In a city where half the fun happens along the Harbourside, it’s no surprise that some of its most characterful bars and restaurants are actually afloat. From sun-drenched decks serving spritzes with a side of ship-shaped nostalgia to cosy cabin-style dining rooms bobbing gently on the water, Bristol’s boat restaurants and bars are a glorious mash-up of maritime charm and modern hospitality.
Whether you want cocktails on a converted barge, brunch aboard a floating café, or dinner in a moored-up maritime icon, these buoyant hotspots prove that Bristol’s food and drink scene is as seaworthy as ever. Here’s where to climb aboard.
Boat Bars And Restaurants In Bristol
1. Under The Stars
- Location: Narrow Quay, BS1
4QA
- Price: £
- Why we recommend: Under The Stars setting - gently rocking on the harbour - makes it a great quirky date location in our opinion. The food is thoughtful, and the cocktails are fun
A boat restaurant in Bristol and a floating Mediterranean tapas bar with more than a decade of loyal locals to its name, Under The Stars is one of the harbourside’s most atmospheric dining spots. Inside, the space is warm and intimate, all rich wood, Hague-blue walls and mustard-yellow accents, while the roomy top deck offers year-round alfresco dining with front-row views of the water.
The menu takes its cues from the sea in spirit, borrowing flavours from ports that Bristol’s ships would once have visited. It’s a curated spread of Mediterranean tapas, like chorizo with red wine-caramelised onions, garlicky pollo al ajillo with feta yoghurt, and rare-sliced bistec with salsa verde. Then there’s the pizza: hand-crafted on board, dough to toppings, with a satisfyingly rustic finish that feels right at home on deck.
You can enjoy tapas to share at Under The Stars.
2. The Apple
- Location: Welsh Back, BS1 4SB
- Price: £
- Why we recommend: as far as boat bars in Bristol go, we think that The Apple is the kind of bar where everyone feels welcome and can be united by a shared love of sitting by the water with a brilliant pint
Moored on a 1920s Dutch barge at the end of King Street, The Apple has been keeping the city 'cidered up' since 2006, pouring proper farmhouse pints into the historic floating harbour long before it was trendy. On sunny days, the huge outdoor space heaves with people clutching cold pints; in winter, the barge becomes a cosy hideout.
The cider list is, unsurprisingly, enormous. You’ll find everything from rich, sweet 8.4% LD Bristolian to proper Somerset classics like Rich’s Medium and Wilkins, along with crisp Bristol Blend, tangy Kingston Black and a rotating cast of small-batch favourites. Fruit ciders cover everything from elderflower to mango and lime, while bottled options showcase the best of the West Country and beyond. If you’re not on the cider train, there’s plenty of beer, lager, wine and the odd peachy, tropical curveball from brands like Jubel and Wiper & True.
The Apple is one for cider fans.
3. Grain Barge
- Location: Hotwell Road, BS8 4RU
- Price: ££
- Why we recommend: proudly powered by local brewers, bakers and producers, Grain Barge flies the flag for Bristol’s indie spirit. Bristol Beer Factory has an all-star presence with crisp unfiltered pilsners, tropical session IPAs, rich amber ales and the iconic Black Gates nitro stout
Moored just off Hotwell Road with Brandon Hill, the Suspension Bridge and the city centre all a short wander away, the Grain Barge is an easy stop-off whether you’re mid-bike ride, halfway along the Harbourside loop or just looking for a pint with a postcard backdrop.
On bright days, the top deck hums with sun-seekers clutching cold pints of Bristol Beer Factory favourites; when the rain rolls in, the cosy wood-lined belly of the boat becomes a refuge for dog-walkers, brunchers, chess players and gig-goers. Food-wise, small plates cover everything from seared sesame tuna with truffle mayo to panko-crusted calamari. Comfort seekers can dive deeper into sticky milk stout puddings and black cherry bakewell crumbles.
Sip and snack at the Grain Barge.
4. Thekla
- Location: The Grove, East Mud Dock, BS1 4RB
- Price: ££
- Why we recommend: whether you’re crammed into the lower-deck pit watching your new favourite band, spilling outside for fresh air with the city lights glinting on the water, or losing your voice to a 2am track you definitely shouldn’t have requested, we think that Thekla delivers
Once a working cargo ship, Thekla reinvented itself in the early 1980s as the Old Profanity Showboat, the theatrical brainchild of Ki Longfellow and Vivian Stanshall. For two years, it staged cabaret, comedy, live music, lunchtime Old Vic performances and even a three-hour musical-comedy opera called Stinkfoot. There was even talk of sailing the whole operation to New York before the curtain finally fell in 1986.
The ship was reborn in 1987 as The Thekla under Peter Jackson and Andrew Price, launching with a club night called The Cooker, later joined by Defcon, one of the city’s earliest regular electronic nights. Today, Thekla’s legacy is alive and kicking. Weekly Pop Confessional nights turn the lower deck into a euphoric singalong, while hip-hop parties, indie gigs, alt-electronic shows and touring bands keep the calendar constantly stacked.
