Bath Restaurant Guide

The USP of this “very relaxed” yet “lively” Bath pizzeria is the ability to choose your dough as well as the topping on your pizza; not just regular and gluten-free, they also offer hemp, seaweed, black rice and turmeric bases, plus distinctly adventurous toppings (“who knew pistachios on a pizza could be so amazing?!”). A Bristol branch opened in March 2019.

Just over Pulteney Bridge (and with views of the weir from one of the dining rooms), this four-year-old venue is attracting ever more support as a favourite amongst the locals: “wonderful French food in the heart of the city”, with both steak and fish options being well-reviewed.

“There is something striking about the design” of this former NatWest bank: one of the more “elegant and spacious” spin-offs from the London celeb haunt. It’s “food to a formula”, of course (“best stick to old favourites, like steak ’n’ chips”) but all in all this three-year-old establishment is “a dependable example of the ever-expanding chain”.

One of the UK’s quintessential afternoon tea experiences: the Georgian chamber next to the famous Roman baths. There are better cakes, sarnies and cups of tea to be had elsewhere to be sure, but few in quite such stately and suitable surroundings.

On one of the super-cutest pedestrian cut-throughs of this gorgeous town (near Sally Lunn’s), this “lovely” new townhouse hotel (named for its eight bedrooms) opened in August 2018, and was one of the most talked-about arrivals of last year in these parts. Chef Fred Lavault offers “very enjoyable modern cuisine in a small plates format” from a “simple 8-8-8 menu that’s excellent and well-presented”.

This “busy restaurant in the heart of this Georgian city” provides an attractive “combination of great cooking with good flavours, smart presentation and a relaxed, easy-going atmosphere” (even if the setting is “a little tightly packed”). “Wasn’t this the site of the legendary ‘Hole in the Wall’ run by George Perry-Smith from the 1950s? Clearly his spirit benevolently haunts this fine establishment!”

“Caffeine for connoisseurs served by enthusiastic baristas” – this Queen’s Square coffee shop from three-times UK barista champion Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood is a must for the aficionado. “Best coffee in Bath and so cool!”

“What a find!” – “stunning Vietnamese food” with “really exciting and fresh flavours” is “introduced with charm, energy and humour by Noya herself” to make a meal here “a really special experience”. Noya Pawlyn opened her supper club/cookery school/café in the heart of Bath two years ago; she left Vietnam aged seven and cooked for her family in a Hong Kong refugee camp.

“A new addition to Bath’s wine bar and food scene” (and sibling to the Tisbury original) which opened in late 2018, and serves “interesting small plates” – modern British fare, plus cheese and charcuterie – alongside a “great wine selection” including over 250 bottles.

“In a tourist town littered with chain restaurants”, this “lovely neighbourhood spot” is “one of the more reliable choices” locally (especially for fish) – and it’s “surprisingly affordable given its prestigious location next to the famous circus”.

“Bath’s best-kept secret” – this gastropub-with-rooms (great value) and a sheltered garden wins consistently strong ratings for its hearty good food.

“Gordon Jones is expert in the flavours he can coax out of sometimes-modest ingredients” and his ‘surprise’, no-choice tasting menu of “well-coordinated and beautifully presented” dishes makes his “small but sweet” venue (in a somewhat “ordinary location”, just outside the town centre) into “a foodie’s temple of joy!”. “Quirky but worth a detour”.

Rob Potter’s “excellent” modern British cuisine is sampled either from a six-course tasting menu (£95) or a three-course à la carte (£75) with a small selection of dishes for each course at this plush five-star hotel in the Cotswolds. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there’s the odd gripe about “London prices” but most reports here remain hymns of praise.

Stunning Palladian mansion, whose sweeping tree-lined driveway and ornate regalia is tailor-made for a special occasion, complete with “lovely view and garden” and impressive, formal dining room. Longtime chef Hywel Jones continues to produce “superb” cuisine here: “the seven-course tasting menu is a must”, say fans, but there’s also a three-course à la carte (for £87).

“Such a lovely setting” (a Grade II-listed shabby-chic hotel) and a “wonderful surrounding area” – the Chew Valley, just south of Brizzle – are hard to beat, but fans claim that there’s “food and service to match” at this venture, boasting a “true provenance of all-local ingredients” (much sourced from the “beautiful kitchen garden”). “Hope the extension of the chain doesn’t result in a loss of focus” (it’s now seven-strong and counting).

"A restaurant above a bakery." Such a simple description for a restaurant (that started as a series of supper clubs) from Jules Copperman, former GM at Big Jo, and Rob Sachdev, former sous chef at Brawn. Opened in September 2021 above the popular sourdough bakery.