‘Much more than just a buffet’ - the popular Bristol restaurant facing an uncertain future

If approved, it would see a larger, four-storey building built including offices on the upper levels and space on the ground floor for three commercial units.

The scheme has already had around 300 objections and the owners of the restaurant, which sublets the space, have objected to the plans which they say would close the restaurant for good.

The owners of the 1,000-cover restaurant have highlighted the potential loss of more than 200 jobs but also the impact on the local community. The business occupies the majority of the ground floor and the first floor and mezzanine levels.

I’m not a regular visitor to this self-proclaimed ‘world banquet and bar’, having only eaten there twice since it opened in 2011.

The first was to review it as a new opening and the second was for my daughter’s 11th birthday party with a bunch of her schoolfriends.

But with 15,000 visitors a week, it is certainly the busiest restaurant in Bristol. And with around 300 dishes from around the world, the buffet-style restaurant certainly offers plenty of choice and prices are affordable to most.

A quick look at the website reveals current prices range from £12.99 to £20.99 per person depending on which day and time you dine there.

Children aged 11 years and under dine at half price and children aged under 5 years dine free, which also makes it affordable for families and large groups.

OK, the food I’ve eaten at Za Za Bazaar probably won’t win too many awards but that’s not really the point at this vast waterside restaurant.

In the 12 years since it opened, Za Za Bazaar has become the number one choice for many families in Bristol who might not eat out as regularly as others due to cost.

But this is a restaurant that goes far beyond simply being a place to eat. Its central location and low price point has made it a go-to venue for countless children’s birthday parties as well as adult social occasions.

It might not be a fancy gastronomic destination but it is a hub for thousands of Bristolians to meet and eat. That alone should be the first item on the menu tomorrow when councillors decide its fate.