You know you're living somewhere middle class when the shop that gets queue out of the door on a…read moreSaturday morning is one dedicated to selling olives. Very much the place for all your overpriced savoury snack needs, The Real Olive Company imports and sells all sorts of olives, olive oils, breads and cheeses from the Mediterranean. I'd like to say you can taste the sunshine in the olives but that might be going a bit over the top. They certainly are good though, and I didn't even know there were more than 50 types of olive. There's a strong ethical dimension to the company with the focus on organic food and traditional cultivation. If don't live around the Gloucester Road they also do stalls in Thornbury and Clifton Down Shopping Centre every Friday and Saturday respectively and have a permanent one in St. Nicholas Market. In my opinion this is only somewhere to go if you've got a bit of money, as I'm not really inclined to spend more than I have to on stuff like olives. If, however, your tastes differ from mine they head here for an excellent selection of things to nibble on.

Iranian Foods, Polish Foods, Bulgarian Foods, Slovenian Foods... Eastern European Foods!…read more Now, I have to say, I was a bit sceptical, before setting foot in here I imagined Eastern European food was like our food... excepts maybe a bit warmer! You know, like goulash (is that spelt correctley?)... But no, I was wrong! My eyes were opened to the delights that our country just can't offer. Worth a pop in if you want to top up the old kitchen cupboards with some random tasty delights that your friends can't compete with!

Another shop catering for the Eastern European community has sprung up here and as per I am glad to…read moresee its arrival. These are shops that focus on independent, personal retail. The fruit and vegetables are fresh, as is the meat and the dairy. The sweets and chocolates are unique, different and exciting. The promotions and offers are not sent down by a head office but made by the workers themselves, hand written on chalk boards. This shop is no exception. I pick up fruit here daily and am always treated to some pleasant conversation and a smile. The enormous range of pickled goods does little to whet my appetite but is fascinating nonetheless, as are the gigantic (if thus a little rude?) sausages in the fridge. The beer is mostly Polish as are the spirits. Variety is, as we know, the spice of life. This shop then is very spicy indeed.

Unlikely setting for a delicatessen on the A38 airport road. Advertised by a giant pair of red…read morelips. So far, so bad. Until you step inside. Taste is not known as a seafood distributor for nothing. Fat prawns and tuna steaks, pollock fillets and whole salmon nestle in the ice counter fresh as fresh can be. They even smoke their own fish on the premises - delish and really not that pricey (although other produce can be). Meat is local and lush - Mendip lamb being a yummy example. There are also eggs and vegetable produce, as well as interesting breads supplied by Hobbs House bakery. There are also many organic or ethically sourced products, including a really good cheese selection, as well as a stock of organic wines. The best thing I ate from there was a feta, sundried tomato and tapenade pastry - heaven in filo. There is also an endless variety of weird and wonderful chutneys, jams and sauces, and lots of sweet things and cakes. Mmm mmm. On a Saturday they do a luxury tastind day with all sorts of delectable tidbits for free (although I challenge you to leave without buying a basketful of produce). Oooh almost forgot, the home-smoked garklic is so incredibly useful for mayo, roasts, stews, pizzas, pasta sauces - it just adds another dimension to cooking and as far as I'm aware you can't buy better anywhere else in or near the city.

Num-num-num. The Real Olive Company's unit in St Nicholas Market may be small, but it has a…read morefantastic range of take-away deli items which are great for parties or buffets, or for eating there and then as a lunchtime snack. Apart from the obvious selection of fine olives, you can pick up delicious tapas such as feta stuffed peppers and sweet balsamic onions, or tubs of salad such as cous cous, spicy butterbean or mixed antipasta. They also serve paninis, Spanish frittata, and tartlets with different fillings - but personally I'd recommend trying a wrap from their Lebanese Kofta bar, which cost £4.95 and are very filling - containing lamb or veggie koftas plus a dip (hummus, the smoky aubergine baba ghanoush, or feta with roasted cumin), some salad, and tahini sauce (or rose spicy harissa).

