

283 reviews

Excellent

212

Very good

Average

Poor

Terrible

Ian H

Gloucestershire806 contributions

Amazing breakfast

Jan 2020 • couples

We came here this morning for breakfast. We wouldn't normally pay £8:50p for a large full English breakfast but were hungry and grateful for a spacious cafe and empty table. Quick service and the food was excellent and freshly cooked. The toast was fresh and great pot of tea. See you again soon

Written 16 January 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

costask144

HI Ian Thank you for your review of the cafe and for your kind comments. Regards Costas

Written 19 January 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Daisy J

4 contributions

Great Café

Mar 2020 • none

This Café has certainly earned its popularity and 5-Star reviews! There is a huge selection of delicious food and ingredients to suit all dietary needs, diets etc and the decor and atmosphere of the café is wonderful. It often gets busy there but it never feels like you are being rushed to finish and leave. All of the staff are very friendly and really look like they enjoy their jobs and Costas and Flora seem very approachable and good at what they do. The rewards system they have is also very generous, such as receiving a gift on your birthday. In conclusion, the atmosphere, food, drinks, staff and decor are all fantastic and I don’t think there is anything I would change! Thank you Avenue Café :)

Written 30 April 2020

costask144

Hello Daisy Thank you so much for your lovely comments and for taking the time to write this wonderful review. The cafe is much appreciated by our loyal followers and is very much part of the community. It has been great having such support after what has been a strange and difficult time for everyone. Hope to see you again soon. Regards Costas

Written 17 August 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

MikeyG53

Emersons Green5456 contributions

Is a hot and consistently cooked meal to be expected after a lengthy wait?

Sept 2021 • none

Unusually, in this mostly terrible summer of 2021, we had a fine, sunny and warm morning, so we we took a stroll to this great local café for brunch. My partner and one of her girlfriends had visited a couple of times in the last year, but I was shocked to see from an earlier TA review, that the last time I dined here, was in November 2019! On our way to this café I had considered what I would like to order for a light brunch meal. High on my mental list and, in fact ordered, was Eggs Benedict (with, as it turned out, 2 poached eggs with Hollandaise sauce, 2 rashers of back bacon, on a whole sliced muffin, and a garnish of broiled cherry tomatoes on the vine). My partner decided on the Small Full English Breakfast (a sausage, half a tomato, a bacon rasher, a fried egg, a moderate (but adequate) serving of baked beans, some mushrooms, and 2 slices of wholemeal toast). We each had a pot of tea, which yielded 2 full cups of tea per pot. We like strong tea and the single teabag didn’t quite ‘do it for us’. We have now resolved to carry extra teabags with us; having had the same issue during the last year in all but one café (that café being located in Burford). These meals were undoubtedly made from quality ingredients (with a splash of proper HP brown sauce) and the meals were much enjoyed by both of us. A special mention for my partner’s Full English breakfast which was pronounced as ‘very good’ (but perhaps with the sausage being a ‘bit plain’). My Eggs Benedict plate was very attractively served with some chive stalks. Sadly, my meal was slightly spoiled by lukewarm, but perfectly cooked, cherry tomatoes, and also because one of my poached eggs was notably overcooked (the other being perfectly runny). For me the eggs had obviously not been cooked together. As a result, whereas I still enjoyed my meal, it was sadly not worthy of top marks. I would also add, as a separate comment not reflecting on my rating, that my bacon was also overcooked. My preference is for lightly cooked back bacon (after all it is a cured meat), but I understand that I have to go with the flow when eating out. Service from waiting staff was pleasant and efficient, but we did have to wait quite a while for our meals to be cooked. There is signage at the ‘lobby area’ which does inform prospective diners that a wait is to be expected for food orders to be processed. We never mind waiting for good food; as such a wait suggests that each course is cooked to order. It is therefore inevitably a bit of a surprise, when it is served, to get anything less than piping hot and consistently cooked food on our plates.

