Q&A: THE CANTEEN – DELICIOUS SLOW FOOD

The Canteen is a bit of Bristol institution! It opened in 2009 with the aim of providing people in and around Hamilton House and Stokes Croft with quality, affordable, sustainable food and drink – plus great entertainment. The Canteen is a place to meet, eat, drink, and listen to some of Bristol’s best live music. It also follows a slow food philosophy. Manager Anna Blightman answers our questions… 

The Canteen follows a ‘slow food’ philosophy – what is this and why is it important?
It is really important to us that we understand the provenance of all our food, from the name of the farm to the origin of our coffee. The slow food philosophy adheres to good, clean and fair, meaning we make sure all our food is good for you and the planet, clean of nasty or unnecessary additives and fair by supporting smaller, local suppliers and cutting down on food miles.

How do you make this work in practice?
Our sourcing policy means that we always seek out suppliers that are within the SW region for the majority of our produce. This includes all our meat, dairy and fresh fruit and vegetables. We only work with seasonal produce, again cutting down our food miles. Where we need to source from further afield (e.g. coffee, sugar, tea) we ensure these are fair-trade or Rainforest Alliance Certified, or working with these practices. 

What challenges have you had to overcome to be true to this policy? 
Sticking to seasonal has often meant we can’t have certain dishes on the menu at times. This can be a particular challenge around the hungry gap from March to June, but we enjoy having to be more creative, seeking out what is available, and keeping our menus fresh and up to date.

Although you do serve meat dishes you have a wide selection of very tasty vegan dishes too – why have you chosen to embrace plant-based eating?
We like to champion healthy eating with plenty of plant-based dishes, using the freshest local produce. Bristol has a wealth of amazing producers and suppliers and it makes sense for us to use them! It allows our chefs to be creative with dishes and is more and more popular with our guests.

 What advice would you give other restaurateurs if they are considering adopting a slow food approach and/or adding vegan options to the menu?
Do it! It does present a challenge, but we strongly believe it is a challenge worth accepting. The more we offer, the more we are asked for plant-based options. Look around your locality to find suppliers and producers that can help with sourcing what you need – and take inspiration from those around you.

Where can we find out more?
For info on everything Canteen check out our website, socials or get in touch hello@canteenbristol.co.uk

Website: canteenbristol.co.uk
Facebook: @canteenbristol
Twitter: @inthecanteen

Details of The Canteen’s COVID-19 measures here.