Bath Restaurant Guide

2021 Review: 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.

A “lovely” spot for a “nice, well-presented family meal” in Bath, this six-year-old from chef Chris Tabbitt (who trained at Simon Hopkinson’s Bibendum) and Sarah Olivier has built a solid following for its “very proficient” modern European menus.

The “particularly pleasant outdoor terrace” and “lovely interior” are – as is typical for the brand – key attributes at this link in the ubiquitous national chain, which is one of the more commented-on destinations in the city. Gastronomically, it “does not excite”, although some reporters are “pleasantly surprised at the food”.

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!”.

“Dining is always special in this lovely Georgian townhouse bistro”, where chef Rob Clayton has served “really great” modern French meals in a “bustling, bright dining room” for more than 10 years. A veteran of the legendary Chez Nico in London, Rob first came to Bath to head up the kitchen at the luxury Priory Hotel.

This “absolutely spot-on coffee shop” is the “perfect place to kill time time, and the coffee is sensational” – “served by knowledgeable staff” led by Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood, a three-time UK barista champion and pioneer who studied ‘third wave’ coffee in Melbourne before founding his shop in 2009.

A range of “eclectic English seasonal tapas/small plates” – with plenty of modern European influences – is served alongside “a very credible but affordable wine list” at this wine shop and bar off Queen Square that started life as a pop-up social project. “There’s now a huge barn extension that allows for a pleasant summer evening” spent sampling “interesting and unusual wines”.

Wild game is the highlight of dining at this venture from specialist Mike Robinson (co-owner of the Harwood Arms in Fulham), who manages deer herds on local estates to produce venison for chef Gavin Edney’s “very good” menu. The stylish 166-bedroom boutique hotel opened in 2020 following the renovation of several adjoining Grade I and Grade II listed Bath stone townhouses.

Noya Pawlyn’s “delightful Vietnamese food” – “varied, interesting and full of fresh flavours, with a vibrant and zesty edge” – “delivers on every single visit” and has made the small restaurant she opened five years ago “justifiably popular”. “How little Noya does it so well is a mystery” – but it may have something to do with the skills she learnt as a child, cooking for her siblings in a Hong Kong refugee camp while her parents went out to work. And it’s not just a cheap and cheerful option: there’s a “surprisingly good wine list”, and “it’s a great place for a date”.

“Delicious small plates and a great wine list make this a real treat” – as the name suggests, it is primarily a vintner’s with “excellent wine served by knowledgeable and charming staff”, but “the tapas-style food is great”, with “interesting seasonal-inspired small plates” full of “punchy flavours”. Top Tip – “a steal on a Monday when you can choose any wine from the shop at retail and enjoy it with your meal”.

“Outstanding fish” is one of the better bets at this popular independent close to the town centre, and “service is outstanding too”. The “excellent pre-theatre menu is delightful and a bargain”.

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”.

This “top-notch gastropub” offers both “good vegetarian options” and “great Sunday roasts”. Its popularity and “buzzy atmosphere” owe much to a “lovely pub garden” and handy town-centre address, around the corner from the Royal Crescent.

2019 Review: In a slightly utilitarian setting next to a Sainsbury’s petrol station and en route to Brizzle, this swish Indian serves some “beautiful food”.

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).

2019 Review: “A busy and useful gastropub near the Lansdowne Park and Ride”, and bolstered by chic interiors as well as ten-mile views over the countryside (walks start right from the door); “great staff” and “amazing” locally sourced food courtesy of a new chef continue to cement its appeal.