Mark's Bakery — Restaurant in Bristol

What a Disappointment I’ve been going in here on and off ever since it first opened but not been in for around a month or so first off I noticed how dirty and scruffy it was outside and around the seating areas On going inside more disappointment I usually have a coffee and toast whilst my wife has a wander round the local shops It has always been packed on my previous visits but it was empty also all the tables and chairs were gone when I enquired as to why I was informed that the bosses had decided to go for takeaway trade instead of inside trade this will turn out to be a mistake I’m sure I noticed the walk in trade was tiny compared to the queue out of the door trade in the past Moving on to the coffee that was wonderful as I remembered it sadly now served in paper cups which not only spoils the taste but what a lot of waste compared to washing cups need to get back to real cups I had my usual two slices of toast and sadly the bread was not to the past usual superb standard quite doughy in the Center in fact needs more time in the oven in my small opinion Oh we learn don’t we very disappointed after such brilliance in the past There is a newer sourdough bakery/cafe the opposite end along East street so we will have to give that a try on our next visit I’m sad to write this review as over the years it’s always been a pleasure waiting in Marks with several cups of coffee eating some lovely toast and buying a couple of loaves to take home Unlikely we will visit again which is a shame The only shining light was the service of the people working behind the tills terrific service and great eye contact The three stars I’ve given is soley for the staff service I received otherwise it would be one which would be for the nice coffee spoiled by serving in paper...

Undoubtedly the best bakery in the immediate area but compared to other bakeries around Bristol, I think it's lacking in passion and creativity. It's sort of ticking over and living off of its initial success. With no other competing bakeries in the area, it doesn't really have to innovate - it's not hard to compete with Parsons!

Some items are clearly very popular - because they're great! Cheese and leek rolls, grilled cheese, cheese sandwiches, they all sell out whilst there's literally mounds of other, inferior items that are never sold out. I'd say over 50% of the time those items are sold out. Surely it's basics - make what the people want! Every other time I go, I forget that they have a £4 minimum spend on card and I'd happily spend over £4 to make up the difference but there's rarely anything else in stock that I'd eat!

I love an almond croissant. Every single one I've had from here is flat and stale. In the pan au chocolate's, the chocolate is always lost inside of pastry and there's not much chocolate in there, the ratios are all off! Like nothing I've had in France. The millionaire shortbread is very unusual, there's no crack of nicely tempered chocolate on top, just thick, soft, unusual tasting chocolate, then mounds of soft filling spills out over your hand - the ratios are all off again. The cakes here just seem big and clumsy, there's no finesse.

I do hope that things change here, otherwise I'll have to venture out to other bakeries instead and I don't think I'll be...

Such a shame, - used to be without doubt the best bacon sandwich and bread in Bristol however..... Have been going to this place for years and noticed a gradual decline in quality with an uplift in cost. The bread is simply brilliant and the baked goods are the same however.... as of late the outside seating has been a bit neglected... the inside seating area has been binned to make room for a kitchen to serve food. shame. But my biggest gripe the bread... on 2 occasions now I have bought the famous sourdough and paid a premium £4 for the large size as the smaller size is Absolutely ridiculous and wouldn't even make a sandwich. Size of the bread has slowly got smaller and smaller. Weight of the sourdough has got less. and the overall quality has just declined. Not how it used to be, not as risen as it used to be. The last one I bought was barely cooked in the middle and I've had to re bake it or toast it to make it less doyghy. It's clear this is now a complete money making churner rather than what it used to be. such a shame as its quality was always top notch but things have changed and with the price now higher then ever I can't justify the visit anymore. sad to see the usual greed sweeping the UK infecting what used to be the most genuine of businesses. Time to find the next local business to...