The Brooklyn
of Bristol is
Stokes Croft.

See the 23 venues →Where to stay
The case for Stokes Croft

Stokes Croft is where Bristol's rebel spirit lives. Every wall is painted, every café is worker-run or close to it, and nobody's in a rush. The stretch from Jamaica Street up to Cheltenham Road smells like sourdough and spray paint. Banksy started here, but the neighborhood kept going without him.

Stokes Croft packs one of the UK's highest densities of independent businesses into roughly 320 metres of road, anchored by the People's Republic of Stokes Croft community arts organisation founded in 2007.
Close contenders

Other cool neighborhoods in Bristol.

Montpelier

Montpelier sits just uphill from Stokes Croft with painted Victorian terraces and a quieter pace. The Pipe & Slippers on Cheltenham Road is reason enough to wander up.

Southville

Southville, across the river on North Street, has the best independent cinema in Bristol and pubs where dogs outnumber children. Sunday mornings here are sacred.

Easton

Easton runs along St Mark's Road with some of the best South Asian and East African food in the city. Less performative than Stokes Croft, more lived-in.

Three sides of the neighborhood

Where to go in Stokes Croft.

01
Stay

Stokes Croft and St Paul's have a few places that actually fit the neighborhood - a Georgian townhouse on Portland Square, a hostel above a pub stage that switches from punk to poetry night to night.
02
Eat & Drink

The food on this strip runs from Sri Lankan kothu roti at Nadu to obsessive charcuterie at Caper & Cure, all within a few minutes of each other on and around Stokes Croft.
03
Do & Shop

Walking Stokes Croft on a Saturday morning before the crowds arrive is the right move.
All 23 spots mapped out

Stokes Croft, corner to corner.

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Our 23 top picks

The Stokes Croft guide.

Practical info

Good to know.

The boring numbers that decide whether you stay three days or four.

CurrencyGBP
LanguageEnglish
Cost level $$$Moderate to expensive
Best monthsMay to early September
Local time UTC+1
Plug type UK plug · 230V/50Hz
Emergency999
Local tip
The Stokes Croft stretch gets rowdy on weekend nights. Go Saturday morning instead for the real neighborhood feel and shorter coffee queues.
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Head to head

How does Bristol stack up?

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Common questions

Things to know about Stokes Croft.

What is the Brooklyn of Bristol?
The Brooklyn of Bristol is Stokes Croft. Stokes Croft is where Bristol's rebel spirit lives. Stokes Croft packs one of the UK's highest densities of independent businesses into roughly 320 metres of road, anchored by the People's Republic of Stokes Croft community arts organisation founded in 2007.
What is the coolest neighborhood in Bristol?
Stokes Croft is widely considered the coolest neighborhood in Bristol. Stokes Croft is where Bristol's rebel spirit lives. Every wall is painted, every café is worker-run or close to it, and nobody's in a rush. The stretch from Jamaica Street up to Cheltenham Road smells like sourdough and spray paint. Banksy started here, but the neighborhood kept going without him.
What is the hippest neighborhood in Bristol?
Stokes Croft is the hippest neighborhood in Bristol. Every wall between Jamaica Street and Cheltenham Road carries spray paint over older spray paint, and the worker-run cafés pour flat whites without making a performance of it.
What is the trendiest neighborhood in Bristol?
Stokes Croft is Bristol's trendiest neighborhood right now. The street art keeps mutating, new zine shops and late-opening bars fill the gaps Banksy left, and the whole stretch smells like sourdough by 10am.
Where do creatives live in Bristol?
Stokes Croft. Creatives work along the stretch from Jamaica Street up to Cheltenham Road, where independent businesses crowd into roughly 320 metres of road. A community arts organisation founded in 2007 anchors the place. Worker-run cafés, volunteer-run cinemas, painted walls. People make things here, and slowly.
What is the most bohemian neighborhood in Bristol?
Stokes Croft is Bristol's most bohemian neighborhood. Every wall is painted, the air smells like sourdough and spray paint, and nobody hurries. Banksy started here and the street art outlasted him. Gritty, multicultural, walkable, awake at night. The counterculture stays counterculture instead of dressing up for visitors.
Where should I stay in Stokes Croft, Bristol?
The best boutique hotels in Stokes Croft are Brooks Guesthouse Bristol and Artist Residence Bristol. Boutique guesthouse on St Nicholas Street with 23 rooms, John Lewis beds, Cole & Son wallpaper, and an honesty bar stocked with West Country ales.
Is Stokes Croft in Bristol safe at night?
Stokes Croft is a lived-in creative neighborhood, not a tourist compound. Bars and restaurants here stay busy late, which keeps streets active. Use normal city awareness.
Is Bristol expensive?
Bristol rates $$$ on a global travel scale. Moderate to expensive, but Stokes Croft's independent spots offer better value than tourist areas.
When is the best time to visit Bristol?
Aim for May through early September. July and August are warmest at around 21°C and bring the harbour festival and balloon fiesta, while June often has the driest weather. Pack a waterproof regardless, since Bristol sees rain in every month. Winter stays mild but grey and wet, with daylight gone by 16:30 in December, and spring is pretty but unreliable.

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