From Stinking Bishop to Gloucestershire Old Spots, there’s a lot of cracking food produced in the Cotswolds. So naturally, where there’s great ingredients, you’ll find some fantastic restaurants. We’ve put together a guide to some of the best restaurants within easy reach of Tewkesbury Park.
There are so many top-quality restaurants in the Cotswolds these days that we’re bound to have missed a few favourites. Please forgive us if we’ve left off your own preferred place (and let us have your recommendations!), and we hope you enjoy our mouth-watering list.
The Fuzzy Duck, Armscote
The Fuzzy Duck, once the Fox and Goose, was rescued from closure by local resident Tania Slater, who along with brother Adrian has transformed it into this inviting and cosy inn. Kids and dogs are welcome, and there are even home-made dog treats at the bar.
The menu is classic pub food done very, very well, with comforting favourites like venison pie and ale-battered cod. Younger guests can tuck into the “Little Ducklings” menu.
https://www.fuzzyduckarmscote.com/
Made By Bob, Cirencester
This popular restaurant, bar and deli is in Cirencester’s Corn Hall. It’s not just the clientele who love it: Made By Bob is a Michelin Bib Gourmand recognised restaurant. The eponymous Bob is Chef Patron Bob Parkinson, who’s constantly changing the menu to bring his loyal customers gorgeous seasonal produce. The restaurant and bar are open-plan, so you can see Bob and team at work.
Head there early for the fantastic Full English, and don’t leave without picking up some delights at the deli. Breads, cheeses, charcuterie, take-out soups, cakes…
The Pump Room Restaurant, Bath
Sometimes places on the tourist trail get it so right; and this gracious Georgian room above the Roman Baths is a superb lunch spot, serving modern British cuisine. The Pump Room opened its elegant doors in 1795, and has been a social hub in the city ever since. You can try the famous spa water from the historic Pump Room fountain (it’s warm, and doesn’t taste much like water, but the 43 minerals should put a spring in your step…)
The restaurant is open for morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea. Lunches are light and fresh, with dishes such as baked plaice with courgette and broad bean salad; or take their splendid high tea instead.
To add to the air of gentility, you’ll sip your Earl Grey or English sparkling wine to music from the Pump Room Trio or the resident pianist.
https://www.romanbaths.co.uk/pump-room-restaurant
The Sheep, Stow
There are many good things about this recently-refurbished 17th-century hotel. The wood-fired oven in the restaurant, where you can watch your pizza cooking; the lovely outside space with an outdoor fire for chilly evening cosiness; the informal bar that runs the length of the basement; the gin menu…
Try the house pizza with its pulled pork and shallot toppings. There are also small plates if you fancy a sharing meal, and there’s also a kids’ menu. Plus, how can you not love a place called The Sheep on Sheep Street?
https://www.thesheepstow.co.uk/dining/
No. 131, Cheltenham
No. 131 The Promenade in Cheltenham is a lively place to eat and drink. Serving relaxed and hearty food all day, and at night, No. 131 morphs into an animated night spot and popular cocktail bar. Come back the next morning for a reviving breakfast or a pick-me-up from their coffee menu.
https://theluckyonion.com/property/no-131/
The Wild Rabbit, Kingham
This traditional-looking, 18th-century inn was recently restored, using painstaking traditional techniques. Chef Patron Alyn Williams joined Head Chef Nathan Eades in 2018, and they’ve created a menu of quality ingredients cooked perfectly and simply (and yes, rabbit does feature). The Wild Rabbit is part of the Daylesford Estate, so the kitchen team have access to the farm’s organic market garden.
Eat in the dining room with its open kitchen, or relax in the bar with its rustic feel and open wood fire. There’s also a farm shop, café, cookery school and spa.
The Daffodil, Cheltenham
This former cinema has been refurbished by Laurence Llewelyn Bowen, who’s kept the building’s Art Deco elegance and original features. The tables are where the stalls once were, and the bar is in the mezzanine – and you can still see the old film projectors.
Try Sunday lunch, or dive into the pudding menu which comes complete with dessert wines and delicious dessert cocktails. As you’d expect from a former cinema, there’s a good theatre menu option if you’re out to see a show in Cheltenham.
Mint, Tewkesbury
And finally, we come to our own restaurant, Mint; a relaxed and inviting place to enjoy contemporary Cotswold food.
The menu changes regularly, to make the most of the fabulous, seasonal produce. There’s always delectable locally-sourced meats, British-caught fish, and any amount of Cotswold-grown vegetables. But (and here’s our insider’s tip), always, always leave room for a pudding.
https://www.tewkesburypark.co.uk/food-drink/restaurant/
Hungry? We certainly are after compiling this lovely list! We hope to see you in Mint soon; and if you need any more information about food, drink or things to do in the Cotswolds, please drop us a line.