Aqua Bar & Restaurant

I’d not been to an Aqua before but had heard good things about it. We visited for our works Christmas meal and because this was in a group of 20+ my expectations weren’t that high. I often find the best of restaurants become especially mediocre when you have a set Christmas menu.
The first thing that impressed me was the menu, even though it was a set Christmas menu the options were really varied and I actually struggled to pick between a number of starts and mains.
I opted for a Chicken liver terrine to start which was really good, my only complaint was they provided two tiny bits of bread with a giant portion pâté, however as soon as I pointed this out they were quick to bring out additional baskets of bread.
For the main course I had Roasted cod with a chopped chestnut crust, new potatoes
& creamed Savoy cabbage, this was cooked beautifully and a ginormous piece of cod. They also brought out sides of roast potato, mashed swede, sprouts with bacon lardon’s and other stuff I can’t remember. This was all cooked to perfection and my only complaint was the sheer volume, a lot went to waste.
For dessert I had Tiramisu with a chocolate & coffee cream sauce, this was the most disappointing course and pretty mediocre. It was far too sweet with not enough coffee or alcohol.
Overall though I was extremely impressed and look forward top trying it again

had lunch at Aqua on Sunday. Staff were polite and atmosphere pleasant.
Main course of baked aubergine was very poor. Undercooked aubergines in a runny cheese and tomato sauce. As a veggie in an italian style restaurant I would have hoped for much more. Side dish of garlic spinach poor to average.
I don’t know why people rate Aqua-​perhaps it is mainly aimed at meat eaters?
I will not go back.
The one star is for the nice staff

It’s a rare occasion that me & my partner get to go out for the evening without our little boy so it’s always nice when we choose a good restaurant.
Neither of us had been to an Aqua before so it was a new experience for us. Overall we were really impressed. The restaurant itself had a really lovely atmosphere with dimmed lighting and tea lights and a single flower on each table.
I ordered the penne pollo which was delicious, a huge portion which was way too much for me but I gave it a good go. My partner ordered the Roast lamb which looked lovely and tasted just as good.
The prices were reasonable for the quality of the food.
The staff were very attentive and there was always someone around if we needed anything.
Will definitely be going back!

I’m not a huge fan of either of the Aqua restaurants in Bristol. Décor and ambiance wise, it’s just not my thing. But I’ve got to say, we had a fantastic breakfast at the Whiteladies branch for my girlfriends 30^th.
The full English was amazing value for £6.95. It wasn’t huge: 3 rashers of bacon, 1 sausage, 1 egg, black pudding, beans, tomato and a slice of toast. But everything was delicious and tasted top quality. 2 others had the egg Benedict and were equally as impressed.
We asked for some bucks fizz, but unfortunately they didn’t do it. They gave a bottle of presecco and some orange juice instead which was just as food, and decent value for £21.
Throughout our breakfast about 5 other people turned up. We were already 6 people on a 6 person table, but the waitresses helped us move some chairs and squeezed the others in. They were really good!
Aqua still wouldn’t be top of my list for an evening meal, but thats just my taste. I’d still recommend them to others though; especially for breakfast.

Service was good. Food was good. All-​in-​all an enjoyable experience

Had a very nice meal here the other evening. Was pleasantly surprised by the food and the service as I was a bit afraid it would be a little bit of a chain kind of restaurant, but I was wrong. The place itself is very aesthetically appealing and the food was good. We started with a tomato and mozzarella flatbread, not realizing it was actually a pizza but the crust was so thin it wasn’t too filling. We then had the fritto misto, which was coated in a perfect tempura batter and served with a garlic mayo which paired perfectly. We also tried the funghi al Gorgonzola, which was very tasty and I could have had that easily as a meal. BUT, being the food loving fatties we are, we also had 2 pasta main courses. I went with the tagliatelle Gorgonzola (because one can never have enough Gorgonzola) and my man had the smoked chicken and asparagus pasta, which was the DEFINITE winner of the two. The tagliatelle was a bit bland actually. My only gripe was that the pasta didn’t taste like fresh pasta, rather the boxed dried kind. Boo, but all in all a good meal, with good service, in a nice atmosphere. We will definitely come back in the summer and sit outside, the front patio is lovely.

