Best value Michelin Guide restaurant in Bristol where ‘modern, veg-led’ meals cost under £20 per person

It turns out that Bristol really is one of the best places in the UK when it comes to the burgeoning food scene, and two city restaurants have recently come out on top in a survey by Parkdean Resorts on the best Michelin restaurants in the UK.

As if getting a place on the Michelin Guide wasn’t enough, Box-E and Root on Wapping Wharf have also earned their places on top in this recent survey.

To find the best Michelin restaurants in UK cities, Parkdean Resorts delved into ranking factors including value for money, TripAdvisor reviews and Instagram followings to discover which Michelin restaurants offer the best all-round experience without breaking the bank.

Root came out fourth for best value for money and featuring on the best Michelin restaurants in the UK overall. Box-E, Root’s close neighbour and also on Wapping Wharf’s Cargo came out in first place for the best Michelin restaurant in the country.

It means Root is the best value place for a Michelin restaurant in Bristol.

The survey stated: “Root in Bristol describes itself as a “modern, veg-led, small plate restaurant” and offers an exquisite selection of contemporary European dishes for a price tag of around £19 per person.”

With Root clearly ticking so many people’s boxes when it comes to what makes a wonderful restaurant, we decided to sit down with the head chef Rob Howell to find out how and why they have made roots as one of Bristol’s (and now the UK’s) top eateries.

So, where did it all start? Both Mr Howell and his wife worked at The Pony and Trap for a number of years, before leaving on good terms in order to explore the idea of setting up their own restaurant.

“We were a little naive to how much money you would need to set up a restaurant. Josh Eggleton, who owns the Pony and Trap, asked if I would like to help him get a new restaurant off the ground, and now, five years later, Root is going strong,” explains Mr Howell.

“We didn’t really know what we were going for at the start and it’s grown with us, which I think is why it’s a success, and we’re still learning now.”

The ethos of the restaurant is to truly celebrate vegetables, and in a city like Bristol that puts veganism, vegetarianism and sustainability at the heart of a lot of its practices, it’s gone down like a treat.

“I think if you’re going to set up a vegetable restaurant then Bristol is the place to do it - it’s green and forward thinking,” he says.

“First and foremost we use as much local produce as possible and cook very seasonally. We still use fish most days that comes up on the evening and is as fresh as possible. Sometimes, we accept well-sourced meat, so it’s not vegetarianism as such but about cooking what we think is right.”

But that’s not to say that it was completely plain-sailing at the start, and many people still came in with preconceptions of a veg-centric restaurant being inferior to a meat-selling one. The reception of Root, even in Bristol, wasn’t necessarily immediately as expected.

“To start off with it was like where’s the meat and is this all you do but I think we’ve grown, people have talked about us and have spread what we do. I think people trust us now, which is nice. I get it, you don’t necessarily go to a restaurant dreaming about beetroot, and it doesn’t have the same mental image as a steak,” he says.

“But I also think that’s why we do so well, because you almost don’t expect to get that excited about vegetables but then you eat them and everyone has a great time. I think people walk away like, wow, that was actually impressive.”

I wonder if there’s a negative pressure to perform when it comes to being considered Michelin Star. “We try to just make nice food. I’ve worked in Michelin and fine dining a lot and over-thought stuff too much at times,” says Mr Howell.

“The team at Root has been with us since the beginning or stayed for a long time, so it’s a really core team. In our cooking style, we’ve absorbed the same ethos, and I think our cooking style now suits everyone. You see people of all ages at the restaurant and everyone is having a nice time, both meat-eaters and vegetarians.”

So, what is it that makes Root so appealing to the masses? There’s a real sense of simplicity in its mission and an idea of showcasing something normal in the best way possible. There’s also a sense of changing perceptions involved with Root and an idea of making people realise that there is more to the humble vegetable.

What’s brilliant to hear is that, despite being considered an elite restaurant with the Michelin tag, Root has a lot of regulars and locals visiting the restaurant every week. “We have people who join us once a month, or once every few months,” he says.

“The kitchen is in the restaurant so we see a lot of recurring faces, but we do get a lot of tourists coming in who have seen us in the Michelin Guide.”

So, how did it actually feel to get a place in the Michelin Guide? “It’s a weird thing, the Michelin world, and you can get a little caught up in it - it’s not the be-all and end-all, but it does bring custom which is great. But it is really nice, obviously,” says Mr Howell.

Having been voted as the best value for money in the Michelin Guide by the survey, is it important for Root to be accessible to everyone? Mr Howell tells us that it’s about getting the balance right between serving well-sourced and good food, and allowing a price point that enables many people to visit.

“It’s really hard in these times. Accessibility is important and I never want anyone to think they couldn’t come into the restaurant but at the same time, I think the value of food is undervalued in every area,” he explains.

“We are not a cheap restaurant and I know we’re not, but any restaurant that is paying their staff well, that’s using good produce, isn’t going to be particularly cheap. I’d say we’re really good value for money but I can understand that people would think it’s expensive.”

It’s clear through chatting with Mr Howell that Root really is his family, and there’s a nice sense that despite being an incredibly high-end kitchen and restaurant, there isn’t the stress of a Michelin star establishment oozing from the premises.

“We’ve got an amazing team and Root is a really nice place to work and I like to think that is shown from how long the staff have been there,” he says. “Sometimes, restaurants can be intense and kitchens can be quite difficult, but I think we’ve made a place where we cook nice food and have a nice time.”

So, what’s next for 2022? Mr Howell hints that there could be another site on the radar, although nothing yet is set in stone. “Root is really successful because of the people who work hard day in and day out, and it can be hard to duplicate that,” he smiles.

“But it would be really exciting to be able to do it. I think we are closer than we ever have been. Apart from that, we have some exciting collaborations such as some work with Wiper and True in the summer, and I’m cooking at Valley Fest which is exciting.”

rootbristol.co.uk