A dinner is twelve people at one table, early in the week, when a good kitchen is at
its quietest. We take a fixed menu, we tell you the numbers in advance, and we pay per
head on the night. No room hire, no minimum spend, no deposit. These are the things
that tend to make an evening like that work.
Bikano's is an Indian restaurant in Widcombe, on Claverton Buildings, whose chefs' roots are in Rajasthan. The menu crosses the country: samosa chaat, dahi puri and Punjabi lamb chops to start, then tikka masala, chettinad, Rajasthani laal maans, dosas, dum biryani and a long vegetarian list, with a full bar alongside. Starters run £4.25 to £9.99, vegetable curries around £11 and meat curries £12.99 to £17. It is one of the few kitchens in Bath cooking every night of the week, 5pm to 10.30pm, and until 11.15pm on Fridays and Saturdays, with lunch daily from midday.
The Halfpenny opened in 2024 on Widcombe's high street, a green fronted corner site with pavement tables under parasols. For most of the day it is a café, serving breakfasts, eggs benedict, waffles, sandwiches, cakes and coffee. From 4pm on Wednesday to Saturday the kitchen turns to Spanish leaning small plates: serrano ham, chorizo braised in red wine, salt and chilli squid, patatas bravas, baked feta with honey and oregano, mostly £6 to £10. A short cocktail list sits beside wines, ciders and bottled beers. Bookings for more than ten people are taken through their Instagram account.
