Harden's survey result
Summary
“Up there with experiences we’ve had at the country’s top restaurants!” – chef Jon Howe conjures up “precise, innovative but grounded cooking” in a “small kitchen” at their “very small, intimate and calm venture”, while his wife Helen heads a “charming, unobtrusive service team”. Happy customers praise what is in effect “fine dining with tailor-made tasting menus, not only for dietary requirements/allergies but also for likes and dislikes”, which come “brimming over with invention and taste”.
Summary
“A marriage made in heaven!” – “Helen overseeing the charming, friendly service and her husband Jon creating the beautiful presented dishes” – inspires stellar reviews of the Howe’s “relaxing”, “fine dining” venture. “menus are tailored to individual tastes with advance notice and make good use of local ingredients”.
Summary
“Enchanting service from the chef’s wife Helen and her front of house team” adds further lustre to Jon Howe’s “elegantly presented” cuisine at their “peaceful and relaxed” venture, where one reporter particularly appreciated the “exceptional care taken to accommodate all dietary requirements”.
Summary
Jon Howe & Helen Aubry's “relaxed” (if perhaps slightly “austere”) venue offers a “first-class experience overall”; “local produce is at the fore of Jon’s inventive dishes (from “personalised tasting menus” to “good-value lunches”) and Helen makes a very charming front of house”.
Owner's description
Lumiere is a 3AA Rosette Award winning dining experience in the heart of the Cotswolds offering contemporary menus which are unique in using the very best in British, seasonal produce and drawing inspiration from the wonderful produce that is available.
Somerset born Chef Jon Howe and his wife and Restaurant Manager Helen opened Lumiere Restaurant in 2009, located just steps from Cheltenham’s famous tree lined Promenade, as the restaurant which they would love to go to. The irony that Lumiere is now the one restaurant that they will never be able to eat in is not lost on them, for as long as the restaurant is open they will be working.
Almost hidden behind a discreet and understated façade you will be led into Lumiere’s relaxing and welcoming dining room, offering a 5-Course Dinner Menu and 9 Course Tasting Menu Wednesday to Saturday evening and a 3-Course Lunch Menu and 6-Course Tasting Menu Friday & Saturday lunchtime. The menus are constantly evolving as the produce changes through the seasons and are complemented by Lumiere’s award-winning wine list which offers more than 24 wines by the glass and an eclectic selection of wines from around the globe.
Whether visiting for business or pleasure a meal at Lumiere will provide a memorable fine dining experience.
Restaurant details
The chef
Jon Howe
Somerset born Jon Howe has trained under some of the finest Chefs in the country, most notably John Campbell, Heston Blumenthal & Stuart McCleod.
After studying at Bath College, Jon worked for a number of Michelin starred & other highly acclaimed restaurants, gastropubs and hotels and was also selected for the British Culinary Team, with whom he competed at several international competitions with great success.
Jon took his first Head Chefs job at the age of 25 and since then he has acquired the skills and experience to make him one of the most competent and exciting chefs in the country. Now given the freedom to cook his own food with no managerial or owner restraints for the first time his culinary ability has developed its own identity at Lumière.
Lumière Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Inventive dishes, precisely cooked without pretentious twiddles. Charming and informative service, in a small, pleasant and calm room. Such an enjoyable experience."
"Having seen reports over the last few years on one of our rare visits to Cheltenham we tried here. Arriving to a nearly empty restaurants we were first show to a rather cramped looking booth but someone intervened and we were placed at a more spacious table. After the four snacks which are listed on the menu and come two by two and are all quite delicately flavoured the starters and main seemed rather more overloaded with different flavours piled together on the plate. The main course of Kerry Hill salt marsh hogget had no really strong sheep flavour and what there was rather swamped by the rest of the trimmings. A dessert of the optional cheese was very good as was the Rhubarb dessert. as well as wine we asked for just the local water, it came in a bottle and was priced at £4.00, water rates must be high here"
Clarence Parade, Cheltenham, GL50 3PA
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Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | CLOSED |
| Wednesday | 7 pm-8:30 pm |
| Thursday | 7 pm-8:30 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm-1:30 pm, 7 pm-8:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm-1:30 pm, 7 pm-8:30 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
