Hart’s Bakery

So to find this place is easy when you know how … come out of the station front entrance, walk towards the left rather than the standard straight out, and keep eyes peeled for a set of steps and a bridge across to the large building standing on its own. Go down the steps and you’ll see some arches. Hart’s Bakery will likely have some chairs and a table or two outside so identification is easy. Hard to miss. The place wasn’t full but was way busier than I expected given the location.
I popped in en-​route to a meeting over Easton way. I needed something to eat as it was lunchtime and I didn’t want to get to the meeting still starved! When you enter the door the interior space is light and bright. The front is dominated by large ‘sharable’ tables, with a door to the loo located left. Then the counter in front is festooned with cakes and savouries. Coffee machine to the left and a bread stand (all sour-​dough apparently!) to your right.
Ordering was a breeze. There’s a specials board for food, but otherwise, you need to use your eyes on the table where everything is on view. The cakes and such are all uncovered. Looks great but as in so many places I’d question the ‘hygiene’ of an open display. Service was brisk and super-​smiley.
I had the veggie sausage roll, a flat white and bought a white sourdough for home. I was pretty happy. Coffee is a single estate from Extract. Very nicely made by a nice man, who somehow knew it was mine even tho he hadn’t served me.
If you look through the serving area then there’s the bakery itself. Everyone seemed happy and were working well together. They sure seemed to be generating a lot of goodies back there.
I really enjoyed the whole vibe and the hive of activity going on. They bake for many outlets through the city and from that point of view their location makes sense. It makes less sense in terms of passing trade, but the turnover of eat in and take away orders during my 20 minutes or so sitting in clearly demonstrates that some places are just brilliant enough to become a ‘destination’. Well worth popping by next time you’re at Temple Meads!

Awesome sausage role! This a bakery close to the station and always worth a visit if your passing through. Quality bakery

While studying at Dbs studios I go to this place on the regs. Freshly hand made (in front of your eyes is you wait long enough) delights. Bread, pastry and cakes. Locally sourced, and dam delicious.
One thing I have to point out is the mega sausage rolls. Very high in price but by the heavens are they worth it. A different one each day, pork, black pudding and chives to Thai spiced… They are the best sausage rolls I have ever tasted in my life.
Watch them rolling dough or putting a heart logo on your latte.
Highly recommended.

Now this is a Bakery!
I’ve got my favourite Bakery in Bristol that I rarely stray from. Unfortunately I moved away from it at the beginning of the year, so I don’t get to go as much as I’d like now. But while in the area, I stumbled across Hart’s Bakery. I have heard some awesome reviews about it so decided to pop and see what all the fuss was about.
Hart’s looks completely different to any bakery I’ve been to before. It’s very rustic, which isn’t abnormal for bakery, but the lighting and ambiance makes it feel like winter — but in a really lovely, snug kind of way! It feels like you don’t want to leave. Like you’ve got everything you need right in front of you, so you might as well just stay put!
I had a delicious latte and a pork and onion sausage roll, which was still warm. The pastry was so SO good! I’m a bit fussy when it comes to pastry. I don’t really like it cold and if it’s a bit tough then I tend just eat whatever is in the middle. The pastry on the sausage roll was absolutely perfect for me and the meat in the middle was amazing. Not too salty, which a lot of sausage rolls can be.
I wanted a cake, I really did, but I wasn’t hungry enough. I’m heading towards Harts again tomorrow, so I’ll definitely be stopping for one then. I’ll update when I do!
But on first impressions, I may have found my new favourite bakery!