Under the Stars
Under the Stars is a family-run floating Mediterranean tapas restaurant and cocktail bar moored on Bristol Harbour, founded in 2010, serving local diners, tourists, and private-event bookers with on-premise dining, UK-wide online merchandise, and micro-wedding hire.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersBristol, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Under the Stars does
Under the Stars is a privately-held, family-run hospitality business operating a floating Mediterranean tapas restaurant and cocktail bar moored at Narrow Quay on Bristol's historic harbour in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2010 by a couple in their mid-20s, the single-site venue serves a consumer base comprising local residents, tourists, and event bookers seeking a distinctive nautical dining experience. Revenue is generated primarily through on-premise food and beverage sales (Mediterranean tapas £5.50-£18, stone-baked pizzas £15-£17, cocktails £8-£13, wines, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks) during limited opening hours (kitchen 5pm-9pm Wed-Sat, 12pm-5pm Sun), supplemented by three secondary streams: an online store selling screen-printed merchandise and gift vouchers with UK-wide delivery, bespoke "Under the Stars" gin produced by Psychopomp Micro-distillery, and private hire of the boat for micro-weddings and events.
The business operates with no proprietary technology stack. Distribution and customer acquisition run through direct-to-consumer channels: an online booking system for tables, walk-in traffic for the spacious top-deck bar, an in-house e-commerce storefront, email and phone reservations, and an Instagram account (~5k followers) as the primary social channel. The company is embedded in a curated Bristol supplier ecosystem (Bristol Distilling Co, 6 O'Clock Gin, Clifton Coffee, Left Handed Giant Brewing, Bristol Urban Farms, The Aperitivo Co, Bon Clothing, Curly Chops Design, Psychopomp Micro-distillery), which underpins a locally-sourced brand narrative and a Mediterranean-travel-inspired menu concept linked to Bristol's maritime heritage. Operations are led day-to-day by General Manager Ruby, with founders actively working shifts; the company is currently recruiting across front-of-house, chef, kitchen porter, and supervisor positions.
Under the Stars is privately held with no disclosed funding, external investors, parent company, or public listing. Annual revenue is not publicly disclosed. The business has historically grown organically, expanding from tapas-only into pizzas, cocktails, an online store, and event hire, and has made capital investments including the purchase of the boat and a farmhouse property with land. Geographic reach remains single-site domestically in Southwest England, and the model is positioned as a hospitality brand rather than a scalable technology-enabled platform.
Under the Stars firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Under the Stars
- Legal name
- Under the Stars
- Website
- https://underthestarsbar.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Under the Stars is a family-run floating Mediterranean tapas restaurant and cocktail bar moored on Bristol Harbour, founded in 2010, serving local diners, tourists, and private-event bookers with on-premise dining, UK-wide online merchandise, and micro-wedding hire.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Under the Stars industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Restaurants and Hospitality
- NAICS
- Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Food Services and Drinking Places (722)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cocktail Bars & Lounges (CRANACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Lounge Bars & Hotel Bars (THAFAEAI), Rooftop Bars & Outdoor Nightlife Venues (MPAGAIAF)
Keywords
Where Under the Stars is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bristol
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Under the Stars business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Food & Beverage Sales: Revenue from Mediterranean tapas and pizza dining, plus cocktails, wine, beer and non-alcoholic drinks served on the floating restaurant. Kitchen hours 5pm-9pm Wed-Sat, 12pm-5pm Sun.
- Merchandise Sales: Online store selling screen-printed merchandise including T-shirts (£20), tote bags (£10), and bespoke Under the Stars Gin by Psychopomp Micro-distillery.
- Gift Vouchers: Gift vouchers available in £10 denominations, no expiry date, usable against any food and drinks.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tapas dishes priced £5.50-£18 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cocktails £8-£13, Mocktails £8.50 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Merchandise: T-shirts £20, Tote bags £10, Gift Vouchers £10 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Under the Stars product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Under the Stars is a floating Mediterranean tapas restaurant and cocktail bar moored on Bristol's historic harbour, serving guests since 2010. The core offering is dine-in Mediterranean tapas, stone-baked pizza made fresh on board (dough to toppings), and an extensive cocktail and wine list featuring locally sourced Bristol spirits. The business also sells screen-printed merchandise, gift vouchers and bespoke gin through an online store, and rents the floating boat as a private venue for micro weddings and events.
Product overview
Under the Stars is a floating Mediterranean tapas restaurant and cocktail bar moored on Bristol's historic harbour, operating since 2010. The core offering consists of an extensive tapas menu drawing influence from across the Mediterranean and fresh stone-baked pizzas made entirely on board. The bar features an extensive back bar with classic and contemporary cocktails curated by their lead mixologist, complemented by a curated wine list with vegan and organic options. The business also operates an online store selling merchandise (screen-printed t-shirts and tote bags featuring nautical designs), gift vouchers in £10 denominations, and bespoke gin produced by Psychopomp Micro-distillery. Additionally, the floating boat is available as a unique venue for micro weddings and private events outside regular opening hours.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mediterranean Tapas Restaurant Floating Mediterranean tapas restaurant moored on Bristol's historic harbour, serving guests since 2010. Offers an extensive tapas menu drawing influence from across the Mediterranean, with ingredients sourced seasonally and dishes made fresh on board. Target customers are local diners, tourists, and visitors to Bristol Harbour.
