Workhouse Cafe in Bristol, City of

We stopped here for breakfast and were pleasantly surprised. It doesn't look that inviting and it's certainly no frills inside but the food was good, the menu had plenty of options and service was friendly and efficient. The coffee was excellent and the granola fantastic, a really good mix. Good prices too.

This is now called 404 Bristol. Amazing cafe with freshly filled pittas, freshly cooked meals/brunch, salads- you could see the chefs cooking. The staff worked tirelessly serving customers in the cafe & those coming to the hatch for takeaway. Great selection of fresh ground coffee and cakes too!

Absolutamente me encanta Workhouse Cafe. Vamos allí como un regalo, aunque no es caro. La comida vegana es excepcional. El café es genial. La selección de la torta está basada en plantas? y extenso El personal es muy amable. Ambiente agradable y relajado con algunos detalles de diseño agradables también. Realmente lo recomiendo!

El café aquí fue excelente y el servicio razonable. Después de ordenar un rollo de salchicha vegana descubrí que costaba 8. Pensé que para eso tal vez obtendría una ensalada o algo para hacer un gran volumen, pero fue servida solo.

Así que vine con un amigo a tomar un café y un pastel después de una cita en el hospital, preguntándome qué pasteles no tenían gluten. Señalaron a uno rodeado de pasteles de gluten, pero como no podía ver migajas en el soporte, pensé que me arriesgaría. El servidor compró el pastel en una bandeja con mi amigo brownie de harina de trigo, casi tocándolo. Cuando alerté al servidor sobre esto, él, de una manera bastante discreta, me dijo "bueno, está hecho en una cocina con gluten de todos modos, así que ya lo estás arriesgando". Por lo que entiendo, es un riesgo suficiente para una persona intolerante al gluten, sin aumentar el riesgo. Parece que este lugar ofrece gluten gratis para incluir a las personas que hacen dieta, y no a aquellos que necesitan evitar el gluten por razones de salud. Un poco más de consideración y conciencia no sería algo malo, pero la actitud del servidor me hizo sentir más bajo que la conciencia que tenía en primer lugar. No voy a volver

Great location and friendly attentive staff, loved the table decorations with the random vegetables and books. Was a bit surprised how expensive the tea was! Food looked really good so hopefully will return for lunch at some point. The music is very loud so found conversation with my friend rather difficult.

Visitamos aquí para tomar un café con amigos y familiares una vez, ¡el café era bueno! ¡El problema era la música! El dueño de la cafetería toca música ridículamente fuerte durante todo el día y arruinó el ambiente. No nos sentimos cómodos pidiéndole que lo rechazara, ya que parecía estar un poco apartado. . . .

I went here on thursday morning - place was pleasantly busy, but I found a table. I had to reading to do, ordered a coffee, delivered to the table and this was delicious. made from individaul beans - ground to my need. Very good quality.

I popped in here today for a takeaway lunch. The salad bar looked great, however I was caught out by the price. By adding falafel and hummus the price went up to £8. I hoped that the portion would be ample when it was ready. No! This is what I was given, a tiny portion in a cardboard tub, three small falafels and a tiny blob of hummus. I was so shocked I just walked out instead of complaining. It should have been half the price for that. The cafe itself is quite hipster, the music is a bit loud but the cakes on offer look great and it seems to be popular with students and local workers. Please reduce your prices! I won't be going back, which is a shame because the food menu is good.

I went there to meet a friend for breakfast. The coffee was good. However a rather limited breakfast menu. I tried the vegetarian toastie with mushroom which was ok. Overall pretty average food. The service was not great. The cook/ server was grumpy and busy doing the orders. It would be good to have a printed menu on tables rather than on posters around the bar area. It will make it easier to order.

The food is absolutely gorgeous as are the cakes and drinks. However, it is very busy and the music is often too loud. The guys behind the counter are lovely but some of the hygiene practices are a bit worrying. Handling money and then food without washing their hands, cakes on the counter with no covers, directly at cough and sneezing height. I saw one doing smoothies, taking ingredients out of containers with his bare hands and another licking his fingers after putting things on the plate. I've stopped having food there but still go in for coffee - it seems safer.

