The top line: The latest restaurant from vegetable-centric mini restaurant group Root. Josh Eggleton and Rob Howell have put their money where their mouth is by taking over the former Jamie’s Italian site slap bang in the city centre which, amazingly, has stood empty since the celebrity chef’s UK restaurant empire collapsed in 2019. While they haven’t taken quite all of what was once a 250-cover restaurant, it is probably The Pony Group’s largest and most ambitious project to date. Eggleton and Howell teamed up to launch the first Root in Bristol’s Cargo development in 2017 and followed up with another in the Somerset city of Wells in 2022.
On the menu: Root isn’t a vegetarian or vegan concept but vegetables, fruits, grains and nuts are invariably the star of the show. Dishes that contain meat and fish are relegated to the bottom of the menu. The cooking at The Pony Group is far more sophisticated and assured than its chain-heavy location might suggest (its Bristol and Wells siblings both hold Michelin Bib Gourmands). The regularly changing menu is sourced largely from top quality local suppliers and the cooking is extremely creative with options including southern fried autumn vegetables with leek mayonnaise; Homewood ewes curd dumplings with braised greens and pangratto; and a genius dish that sees celeriac spiced and smoked to create something akin to pastrami (pictured below). Speaking to Restaurant ahead of the launch, Howell says that most diners do exactly what’s intended by focusing on the vegetables which means Root doesn’t order in that much meat and fish.
The vibe: The footprint of the site has been reduced by around a third to create a ground floor bar and dining space with an open kitchen that seats around 30 and an upstairs dining room with room for 50. There is also a pretty rooftop terrace with views over the city. The interiors feature the brand’s signature green and earthy tones, offset by warm wood and plenty of natural light.
And another thing: The Root project owes its existence to Eggleton’s fried chicken restaurant The Chicken Shed not working out.
10 Milsom Street, Bath BA1 1BZ