This interview is taken from our brand new weekly Bristol Food Club newsletter, which you can sign up to here by selecting 'Bristol What's On'.
The Cow & Sow aims to be more than just a steak restaurant, with an all-day menu that offers breakfast options, Sunday roasts and more.
And not only does Bristol's newest steakhouse serve an impressive menu with dishes created using the finest locally sourced ingredients, but it also boasts a luxurious décor which is just as irresistible as the food.
It is evident that a lot of time and money has gone into the extensive refurbishment of the venue, making the space incredibly warm and inviting.
READ MORE : I tried Bristol's new steakhouse and it was exceptional
To find out a little more about The Cow & Sow and what we can expect from it, we had a chat with owner Mark Warburton, who also runs a number of popular pubs near Bristol including The Rising Sun in Backwell and the Bear & Swan in Chew Magna.
"The Cow and Sow isn't just another corporate restaurant,” Mark tells me. “The realisation for the restaurant came over lockdown. I wanted to do something different and I knew I wanted to get into the Bristol food scene.”
Mark has long admired Bristol’s dining scene and when he approached the owners of the vacant Queen Square building formerly home to Graze to share his vision with them, the enthusiasm was reciprocated.
Mark lives in Nailsea with his family, including his three young children who love taking visits to Bristol to explore its exciting restaurant scene. Now, they have one of their own.
The restaurant's interior, which Mark credits to his wife Amy and Bristol-based interior design company Simple Simon, is truly stunning.
Mark is also strongly involved in the food side of The Cow & Sow and makes regular visits to Bristol-based butchers Ruby and White, from where he sources the meat for the restaurant’s signature dishes that he is so proud of.
Bristolians are very much spoiled for choice when it comes to eating out in Bristol and it’s safe to say there’s a lot of competition, but Mark thinks he will win diners over by making them feel at home throughout their visit, in addition to the first-rate food.
"I want customers to get to know the team, to feel as though they are welcome and will be looked after,” he said. “I want them to feel as though they don't want to leave. That's how you know you've succeeded."
The Cow & Sow team is made up of experts who Mark has known and worked with for years. Having grown up surrounded by people who work in the pub industry, he claims that hospitality is "literally in his blood".
Having lived above his family's pub as a child, he has been closely involved with the running of his family's chain, the OHH Pub Company, since he was young.
After learning the ropes at a young age he took up the reins when he hit 21, which led to him becoming the managing director of the company.
The business has grown immensely since then, from one small pub to a number of successful sive-star inns, with The Cow & Sow marking the family’s first foray into the world of restaurants.
Though Mark has no doubts that his contemporary chophouse has the potential to expand beyond its debut Queen Square location, he said there is "no rush" to do so, instead prioritising getting things just right at this inaugural site.
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