Montpelier pubs – The Cadbury –
Montpelier cafes – Boca – Boston Tea Party – The Bristolian – The Bristolian Cafe –
Montpelier restaurants – Bell’s Diner –
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Bristol Culture 
Wow. I wish I’d stumbled on this website ages ago – this is a really valuable resource. There doesn’t seem to be enough systematic attempts to tie down the experience of the many cafes and pubs in Bristol, and the number of really bad coffees around the place necessitates a warning to others!
So I live in Montpelier and there isn’t a huge amount on offer compared to neighbouring areas – I prefer to go down to Stokes Croft for cafes especially.
Here is my review of the Thali Cafe though.
Having lived in Easton before I was spoiled by the space and light on offer – it was a great place to work, read, meet friends and eat. The staff were friendly and the space seemed welcoming and forgiving. The original Thali in Montpelier I used to go to years ago and have only been a couple of times since I moved into the neighbourhood. I won’t bother to go back again. It’s a small, poky place that definitely suffers in comparison to its siblings around Bristol. Both times in the last year the food was the usual standard – cheap, not a great selection, but filling and healthy. In other words, you know what you’re getting and you don’t pay ridiculous prices.
However, I’ve been disappointed with the space and the service – sometimes it takes ages to get served as staff are in the kitchen or out back. This is a spatial issue, as it is small and not amenable to hanging around for the staff, presumably. It does impact on the service. Also, it’s not as inviting to be around during the day as other cafes, plus seems to close too early – another time I brought a friend to eat there, we sat down and waited ages to be served, eventually someone turned up and said the kitchen was closed. We were not impressed. I miss the Easton Thali – think they’ve got things right, it’s a lovely space and they even have live music. Montpelier Thali needs to move to bigger premises perhaps. It just seems so underwhelming, and trading on the goodwill of the local laid-back residents.
Well, I’m a die-hard Montpelier resident of 18 years – single unemployed room renter to home owning family man etc.
I guess the biggest change recently are the park improvements, which are making a huge impact on us all – and I mean all.
The ping pong table is a big hit with kids, 20 somethings, parents – as is the barbeque. New football pitch coming. It’s a great atmosphere that sums Montpelier up – all kinds of people mixing happily.
I am pretty shocked there isn’t more written about this beautiful place! I love it. It’s arty and feels comfortable and it’s my home. It’s hilly (not so fun but makes for nice views) and pretty and the houses are different colours and not one is the same to the next. The roads are small and bendy and there’s always lots of greenery in the windows and their boxes. The Cadbury has good beer and can smell kinda funky at times and the Italian shop on Picton St sells THE best tomatoes. And sometimes, if you’re lucky, there might be free bread waiting for you outside Herberts…
Just a shame there’s no good parks…
Montpelier also covers the ‘right’ side of Cheltenham Road with many interesting shops and restaurant, ending just before Maplin.
If you are rubbish at basketball, then you should come and play on Saturday mornings with a load of inept middle-aged men and women, in Montpelier Park, on the new pitch. I think I broke my rib …
Also check out Licatas for great value food and Italian speciality foods. Bells Diner delicious fine dining. Gallifords Stores for great top up shopping. Herbets Bakery for the best bread and pastries.
You should also have a mention to the newly refurbished Thali Cafe!!
…and remember to check out the wildlife….
Discovering the delights of Picton Street just before i moved away from the area, was devistating. However, i do make a big effort to get back there every so often.
Galliford stores is a god send, as not only to they sell the standard corner shop mish-mash of confectionaries and tinned food, in the room next door they have locally made bread, organic food, soya milk, a massive selection of cereals, vegetables and curry pastes! And more….
Thali Cafe is absolutely brilliant. I went their for my birthday and had a fantastic meal.
this is a video for a university project i did about Montpelier