A pleasant corner plot café at the bottom of St Michael’s Hill, the large windows and curbed frontage make the most of the outlook, and inside it has a fairly rustic appearance, although the polystyrene ceiling tiles do perhaps grate somewhat. First impressions might suggest that this is a vegetarian or even vegan establishment with black boards on the walls making various references to plant based food, but whilst this might be the focus it’s not exclusively so and I did notice both bacon and chorizo on the menu, for example. A salad bar offered various options that looked to have a Middle Eastern influence with ingredients such as chick peas, hummus and falafel. Either way it made no difference to me as I was only there for a coffee and a light snack rather than anything more substantial. There was an array of cakes on the counter, perhaps a little more unusual than your run of the mill options, with no sign of a millionaire’s shortbread or Victoria sponge, for example. I opted for the coffee and caramel tart and this was ok, but perhaps a little on the dry side I thought. Maybe it was overcooked, with the pastry in particular being quite dry and brittle, but it was nonetheless decent enough. A latte was very tasty and attractively presented with a leaf drawn on top, although it was warm rather than hot. That’s fine for me, I’d prefer it that way, but if you like yours piping hot then it may not have suited. Presentation too seemed a case of style over substance with the tart being served on a slate rather than a plate and the coffee in a cup without a handle. Just as well that it wasn’t too hot, or I wouldn’t have been able to pick it up. Overall, this was decent enough but not outstanding. I’d happily pop back in if passing, but equally wouldn’t bother to go out of my way to make a special visit.

The food, coffee and cake is nice. The coffee is expensive but good, the cake portions are generous and the sandwiches are well put-together. I don't really know why I keep going back though, because it's always a palaver. Food comes toasted when you don't want it to be - sometimes it says toasted on the label and sometimes it doesn't, so you have to be very specific with what you want to happen to your sandwich. Additionally, I had a sandwich which was labelled as brie, then it came 20 minutes later toasted (which it wasn't advertised as and wasn't what I wanted) and the cheese was cheddar not brie which I don't really like! It's a hard one because when it's good it's very good, but the staff don't seem to care much about anything, and once I went in and they had no food so... it's very frustrating!

I had walked past this place often and it looked very nice from the outside so I was keen to try. I only came in for a drink, but the menu seemed to have a few options for food too. I went for the Matcha Latte, it was very pleasant, quite smooth. Not the best ever but not bad at all. The drinks are quite expensive so it is better to pick one you want t linger over than drink and go. The decor was quite fun and the music played seemed to cater for an artistic tastes and I think that could appeal to some. Although there were only four other customers during my visit, the sheer number of chairs made it difficult to move and so it felt crowded. I would suggest not trying to visit during the busier hours. There are however extra seats outside, if you go out the door near the bar (onto St Michaels Hill), around the building and up the back lane a little then take the steps on the right. At the top on your right you should see some tables across the way overlooking the road. I think this cafe didn't appeal to my personal preferences rather than anything outright wrong with it so give it a try for yourself.

Ordered a coffee - a large one, and it was £3.60. For a coffee. The guy said "I don't make the rules" when I asked why so expensive.

Not enough vegan options. Was expecting more from their website, toast and soup wasn’t really cutting the mustard for me. Nice turmeric latte tho.

Really lovely cafe right near the university. Love the decor and general ambience, food is fairly well priced and absolutely delicious - try the soup of the day. Also offers 3 types of non dairy milks which is always a sign of a good cafe.

I go there 5 days a week and im always there for a long time! Cakes a plenty with loads of variety. Fairly priced brunch which is also delicious.

Friendly staff, good location for people watching and the cakes are SUPER YUMMY. Would have been 5* but it's perhaps a little pricey. Still would recommend though!

Went for a brunch at the weekend with friends. Great location at the bottom of St. Michael's hill, close to the hospital. The place has a very bohemian feel to it, with clipboard menus. No table service, you have to go up and make your...

Went for a brunch at the weekend with friends who had been there before. Great location at the bottom of St. Michael's hill, close to the hospital. Everything was hilarious. Menu written in a poetic way, cracked tables, paper bags wrapped around the lights, the toilet...

I went to the café this morning in hope of a simple portion of toast and coffee. When I asked if they do just toast... after a long pause, the server said "No, the kitchen is closed today sorry". I didn't realise it took a full working kitchen and chef to pop some toast in a toaster! I would have happily buttered the toast myself! Such a same as wanted to support a local café but with a lack of basic items available I went along down the road to Costa. There were only 2 other customers already served and sitting down so don't think it would have been too much effort to sort some toast.

