Time Out has named Old Market as one of the “coolest” neighbourhoods” in the UK, namechecking The Wardrobe Theatre along with a host of other local businesses.
They have been publishing guides to the world’s coolest neighbourhoods for 9 years: “The annual list is a celebration of the planet’s most exciting spots: places with booming dining scenes, thriving local businesses, a plethora of cultural options – from nightlife to theatre, art to shopping – and, vitally, an unbreakable sense of community.”
Of Old Market, they have said:
“Old Market has been Bristol’s ‘gay village’ since the 1990s and the likes of Bristol Bear Bar and Old Castle Green are still popular with the city’s queer community. But inclusivity is only part of the area’s charm, with dining tables spilling into the streets, guitar solos blaring from small music venues and an abundance of pubs. You’ll find several of Bristol’s most on-trend restaurants here, including fantastic Cali-Mexican joint Chido Wey, Japanese spot Tomo No Ramen – make sure to try the homemade kimchi – and New York-style vodka sauce pizza institution Gigi’s. Then there’s the shedload of cultural stuff: Old Market Assembly combines award-winning grub with drag and DJ nights, the Wardrobe is Bristol’s leading fringe theatre, and major venue Exchange has welcomed the 1975, Kneecap and Melvins in recent years.
The perfect day: Start with a cappuccino and homemade baklava at family-run Greek café Bean There Too, then browse the maze of records, pottery and clothing at Bristol Vintage Shop. For lunch, get Carne-Val pork shoulder corn tacos from Chido Wey, then drop by 17 Midland Road community space (which hosted Led By Donkeys’ first-ever exhibition in 2024) and stop for a pint at Wiper and True’s Taproom. Share a platter of succulent lamb kofta at Middle Eastern restaurant Anaya for dins, then catch the next breakthrough band at the Ill Repute.
Plan your trip: Outer Town Festival, Old Market’s annual celebration of independent music and DIY culture, takes place in April. The one-day fest sees bands perform across 10 venues from the daytime into the early hours.”