Written 4 September 2021

Costas K

Hi Mikey Many thanks for your very thorough and detailed review of the cafe. I'm glad you enjoyed your breakfast and your visit in general. The first few months since reopening have been very challenging for most businesses and hospitality in particular. It's good when people see the signs and appreciate why there are sometimes delays, especially at busy times and after what has been a testing and challenging period. It's especially reinforcing to know that people are prepared to accept delays sometimes, when the quality of the food and service is backed up. It's only taken 21 years of refinement and always adapting and bettering one's offering. Many thanks once again. Kind regards Costas

Written 11 November 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

cennenypedr

749 contributions

Good food

Aug 2020 • none

Stopped for lunch. Was a bit wary as we haven't eaten out since lockdown. The sytem looked safe and we had a table outside. Not sure the point of the one way system as the waiting on staff did not go one way, just the customers and not all of them. Waitresses were wearing visors but they do need to show how to wear them as some wear them pulled down at the back resulting in the visor being at a 45 degree angle away fromm face which does not offer any protection. If visors are to be worn in this manner then mask must be worn as well. Other than the above, food was good and staff were friendly and happy to refill our milk when requested Still needs to do some work keeping staff and customers safe, but are trying

Written 29 August 2020

costask144

Hi Cennenypedr Thank you for taking the time to write your comments and leave a review. We’ve been open post lockdown since the 4th July having set the Café up to fully comply with government guidelines for hospitality businesses. We have been highly praised for the measures in place and for our continued high standards. More especially by those in a similar position to yourselves, who have chosen to visit us as their first outing since isolating. The level of sensitivity varies from person to person some people embracing their new found liberty and others needing more time to adjust to the new normal. We have extensive measures in place and yes sometimes not everyone adheres to all of them and we have to remind them. Many places are doing it well and others not so well, the same can be said of the corporate hospitality businesses and major supermarkets. Our staff know the layout of the cafe best and will use the safest and quickest route to deliver orders and clear tables ready for the next person. When followed correctly the one way system allows customers to flow through the cafe with minimal contact. Human nature will always prevail and some are better at following rules and guidelines than others. Some nine weeks from reopening and for the best part visors have been worn constantly and there are going to be times when it is uncomfortable especially towards the end of a long shift. Here we have to commend our NHS staff for wearing multi layers of PPE through long shifts and for many months now! It’s certainly not easy. I thank you for your last short sentence in particular and for the nice comments. I do feel that we have been ‘short changed’ with only three stars which is far from normal for us and our staff. It would also be nice for reviewers to understand a bit more about the economics and obstacles of running a business, what’s actually involved , especially when they may have no practical experience of running a business, which would help when structuring comments. Like many businesses we have done things the right way and very well, having worked hard to revive our business and thrive once again. For many just to hold onto their business, during a time which has been exceptionally difficult for everyone, is an achievement. You can see from my reply that I am very passionate about my business and extremely proud of my staff. This is why I feel three stars is very harsh and unjust. Perhaps you would like to visit us again sometime, once you have explored other venues and experienced more than your first post isolation experience, where perhaps you are at your most sensitive, to give you a more rounded view of what businesses are doing to safely attract customers. Kind regards Costas

Written 31 August 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

MikeyG53

Emersons Green5456 contributions

Matching Thai and napkin

Sept 2021 • none

We like to visit this very local and very good café; and have occasionally done so over the last 7 years. Overall the quality is usually very good, if not excellent. The food here is definitely café style during the day, but more restaurant-like when it opens in the evenings (evening opening is sporadic). On the irregular and seemingly infrequent occasions the café is open on an evening, serving far more interesting and elaborate plates, it is usually fully booked by the time we find out. Today we visited to have some lunch, and particularly liking spicy food we each decided on the Thai Spiced Chicken Salad. My partner had the full salad whereas I had the wrap with a smaller salad. The chicken was the same in both plates, and it was tender, spicy and served warm. The salad on both plates was really fresh and crispy and, like the whole plate, attractively presented. Whist we waited for our food to be prepared we enjoyed drinks: my partner had a good hot and strong Americano coffee with hot milk, and I had a delicious, thick and cool Mango Mania smoothie. Both of us really enjoyed the lighter bites and found them enough for, what we had wanted, a light lunch. This, we hoped, would not spoil our appetites for an evening meal that we planned to eat at home. This café is beginning to become a regular local spot for us to breakfast, brunch and/or lunch. Service is very good: being pleasant and efficient. The ambience is good, but I don’t care for the open ceiling: exposing the pipework and electrical conduits. I know it’s ‘the style’ and it’s far cheaper but give me a suspended ceiling anytime.

