On the corner of Jamaica Street overlooking Turbo Island is the unassuming tapas bar Poco. It's a place without too many frills that instantly makes you feel welcome when you step foot inside - the open kitchen forms the heart of the restaurant, the back wall lined with homemade preserves and other concoctions feels homely.
Jen Best and Ben Pryor own Poco alongside eco-chef and established author, Tom Hunt, who they both described as a guiding influence on the direction of the business. What was initially born out of a series of festival cafes serving up slow-roasts and barbecued lobster led them to their restaurant in Stokes Croft in the autumn of 2011, championing seasonality and local ingredients.
Poco covers around 36 diners in total and is open every day of the week fronted by their general manager Barry Symonds with a team of 17 in total. Jen, Ben and Tom were offered advice early on from one of the founders of Thali Cafe, Jim Pizer, who vouched for the seven-day framework despite restaurants traditionally having a break near the beginning of the week.
