The fact this place is busy on weekday nights even though it’s far away from the centre is testimony to its unrivalled quality.

The Venue
Up in Cotham, five minutes from St Michaels Hill and a few doors down from the famous Porters Stores cider pub, the outside of Juniper gives a hint of what you'll find inside - it's smart, contemporary, original and cosy.

It’s spread over two floors, both packed full of tucked away nooks where you can get deeply engrossed in a good conversation over your meal and let the outside world disappear.

The People
The ambience here has all you could want to accompany your meal. Little chrome table lamps lend it just the right level of intimacy and it's perfect for small groups or couples.

The service is first rate and very personalised and attentive – checking you have all the bread you want and so on. The only criticism would be that they are too efficient and you may want to take longer over your meal than their promptness allows.

If you find this to be case then tell them, they are only too happy to give you all the time you need.

The Food
A trip to Juniper will deliver 10 out of 10; outstanding food every time. It comes beautifully presented, generously portioned and made from only the best organic ingredients.

The menu is creative and inspired, and the chef has blended flavours unimaginably well so the choices are fantastic. It takes a long time to decide what you want.

Starters include crispy soft-shell crab with mango salsa, roasted balsamic vegetables, avocado and sweet chilli mousse, honey and ginger sauce. They might seem costly at £7.95, but each mouthful is worth every penny.

For the mains there isn’t a great amount for vegetarians – they have a strong choice of fish dishes and other delights such as supreme of corn-fed chicken with fresh crab cake, herb couscous, creamy wild mushroom and fresh tarragon sauce for £15.95.

Desserts are all £5 and slightly underwhelming - toffee pudding, creme brulee, etc. - given the staggering quality of the starters and mains. They are, however, perfectly acceptable.

The Drink
Juniper’s Champagne cocktail of cognac, raspberry and mint for £4.95 is unsurpassable and their wine list, starting at £12 a bottle, has clearly been put together with great care.

The Last Word
An absolutely unbeatable restaurant in every sense. If you want to impress somebody, take them here.

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