Written 4 October 2021

Costas K

Hi Mikey Glad you have returned again for a visit to the cafe. I'm especially double pleased we managed a five star rating this time around. You probably noticed the extra staff and extra chef in the kitchen which has dramatically reduced the waiting time! As for evenings we will probably re-introduce our regular Friday evening dining sometime in the spring. If the lack of suspended ceiling is the only downside then I think we are doing pretty well generally. Please introduce yourself next time as it would be nice to put the face to the name. Regards Costas

Written 11 November 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

rice80

Cribbs Causeway405 contributions

Nice breakfast

Oct 2020 • family

Went here recently In a group of six. We had to wait about 5 mins to get in which was not long with how busy it was and the size of the group. Full English breakfasts all went down well as well as the avocado and eggs and sandwich. Service was fine with how busy it was. Only fine I found was there seemed little space between tables for the number of people. A personal feeling as sure it meet the rules as a well run place.

Written 11 October 2020

Costas K

Many thanks for the review and for your comments. Regards Costas

Written 13 December 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sheila P

Bristol13 contributions

Excellent friendly service and great food

Nov 2020 • none

We’ve eaten at Avenue Cafe for several years now and are always made very welcome and never disappointed. The smoothies and full English breakfast are our favourites. The homemade cakes are delicious too. You can’t beat Avenue Cafe for friendly service.

Written 1 November 2020

Costas K

Hi Sheila Thanks for the review and lovely comments, much appreciated. It's lovely to hear and always a pleasure. Regards Costas

Written 13 December 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Christine G

Bristol27 contributions

Another enterprising venture

Nov 2020 • none

Throughout the difficult past few months this community cafe has continued to serve the community in innovative ways & with messages of hope & positivity. Tonight we had our first evening take away dinner which was absolutely delicious. Our 2 meals were Lamb Kleftiko & Thai Green curry followed by lemon cheesecake with strawberries. Lovely fresh food cooked to perfection. Can thoroughly recommend a booking with them.

Written 14 November 2020

Costas K

Hi Christine Thank you so much for the lovely review and comments, much appreciated. Without the community support Emerson's Green would be very dull indeed. The support we've had throughout the pandemic has been fantastic and glad you enjoyed your takeaway dinner. Regards Costas

Written 13 December 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Paul L

Bristol293 contributions

We decided to go for breakfast

May 2021 • none

We decided to go for breakfast as the lockdown restrictions had been lifted and we could eat outside. The food as usual was first class as was the service and considering they are working under Covid restrictions they are still producing a high standard of service. Although the sun was out it was freezing and my wife had to get a blanket from the car but the food stayed hot . Well done Costas and the rest of your staff . See you soon .

Written 1 May 2021

Costas K

Hi Paul Thank you for the review and for your comments, much appreciated. Yes it's not ideal but when the weather is good it seems to work well. We're all looking forward to being able too be back indoors in a couple of weeks time. Kind regards Costas

