I tried the local gem Bristol cafe serving authentic and affordable Greek food

Walk along Filton Avenue, past the classic Bristolian pub The Bulldog, and you’ll soon find cuisines from most corners of the world.

Although many of these places are takeaways and more geared towards passing trade after dark, Coffee and Pitta House is as much a lunchtime venue as dinner destination.

Sandwiched between a Chinese takeaway and a chicken shop, this small Greek cafe/restaurant has a plant-filled terrace for sunny lunchtimes and on the day I visited, most outside tables were occupied.

Inside, it’s all very homely with a large TV next to the counter and two long rustic solid wood tables in the window that look like they could have come from a Hobbit hole.

Next to the door, there’s a bookcase crammed with all sorts of books, from John Grisham paperbacks to hefty French dictionaries.

With cheesy Eurovision-style pop in the background and many of the conversations in Greek, there is an authentic Mediterranean holiday atmosphere and staff are friendly and happy to guide you through the menu.

Although they serve an English breakfast in the morning, they also have Greek omelettes (peppers, tomato, olives, onion and feta) and pancakes with fresh berries, banana and honey syrup.

At lunchtime, and for the rest of the day, the focus turns more to traditional Greek starters and main courses.

Prices are surprisingly kind on the wallet. The wraps are £6.90 and the main courses start at £9, with most dishes around the £12 mark.

Order a classic Greek salad (tomato, peppers, onions, olives, cucumber, feta cheese, olive oil and oregano) and it’s just £7.70.

There are a few pricier items on offer. The lamb chops (four of them) with chips or rice, pitta, salad and tzatziki is £16.80 and if you are in the mood for sharing, the mix grill for two people is £35.

But then the mix grill comprises a pork and chicken gyros, Greek sausage, pork souvlaki, chicken souvlaki, two lamb chops, kebab, chips, salad, pitta bread and tzatziki - it’s probably enough food for a whole family.

I went for chicken gyros pitta (£6.90). Inside the soft, smoky pitta bread, there were tender pieces of grilled chicken, tomato, lettuce, skinny chips and the ubiquitous Greek ‘pink sauce’ (actually it was almost white) which was creamy, lemony, garlicky and slightly spicy. It all combined beautifully to create a wrap packed with contrasting textures and sunny flavours.

I also ordered the brilliantly named Honey It’s Feta (£5.50) - which is essentially a whole block of cold feta, sliced into two thick triangles and drizzled with decent olive oil and a scattering of dried oregano. OK, it’s nothing you couldn’t do at home with minimal effort but it just worked brilliantly.

There are a few desserts on offer including sticky baklava, but I’ll have to go back for those and the Greek coffee as I could barely move after this substantial lunch.

I was alerted to Coffee and Pitta House by a reader who messaged and insisted I try it out this local gem. He said it was serving some of the best Greek food in Bristol and he wasn’t wrong. It’s a real find.

Coffee and Pitta House, 518 Filton Avenue, Bristol, BS7 0QE.