Coppa Club Bristol has chosen a former linen factory (you might remember it better as the old Pizza Express) in Clifton Village for its first location in the South West. Surrounded by handsome Georgian buildings, boutique shops and indie cafes on Regent Street, it’s a fine setting for the restaurant chain.
My meal at Coppa Club Bristol was complimentary for the purposes of this review. However, as always, all views are my own.
High ceilings and big windows allow for plenty of natural light in the spacious 200-cover venue, which, despite its size, feels cosy and welcoming, thanks to exposed brick work, statement mirrors, vibrant artwork, leafy green plants, lampshades and warm lighting. Squashy booths strewn with cushions, low-lit bar tables, enticing nooks and snug armchairs laid out in a library setting create a multi-purpose destination (bar/restaurant/cafe/workspace) with inviting, homely vibes.
I visited for a mid-week lunch with a friend and my one year old toddler on Valentine’s Day, and rather than being overtaken by smoochy twosomes, I found the restaurant buzzing with friends catching up, work colleagues on a break, couples and the odd family.
First up, we ordered drinks and having been uninspired by non-alcoholic, overly-sweet offerings when dining out during my pregnant days, I give Coppa Club Bristol top marks for an intriguing and tasty mocktail menu. I had a CBD-infused Peach Trip and would very much like to return to try the cocktail menu!
I love a bit of seafood when I’m eating out, so I chose crispy fried squid for my starter, which was light on the batter (thumbs up) and not at all chewy.
For main there is tons of choice on the all-day menu, I went for seared king prawns with garlic lemon, chilli and parsley. It wasn’t a huge dish, which is probably just as well as I was wrestling a toddler while I ate! My friend Hannah happily polished off sea reared trout on the plancha with good reviews. I’d say, while tasty, the food won’t necessarily blow your socks off.
I had forgotten what a workout dining out with a babytoddler was. Uninterested in screens, his own lunch or remaining still in my arms at any point, my cheeky little ferret knocked over aforementioned plant pots, attempted to escape while dodging the feet of busy servers, climbed out of this high chair, smiled sweetly at other diners and tried to get his hands on the sharpest, most dangerous tableware at all times. Thankfully the staff were extremely understanding and good-natured about my wildling offspring, which is always a relief!
I would have loved to have stayed longer and appreciated each bite of the excellent puddings, but my little one was losing it/driving me crazy by the third course. So, the staff very kindly boxed us each up a slice of the dreamy chocolate cake, which I ended up eating for breakfast the next day – because, why not?!
Final thoughts on Coppa Club Bristol
In the rare moments of distracted, quiet child, I had a lovely lunch at Coppa Club Bristol and have since recommended it to other mum friends looking for a baby-friendly cafe with space/high chairs to meet a friend.
The beauty of Coppa Club Bristol is that as an all-day joint, it covers many eating/drinking purposes! Whether you’re after a full-on restaurant for a three courser, a light lunch, cafe to work in, date night venue or somewhere to celebrate, it’s casual enough, cosy enough and funky enough to be a day and night destination.
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