Byzantium Restaurant

Bells83

There is little doubt that Byzantium has added a new dimension to eating out in Bristol. Operating over two levels the tone is set as you exchange a damp Bristol evening for the ground floor, rich with exotica of the East and a touch of colonial North Africa thrown in for good measure. Nothing has been spared, no, not even the belly dancer, and within a very short time you have caught on to the ambience before going upstairs to a 200 seater restaurant, with splendid views and a sensed space filled by the delicate aroma of serious cooking. However, you may choose to enjoy a Byzantium food lantern downstairs over drinks as prelude to the main event, with six small starters for each person in your party. This approach is mirrored upstairs later in the evening when the Byzantium pudding lantern offers each person six small puddings, a great way to savour the menu. The a la carte menu offers classic Italian osso bucco veal, cooked in tomato, wine and herbs and served with fresh homemade spaghetti, or roast trim rack of lamb with Jerusalem artichoke and goat's cheese puree and creamy spinach sauce. Should you eschew the pudding lantern there are plenty of consolations including Armagnac and prune ice cream or a layered chocolate and grand marnier mousse served with a coffee sauce. This is a swinging place, firmly pointing at the party market, but there is no reason why, on the right night, you should not enjoy a satisfying and relaxing evening, with good food, generous helpings and a nice buzz factor.

Katiep

I visited Byzantium the other day and was thoroughly impressed with not only the food, but also the entertainment...i highly recommend this beautiful restaurant!

Mark

Dined here on Valentine's Day. Wasn't expecting the expensive set menu that wasn't mentioned. The menu itself was pretty poor and was overly pretentious - 'curry emulsion', 'herb farce'. Sadly the execution didn't live up to the pretence - the food was cold, the portions not enough to feed a small child and the flavours bland and unimpressive. Add the extremely poor and almost belligerent service and all in all you get a massive warning to avoid from me. I'd be debating whether to give this zero or one star. Not somewhere I'll ever go back to - there are hundreds of better ways to spend the best part of £100, I'd rather go to Burger King!

Share

General Enquiry

Restaurants Nearby

Hotel Du Vin and Bistro

Giggling Squid

Two Crows