The original Woolly Cactus at the Bristol Bridge end of Victoria Street barely lasted six months. But it’s back, under a change of ownership but still in the same location, and with a new menu although the emphasis is still very much on Mexican food.
Woolly Cactus is now part-owned by Rob Miles, who also runs a barbecue stall at Saturday’s Gloucester Road market.
Open from Monday to Friday from 10ish until 3ish, the choices at Woolly Cactus are a burrito, fajita, quesadilla, taco or nachos, with fillings including pulled pork (of course) and chicken tinga, a selection of extras including guacamole and sour cream, and two homemade sauces: hot hot hot habenero and smokey chipotle.
And that, señoras y señores, is that.
For lunch yesterday I sampled a pulled pork burrito with as many extras as Rob could jam into the tin foil wrap. For £5, it was a hefty meal and very well made, the ingredients tasting fresh and with so much food I needed to sit down in Queen Square to recover.
Woolly Cactus, corner of Victoria Street and Bath Street, Bristol
Twitter: @thewoollycactus
This is often the cruel reality of pitches and property, it’s near impossible to make a profit being a trader so you’re better off leasing/loaning the pitch/property and going through a conveyor belt of best effort tenants.
Take that little white space place in Clifton, I looked at leasing it for a few weeks in November…but the cost and terms would have bankrupted the living death out of me. No chance of turning a profit at all.
I agree Josh, the same goes for anyone trying to enter for restaurant biz in Bristol. Deep pockets are an absolute must which doesn’t really help people looking to start their own place. I never understand when people take over a pitch an run it as the same thing, if it didn’t work before why would it work now unless of course the precious owners were doing something wrong? Shame really. I love Mexican food. Something the city sorely lacks.