4 Best Restaurants in Cheltenham, Bath and the Cotswolds

Set in an opulent Regency building with a statement bar, the Ivy serves first-class food with British and European specialties. In its heyday, the Rotunda building was a bathing pool with spa water on tap, and its domed roof and seating area have been exquisitely restored to house the smart restaurant. Racehorse murals line the walls in a nod to Cheltenham's equestrian heritage. Choose from dishes such as apple and Stilton salad, aromatic duck curry, or crab linguine. The Ivy also serves a classic afternoon tea. Reservations are advised, especially when there are race meetings and festivals.

The relatively short, perfectly balanced menu here showcases the creative contemporary French cooking of David Everitt-Matthias, who has run the restaurant with his wife, Helen, since 1987. The food is a favorite of the United Kingdom's most famous restaurant critics and includes delights such as chalk stream trout with oyster emulsion and miso glazed monkfish with barley broth and cockles. Fixed-price menus at lunchtime (£40 for 2 courses) help keep the cost down. 

Lured by the fresh ingredients and cool, unfussy surroundings, diners come here to enjoy the freshest of Cornish fish, Salcombe Bay crab, and Forest of Dean ham accompanied by unusual but delicious vegetables like borage, wild garlic, and sea cabbage. The accent is on fish, but you will also find hay-baked Cotswold lamb and vegetarian dishes. The menu changes bimonthly so it's always seasonal. The service is friendly and knowledgeable.

Since 1838, local dignitaries and visiting celebrities have come for leisurely lunches, afternoon tea, and delicious dinners at Victoria’s at The Queens Hotel. The menus showcase local produce and contemporary British cooking with a stylist twist, and the two-course lunch menu is particularly good value. Burgundy walls, padded chairs, and tall windows enhance the space.