Khao

Khao in Stokes Croft, Bristol, leans into bold, spice-led cooking with a playful, globe-trotting streak. Its menu roams from small plates to biryani and stone-baked pizzas, threading familiar comforts with bright, aromatic touches.

To begin, small plates set the tone: a quesadilla folded around paneer or chicken tikka, roasted vegetables, melted cheese and fresh avocado, and lamb chops pan-seared with warming spices, a crisp house salad and mint chutney. It is a balancing act of smoke, crunch and cooling herbs that invites lingering over the first round.

From the kitchen, classics and modern plates sit side by side. Butter chicken brings chargrilled pieces in a silky tomato butter sauce, while charred octopus arrives tender against nutty wild rice and seasonal greens. There is equal love for the oven, with stone-baked pizzas such as roasted chicken and cheese, or a vegetarian number layered with roasted peppers, red onion, sweetcorn, mushrooms and mozzarella.

Hearty biryanis come in chicken or jackfruit, layered with fragrant basmati and served with raita, before a gentle finish of mango and pistachio cream or a warm vegan brownie. Gather your favourite people, bring an appetite, and let Khao take you on a flavourful wander. It is a little bit classic, a little bit curious, and all kinds of tasty.