Cheltenham is fast becoming the destination to visit for connoisseurs of fine flavours. From Michelin star restaurants to independent brunch hotspots to atmospheric charcuterie wine bars, the town is full to the brim with eateries suiting every taste bud. So you can skip straight to your favourite course, here are the best places to eat in Cheltenham.
Le Champignon Sauvage - Michelin Star
For the crème de la crème of fine dining in Cheltenham, head over to Le Champignon Sauvage. With numerous accolades and awards, including a much-coveted Michelin star, this restaurant has been drawing admirers from near and far since 1987. Run by husband-and-wife team David and Helen Everitt-Matthias, it promises the most delicious French-inspired dishes with ingredients that change with the seasons.
Lumière Restaurant - Michelin Star
Since opening in 2009, the multi-award-winning, husband and wife-run Lumière restaurant has rapidly become one of the go-to places for fine-dining in Cheltenham. Serving ingredient-led dishes sourced from an established local network of producers, this Michelin star restaurant offers diners a refined experience and the highest quality meals for an unforgettable experience.
Bhoomi Kitchen
The Michelin-recommended Bhoomi Kitchen is the product of a family affair spanning 50 years, run by the third generation of culinary masters. Serving set menus and offering private dining, the restaurant shares mouth-watering dishes inspired by South Indian cuisine. Choose from a range of incredible repasts, from traditional one-pot curries to Keralan-style barbecue.
Black Gold
Black Gold coffee shop is a real favourite amongst locals and visitors alike. A family-run café, it invites diners to take a pew and refuel from a menu of snacks, sandwiches, home-baked cakes and hot and cold drinks. Perfect for light refreshment and sugary pick-me-ups, this is the ideal spot to go for a mug of aromatic coffee or treat yourself to a slice of cake.
Curry Corner
According to Michael Palin, “the best curry from pole to pole” can be had at the Curry Corner in Cheltenham. Running for nearly fifty years, it has become one of the oldest and most highly regarded Bangladeshi restaurants in England. As well as its fresh, local ingredients, secrets components of the restaurant’s curries include a vast array of fresh spices, expertly mixed for uniquely delicious flavours.
.jpg)
Daffodil
Tucked away inside a beautiful, Art Deco-style 1920s cinema, the Daffodil is a restaurant on the lips of all those in the know. With its glamourous reception, striking staircase, projectors and eye-catching interiors, the setting is an experience in itself. Coupled with the restaurant’s tantalising selection of classic dishes reimagined with modern twists, it’s an unmissable experience for all.
East India Café
Heavenly aromas will lead you down the steps of the East India Café, a Good Food award-winning Indian restaurant in Cheltenham. With nostalgic interiors and cosy furnishings, you can sit back, relax and tuck into the restaurant’s culinary innovations. Think traditional recipes from the British Raj period infused with modern twists and composed of the finest local produce.
Koj Cooks
For something a little different, why not consider hiring your own private chef during a luxury retreat in Cheltenham? MasterChef finalist Koj (Andrew Kojima) privately caters lunches and dinners for any occasion, so you can savour the finest culinary offerings in the comfort of your home away from home. Just some of his clients have included the Queen, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Eddie Redmayne.
Prithvi
One of the best places to eat in Cheltenham, Prithvi offers a memorable dining experience for all. Playing on Mother Nature’s vibrant and diverse palate of colours and tastes, its menus are comprised of authentic, fresh and bold flavours and textures that will linger on the tongue and in the mind. Browse lunch, dinner, and a la carte menus of traditional and modern Indian dishes.
Purslane
For fans of fruits de mer, Purslane should be at the top of the list of the best restaurants in Cheltenham. A small, family-run eatery, it specialises in fresh fish and seafood sourced from British waters – all served with seasonal accompaniments sourced from the local surrounds. Book yourself a table and peruse the bi-monthly changing à la carte menu and weekly-changing light lunch menu.
.jpg)
The Royal Oak
On the outer fringes of Cheltenham is the Royal Oak gastropub, complete with cosy dog-friendly bar, suntrap beer garden, open fires and spacious dining area. Full of charm, this sixteenth century building embodies everything you could want from a traditional village pub and more. What’s more, its innovative menu is accompanied by a selection of award-winning craft beer and well-kept real ales.
Sixways Wine Bar
Sixways Wine Bar in Charlton Kings is one of the best places to go in Gloucestershire for a glass of something special. An English wine bar with a French touch, it offers a specialist menu of artisan wines from handpicked producers around the globe. Take a seat inside to revel in the atmosphere or relax outside on the terrace for continental ambience and select from the curated offering. As well as wines by the glass and bottle, you can also enjoy perfectly paired charcuterie, sharing boards and light lunches.
Sorrel Stores
Sorrel Stores resides within the sought-after shopping quarter of The Suffolks in Cheltenham. In a place where the love language is local food, it makes the most of its beautiful location and surrounding farmland to curate the freshest menus. Focusing on quality, Sorrel works with local growers, producers, butchers and artisans to craft an ever-evolving offering. As well as delicious brunches and lunches, the restaurant also has a piled counter full of house pastries, cakes, bakes and savouries to go.
Woodkraft
Woodkraft is owned and run by Masterchef winner Simon Wood and offers relaxed, informal dining in the heart of Cheltenham. Proffering flavourful breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes, alongside speciality coffee and sweet treats, it’s the kind of place you’ll want to keep going back to. Head over for a spell and let the good vibes and great tastes carry you away.
Feeling inspired? Take a look at our luxury cottages in Cheltenham here.