- Stone-Baked Pizza Menu Fresh stone-baked pizza menu featuring homemade dough and toppings prepared entirely on board the floating restaurant. Includes classic margherita and specialty pizzas with ingredients such as feta, serrano ham, and steak. Priced £15-£17.
- Cocktail Bar Extensive back bar featuring classic and contemporary cocktails curated by lead mixologist Zoe, with seasonal cocktail menus and special creations. Uses local Bristol spirits from Bristol Distilling Co, 6 O'Clock Gin and other local producers. Cocktails priced £8-£13, mocktails £8-£8.50.
- Wine List
Companies that use Under the Stars
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Under the Stars technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Under the Stars partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Bon ClothingcoreLocal Bristol screen printing company that produces all Under the Stars merchandise including T-shirts and tote bags. Products are individually screen printed in Bristol.
- Psychopomp Micro-distillerycoreLocal Bristol micro-distillery that produces bespoke Under the Stars Gin exclusively for the restaurant.
- Bristol Distilling CocoreLocal Bristol gin and vodka producer supplying Gin 77, Triple B Vodka, and other spirits used in cocktails. Featured in multiple cocktail specials.
- Clifton CoffeecoreBristol coffee roaster. Team attended coffee training session. Have used their coffee beans since opening 14 years ago.
- The Aperitivo CocoreProduces Sofia Rose Vermouth and Venice Spritz alternatives featured in multiple cocktails including Spritz menu items.
- Curly Chops DesigncoreDesign partner responsible for merchandise designs including Lucky 13 anniversary designs and nautical-themed merchandise.
- Zoe (Zoee Illustration)coreLead mixologist and cocktail curator who creates seasonal cocktail specials and menu designs.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Under the Stars competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Franco Manca: UK sourdough pizza chain with neighbourhood locations. Comparable on the pizza product category and casual sit-down dining model, though without the bar/cocktail-led identity that differentiates Under the Stars.
- Zizzi: UK Italian casual-dining chain. Overlaps with Under the Stars on the Mediterranean/Italian small-plates menu positioning and pizza offering, though operates as a national multi-site operator rather than a single destination venue.
- The Alchemist: UK cocktail-bar chain with theatrical mixology-led venues. Comparable on the strong cocktail programme focus and lounge-style bar positioning, though operates at significantly larger scale across multiple UK cities.
- Revolution Bars Group: UK operator of cocktail-led bar venues (Revolution, Revolución de Cuba). Overlaps with Under the Stars on cocktail bar identity, music/events programming, and Latin/Mediterranean-leaning food offering, but at national scale.
- Be At One: UK cocktail-bar chain. Comparable on the cocktail-centric bar model and drink-led revenue mix, though operates multi-site across UK cities with a more nightlife-focused format than Under the Stars' daytime food service.
- Pizza Express: UK high-street pizza restaurant chain. Overlaps with Under the Stars on the pizza product line and Italian/Mediterranean casual-dining category, though operates at vastly larger scale with a standardised estate model.
- Las Iguanas: UK Latin American restaurant and bar chain. Comparable on the Latin/Mediterranean-adjacent cuisine, cocktail-led bar programme, and casual-dining positioning targeting similar discretionary diners.
Direct peers
- Tapas Revolution: UK casual-dining chain specialising in Spanish tapas and paella. Comparable on the tapas product category, mid-market price positioning, and Mediterranean small-plates dining experience that competes for similar discretionary diners.
- Tamesis Dock: Floating bar and restaurant moored on the Thames in London. Closest direct peer to Under the Stars: a permanently moored vessel operating as a restaurant and bar in a major UK harbour setting, with similar venue-driven differentiation.
- Iberica: Group of Spanish/Mediterranean tapas restaurants in London. Comparable on cuisine category (Mediterranean tapas), cocktail-led bar programme, and venue-led positioning targeting diners seeking an experiential Spanish/Mediterranean meal out.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Under the Stars social profiles
Digital presenceUnder the Stars financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Under the Stars leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Under the Stars funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Under the Stars M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Under the Stars
What does Under the Stars do?
Under the Stars is a floating Mediterranean tapas restaurant and cocktail bar moored on Bristol's historic harbour, serving guests since 2010. The core offering is dine-in Mediterranean tapas, stone-baked pizza made fresh on board (dough to toppings), and an extensive cocktail and wine list featuring locally sourced Bristol spirits. The business also sells screen-printed merchandise, gift vouchers and bespoke gin through an online store, and rents the floating boat as a private venue for micro weddings and events.
Is Under the Stars a public or private company?
Under the Stars is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Under the Stars founded?
Under the Stars was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Under the Stars based?
Under the Stars is headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Under the Stars make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Food & Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales and gift Vouchers.
Who are Under the Stars's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Franco Manca, Zizzi, The Alchemist, Revolution Bars Group, Be At One, Pizza Express and Las Iguanas. Direct peers are Tapas Revolution, Tamesis Dock and Iberica.
Does Under the Stars have an API?
No public API is recorded for Under the Stars.
What industry is Under the Stars in?
Under the Stars's product category is Restaurants and Hospitality. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRANACAD, Cocktail Bars & Lounges, with a secondary code of THAFAEAI, Lounge Bars & Hotel Bars. Its NAICS code is 7224 and its SIC code is 5810.