16 Best Restaurants in Bath and the Cotswolds, England

A ten-minute drive from Stow-on-the-Wold in Nether Westcote, this popular gastro-pub is as cozy and comforting as the name would suggest. The food here is exceptional, and the products are so local that the staff can usually point to the farm from where the meat was sourced. If you want to try as much as possible, opt for the six-course tasting menu (£80). Within the restaurant, a large bay window and terrace offer up views of the valley below, and attention to detail gives the pub some humorous touches such as the saddle-seated stools. If you decide that you are just too comfortable to move, there are four rooms to extend your stay in.

Originally built around 1550 as a farmhouse, this spot was soon converted to an inn. The restaurant serves food freshly prepared from locally sourced ingredients, including the classic Sudeley chicken marinated in garlic and simmered in cider. If you fancy trying a traditional Sunday lunch, this is also an excellent place to visit. Local legend has it that the inn is haunted by a 12-year-old girl whose footsteps can sometimes be heard running across the floorboards above the bar.

Close to St. James Church, this traditional tavern has low beams, a flagstone floor, and a small courtyard. The long menu includes daily specials, local ales, and enticing dishes like confit duck and deep-fried fish-and-chips. Freshly baked ciabatta sandwiches served at lunchtime are easy on the wallet. The service is swift and ideal for those in a rush. There are also six rooms where you can stay.

With views of the church of St. Mary's, this historic pub dating from 1554 offers a reassuringly traditional and charming milieu for food and refreshment. Light meals are available at lunchtime, teas in the afternoon, and for the evening meal you might start with deep-fried calamari and whitebait with caper sauce, then try the rump of lamb with minted mashed potato for your main course. The spotted dick (sponge with dried fruits) and custard makes a classic old-school end to the meal. The inn's grounds hold what is claimed to be the world's oldest bowling green. There are 11 well-furnished bedrooms upstairs.

Lee Gallimore was head chef at some of the Cotswold's most prestigious restaurants before opening his own property in Cheltenham. Here, Lee specializes in seafood sourced directly from fishermen in Devon and South Wales, and the shellfish platter for two to share is a feast. On Sundays, there's a traditional roast lunch menu, with the topside of Hereford beef and the free-range pork loin always looking particularly mouthwatering.

The 18th-century Pump Room, with views over the Roman baths, serves morning coffee, lunches, and afternoon tea, to music by a pianist or string trio who play every day. The stately setting is the selling point rather than the food, but do sample the West Country cheese board and the house-made cakes and pastries. Light or full lunches are on offer, and the restaurant is open for dinners in summer, serving a set menu (two courses for £36, three courses for £45). Be prepared to wait in line for a table during the day.

Small and slightly twee, this tourist magnet near Bath Abbey occupies the oldest house in Bath, dating from 1482. It's famous for the Sally Lunn bunn, a semisweet bread served here since 1680. You can choose from more than 30 sweet and savory toppings to accompany your bunn, or turn it into a meal with salmon or a steak. There are also economical lunch and early-evening menus. Daytime diners can view the small kitchen museum and shop in the cellar (30p for non-dining visitors).

A 15th-century inn just five minutes from Lacock Abbey, Sign of the Angel serves traditional food in a cozy and intimate setting. Some dishes, such as the roast loin of beef with Yorkshire pudding or the seasonal pie of the day are as traditional as the decor, but modern touches—orange butter sauce, for instance—adds an extra dimension. Enjoy the seasonal dish of the day for lunch or relax in the garden with a cream tea. When you creak open the heavy door and are greeted by the hearty fire in the huge chimney, you could be forgiven for thinking that you stepped back a few centuries. Upstairs are five beautifully rustic rooms in which to stay.

Just steps from Market House and at the heart of village life, the Snooty Fox is a bustling inn and restaurant that makes the most of quality ingredients from local producers in the Cotswolds. Real ales and local ciders are served at the bar, and teas, coffees, and hot and cold meals are available all day. During winter the roaring fire adds to the ambience in the restaurant, and there's a patio to use in summer.

This 17th-century inn retains its historic past while serving fabulous modern food, real ales, and gin cocktails. Choose from a wide range of dishes including venison, steak, and seafood, or the varied selections on the daily specials board. Upstairs there are 28 rooms, including one where Charles II and Lady Fisher hid from Oliver Cromwell during the Civil War.

In this popular Argyle Street eatery with stripped-back white walls, it's all about the steak. The mouthwatering meats all come from Aberdeen Angus and Hereford Cross cows on local area farms. Those who aren't fans of red meat will find plenty of other options on the menu, including homemade pastas and diverse cheese boards.

Set in an opulent Regency building with a statement bar, the Ivy Brasserie serves first-class food with British and European specialties. In its heyday, the Rotunda building was a bathing pool with spa water on tap, and its domed roof and seating area have been exquisitely restored to house the smart restaurant. Racehorse murals line the walls in a nod to Cheltenham's equestrian heritage. Choose from dishes such as apple and Stilton salad, aromatic duck curry, or crab linguine. The Ivy also serves a classic afternoon tea. Reservations are advised, especially when there are race meetings and festivals.

A few minutes' drive from Bourton in the quiet hamlet of Cold Aston, the Plough occupies an old, restored 17th-century inn. Flagstones, original beams, a fireplace, a quiet bar area, and simple, classic pub fare done well make this an ideal retreat from the Bourton crowds in high season. Enjoy your pint in the sunshine, admiring the centuries-old tree opposite the pub. There are three quiet rooms for those wishing to prolong their stay.

Plain wooden tables and understated decor are the setting for the wholesome British dishes served in this traditional restaurant beautifully sited on the banks of the Windrush River with a large outdoor area. Sip a cocktail on the riverside terrace while you wait for your order. Desserts include vanilla panna cotta and sticky toffee pudding.

Just steps from Market House and in the heart of village life, the Snooty Fox is a bustling inn and restaurant that makes the most of quality ingredients from local Cotswolds producers. Real ales and local ciders are served at the bar, and teas, coffees, and hot and cold meals are available all day. During winter, the roaring fire adds to the ambience, and there's a patio to use in summer. Twelve rooms are also available on site.

Housed in the former ballroom of Queen’s Hotel, Victoria’s brings a stylish twist to contemporary British cooking. The two-course lunch menu (£22) is particularly good value.