The Canteen

The Canteen opened its doors in August 2009 to serve and provide for the people of Hamilton House, Stokes Croft, Bristol and beyond. At first a café, a bar, a restaurant and a music venue, the Canteen has become a melting pot, a meeting place and a place for people. Born out of the same ethos as Coexist CIC but formed as a separate company, the Can... teen has driven the creative resurgence of Stokes Croft and been a centre piece to the Hamilton House story. In the beginning we thought, 'what kind of place would we like to go to?' We imagined yummy food and drink from local suppliers, a relaxed space for affordable good times and top live music for free every night of the week - and so the Canteen was born. We pride ourselves in being accessible and affordable, open to everyone and a showcase for creativity in all its forms. Our primary purpose is not profit but providing for people and we uphold a triple bottom line approach to doing business. We're lucky enough to have been awarded the Sustainable Restaurant Associations highest rating of three stars for our commitment to local and ethical suppliers and for our care of people and planet. We value all members of our staff equally and 5% of our monthly net profit goes towards their wellbeing. We value our community and donate anything over 10% annual net profit into an investment fund to support local causes because we want to have a credible impact on the community we're a part of. We value inclusivity, accessibility and healthy eating by keeping our prices affordable and always having a vegan and/or vegetarian option on the menu. When the Canteen was being created a huge sign that read 'EVERYBODY' was placed over the front windows during the build. We wanted to welcome everybody who shared our vision then - and we welcome everyone who shares our vision now.Read More