Is a cafe and "hub for Bristol's cycling community". In addition to being a cafe it offers workshop space and services and "a hub for all things bike-related in Bristol, offering meeting space, events and a place in which to relax, discover, learn, and enjoy yourself." I don't know about that, but I went to the cafe today, so I thought I'd tell you about it.
It's everything you'd expect - post-post-hippy in cuisine, ethos and service. Everything on the menu is vegetarian, about half of it is vegan and one or two items are organic; the prices are reasonable; the staff are friendly and casual; the service is a bit disorganised. It's clearly not appealing to the Rapha crowd. When I was there, about quarter to two, most of the customers looked like city-centre workers and haphazard tourists. One bloke arrived on a bike and disappeared upstairs, presumably to the workshop or maybe to the Hub "space". Nevertheless, bikes are all around - Boneshaker is on sale, as are t-shirts with cycling prints, and parts for sale hanging from the ceiling, in addition to many bike-themed posters, artworks and announcements of events. There is a fair number of sheffield stands outside, which I don't remember being there before, all occupied.
But what about the food? My quesadilla was disappointing, but that was because I had it mixed up with a burrito (or something - no explanations) when I ordered. My son had a lentil and nut burger with chips. When it arrived, he said the chips were "really potatoey."
"They've got their skins on and they're much more potatoey than normal chips." Indeed they were - so much so that I can't think why people bother peeling them. Extra work for less flavour or less work for extra flavour! The burger was mildly spicy - marked as spicy in the menu, could have been a bit more so IM(our)O - but fairly good, in a very ordinary bun. Tea was tea, apple juice was appley. Strangely, we didn't try any cakes.
Verdict: a pretty good cafe at a pretty cheap price, but I'll reserve judgment on the cycleyness till another visit.
http://www.rollforthesoul.org/
