It’s 26 years since Rocotillos opened on the corner of the Triangle, although to some of us it probably feels like it has been there for considerably longer.
With its open-view kitchen, tall leather stools around the counter, booth seats and retro Anglepoise lamps on the fixed Formica tables, this 1950s American diner-inspired cafe has been a bona fide Bristol institution for more than a quarter of a century.
Perhaps best known for its cooked breakfasts, American-style pancake stacks and thick, ice cream-based milkshakes, it has also made a name for its hot dogs, classic club sandwiches and quesadillas.
Maybe it’s because there are so many restaurants in Bristol serving them now, but Rocotillos might not be the first place that springs to mind when it comes to burgers but that would be a mistake.
There are 11 burgers on offer, nine of them made with beef supplied by Clifton butchers Ruby & White.
There’a also a Cajun chicken burger and the vegetarian option of a falafel, spinach and halloumi burger.
The meat versions range from the basic hamburger for £7.95 to the £10.95 Rocotillos Fiery Chilli Burger - a beef burger with spicy beef and two bean chilli that’s so messy you will almost certainly need to eat it with a knife and fork.
There’s also a belt-busting Big Cheese Burger with the beef burger topped with four types of cheese - Monterey Jack, Cheddar, mozzarella and ‘American slice’. Not one for those trying to achieve a beach body for the summer holidays.
Four different types of fries - plain, curly, cheese or spicy - are extra but those with appetites as big as their bank balance might be tempted to splash out on the Roco’s Dirty Fries (£7-£9 for French fries covered with homemade pulled pork topped with melted cheese and pickles).
There’s also a decent children’s menu with a kids hamburger and fries for £5.25, or 95p extra of you add cheese to it.
I went for the basic hamburger, which was served on a plate lined with blue and white Gingham waxed paper alongside an enamel bowl of fries.
The seeded bun was fresh and pillowy within, with a layer of frilly green lettuce at the bottom and slices of tomato, red onion and gherkin on top of the thick, juicy beef patty.
The fries were crisp and salty and a trio of essential diner sauces - Heinz tomato ketchup, HP sauce and Louisiana hot sauce - are on each table.
You can choose between 16 different milkshakes and they can be served ‘XX thick’ for an extra £1.50 or ‘XXX thick’ for an additional £2.
Flavours include classics like vanilla or chocolate and more decadent varieties such as Crunchie bar and honey or ‘Phish Food’ (Ben & Jerry’s chocolate, caramel, marshmallow and ‘phish’ shaped chocolate chunks ice cream).
My Oreo Cookie milkshake (£4.95) was ice cold, thick, malty and not overly sweet.
When you order a milkshake, it is served in a tall glass alongside its stainless steel blending jug so you can top it up halfway through. It’s a generous size for the price and could probably feed two less greedy diners.
After a burger and milkshake, there was certainly no room for the Alabama chocolate fudge cake or the apple pie with ice cream or whipped cream. Even I know my limits.
THE VERDICT:
By being retro from the outset, Rocotillos has always felt timeless and it has never dated.
It might be best known for its cooked breakfasts, pancakes and milkshakes but, 26 years since it opened, it still serves a great value burger and it deserves more recognition for that.
RATINGS:
Overall : Four
Food : Four
Service : Four
Ambience : Four
Value : Four
Where ? Rocotillos, 1 Queens Row, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1EZ. Tel: 0117 9297207. www.rocotillos.com
