THREE Chandos Road restaurants are in the spotlight after their success in the UK’s top food awards.
Wilsons is celebrating its first Michelin star while Dongnae took an honour at the Good Food Guide Awards and Little Hollows received a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Wilsons, which opened in 2016, already had a Michelin green star for its commitment to sustainability and now has the sought-after accolade of a full star. This is granted to restaurants that deliver outstanding cooking and exceptional dining experiences.
Owners Jan Ostler and Mary Wilson pride themselves on their “farm-to-table” menu. Chef Jan oversees the kitchen, basing menus on the fruit and vegetables grown by Mary on their two-acre market garden in Barrow Gurney. Produce is also preserved for future use as well as for sale in The Bread Shop, which they also run, just a few doors away from the bistro,
The Michelin inspectors noted: “There is so much to enjoy, and so much to admire, when dining at Wilsons. It’s one of those appealing neighbourhood operations that works in pure harmony, with everyone from the chefs to the service team sharing the same ethos. “
Jan said: “Mary and I feel incredibly proud to have received this honour from Michelin. Our goal has always been to create something that reflects our values and passion and that serves Bristol and our local community. This award is testament to the dedication of our entire team, as well as the incredible farmers, producers and the people of Bristol who continuously support us.”
Korean restaurant Dongnae, which opened six months ago, won the ‘Chef to Watch’ category at the 2025 Good Food Guide awards.
The restaurant is run by Duncan Robertson and his wife Kyu Jeong Jeon. The couple met in Paris, then moved to South-West France where they opened and ran a Michelin-starred restaurant, before living for nine years in South Korea.
They opened Dongnae, which means neighbourhood, last year as a partner to their restaurant, Bokman, on Nine Tree Hill, off Stokes Croft.
After the award ceremony in London, Duncan said: “We were shocked – we’d convinced ourselves that weren’t going to win, especially as the other five or six on the shortlist were all such well-respected chefs.”
Asked how Dongnae had been nominated, Duncan admitted that he didn’t know. “Inspectors come anonymously, write a review and then contact you if you are going into the Guide, but I have no idea who nominated us for an award.”
The annual Good Food Awards recognise the “chefs and restaurateurs who have earned their place at the top over the past year”.
Artisan pasta and Italian food restaurant, Little Hollows, was delighted to be one of three new Bristol recipients of the Bib Gourmand, which honours eateries “committed to offering affordable, high-quality cooking”.
The Michelin Guide, launched at an event in Glasgow, said of Little Hollows: “Bristol’s pasta-lovers are really being spoilt with this rustic bistro run by a charming and knowledgeable team.”
Chris Davis, owner, said, “Being awarded a Bib Gourmand came as a complete, but very pleasant surprise, for the whole team here at Little Hollows Pasta. This award is testament to all the hard work, dedication and love for the Bristol hospitality scene we all share here.”