Posted: July 23.
Fresh is best and lucky for us that our corner of the West Country offers brilliant, independent, and creative makers, growers, and producers and many of the very best are featured throughout our menus.
One of our many Forges goals was to keep our carbon footprint low, and another was to support our community.
So, take a West Country tour with us around our epic food map.
Way before we opened, we wanted to work with Buxton Butchers, inspired by the story of Nigel Buxton part of a continual blood line of butchers since 1890. His Great Grandfather was Benjamin Woodhall who owned Woodhall butchers on Broad Street just up the road from us. But it wasn’t just the human story that caught our attention; Buxton’s reputation is recognised way beyond the county borders supplying the finest meats to first class restaurants across Bristol and the Southwest. Buxton Butchers supply the beef patties for our Striker Burger, bacon for The Forge Breakfast and incredible sausages for our Mighty Forge Breakfast. Front and central are their steaks, sirloin, and fillet, 30-day Buxton Himalayan salt dry aged beef that are as melt in the mouth delicious as they sound!
A short hop across the River Severn, and the furthest afield we find ourselves on this foodie circuit are Severn & Wye Smokery, fish curer and smokery to the late HM The Queen Elizabeth, and therefore by Royal Appointment no less. Severn & Wye smoke salmon stars in our breakfast menu in our Eggs Royale dish.
All abroad to Bishop Sutton next, across Bristol to the home of Arthur David, suppliers of our vegetables. Like us, the team at Arthur David are passionate about keeping things local and have been proudly serving Bristol for over 60 years and tell us that ‘all our products are well considered and individually chosen to meet the needs of our rightfully picky customers. Our suppliers are selected based on quality, availability, and location – and they need to get us!” We totally get you guys and hugely appreciate your personal and fast service.
You can spot Arthur David sourced flavoursome and fresh ingredients right across all our menus. Do try our butternut squash starter on our festive menu as well as our coffee roasted beetroots a knockout side to our Sunday Roasts.
Bishopston is home to Hobbs House Bakery who craft and send us the best-smelling deliveries with the ever-popular sourdough base for our Eggs and Smashed Avocado. Equally as popular are Cakesmiths in St. Phillips filling our counter with heavenly cakes and slices, and Marshfield on the edge of Bath, who not only serve up ice-cream for humans but also for dogs too in the guise of Scoop, their canine friendly sweet treat.
Other local foodie contributors include out-of-this-world pitta bread from Abunoor Bakery (Old Market), Ferrous, off-the-scale black pudding, the best Spanish olives from Mevalco (based in Avonmouth) and Single Variety Co. supplying our jams and preserves from Warmley.
Founded by James Fisher in 2001 Clifton Coffee Company began its life servicing espresso machinery in the independent businesses of Bristol. 21 years on and The Forge & Fern joins a prestigious list of clients keen to stay abreast of a dynamic coffee scene and serve its customers the very best coffee.
In Bristol we really have an embarrassment of beer riches to choose from when it comes to beer and ales. Lost & Grounded in Brislington brew speciality lagers and Belgian inspired ales. New Bristol Brewery, in St. Paul’s, craft IPA’s, sours, and stouts. Bedminster based, Bristol Beer Factory have been brewing since 2004 and we are so proud to offer their Clear Head, alcohol free IPA on draft. Dead Man’s Finger on Park Street creates stand-out rum in fruity flavours with something for everyone.
And that’s not all, add Brozen cocktail mixes (central Bristol), alcohol-free tropical drinks producer Caleno (Arnos Vale), Lovely Drinks mixers (Barrow Gurney) and Aperitivo Co! (Colston Street), to our neighbourhood offering.
Last but by no means least, we head to Backwell and to the Headquarters of the Somerset Distillery who hosted us on several occasions holding our hands to assist us in creating our own delicious House blend gins, a floral gin The Fern and, yep you guessed it, The Forge! a citrus based gin with an ABV of 43%.
We proudly make our own award-winning honey, and growing herbs and botanicals that feature across our menus and garnishes in our drinks from our rooftop garden.
With thanks to all the brilliant businesses we work with who have joined us on our Forges foodie journey sourcing great produce locally and responsibly and of the highest standard for you.
Team F&F