This is a nice cafe overlooking a Banksy. The coffee is great and the brunch was nice with great presentation.However this was all let down by the chaotic service. The order system was down so orders had to be written by hand and given to the kitchen. This issue meant our brunch took 40 minutes to come. Mine came out burnt and had to be sent back. Staff were very slow to apologise and did not offer any compensation. When I asked for a free coffee this was given but I feel should have been offered.

Fuimos a un tiempo para un almuerzo de domingo que hizo brunch Wriggle oferta alrededor de 3 libras. 50. Absolutamente encantador pimped hasta aguacate en tostadas, con kale crujientes y garbanzos y extra delicias. Y vegano! Woo hoo! Servicio rápido, ambiente encantador y disfruté viendo el mundo pasar.

He estado aquí muchas veces y tengo que decir que el café es uno de los mejores en Bristol, elijo aquí sobre las demás establecimientos! La comida es deliciosa y saludable, cada vez increíble y no demasiado caro.

Antiguo hospicio fue fantástico hace un año, parece que ha sufrido una reciente de unos cuantos cambios y simplemente no es la misma admiración que solía ser.

Gran café con leche las jarras individuales mono Las tostadas con huevos escalfados masa agria era delicioso. Bacon producen localmente para morirse.

I loved this place. It was just a friend and I. It's a small place so we were kind of sharing a table with another two people but it's an informal kind of place. Great food and great (healthy!) smoothies

I often pop in here for my pre-work coffee, but today my partner and I took the time and had a sit down breakfast. In addition to my normal latte, I had a juice and the oats (a kind of souped up porridge made with granola-type ingredients). Anyway, I usually feel a bit cheated when I've gone for the healthy option, but I felt none of that food envy today, it was just so delicious. I would highly recommend this little gem and can't wait to work my way through the menu!

Had lunch here for a Friday treat. Lots of options for veggies, the cake was so delicious. I opted for the hummus baguette as sadly they had sold out of the tempeh panini. Hummas baguette was ok, sadly nothing special. My pals got the salt beef panini and could not stop saying how great it was. Will defs go again, but will try and get their earlier so I don't miss veggie hot food!

On the rare occasions that I have to go to the BRI, my sister treats me to a snack in the Workhouse Café. It is quite small and can get very busy. You see the fruits and veg in their proper form, before they are turned into superb smoothies. The sausage rolls are some of the best I have eaten. If you have a small bowl of mixed salad, it can feel as if you have had 7 or 8 of your '5 a day'. It is the kind of place you might expect to find the odd Doctor of Nurse having a break.

Went for brunch and had some excellent lattes and oats, also tried the courgette cake which was also great. The atmosphere and staff was super friendly and there are so many vegan/vegetarian options. Slightly pricey BUT you are paying for good quality food so can't complain

A brilliant place to go if you're visiting the nearby hospitals. It's the only time I go but it's made my and my daughter's fairly regular hospital visits much nicer. Great food - really delicious - and drinks. Excellent coffee - but please ditch serving it in glasses. Only grumble is that the service is a bit variable.

Having lived in Bristol for the last 18months, it's fair to say this is our favourite place for brunch and lunch! The food always tastes super fresh and the menu never fails to excite us. Great food, tasty coffee, awesome stylin' and friendly staff!

Thoroughly enjoyed my lunch with friends at the work house cafe. The menu was original and healthy, with the food super fresh and tasty! Great location well worth a visit whilst in Bristol!

Friendly staffNice coffeeInteresting menuTasty foodHonest pricesAuthentic locationI think there is everything you would need.

This place serves superb brunch offerings, both fry ups as well as healthier options, plus their in house fruity sauce made to a closely guarded secret recipe. An unusual feature is the exclusive use of hemp milk in all their coffees, a real boon for lactose intolerant customers. A real gem of a place!

This is another fine independent cafe. It's near the BRI and clearly favoured by the staff. We only had coffee but it was excellent. Nice atmosphere.