The Real Olive Company is a Bristol based company that's come on in leaps and bounds providing an…read moreamazing service of all that is Mediterranean. On the wholesale side of things they provide delis, cafes, restaurants and hotels across Bristol and the UK with their unique selection of olives, sundried tomatoes and other such delights. That should give some idea of how far this independent retailer has come. On the local side of things, this little store in St Nicholas' Market is one of the best places to find really good, delicious food. Olives are the main thing on offer, with many varieties and tastes sitting in pots and buckets at the front of the stall. This is only a taster and by no means all of it, as you can see when you allow your eyes to wonder a little. Stuffed vine leaves, sundried tomatoes, feta salads and so much more. With salad boxes and bread boxes to go this is a very scrummy, very healthy alternative for lunch or indeed for any time.

I don't know that I've ever had a finer cheese shopping experience elsewhere in the world. We came…read morespecifically for the store (not the cafe), and though it's on the smaller side: there are SO MANY delicious things to look through and buy (I dare you to leave here empty handed). The incredibly knowledgeable, incredibly friendly, incredibly engaging cheesemonger from France basically only had eyes for me (or so it felt; they take care of their customers so well here! I've never felt so spoiled!), and spent quite a bit of time both talking cheese with me and letting me try loads of different samples from locally made sources. I got quite a few options, and he did a spectacular job at giving me just enough of each so that I could have a Wine + Cheese Night For One back at my AirBnB. I also picked up some crackers, olives, and incredibly garlicky hummus. If you love cheese, do yourself a favor and come here. Even if you don't know where to begin except traits you like (funky, creamy, earthy, salt crystaly), they'll know exactly where to steer you, and will probably delight and surprise you along the way!

Superb cheese; a local blue, a local soft, and a Italian hard, all just as the French gentleman who…read morehelped us pick them out had described. The shop is delightfully petite and well organized. And the Tiffany blue of the store is what caught our eye, and lucky we did see it because we had a most lovely picnic.

Friendly staff. Convenient location…read more Killer coffee. Outstanding sandwich. Fresh pasties. Plenty of sweets. I'll be back!

I love this place - it's not cheap but the quality of the goods is first rate…read more Much by way of locally-produced foostuffs here - local wines and brandies, and other beverages. Local pate and meats (their venison sausages are a nice luxury treat). And the clue's in the title - some great cheeses always on offer. More ecclectic delicacies can be found, often depending on what's available or what takes the owners fancy! There's a mouth-watering display of hand-made truffles and chocolates that are sold individually. But it's almost impossible to just pick out a few. Their champagne truffles are particularly delicious. The shop is situated at the lower end of the historical Cheap Street (bit of a misnomer!) and is just a few minutes walk off the main town centre. If you're looking for something to really treat your taste-buds to - give it a go.

A very cute pastel de nata shop in the middle of Bath…read more We always stop by a Portuguese bakery or cafe when traveling. We needed a quick bite to eat during a very busy time in Bath. The pasteis were served warm, added cinnamon myself (pro move), and we sat in the upstairs area which was very cute. The staff was very friendly despite the hectic time due to so many customers. The staff did forget our pasteis but I went down and they got us some served fresh. A must try if you are in the area.

Pastel de nata sold here, a Portuguese custard egg tart. I've made the mistake to ask simply for a…read moretart, which apparently means also something very different in the English language. It's quite sweet, but my hotel room was near by so I walked back when I was done to brush my teeth and then went back out again. They have different flavours, but I always go with the original. One will cost you £1.8, it's quite filling actually even though it looks small, it's the egg I suppose. Seating upstairs, I had mine on the go which meant I ended up with flaky pastry all over my jacket. The flaky and crusty pastry is what makes a good nata, much like in Portugal. You get 10% discount if your order more than 3. This is a smaller chain with a handful of locations across the country.

The Olive Shed Shop on Gloucester road is popular with many a local student/hippy/healthy eater…read more The olives here are of an outstanding quality, despite the fact that they have been imported. Currently the shop's deli is plugging their Christmas goodies; hampers, nibbles and such, and despite the price, are definitely worth the investment. If you want ready made food, you can eat in or takeaway a great selection of olive themed dishes, which are a real delight for the taste buds.

I absolutely love The Olive Shed Shop - and I'm not the only one! With acclaim from such names as…read moreClifton Life and Raymond Blanc, it seems that the whole of Bristol wants a taste of the Olive Shed. With so many varieties to choose from, it's a blessing that the friendly staff offer free samples to help you make up your mind. My favourite has to be the queen olives stuffed with garlic. They don't make you popular, but they taste devine!