Brilliant news today that my friends Tom, Owen and Natalie Morgan are opening a new Bar 44 in Bristol in July.
The new venue, on Regent Street in Clifton Village, is the fifth one for the family, who set up the original Bar 44 in Cowbridge 16 years ago. This was followed by bars in Penarth and Cardiff and most recently the Asador 44 restaurant, also in the Welsh capital.
Tom said, “We all spent our formative years here in Bristol and have always wanted to bring our version of modern Spanish hospitality to the city. I’m so excited about the space we have inherited. After a complete redesign, we will open in July and I can already picture a busy, bustling tapas bar which will hopefully become a real hub of the community.”
I love the food at the 44s, which manages to be both really authentic and creative at the same time. I know they take their gastronomic research very seriously (ahem) with thorough research trips around different parts of Spain. The team has seen where the food and wines come from and how everything is produced, which really makes a difference when you are at the table, as the staff are so enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the dishes and what to drink with them.
And then there is the superb range of sherries… . I’ll be trying the sherry cocktails and the new Bar 44 Bristol will of course also have a list of great Spanish wines – and just Spanish – as well as properly enormous gin and tonics.
Owen is one of a handful of sherry educators in the UK – which takes a lot of studying and is no mean achievement. He was also most recently named Imbibe Magazine Restaurant Personality of the Year 2018. He says, “I cannot wait to launch our extensive sherry wine list in Bristol, traditionally the home of sherry outside Spain. We want to make sure our bar and restaurant is accessible to all, a family friendly place, offering the highest quality ingredients that showcase our passion for Spanish food and culture.”
Bar 44 Bristol will be open Tuesday to Sunday. As well as the full menu, there will be a £10 express menu Monday to Friday.
Mooching around Spain 