Great local produce, uniquely prepared and all next to my workplace!...only disadvantage is my weekly spend but totally worth it!!!..keep up the great work

My friend and I visited the Workhouse Cafe for brunch on a Sunday. We had a lovely gastronomical experience. Firstly, the staff were very attentive, friendly and knowledgeable about the produce (we were informed that the produce is locally and responsibly sourced). We both ate the avocado on toast with roast cherry tomatoes, kale pesto, beluga lentils and pumpkin seed dukkah on sour dough and served with poached eggs. Everything was cooked really well and the poached eggs were the perfect consistency. The portion size was great value for money and we were left feeling satisfied. We also enjoyed some of their fresh juices, the beetroot, apple and lime flavour being our favourite, and we both concluded that these would be the perfect hangover cure. The coffees were served in pretty earthernware mugs, a lovely touch! Although we didn't try any, there is a good selection of locally produced lagers, ales and ciders. The cafe itself has warm atmosphere with a modern industrial style. Also, the music creates a good ambience without being too loud or overpowering.Overall, my friend and I would highly recommend this cafe for a Sunday brunch or a business lunch. With the ever changing menu, we would definitely visit again!

Great coffee shop, very chilled, friendly staff, fantastic 'full workers' breakfast/ brunch, and good coffee! All fab!!

Wonderful cakes and coffee served in a friendly setting with great buzz about itAlso has a quirky terrace outside where you can watch the world go by

Went here for lunch as visiting hospital.....so good that returned the next day! Going again on next visit to catch the brunch ..and am desperate to try those fantastic looking cakes! Lovely staff despite huge rush at lunchtime but soon calms down ...top marks for a really special place.

I visited the workhouse cafe on Tuesday lunchtime and was greeted by an immense lunchtime rush that I can only assume the hospital and surrounding businesses on their lunch breaks could be held responsible for. Despite how busy it was my friend and I were treated to table service throughout our visit!On arrival we were quickly shown to a table in the window that was free (perfect for people watching the world go by) our orders taken and drinks received within a matter of minutes by attentive, polite and friendly staff.We both ordered the delicious avocado with poached chicken and amazing coffees to follow.We left impressed and satisfied, the cafe was clean and tidy, the staff were calm and made us feel very welcome.Will definitely be returning and would definitely recommend.

The service and team atmosphere among the three staff was excellent but what topped it for me was the homemade bread (sour dough) with homemade marmalade and raspberry/gooseberry jam. Simply outstanding and as good as I can make at home. The two lattes I had were equally delicious. Altogether a fantastic spot convenient to the university. A lot of thought and effort has been given to this place. Thank you.

To be fair, workhouse cafe does good coffee, cake and food. However, the kitchen closes at the most busiest hour on a Saturday which was very disappointing and pushing customers away. Why bother opening on Saturday then?

The guys here use great beans and know how to make a coffee. The best thing is, the pastries and lunch menu are also amazing! Great breakfast for the early risers! A must for those who are nearby or visiting Bristol!

We stopped here for a quick drink and dessert. The staff were very pleasant and friendly. But I noticed that the tables and floor were pretty messy with crumbs and tea/coffee stains from previous customers etc. I know that this place appeared to be a rustic old world type cafe, but there is no excuse for messy tables and floors.

After hospital visit took my son in for a drink as he was feeling thirsty.Nice cafe but ridiculously expensive, two soft drinks and a brownie between us came to over £8 and if I'd have fancied a beer it would have cost me £5 for a bottle.Also when I left I said thanks to the guy behind the counter who I assume didn't hear me or maybe just ignored me while the other member of staff was busy chatting on his phone.

I visited because I was supporting a family hospital visit. Wow! What a lovely place. I tried the new filter coffee which was "damn fine"! What I really liked though was the atmosphere, some easy on the ear music was playing - Fingerman -whilst I sat on bent cane seating looking out across to Colston Street watching the world go by. Very relaxing. For those with appetites or low will power there is an array of "temptations". How I managed to resist will remain a mystery.

It's a little bit pricy but the coffee and food are great. Really good poached eggs! Also very imaginative breakfast (kale and coffee spiked beans) that makes the fry-up feel a bit more healthy

I visit the Workhouse every opportunity I get! I live on the other side of Bristol, which is probably good as otherwise I'd end up visiting every day. Great coffee, great smoothies and excellent food - this cafe's got it all!

