Cargo at Wapping Wharf is open for street food every day of the week, while St Nicholas Market's dedicated street food day runs on the first Friday of each month, 11am to 2:30pm. Temple Quay Market sets up behind Temple Meads on Tuesdays and Thursdays, midday to 2pm. Between those three you've got most of Bristol's street food covered, with a few smaller markets filling the gaps.
Bristol's street food scene isn't concentrated in one spot the way a lot of cities' are, it's spread across a handful of markets that each run on their own schedule. Worth knowing the days before you plan a visit around one, since turning up on the wrong afternoon gets you an empty square.
Cargo at Wapping Wharf
The shipping containers at Wapping Wharf are the most reliable option if you want street food on demand rather than on a schedule. It's a permanent setup of independent kitchens and bars rather than a pop-up market, so most units are open lunch through dinner, seven days a week, though exact hours vary trader to trader. Expect wood-fired pizza, Korean fried chicken, and a working brewery among the units, with harbourside seating right outside. It's a five-minute walk from the SS Great Britain and M Shed, so it pairs well with a morning on the harbourside. See our Bristol harbourside guide for how to fit it into a wider day out.
St Nicholas Market
St Nicks has been trading since 1743 and is Bristol's largest collection of independent stalls, but its street food specifically runs on a narrower schedule than the rest of the market. The indoor market and Bristol Indies' Market run Monday to Saturday, but the dedicated Street Food Market is the first Friday of the month only, 11am to 2:30pm. Trading days and times for the outdoor stalls can shift, so it's worth checking the market's Instagram or Facebook before you go if you're planning specifically around the street food.
Temple Quay Market
Behind Temple Meads station, Temple Quay Market runs every Tuesday and Thursday, midday to 2pm, with a rotating line-up that's included Indian and Thai curry, Cantonese dumplings and handmade pizza. It's aimed squarely at the office lunch crowd given the timing and location, so it's a good option if you're passing through the station or working nearby, less so if you're after an evening out.
Harbourside Street Food Market
Over at Millennium Square, the Harbourside Street Food Market runs a changing roster of traders through the week, with the fullest set-up on weekends when it adds a beer deck and live music alongside the food. Hours stretch later into the evening in spring and summer when the weather holds. As with the other markets, check current trading days before you go since the schedule shifts through the year.
Comparison at a glance
| Market | Where | When | Vibe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo, Wapping Wharf | Wapping Wharf | Daily, lunch-dinner | Permanent kitchens, harbourside seating |
| St Nicholas Market street food | Corn Street / Nicholas Street | First Friday of the month, 11am-2:30pm | Historic market, one-off monthly draw |
| Temple Quay Market | Behind Temple Meads | Tue & Thu, 12-2pm | Office lunch crowd |
| Harbourside Street Food Market | Millennium Square | Weekdays and weekends, check current schedule | Beer deck, live music at weekends |
If you're building a day around food, our best markets in Bristol covers the general and antiques markets alongside these street food spots, and our Wapping Wharf and Cargo neighbourhood guide goes deeper on what's actually in the containers. For a wider spread of where to eat generally, see our best restaurants in Bristol guide.