13 Best Restaurants in Bath and the Cotswolds, England

For over 30 years, this sleek space in the basement of the Queensberry Hotel has served top-notch English and Mediterranean dishes, finally being recognized with a Michelin star (the only one in town) in 2018. Head chef Chris Cleghorn creates a seductive, sophisticated selection of four-, six-, and nine-course tasting menus featuring delights such as smoked Devon eel with Isle of Wight tomatoes and tarragon; Cornish monkfish cooked over coal and served with leek and ginger; and raspberries accompanied by sheep curd and lemon verbena. The set-lunch menu (available Friday through Sunday) is a good value at £70. 

The Bath outpost of the growing Pig empire is a funky but chic "restaurant with rooms" in a converted country house in the Mendip Hills. It's all about the local and seasonal here (everything comes from within a 25-mile radius): kale, arugula, and other leaves and veggies are sourced from the Pig’s kitchen garden; apples, pears, and apricots come from its orchard; and pork, chicken, quail, and venison are provided by animals raised on the property. Salmon, pancetta, and bacon are smoked on-site. The results are exceptionally fresh and flavorsome dishes like loin of home-reared venison or “Kentucky-fried” wild rabbit. Dining alfresco in summer, when the wood-fired oven gets going, is a delight. The 29 comfortable and reasonably priced rooms are decorated with an elegant simplicity and have glorious views. It's located about 8 miles from Bath, off the A368.

Just five minutes from the Holburne Museum, this former rowing club house serves quality food in a picturesque setting. The global menu ranges from roasted belly pork to freshly caught fish, and the set menu is well priced at £25 for two courses. On warm summer nights, enjoy sitting on the veranda by candlelight (in winter, you can get tucked up with a throw) and enjoy food cooked to perfection. If you come during the day, you can also work up an appetite by taking out a skiff or canoe from the next-door boat station.

Sit in this bustling café and watch the comings and goings of the Bath square outside and take your pick from the all-day menu. Impressive choices include everything from croque monsieurs to Cuban sandwiches. There's also a wide range of teas, coffees, and smoothies.

Located between Broadway and Moreton-in-Marsh, this laid-back Cotswold pub has its dishes of the day (all made with local seasonal ingredients) written on the chalkboard inside. Options might include a fillet of Loch Duart salmon with new potatoes or wild mushroom and celeriac pie. There's a pleasant garden for summer days and rooms should you wish to stay the night.

There's energy and buzz at this plate-glass-and-chrome eatery, situated right by the Cornhall, which serves late breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks with a smile. Light bites like buffalo mozzarella, hot smoked salmon Nicoise, and deep-fried calamari with fennel salad are particularly tasty. You can also pick something up from their sister company, Corn Hall Deli, for a picnic.

Step away from the center of town to sample the ingenious cuisine that Michelin-trained chef Gordon Jones conjures up in his open kitchen. There is no set menu, but you can choose between seven and nine courses and every dish will be a surprise; there might be smoked eel with maple syrup and purple potatoes, a crisp haggis, roasted turbot with giant raisins and caper dressing, and blackberry sorbet with marinated cucumber. You can also choose a wine flight to accompany the tasting menus. The location is unprepossessing and the decor plain, enlivened by a few antlers and phials of oil, but the service is friendly and unstuffy; if you want to talk with the chef about your food, he will willingly do so. Book well in advance; lunch is easier to reserve than dinner.

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, vegetarian dishes, and plenty of local cheeses. The menu changes bi-monthly so it's always seasonal. and the set menu is £49 for 2 courses. The service is friendly and knowledgeable.

With a courtyard at the back and a patio at the front, this chic "restaurant with rooms" is perfect for a light lunch at midday or a full meal in the evening. Menus concentrate on Modern British dishes and change seasonally. The restaurant, in a former furniture factory belonging to local designer George Russell, is modern, airy, and stylish. The less expensive fixed-price menu (£28 for two courses) is just as tempting, and there's also an attached fish-and-chips shop. You can spend the night in the very sleek, boutique-style rooms upstairs.

At this informal eatery in a 16th-century coaching inn, the farmhouse-style tables are filled with traditional dishes with locally sourced ingredients. The secluded garden is the perfect place to enjoy lunchtime baguettes or sandwiches in nice weather. There are also three individually furnished guest rooms upstairs.

This mellow-stone gabled pub, located in the snug village of Leighterton just five miles west of Tetbury, likes to satisfy the crowds that assemble here with the best local fare in the area. Draw up a stool at the bar or take a seat at one of the many wooden tables to try the beer-braised short rib with champ mash or the vegan barley and cranberry pilaf. Finish with a calorific dessert. There's also a sheltered walled garden for summer dining.

In the center of Broadway, this pub-restaurant makes a handy stop for a snack, lunch, drink, or something more substantial. Among the hot dishes, you're likely to find wonders such as maple-glazed slow-cooked pork belly with scallops or king prawn, crab, and chorizo linguine. The tasting platters are a popular alternative. There's a good wine cellar and plenty of cask ales available. The pub can be crowded on the weekends, but on a weekday it's cozy and convivial, with an open fire in winter and comfortable seating. The imaginative decor blends the traditional and trendy with large mirrors, log-studded walls, and eye-catching knickknacks.

This popular pub dating from the 17th century specializes in modern British cuisine with choices ranging from local venison to fresh fish. The courtyard garden is a delight in summer. There's also a snug coffee lounge, and an inn that offers 14 stylish, uncluttered bedrooms and a spa.