Michelin published its 2022 guide last week and while no new Bristol restaurants were awarded a star, the three restaurants in the city with pre-existing stars managed to hang on to them.
Bulrush, Casamia and Paco Tapas all breathed a sigh of relief as they discovered Michelin's inspectors still deem them worthy of the coveted accolade. There was also reason to celebrate for Box-E and Root, who both retained their Bib Gourmands - the second highest-honour in the prestigious guide.
Casamia has long been viewed not only as one of Bristol's finest restaurants but one of the finest in the UK. It is often named among the country's best places to eat in renowned guides and at respected awards ceremonies, from Harden's to the National Restaurant Awards.
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For many, enjoying a meal out at such an establishment is very much off the menu due to the high costs it incurs - but fortunately we live in a city filled with delicious cheap eats as well as swanky fine dining options.
If you've ever wondered just how much it costs to eat somewhere with a reputation as glistening as Casamia, however, you're not alone. It's something many have probably found themselves thinking as they walk past the Lower Guinea Street venue.
And the information isn't as easy to find as you might think, as the exact menu is not publicised on the restaurant's menu to keep the element of surprise for diners when their booking comes around.
The restaurant's website states: "The menu at Casamia is always on the move and we don’t like to tell you too much ahead of time. What we can say is that we work closely and seasonally with amazing suppliers and have a lot of fun doing some proper cooking.
"A lot of it is done on our fire and our sauces make you want to lick the bowl clean. Expect around twenty courses lasting about three and a half hours.
"We love music so if you’re after a quiet night out and only want to hear the sound of cutlery against porcelain, we are not for you! Because we have one menu we do not cater for dietary requirements."
The cost of dining at Casamia
However, we do have a pretty accurate estimate of just how much dining at Casamia will dent your wallet, since our food writer Mark Taylor was fortunate enough to review it back in August last year.
He estimated that a pair of discerning diners at Casamia could end up forking out an eye-watering bill of £600 - and that's before you've decided how much to tip.
He wrote: "Sipping your £12.30 G&T, you might decide to choose the recommended wine flight at £120 each which means two thirsty diners can quite easily rack up a £600 bill before service and any extras."
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Of course, there is a reason you pay such a hefty sum to eat at Casamia. It's definitely not your average restaurant, and Mark Taylor is just one of many well-respected critics to have given the restaurant a glowing five-star review.
In his review he added: "With pre-paid lunch and dinner costing £180 per person, of course this is not your everyday dining choice. A meal at Casamia is more of an experience, a journey even.
"For most people, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience and sometimes those come at a suitably high price."
Casamia's kitchen is headed up by Zak Hitchman, who doubles up as a DJ while overseeing his staff, controlling the music from a laptop that neighbours the grills. Zak became head chef of the eatery in July 2020, taking over from owner Peter Sanchez-Iglesias, who now oversees the restaurant as well as Paco Tapas and Pi Shop next door.
Casamia had long held a reputation as a high-end fine dining establishment with its formal service and white linen tablecloths, with diners often donning their finest clothes before paying it a visit. But Zak has made huge changes to the food, service and ambience since becoming head honcho, introducing modern music played at a loud volume through a specially designed sound system, graffiti-style street art on the walls and even garnishing dishes with Wallace and Gromit toys.
We can't be certain, but we're fairly sure there isn't another Michelin-starred restaurant in the UK where you can find such features. It's very much Bristol's answer to fine dining, and Mark's review suggests it seems to work.
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