West Street is hardly the food destination like its neighbouring Bedminster and Southville high streets - unless you're looking for excellent chips from Argus Fish Bar, a Chinese takeaway or a kebab.
One spot that is difficult to ignore along this stretch of the A38 is Zena's Café, unmissable through its colourful shopfront on the outside. Its mural comprised of drawings of flowers and various food is a gentle nod to some of the Upfest artworks that liven up Bedminster.
Zena's Café opened after the lockdown at the end of 2021 offering what it describes on its Facebook page as "a crazy menu blending Italian, English and Mediterranean style cuisine". It's open every day of the week serving pasta, homemade pizza and various deli items (the English component referring to the 'brunch' dishes, no doubt).
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On a lunchtime visit, the counter was well stocked with snacks you'd find in a typical Italian deli, including panini, arancini and sweet pastries. The café offers mostly window seating for around six or seven people at a time with some outdoor tables for those willing to face the March frost.
Arancini are vital on a visit to Zena’s; I opted for truffle and porcini out of the four flavours (£7). They're nothing like the bitesize versions you see as starters at most restaurants these days, but more the size of a fist, as per tradition.
This arancino was the real deal, like the ones you find in the vibrant food markets of Palermo, packed so tightly with mozzarella and mushrooms that it burst when I cut into it. It was incredibly rich but seasoned well and the truffle didn't dominate or linger as an aftertaste, which is difficult to achieve on both counts.
There was also a large range of cannoli and sfogliatelle pipped full of different flavours, imported from their homeland of Sicily, priced at £2 a pop.
If you can wait, it’s best to let the pastries come up to room temperature before tucking in. I was a little disappointed with the sfogliatella, its pastry dry and bland, but the pistachio cannolo was perfectly crisp and creamy.
They also serve Naples’ finest coffee, Kimbo - one of my favourites - which is very light and floral compared to most coffee we’re used to. They also sell fresh pomegranate juice at a premium (£6), which is another Sicilian food market staple.
I’ll endeavour to return for a bowl of pasta, with slow-cooked ragu used for the lasagne and the spaghetti dishes. Zena's Cafe also makes Neapolitan pizza dough in-house with a whole host of toppings, including a Hawaiian, which I always thought was sacrilege for Italians.
The relaxed, deli atmosphere is what I loved most and is quintessentially Italian. I wouldn't call it cheap but it sits comfortably next to the price points at similar venues on North Street and East Street, costing £13.85 for a coffee, arancino and pastries.
I am curious to see how it functions in the evening with scarcely enough room for more than eight diners at a time. For those who prefer to eat at home, you'll find Zena's Cafe on your delivery service app of choice.
Zena's Cafe, 80 West St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 3LL. Open Wednesday to Monday (8.30 am–3.30 pm, 5.30–10 pm) and Tuesday (8.30 am–3.30 pm)
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