What a wonderful find. I was only in Bristol for the day, I parked my car close to The Workhouse cafe and went in by chance. What incredible food and the coffee was perfect- no chain could ever come close to producing a coffee like that. The staff were charming, helpful and polite, veritable tour guides I can definitely recommend it and will be going again next time I'm in Bristol

Just went here for my 30th birthday, but got asked to leave after 15-20 mins at a table, having finished our coffee + cake, just cos they wanted the space for lunch. Clearly they only care about making money rather than retaining loyal customers. Feeling quite shocked at the audacity of the guy! Don't come here if you want to feel valued!

Walked past this location regularly over the years, but have now discovered this establishment of destination since this cafe has arrived! Wandered in for a quick take-out snack, but had the "gut-feel" and took opportunity to eat in, and so very, very glad I did. Salted-Beef panini and side salad was truly the best panini I've had in many a year! The coffee, in a hand warming mug without handle was very fine indeed and the whole ambience was an oasis of culinary refuge, as I watched the world hurry past outside the windows. Will certainly return at first opportunity and recommend this hats-down to anyone who is visiting local hospitals and want something comforting, seasonal and local. Awesome!

I was recommended the breakfast in the Workhouse Cafe by my brother so as I was in the area, I thought I would pop in. I missed out on the breakfast as it stopped serving at 12 but had avocado on toast instead. The food was really tasty and pretty inexpensive too, which is good if you are on a budget. Our meals were £5.50 each. The cafe has a real cosy feel to it and it's pretty arty and quirky. They have a mix of table shapes and sizes and we sat on a long bench with a separate group. The cafe accepts card (always good to know) and Apple Pay. I will definitely return to try the breakfast!

went here with the kids and the in laws in tow and there was something for us all, the vegetarian, the picky one and those who wanted a full belly. All served with smile and feeling we mattered as customers with nothing a trouble.

I loved the place, really cool and local food. Good coffee. I'll come again :) There is a chilled out atmosphere and a real feeling of community

I popped in for a quick coffee whist walking past and ended up sitting down to have breakfast and I was so glad I did. My fantastic meal of smashed up Avocado with lime, coriander, black beans, poached eggs and bacon on sourdough toast arrived very quickly and was delicious. Good value, friendly service and a great people watching spot all resulted in me planning my next visit before I had left.

Cannot criticise the food and coffee here. I and a bunch of lads come here every fortnight for pre-work brekkie and we simply wouldn't go anywhere else now. The staff could potentially be slightly friendlier(!) but the menu brings a twist on the traditional breakfast options and I think is simply delicious. I find the atmosphere excellent and the food is good value.

I came here for brunch with my boyfriend on a Saturday and the place was very busy- I can see why!I had the veggie brunch, my boyfriend had the meat option. Both were lovely. Its also good to know that everything is free range. Their menu is healthy and wholesome which is completely up my ally. We both had a smoothie to go with our meal which was one of the best smoothies I've ever had. The flavours really come out unlike many bland smoothies I've had. I would go back just for that!Definitely a place I'll come too again.

The Workhouse Café is quite simply a fantastic experience. The food is amazing, I have been taken from my comfort zone and tried many new things which have been truly amazing. The staff are incredibly friendly and have always treated me so well. I've been a customer of The Workhouse Café now for the best part of 4 years since it was taken over, I've seen it evolve and grow. As per the title of this review for me it's like a real life "Cheers"... somewhere I can go where everyone knows my name... so friendly... couldn't recommend it enough.

I have been coming to this cafe for years as I unfortunately have to attend the oncology unit round the corner. It has been a part of my Bristol trip and now it appears to have changed. Instead of the low key chilled atmosphere with excellent food and super friendly service it offers background music that dominates the space. Stroppy service and staff who seemed to just chat among themselves rather than focus on the customer. Food looked of usual good standard but as unable to hear myself think over the music we left to find somewhere quieter.

No breakfast available as there was no one to cook it. We asked for breakfast menu and we told ''we have a nightmare in the kitchen''.This is the third and final time we try to eat here. A similar experience happened a few months ago and we were told that they couldn't provide breakfast as there was no chef. Then my family went to try again and were told at 10.55 that they had stopped serving breakfast at 11.00. The slow service might be acceptable but the unreliability of this establishment -when there are so many alternatives nearby- makes it not worth the trouble.We once had a good breakfast here- only once and now never again.

