Papaji’s Bar, Kitchen & Teasmiths says:

We are passionate about all things tea, cocktail & music at Papaji’s. We have Bristol’s biggest selection of loose leaf teas with over 80 boutique blends to choose from to be accompanied by some of our fantastic Mamaji-made scones & cakes. Our drinks list is extensive with lots of beers, wines & spirits and of course a great cocktail list with many classics, twists and our unique tea infused tipples! Come and enjoy our sumptuous interior. And if the weather permits, our fantastic hidden garden, Whiteladies Road’s best kept secret!

Social and Cocktail says:

Papaji’s is a unique addition to the Bristol bar scene, as this quirky little independent combines a specialisation in both cocktails and teas from around the world, often mixing the two into unusual and delicious concoctions.

With its floor to ceiling windows open to Whiteladies Road, on my visit, Papaji’s was enjoyably breezy and fresh on an otherwise unpleasantly muggy evening.

We made our way up to the bar, but after discovering that the menus were almost illegibly tatty, decided to ask the bartender for some recommendations. Once I had persuaded him that despite being of the fairer sex, I had no interest in passion fruit flavoured vodka, his cheerful suggestions were honest and helpful, although I was surprised that the honesty went to the point that I was told that one of the drinks simply wasn’t very nice. In the end we opted for a Tokyo Storm; a hot cocktail made from lemon and ginger sencha green tea, ginger wine and sake. It did not disappoint, being warm, fresh, and complex, with a pleasant bite from the ginger. We also discovered the added bonus of a 2-4-1 deal on the already quite cheap drinks.

We made our way to the garden with our drinks and took a seat. Unfortunately, the first table we picked was incredibly wobbly and we almost lost our teapot of cocktail. We moved to a second, more sturdy table, and got settled. The garden is an eclectic mix of heavily branded paraphernalia, including a few bags of compost leaning against a wall, which spoiled the ambiance somewhat.

For my second cocktail I opted for another tea based beverage; the Red Tea Old Fashioned, made with bourbon, vanilla rooibos, orange liqueur, Aztec chocolate bitters, and finished with a flamed orange zest.  It was fantastic. Slightly sweet, rich and smooth, it really hit the spot.

I think this place really demonstrates the importance of good, friendly service and great drinks. It all looks a bit tired and run down, but I think that is in fact a sign of how popular this place is; with it’s chirpy staff and great value cocktails I think it has taken a bit of a battering over the years and is simply in need of a bit of TLC. Cramped and smelly toilets and wobbly tables aside, I really enjoyed my evening here.

Annie Mason

@BrisCocktailWk

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