Food Trail insight: Spicer + Cole

There are more than 50 food and drink venues taking part in this year’s Food Trail including restaurants, bakeries, shops, pop-ups and cafes, like Spicer + Cole in Clifton Village and Queen Square Avenue. We caught up with owners Chris and Carla to find out more about the business, why they chose to set up in Bristol and what they are offering as part of the Food Trail…

Caffe Culture Imagery (15th November 2012)

Please introduce yourselves

We are Chris and Carla and we came to Bristol a few years ago with our young family, having spent a few years living ‘the good life’ in rural Andalucía (following many years of hard slog in London!).

Why did you choose to set up shop in Bristol?

Bristol offers us a happy medium; there is always something going on if you want it, but its also really easy to get around and there are loads of lovely green spaces.

How would you describe Bristol’s food scene?

It seems to have exploded in the past couple of years - there are now so many really good specialist offerings.  The coffee scene in particular has really evolved recently and we love being part of that.

Why did you choose Clifton for your second café?

To be honest, we had looked at Clifton initially for our first shop, but when the opportunity came up in Queen Square we knew it would really suit our offering.  We love the special feel of Clifton, with its beautiful architecture and proximity to the downs, and despite the number of good existing cafes, now that we are here, we still feel that we offer something different.

What are you offering as part of the Food Trail?

We are hoping to showcase the amazing local food and drink suppliers that we use in Bristol and the local area.   As an artisan café, we take our coffee and tea pretty seriously, so for the duration of the festival we will be offering free upgrades to some amazing, premium single estate coffee and teas from Bristol’s own Extract Coffee and Waterloo Tea in Cardiff.  Alongside this we’ll also be offering daily changing offers, showcasing our delicious sandwiches, salads and cakes…

Where do you source your ingredients?

From the best possible suppliers, most of which we are lucky to have on our doorstep.  We take it pretty seriously, to the level that we work with four different bakeries to ensure that we get the right bread for each sandwich - and if they can’t do it, we bake it ourselves!

Why do you think it is important that people support the local economy?

We do think it is important to support the local economy as this generally boosts community spirit, which is good for everyone.  However, for us its not just a question of locality, its more about supporting businesses that share our passion and commitment to delivering quality.

Follow Spicer + Cole on Twitter @spicerandcole to find out what their daily deal is from 1-11 May.

Bringing people and good food together