I went with good friends while visiting their relative in the nearby hospital. Hearty, healthy, wholesome, comfort food served with friendliness. Service not the speediest but it gave us time out of the hospital to chat in a relaxed and warm atmosphere. And the tiles on the wall outside gave us something else to talk about!

Full meat brunch on a Saturday lunchtime - simply the best looking (& even better tasting) plate of food I've had in a long time!!!Coffee was pretty special too. I'll be back!!!

I really like this cafe. Great to see this place turned into something good. They've kept the tiles outside and have a great dark grey look to compliment the masses of light shining through the large windows. The coffee is good, but it's the menu items like the breakfast casserole that really impress me. A nice ham hock and beans stew with a poached egg, a little bit of green on top and some wedges of toast. The music is normally ace too. Not your average cafe.

I love this place! It's located on the corner at the bottom of St Michael's hill and it is very bright and a great place to go and work or read or do your job on your laptop! Bing windows, people watching and good food as well!

Looked a bit pretentious from the outside but I always try not to judge a book by its cover. Turns out, I was right! Staff are unfriendly, the service is VERY slow. I understand making fresh smoothies and coffees can take time - but this was ridiculous. I went on a quiet Saturday afternoon. If they are that slow through a quiet period I daren't go on a weekday. A sorry would have gone a long way. Smoothie wasn't particularly nice either and it was expensive. Shame.

Four of us turned up here on a Saturday morning just before the kitchen opened. We were welcomed in and ordered drinks. We chose this cafe as it had info about the coffee posted outside and one of our party is a real coffee fan. He wasn't disappointed! The smoothies are amazing too with really interesting mixes of fruit juices and herbs.I was trying to eat small and ordered the granola. Well, it was gigantic but so delicious with yoghurt, banana and honey or maybe passion fruit? Anyway, go hungry if you order the granola. I needed help from the other 3. I thought £4.50 was expensive, but it was actually a good deal.The cooked breakfasts were also massive, interesting and tasty. French toast made with homemade bread and one dish with eggs and Harissa was exceptional.This is a family friendly cafe with only a few tables and next time we are in Bristol we will be back if we can get a table!

Went to the Workhouse Cafe for a breakfast birthday treat. We had the granola, the mashed avocado and poached eggs on toast and the french toast with blueberry compote, caramelised bananas and whisky maple sauce. All were very good. The avocado had ricotta and honey mixed with it plus caraway seeds which made it nice and light; the blueberry compote had been made with bay leaves so wasn’t too sweet; the granola came with yoghurt, banana, honey and passion fruit, which was lovely. Definitely go again - would like to try their breakfast stew!

Had brunch here twice now. First time I was on that next heathen vibe so I had a fry up which was huge and perfectly cooked. Second time I went had the ham hock with poached eggs, tenderstem broccoli and hollandaise, what a treat! Two nice crisp slices of sourdough too, humungous portions to the point I nearly didnt finish but i did, perfectly poached eggs and lovely buttery hollandaise, next level trust.Had a couple of juices too, was a few weeks ago so can't remember exactly what but the parsnip one was a pleseant surprise.See people below harking on about service whinge whinge whinge bleet bleet bleet. It's a bait lay out in this place and it's very small, things take time with this kind of food and cooking, freshly ground coffee, juices, etc. Lemons on legs, loitering about with no sense of urgency and no idea what they want from life let alone lunch are the main culprit to bad service, so I suggest you go do a day's work experience in a made from scrath kitchen blud or creep back to your office job and stop off at subway on your way back hear they got sandwich 1.99 today get me!?!Looking forward to my next visit.

I started visiting this cafe for nearly 3 years now and this time after a year of not coming here, it was very pleasant. Im so pleased to see all the improvements! Food is so much better, service is still friendly as always, so many healthy things in the menu that i wish i can try all at the same time, great vegan cakes, perfect chai latte..and the atmosphere is great!