Have you ever been to a gig on a cargo ship?
5. Three Brothers Burgers
- Location: Welsh Back, BS1 4SB
- Price: £
- Why we recommend: this restaurant and bar is a noisy, joyful, meat-sizzling, beer-swigging barge where you can rock up hungry and leave convinced you’ve just had one of the city’s best casual eats
Three Brothers Burgers is an independent, proudly local, and one of the best bars and restaurants on a boat in Bristol. Everything here begins with sourcing: small West Country herds, rare-breed cattle, Bristol breweries, independent distilleries, and producers who genuinely care about flavour.
And the burgers? These are steak burgers. A blend of hard-working cuts like chuck and brisket, balanced with dry-aged prime bits like rib cap and rump. Each one is seasoned and cooked to order like an actual steak, which means a properly caramelised crust and a juicy, beefy centre. It’s indulgent, messy, deeply satisfying stuff. Behind the bar, Bristol’s craft scene takes the wheel. You’ll find rotating lines from Bristol Beer Factory, Wiper & True, Bristol Cider Co and a stream of other small-batch breweries and distillers.
The only place in Bristol where you can get a steak-like burger on a barge.
6. 6 O'Clock Gin At The Glassboat
- Location: Welsh Back, BS1 4SB
- Price: ££
- Why we recommend: here you can pop in for a leisurely afternoon G&T, join one of the gin experiences, or simply pick up a bottle to take home; The Glassboat is the perfect waterside pause
It's always 6 o'clock somewhere should be the saying at this floating bar. At 6 O'Clock Gin At The Glassboat, the menu is all about perfectly poured G&Ts, bright citrus-led cocktails, seasonal specials, and a supporting cast of beers, wines and spirits. When you’re done sipping, you can browse the onboard shop, stocked with their full range of spirits, gift sets and barware. Staff are more than happy to let you sample a few, which is exactly the kind of customer service we can get behind.
The bar began on a local fruit farm, crafting small-batch liqueurs before refining the recipe that would become their signature gin, strikingly smooth thanks to ‘Kathleen’, their unique copper pot still. That precision, balance and clarity runs through everything they do, from sloe gin masterclasses to cocktail workshops, pop-up dining events and live music evenings showcasing local talent.
6 O'Clock Gin At The Glassboat is a bar and shop all in one.
7. Bristol Packet Boat Trips
- Location: Gas Ferry Road, BS1 6UN
- Price: ££
- Why we recommend: we think that Bristol Packet Boat Trips deliver a uniquely tasty ride, best enjoyed with a warm scone, a cold drink and someone who’ll fight you politely for the last cake bite
Bristol Packet Boat Trips is the most charming way to graze, sip and sightsee your way through the city’s waterways, drifting past the SS Great Britain, Hotwells, Castle Park and the old harbour walls while you tuck into a cream tea that comes as standard with every ticket. Freshly baked scone, clotted cream, jam, a slice of cake and a cup of tea? Yes please.
For groups and private charters, the food-and-drink offering becomes even more of an event. There’s a fully licensed bar on every boat, so you can keep things simple with individual drinks or go big with a welcome glass of chilled prosecco as everyone steps aboard. Catering ranges from casual grazing to full-on feasting: wood-fired pizzas collected fresh from a local supplier, fish and chips delivered hot at departure, afternoon tea spreads, savoury nibbles or a proper boathouse buffet piled with local cheeses, deli meats, and more.
Enjoy a cream tea on a boat in Bristol.
8. Brunel's SS Great Britain
- Location: Great Western Dockyard, Gas Ferry Road, BS1 6TY
- Price: ££
- Why we recommend: we think Brunel’s SS Great Britain serves up one of the most spectacular dining backdrops in the city. It's a place where you can celebrate all while standing on one of the most important ships ever built
Fancy raising a glass on the open-air Weather Deck with views over the harbour on Brunel's SS Great Britain? Or how about sitting down to a lavish meal in the ornate first-class dining saloon, once admired by Queen Victoria herself? On this famous boat, every space comes with a story. For groups, parties and private events, the ship becomes your own floating dining hall.
The first-class dining saloon sets the tone for elegant dinners and after-dinner entertainment; the promenade deck is ideal for pre-dinner canapés; and the Hayward saloon slots in perfectly as your bar or dance area. If you’re planning something intimate, the Shakespeare room offers one of Bristol’s most exclusive fine-dining settings - Brunel’s own recreated dining room for up to twelve guests. And for receptions with a cultural twist, the Being Brunel galleries offer spacious, modern surroundings.
Host your own dinner aboard this well-known ship.
For more, discover our guide to the best restaurants with a view in Bristol.