This lovely restaurant is situated on Whiteladies Road. There is a lovely outside seating area that is literally hotting up — excuse the pun! But it is a real sun trap and the ideal place to enjoy lunch and or after work drinks.
There is a really relaxed atmosphere both indoors and outdoors. I recently went there for a few drinks after work and one bottle of wine soon turned into three and a delicious plate of tapas!
The dish was full of tasty bites — roasted vegetables, various meats and some dressings. One of the dressings was an olive paste — it was amazing! And went perfectly with the plate of bread, which also came with the tapas.
I really want to head back to Aqua — I had presumed that it was excessive prices, the wine was not cheap but that had loads of pizzas on the menu for about £8.00 — I was very pleasantly surprised. And they do 2 4 1 cocktails throughout the week!

Aqua is a smart and stylish all-​day Italian restaurant housed in a Grade II listed building on Whiteladies Road, serving up pizzas, Sunday roasts (yes, roasts!), and even breakfasts on weekdays and brunches at weekends.
The food’s good, and the waiting staff are efficient. Restaurant manager Mimmo knows his Italian wines, too, and the bar also serves Italian cocktails, grappas, and aperitivos — or you can down an espresso with a glass of water.
I don’t think this place is that expensive, considering the fact you get to sit down and eat in an elegant environment for almost the same price as you’d pay for some takeaway pizzas — although it is perhaps a little pricier than some of Bristol’s more traditional Italian restaurants. There’s also a pavement café area outside, which is pleasant for weekend brunches in the summer.
Don’t get this place mixed up with another Bristol restaurant of the same name, which is located down by the docks and serves mainly fish.

I used to walk past the Bath branch of Aqua and be totally overpowered by the glorious smell of good grub emanating from within. I have enjoyed many a night at the branch on Welsh Back but must say I prefer the newer premises on Whiteladies which is in a Grade II listed building. It is crisp and clean with big floor to ceiling windows and a lovely upstairs mezzanine area. The food here is so so good and they are always doing mid-​week offers which make it affordable while still feeling like you are in a very high-​end restaurant. The food is mainly Italian with fabulous pizza and pasta dishes and a really extensive offering of Italian wines. It may not seem like typical Italian fodder but do try the sticky toffee pudding if you can– it is immense. I also found the waiters and waitresses here really happy to chat and very professional in their service.

I have walked past this place quite a few times and could not help but feel that it was the most pretentious looking restaurant in Bristol. But then one of my housemates took his girlfriend here and recommended it, so in i went.
The food was good– in line with expectations and price tag. The thing i was most impressed with was the atmosphere, which was deeply laid back for somewhere that has the potential to be incredibly stuffy.
If your looking for somewhere a little bit more expensive, then this place could well have your name on it.

Uh-​huh, the food sure is good here, that’s a fact that can’t be denied, and I’ve had a few good family meals here (well, as far as a family meal can be good, I mean). And that’s the thing you need to remember here — it’s very pricey, so if you’re not paying (because you’re with the family) or you’re not on a date (in which case, pay for all that grub like being frivolous is going out of fashion and smile about it), then you’re better off avoiding this place. I couldn’t see it being very good for a birthday party, for example, as your mates are surely going to hold you responsible for having to remortgage their homes and they’ll be damn sure not to buy you a drink. But, as I say, the food is rather good…

Aqua, Italian Restaurant (not to be confused with the fish restaurant of the same name on the docks) is a stylish looking place on the popular Bristol eating spot on Whiteladies road.
The pizzas are really good, traditional Italian in style and quite cheap considering the swanky appearance of the restaurant, and definitely a couple of pounds cheaper than Pizza Planet.
Overall a great dining experience, perfect for that special occasion.

These premises have been used for many fine dining and exclusive restaurants over the years. In its newest use, Aqua presents an extravagant Italian restaurant full of class, splendour, and delicious food.
Set mid way up Whiteladies Road, the restaurant’s name is reflected in the décor, with light flooding through the space and a pale blue theme throughout. This is high quality dining — the waiters are very well trained and knowledgeable about the dishes and wines on offer.
I came here for a special occasion with my family and partook in the fish risotto, which was delicious; a really flavoursome and well cooked dish. The atmosphere was very laid back, which wouldn’t necessarily be expected in this sort of restaurant, and the waiters are very willing to ensure that the diners have all they require.
The restaurant has a couple of other branches, one in the centre of town and another in Bath. I was very impressed with this particular branch, and advise a meal here. The prices aren’t especially cheap though, so it’s probably best saving for a special occasion.