Stopped here after a visit to Bristol Royal Infirmary just down the road Had soup, savoury and a cup of teaReally like this place. Bohemian feel with great food and good service. Would definitely visit againLooks like it gets pretty busy but fair turn over of tablesOh yes and free open wifi (no shortage of students on their macs)Wide range of eat in and takeway food and all looked very appetising

The cafe wall illusion does your head in if you are hung over or on painkillers, but this place is great - consistent, high quality food, good coffee, and cakes. And wifi, and it's always full of doctors, so if you have a heart attack during or after eating their great breakfast, there will always be someone on hand to deal with it. Definitely a place to visit.

Coming from a place OS that boasts pretentious hipster coffee hubs, I have quite high standards when it comes to quality coffee. Fortunately, I found this place. Not only is the quality of the coffee well and beyond amazing, but (contradictory to previous idiotic comments) the handsome and friendly barristers make you feel warm and at home with friendly and funny conversation. The poached eggs, ham hock & hollandaise on sour dough is to die for! My only criticism is that the owner of the cafe isn't on the menu... I would gobble him up.

I work just around the corner from The Workhouse Cafe and me and the boss go in regularly for our coffees in the morning. Always very friendly staff who always seem very busy but still have time to have a quick chat in the morning. P.S their vanilla lattes are SO nice ;)

There are lots of coffee shops to visit on the way to work and I like to be in a welcoming and friendly place with great coffee, which sets me up for the day ahead. It's not much to ask is it?This café is next to my child's school so the most convenient for me, but I have not found the manager very friendly, you have to make an effort before she cracks a smile. The last time I went to this café I stood at the counter (which is very small) for 2 minutes waiting for one staff member to finish serving and chatting, and then helping a new member use the till, during which time my presence was not acknowledged; not even a 'will be with you in a moment', When you are feeling uncomfortable and invisible, a few minutes seems much longer. When the staff member had finished serving and chatting to what was obviously a regular, she turned around with her back to me and started moving items around on the shelf behind her, as if she didn't want to serve me, as I couldn't see what was so important to do there before serving the next customer. At this point I walked out.

I do love this cafe and have been time and time again, but there are problems... mainly, the service. It really can be awful - I've sat down and watched customers be ignored by the staff and I just don't get it. I've nearly had to point out the location of the drinks menu to another customer as the guy serving didn't even acknowledge his presence. You would think being in the hospitality service that you would try to be friendly and helpful but sometimes the folks that work here really miss the spot.The speed is the next thing, oh man it can be so slow... it seems to take forever and a day to make one coffee and I don't understand why they don't take the order of the next person whilst waiting for the first person's coffee to brew or get another machine or just SOMETHING. I've seen so many people walk in and walk back out due to the slowness of not being able to order even when the queue is short.Now, if you're not in a rush this place is great.. the food is usually top notch (we've hit a couple of bum notes here and there - ONE KIPPER on the Kippers on toast breakfast was sad indeed and we've had a couple of overcooked sausages, bread mix ups etc) - The ham hock eggs benedict is delicious as is the main breakfast and even their jam on toast, all ingredients are local and fresh and lovely and they change their menu every now and then to try new things which is nice. The cafe itself is charming, and there really is no other cafe I'd rather sit in than Workhouse (except maybe when it's baking hot and it gets like a sauna in there...but even then I can go and sit on the terrace).This place is good, but it could be great! If they just adjust the niggles of the service I'm sure this place will thrive...even more than it already is.

As a first time customer, I was excited to visit this cafe and see what it was like. I went in to order coffee. The two women behind the counter were making up the order for the previous customer. It didn't seem to be a particularly large order but it prevented either of them from making eye contact with me or saying 'hello' until they were done. When one of the women finally greeted me and took my order, she seemed a little bit disinterested. Granted, it's not fascinating but it almost made me feel bad for being a customer; like I was interrupting in some way. The server almost forgot my takeout order and the service itself was actually quite slow. As the cafe wasn't very busy I'm not too sure why this was the case. Overall, I didn't feel very welcome so sadly I don't think I'll be popping in for coffee again.

We had two of the seasonal specials: I had the smoked haddock fish cakes with poached egg and hollandaise, and my girlfriend had the baked egg on Hart's sourdough with fried vegetables (red onions, peppers, and squash). The latter was supposed to come with salami, but we substituted vegetarian sausages. It was all really fantastic. These are the best fishcakes I've ever had: the texture was wonderful, with small chunks of potato and other ingredients, especially including large pieces of smoked haddock -- not puréed to mush like in many cases! The skin was also delightful, really thick and almost crunch, not thin and greasy, again like most fish cakes. The poached egg was perfect and they didn't drown it in hollandaise: just enough. Served with a really big piece of lemon for seasoning, although I should mention the internal seasoning in the fish cake was also unusually good. We'll definitely be back!