Written 3 May 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Collette W

26 contributions

Not sure

Apr 2024 • solo

Honest review? I arrived at about 11am and it was pretty busy which I expected knowing this cafe well as it is a local. I was greeted by a lady, short hair, only lady in a different uniform and when I told her that I was solo and was at the area where people waited to be seated, it's like her face immediately dropped. I felt a little discriminated against for this plus the fact that I was sat on a table with high uncomfortable stalls and no back support. Brilliant for someone who is 3 months pregnant with hip and back pain. Top suggestion here, ask customers if they have a preference in where they would like to be seated as there were much more comfortable looking seats lower to the floor nearby where I was seated. Now this might make people question why I didn't ask for a different table. Well, the fact of the matter is I felt like I was being watched like a hawk by the same lady when I was told what table to go to and when she seemed to notice that I was looking at the tables nearby. Made me feel comfortable to say the least! I ordered my food and that's where the customer experience got better. The food was served quickly, accompanied by my drink at the same time and by a member of staff who was cooking the food who used her initiative and saw that if she didn't serve it herself it would have been left to go cold. She even asked how I was and wished me a good day. Lovely lady. Then, it goes down hill again I'm afraid. This same lady, when she returned to the kitchen was treated not very nicely by her 2 fellow male colleagues. They were talking (well snapping) at her like dirt on the bottom of their shoe. I know it was busy but there's no reason to lack kindness to one another. When I ordered food it was appreciated that the lady at the till thanked me for making my order easier for her by telling her 2 of everything for my make your own breakfast. The food itself was ok. The positives were I like having the option to make your own breakfast... very much! (Fussy eater here!) However, as a customer who has been here a good few times as it is local to home, I've noticed a clear change. The produce used is by far not as good as it used to be and it is obvious that there have been some cut backs. I will second another reviewer and say that the tea that I had was not the nicest at all. The orange juice glasses used have clearly gotten smaller and the quality of the sausages are not good at all. Bacon was also pretty dry. Toast mind you was 👌 just how I like it and warm! My table was cleared quickly, I finished my tea and off I went. Sadly, without a thank you for my custom despite a number of staff nearby freely available. The atmosphere in the cafe I will say is difficult to take for someone who has a hidden disability which includes chronic fatigue. It can be simply too much which does put me off of going here sometimes.

Written 5 April 2024

Costas Kkolos

Hi Collette. Thank you for your review and candid comments. I'm upset that you did not feel that you had the treatment you should have received. As you say you are familiar with the cafe and have visited several times. Admittedly sometimes we can get things wrong, as appears in this instance, however, we are all human. All of our staff do their very best and utmost to welcome our guests, treat them well and hope they have an enjoyable time with us. In the main the hundreds of guests we have through our doors every day do get this. Unfortunately there may be one or two situations that will not go as we would like, or the guest would like, for a multitude of reasons. I apologise if you were not given the table you would have preferred. A simple explanation that you are 'pregnant with hip and back pain' would most definitely have been met more positively by Georgia who seated you. It can be difficult sometimes when managing tables as you may appreciate we are trying to get the best use of our tables from a business perspective. We are not to be aware of any underlying health issues which may have caused you additional discomfort. It's a busy independent cafe with great staff and guests. As with all businesses and people from all walks of life, there can be stress points between staff when extremely busy and on occasion, not very often, tempers can run high. As long as everyone completes the shift with an apology and on good terms that's the main thing. It's unpleasant when guests can hear an altercation and this is not what we want, but sometimes, human nature, this happens. I'm not sure why you say 'the produce used is not as good as it used to be' as we have not changed any of our suppliers or methods and we are certainly not making 'cut backs', nor are the 'glasses smaller'. We do our best to treat everyone the same way and we are not to know if someone has hidden health conditions or 'chronic fatigue'. At peak times it can be noisy with lots of chatter, however, it's a happy place and a hub of our community, very well supported, so we must be doing something right. Once again apologies for your experience on this occasion and we hope you will continue to visit. All the best. Costas

Written 12 April 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Liam Brown

Emersons Green2 contributions

Amazing

Jan 2022 • couples

We have been going to the Avenue cafe for 4 years on the regular and they never fail to disappoint me. Their food is amazing and the staff are wonderful and friendly to approach. Me and my boyfriend (non-binary) are always astounded by the coffee they serve.

Written 14 January 2022

Costas K

Hi Liam Thank you so much for the five star review and for your lovely comments. Much appreciated. Kind regards Costas and the Avenue team

Written 4 December 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mangochica

428 contributions

A lovely place to spend an hour or 3!

