Bath Restaurant Guide

“One of the best in Bath” (that “tourist city largely dominated by chains”), founded in 2016 by Chris Tabbitt, whose CV includes stints at London’s Bibendum and the Old Bridge hotel in Huntingdon, where he met his FOH wife Sarah Olivier. It “seems quite European in the interior” (down to being “fairly cramped”), but that only befits its “excellent French-inspired” bistro cooking, which is offered for a “reasonable” price.

Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nahyan was – as of mid 2025 – rumoured to be on the verge of buying a £1 billion stake in Richard Caring’s restaurant empire, of which this famous brasserie chain is the crown jewel. Presumably, he’s more interested in ‘rolling out’ the brand in The Gulf and beyond rather than dropping by for a Salmon Fishcake and ‘Ivy Chocolate Bombe’, but if he’d asked the opinion of our annual diners’ poll, we’re not sure that he’d sign on the dotted line. “How can a restaurant with this heritage produce such uninspired, tick-box food?” is a question merited by its poor ratings, ditto what explains the “very slow and disinterested service”? The answer may be that “you don’t come here for the food, obviously” but for the “gorgeous” interior design and “picturesque” locations that continue to underpin their appeal. Let’s hope for the Sheikh’s sake that the middle classes of the Arab World are as undiscerning as those from the UK!

2022 Review: Taking afternoon tea in this “wonderful Georgian setting with a trio playing during the meal” – and the Roman baths next door – is to wallow in English history, with literary visitors from Jane Austen to Charles Dickens as your guides. The nibbles – “beetroot-cured smoked salmon with homemade blini”, perhaps – are a secondary consideration, “but well worth having!”.

“Top-quality ingredients, expertly cooked, and very warm, attentive service” are much appreciated at this Regency-era townhouse venue from accomplished chef-patron Rob Clayton, who trained under the legendary Nico Ladenis and headed the kitchen brigade at Bath Priory. His “classical style is perhaps a bit old school, but there’s nothing wrong with that…” – “don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the menu, or what could be perceived as high prices: this is worth every penny!”

A world-renowned authority on all things caffeine and three-times UK barista champion, Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood serves “the best coffee in Bath by a mile” at this “cool space” that is “out of the way of tourists but always packed”. He opened it in 2009 after encountering ‘Third Wave’ coffee culture in Melbourne, and followed up with a second branch in Leather Lane, London, two years ago.

Independent wine shop off Queen’s Square whose dining room and heated wood-framed marquee offer a “casual” setting for a rather superior small-plates menu (crab soufflé, beef shin croquettes, pan-roasted pigeon breasts, cod with pork-braised cannellini beans and chorizo, veggie options, cheese boards and desserts) to pair with vintage Burgundies or other discoveries in the fine-wine selection.

Harwood Arms co-owner Mike Robinson’s “superior steakhouse” is the fancier of two dining options in the “formal setting of a well-restored Georgian house, now hotel” (from the “modern and quirky” Indigo chain). A visit begins with cocktails in the vault-based speakeasy, before heading upstairs for a seven-course dinner during which “the star is game” – and “oh, the venison! Sourced from the chef’s local estate”, it’s “melt in the mouth” and “just brilliant”. “Good value for money” too – just “go there and enjoy a magnificent meal in this lovely city”.

“My favourite spot for an Asian meal in Bath” – “Noya cooks homely Vietnamese food that’s not fancy or pretentious, but boy is it good, a fantastic meal at a great price” (“I always leave with a smile on my face”). The “diminutive” host learned to cook as a seven-year-old, feeding her three younger siblings in a Hong Kong refugee camp while her parents were out at work; she now showcases her “fabulous, very authentic dishes” at this “really cosy little restaurant in a small Georgian house”. “Do book as it is very popular, and deservedly so”.

This decade-old wine merchant and sharing plates restaurant is the flagship of the Beckford Group: a six-strong outfit based in Wiltshire and Somerset (and whose side arm is hit bath and body product brand, Bramley). Perhaps, it’s “more about the wine and ambience than the food” (there are over thirty wines available by the glass, and relatively cheap rates for corkage), and perhaps it’s “a little expensive”, but then again this feel-good place is, according to all reports, “one of those restaurants where you don’t really mind”. Top Tip – the outdoor tables make a “great place to catch the early evening sun come summertime”.

It’s “been around for ever”, but this “quirky” bistro in a fine Georgian house happily “still keeps its standards very high”, with newish owner Matthew Lisanti (who took over from the longtime former landlords in 2021) overseeing the “short, simple and superb” modern European fare. “Great, friendly service” and an interesting list of indie wines also make it “a cut above” in these parts.

2023 Review: A “quirky and interesting” local with a “good atmosphere” serving a “creative menu, with cooking of a consistent high standard”. It makes a “fantastic pub for Sunday lunch”, with “outstanding roasts”.

Handsome Georgian pub near the Royal Crescent with a relatively ambitious seasonal menu, “excellent wine list” and “stunning Sunday roast”; the courtyard garden is an added attraction in the summer. (“I don’t get to Bath enough but next time I do, this will be on the shortlist for sure!”).

2023 Review: The “food and wine are always interesting” and are “still as good as ever” at engaging Anglo-Scottish chef Gordon Jones’s former sandwich shop on the southern edge of town. There’s “a single tasting menu available” (the only choice is whether to have 7 or 9 courses) and it comes as a complete surprise, with each dish introduced as it arrives at your table (and no vegetarian or other options).

2024 Review: “Outstanding views from the dining area” and “lovely garden” over the surrounding countryside (top walking territory) characterise this well-liked stone gastroboozer; there are plaudits too for its “small menu of good classics” (plus latterly small plates).

Celebrating three decades as part of the Brownsword Hotels stable in 2024, this lavish getaway in two adjoining Georgian houses has much to love about it, from the four-acre gardens to the UK’s only L’Occitane spa. Dining options are split between the dining room, open for afternoon tea or a £98 per person three-course dinner showcasing “skilful cooking of delightful food”; and the more casual ‘Pantry & Terrace’ which also offers breakfast, brunch and lunch.