We visited Workhouse Cafe at 'brunch time' on a Sunday. We arrived before the café had officially opened but were happy to sit and select our food in the relaxed atmosphere. We would thoroughly recommend the veggie breakfast which is a very good value meal, beautifully presented and cooked to perfection! Slices of granary toast, home made baked beans, 2 runny poached eggs and veggie sausages were washed down with a coffee! Yummy! Go and visit this fab independent café!

In Bristol only 4 days, we stumbled on the Workhouse Café by accident-- and were so impressed by our lunch, we sought it out twice more (once for brunch, once for mid-afternoon tea)! The fare is simple, homemade, wholesome, and ever so tasty-- definitely better than meals in most fancy, expensive restaurants. I'm not usually one to share my food-- but we couldn't help passing our plates (and glasses)! We had DEElicious fresh juices (my favourite was the carrot-apple-ginger), and over our three visits had a range of dishes, but our favourites were the homemade soups, breads, and cakes. It is a small café, however, with only a few tables-- we were lucky each time to arrive before or after the big 'rush hour' times. I will certainly eat the Workhouse Café again next time I'm in Bristol!

Located on a busy junction the Workhouse Cafe is not the quietest place to relax for a coffee or snack - however it does attract a diverse clientele who are happy to ignore the traffic and noise from the occasional ambulance siren. The attraction is a rustic look with seasonal veg in the window and a good display of healthy homemade food items displayed in the counter area. I wanted to try out the veggie breakfast. It was a no fuss, standard breakfast, but I felt I had tasted better for less than the £6.50 price tag - which incidently is the same price for a full 'meaty' breakfast. Perhpas next time I should turn up for lunch. Overall, sound service, bit of a buzz venue.

The food here's great and the staff really friendly. They do a good selection of teas and cakes. Lunchtime can be busy and not always easy to get a table straight away but worth waiting.

We stumbled across the Workhouse Cafe by chance whilst completing part ofthe Gromit Unleashed trial, we wanted to visit the Gromit shop opposite the BRI and in need of a cold drink thought we would give it a go and what a great choice.We idn't have any food but the menu loks very good as did the cakes on the counter and the choise and quality of the smoothies was worth the visit alone. There were some very intersting combinations and the ones that we choose really hit the spot. There is also a wide selection of teas and coffee, we will definately be back next time we are in the area and will hopefully get a chance to sample the food.

What a delight to discover this unpretentious little cafe with its wonderful, healthy, flavoursome food. A perfect place for lunch--and what a delicious lunch it was. I had a couscous salad with goat's cheese and I was very impressed with the way the cook had created such a beautiful, subtle blend of flavours and all without the help of the ubiquitous spring onions (which I dislike) or even garlic. When/if I ever visit Bristol again, this is where you'll find me at lunchtime, that's for sure.

We were visiting Bristol and always check out organic cafes if we can find one. We liked it immediately as it had pannini, salad and some really yummy main dishes on display. On the left is a huge chalkboard with the day’s offerings. I enjoyed a really tasty tagine [reminded me of ratatouille but more flavoursome.] The couscous was the best I have ever tasted, seasoned with lemon and herbs. The menu had some exceptionally interesting items like a salad with lemon and herb couscous and pan fried goat’s cheese with honey. Tart with lemon roast shallot, aubergine + parmesan + salad. Home cured ham + red lentil & apple soup + lovely bread. We'll go back when we can. The service was great and prices somewhat low for the quality offered. The £5.95 I paid for my Tagine was a steal.

Best cafe in Clifton. Consistently good and imaginative food. Interesting smoothies, too. it was time for a decent organic cafe in the area. I'm so glad to have found this place!

This is my new favourite place to grab lunch and is infinitely better than the miserable Cafe Delight whose premises it took over.Fresh, interesting sandwiches and jacket potatoes accompanied by great salads and decent coffee too. My fruit and veg intake's gone up about 500% since Workhouse opened.