Feb 2020 • family

We've been a number of times and everytime... the food is lovely! Yesterday we had a coronation chicken baked potato which was enormous and full of flavour, pesto chicken and mozzarella panini with chips, two teas and a slice of homemade victoria sponge.... wow... the cake was delicious! The atmosphere is always lovely and the staff are great x

Written 25 February 2020

costask144

Hi Mangochica Thanks for the five star review and for your lovely comments. Much appreciated. Regards Costas

Written 7 April 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lauren S

Bristol48 contributions

Nice breakfast

Oct 2020 • none

Went here recently for a family birthday breakfast, we weren't able to book however were seated without a problem within 5 minutes of arriving. Upon arrival your temperature is taken before you are seated, which is reassuring during these times- however the tables are all spaced quit closely together, which I'm sure is within legal guidelines, however at times with servers having to walk between these tables and people having to maneuver through them to enter/exit the premises it can feel a little uncomfortable. That being said, all the staff front of house and in the kitchen were wearing the appropriate PPE and conscious of customers. The staff were all super friendly , helpful, and efficient. The breakfasts were really well presented and tasted as good as they looked. Drinks were really nice also. I would definitely visit again, especially in summer as there is an outdoor seating area.

Written 29 October 2020

Costas K

Hi Lauren Many thanks for the review and comments and for your support during what has been a very challenging time for all. Regards Costas

Written 13 December 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

johnedgar2015

Chipping Sodbury23 contributions

You can see why it gets so busy

Nov 2022 • couples

Finally managed to try this place for the first time, on a quiet-ish Tuesday morning. Very friendly staff. We both had a breakfast, one with meat and one without. These were fairly quickly served, two lovely and tasty plates, full of flavoursome food. A generous teapot each complemented our meals. Pretty good value for money and it's clear why this place is so popular. Nice surroundings with well-spaced tables. If you've never been before you may be surprised by the unisex toilets (two enclosed cubicles) but these are spotlessly clean just like everywhere else. Well worth a visit.

Written 29 November 2022

Costas K

Hi John. Many thanks for the five star review and comments. This is much appreciated. Glad you enjoyed your visit. Kind regards Costas

Written 4 December 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

81helenc

Bristol84 contributions

Ignored

Sept 2020 • friends

Back in February, I visited Avenue cafe, I waited for about 5 mins trying to get staff attention to see if there was a table, as nobody bothered to come over and acknowledge the queue I left. I put it down to a one off, I know it's always busy so once you get in it must be good. Today me and a friend thought we'd try again, we waited at the door, again trying to get the attention of staff, we were there for about 5 mins and another couple of people were queuing behind us when a member of staff walked over looked at us didn't acknowledge us and cleared a bench table in the window and walked off! So we left again. Really disappointed have heard good things about this place. Will not be attempting a third visit.

Written 24 September 2020

costask144

Hi Helen I am so sorry to hear your second attempt to visit the cafe ended unsuccessfully. Our staff are working tirelessly at the moment, especially after yet further restrictions and changes to government guidelines in terms of how we must now operate. We have had to adapt the business to table service and make people aware, if they have missed the news, that face coverings must now be worn throughout the cafe. All this has slowed down the usual flow of the cafe and was implemented for the first time on Thursday, when I believe you visited and wrote your comments. Under the circumstances I don't feel that waiting in a queue for 5 minutes is unreasonable. Our staff who monitor who is waiting generally speak to those waiting to advise of movement and timings in the cafe. If you were missed as you suggest then again I can only apologise. We don't intentionally ignore people. We understand that this system may not suit everyone especially those who may be in a hurry and some people out there who have become very impatient and unsympathetic to the situation we all find ourselves in. The fantastic staff and all at Avenue Café are doing their very best to provide a safe, quick and efficient service during a period that has become very testing and challenging for us all. Thank you for your understanding and I hope there may be an opportunity to make it 'third time lucky'. Regards Costas

Written 25 September 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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