Josh Eggleton is beloved in Bristol, and rightfully so. As a Gordon Ramsay scholar, he travelled the world to work in restaurants like Chanterelle and The French Laundry, but turned down job offers from both Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing to return to his south Bristol home and open his own restaurant. The Pony and Trap has held a Michelin star since 2011, and Josh has done plenty more besides to make Bristol one of the country’s most exciting food scenes.

There was no doubting the location of his Chicken Shed restaurant when it opened in October 2016, nestled in Bristol’s beautiful Wapping Wharf. Whatever the reasons for the change of focus, Root has sprouted magnificently from the ashes of its predecessor, and the food on offer is more than worthy of the lovely views over the harbour.

The menu is mostly comprised of small vegetarian plates, but Root is a celebration of West Country produce, rather than a strictly vegetarian restaurant, so there’s a smattering of meat and seafood options too. Creamy Wiltshire burrata comes with pistachio dukkah and smoked rapeseed oil, whilst salad leaves come from the nearby Severn Project urban farm.

The wine list is also pretty extensive, focusing on organic and biodynamic wines, specifically chosen to pair nicely with the flexitarian menu. With a menu that changes regularly to reflect the seasons and a talented team running the show, it's no wonder that Root received a Bib Gourmand in 2019 – the restaurant is a perfect encapsulation of Bristol's dynamic, progressive food scene.