Sonny Stores
Southville, Bristol
Restaurant in Bristol, United Kingdom
Book with PearlThe Read
Corner-Shop Italian
Dress
Casual
Why go
Sonny Stores is a smart Southville choice for diners who want a neighbourhood-led Bristol meal rather than a formal city-centre occasion. The Good Food Guide 2025 recognition adds a useful trust signal, but cross-shop COR, Root or Chef's Table if you need clearer price-tier positioning or a more structured special-occasion setup.
About Sonny Stores
Sonny Stores is a Bristol venue best approached with a simple, grounded brief: a casual venue with confirmed recognition in The Good Food Guide 2025. Beyond that, the verified public details here are limited, so it is better not to build a plan around unconfirmed specifics such as menu format, pricing, service style, named dishes, or a detailed occasion structure.
The practical verdict: put Sonny Stores on the shortlist if you want a casual Bristol option with Good Food Guide 2025 recognition. It makes less sense for diners who need confirmed details on format, budget, dietary handling, or other planning specifics before committing. For comparison, Chef's Table, COR and Root are other names to consider depending on the kind of meal you want.
A Bristol pick with limited verified planning detail
The most reliable way to frame Sonny Stores is as a casual Bristol venue with a confirmed Good Food Guide 2025 listing. Specifics such as address details, neighbourhood framing, menu style, prices, drinks focus, seating format and named personnel are not included in the verified information. If the plan is a broader Bristol eating trip, use our full Bristol restaurants guide to place it against other options, then keep hotels, bars, wineries and experiences separate through our Bristol hotels guide, our Bristol bars guide, our Bristol wineries guide and our Bristol experiences guide.
Strongest verified reasons to consider Sonny Stores are direct: it is in Bristol, the dress code is casual, it has Good Food Guide 2025 recognition. Treat anything more specific as something to confirm directly with the venue before booking.
Who should choose it, who should cross-shop
Choose Sonny Stores if a casual Bristol venue with Good Food Guide 2025 recognition fits the brief. Cross-shop OTHER, Root, COR or Chef's Table if you want to decide based on a different mood, occasion, or level of confirmed planning detail.
For travellers comparing Bristol with other dining stops, the decision should stay practical. Sonny Stores is best treated as a Bristol venue choice rather than a page with enough verified detail to support a destination-style claim. If your itinerary includes other cities, compare venues by confirmed facts such as location, dress code and published booking information rather than assumptions about format or reputation.
Quick reference: choose it for a casual Bristol venue with Good Food Guide 2025 recognition; cross-shop other options if you need more confirmed detail before booking.
Planning details
- Location
- 47 Raleigh Rd, Southville, Bristol BS3 1QS, United Kingdom
- Website
- sonnystores.com
- Phone
- +44 117 966 0821
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Sonny Stores reads like a considered neighbourhood room rather than a stage-set trattoria. The interior is contemporary: terrazzo flooring, potted plants and bright, uncluttered walls replace kitsch Italian signifiers. The result is intimate and lived-in — regulars say it feels closer to someone's living room — but the cooking is purposeful and refined. Owner Mary Glynn and chef Pegs Quinn (formerly of the River Café) steer a quietly sophisticated line: ingredient-led plates served in an unforced, welcoming environment that balances modern design with homely comfort.
Best For
The restaurant is best experienced as a focused evening meal: plates are arranged as a progression, beginning with restrained antipasti and moving through regionally informed starters to heartier mains. The kitchen’s ingredient-first approach rewards diners who want a thoughtful, flavour-driven dinner rather than a themed or nostalgic Italian set-piece. Its corner-unit, neighbourhood character also makes it well suited to intimate gatherings and local dinners where conversation and the quality of cooking are the priority.
Ordering Tips
Start with the antipasti to set the tone — the menu highlights simple, high-quality items such as fat Nocellara olives and Cantabrian anchovies — then move through starters that showcase regional variety. Given the kitchen's willingness to source the best ingredients regardless of origin, follow with one of the signature mains: pappardelle with wood pigeon, the lamb chops or the chicken liver ragu. Treat the meal as a progression and share plates to appreciate the kitchen’s assembled-table approach.
Venue details
Ambiance
Warm, inviting neighbourhood vibe like dining in someone's living room with bright contemporary interiors, terrazzo flooring, and potted plants.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Sourcing
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Casual
- Noise Level
- Conversational
- Service Style
- Upscale Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Leisurely
- Capacity
- Small
Signature Dishes
- pappardelle_with_wood_pigeon
- lamb_chops
- chicken_liver_ragu
Planning details
Location
47 Raleigh Rd, Southville, Bristol BS3 1QS, United Kingdom · Directions
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Where to go if this is not the right fit
If Sonny Stores is not the right match, try Root for modern cuisine at ££ or COR for modern British at ££. For a more occasion-led meal, Chef's Table is the stronger Bristol alternative.
Restaurant context
How Sonny Stores compares in Bristol
Against COR and Root, Sonny Stores is the Southville play: pick it when location and neighbourhood feel matter more than a clearly defined modern British or modern cuisine label. COR and Root are easier choices for diners comparing by category and price tier because both sit in the ££ bracket, while Sonny Stores is better judged on fit for the evening rather than a published price signal.
OTHER is the stronger cross-shop when the group wants sharing as the central format. Chef's Table is the better special-occasion comparison because its £££ positioning gives a clearer splurge signal. Sonny Stores is easier to recommend for a relaxed local dinner; Chef's Table is the safer call when the meal needs to feel more planned.
Sweven Coffee belongs in the comparison only if the day is being planned around Bristol neighbourhood stops rather than dinner alone. Use Sonny Stores for the evening meal, then compare the others by format: COR for modern British at ££, OTHER for sharing, Root for modern cuisine at ££ and Chef's Table for a higher-spend occasion.
Explore Bristol
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Sonny Stores guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Sonny Stores
| Venue | Location | Cuisine | Awards | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonny Stores | Bristol | ; | The Good Food Guide 2025 | ; |
| COR | Bristol | Modern British | Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2026The Good Food Guide 20252025 Michelin Bib Gourmand2024 Michelin Bib Gourmand | ££ |
| Sweven Coffee | Bristol | No published awards | ; | ; |
| OTHER | Bristol | Sharing | SquareMeal UK Top 100 Restaurants 2026 · #492025 Good Food Guide 100 Best Local Restaurants · 2026Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2026The Good Food Guide 20252025 Michelin Bib Gourmand2024 Michelin Bib Gourmand | ££ |
| Chef's Table | Bristol | Modern British | 2026 OAD Top Restaurants in Asia Ranked · #1372026 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence2026 Les Grandes Tables du Monde Members2026 Michelin 2 Stars2025 OAD Top Restaurants in Asia Ranked · #95World's Best Wine Lists 20252025 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence2025 Michelin 2 Stars2025 La Liste Top Restaurants | £££ |
| Root | Bristol | Modern Cuisine | Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2026The Good Food Guide 2025We're Smart World Top Restaurants 20252025 Michelin Bib Gourmand2024 Michelin Bib Gourmand | ££ |
How Sonny Stores Bristol compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What are alternatives to Sonny Stores?
For comparison, COR, Root, Chef's Table, OTHER and Sweven Coffee are other names to consider. Choose between them based on the occasion, booking needs and the confirmed details available from each venue.
Is Sonny Stores good for a special occasion?
It can suit a low-key occasion if a casual Bristol venue with Good Food Guide 2025 recognition is what you want. For any more specific occasion needs, confirm details such as menu, price, timing and accessibility directly with the venue before booking.
