Best Restaurants in Cheltenham

The pretty Regency town of Cheltenham is known for its horse racing festival, but it’s also worth a visit for its eclectic food scene. In recent years the small yet vibrant region has become something of a foodie hub, with long-standing dining rooms sitting alongside chic new openings. Here we round up the best restaurants there, offering everything from classic British fare to Japanese and French.

Best Restaurants in Cheltenham

Lumiere

Husband and wife duo Jon and Helen are at the helm of Lumiere, an innovative fine dining restaurant which recently acquired its first Michelin star after 14 years of hard work. Located in the heart of the spa town, the eatery serves produce-led dishes, with a choice of tasting menus (four, six or eight courses). These are constantly changing in line with the seasons, with spring dishes including Cornish day boat pollack with nori and fennel; and Wye Valley asparagus with morel, chicken, wild garlic and saffron. Desserts tend to be fun and creative, often featuring surprising ingredients – on offer at the moment, for instance, is a dark chocolate fondant with sushi rice.

Clarence Parade, Cheltenham GL50 3PA, lumiererestaurant.co.uk

Prithvi

For fine dining Indian food in Cheltenham, Prithvi is your best bet: a smart, stylish restaurant headed up by esteemed chef Keiron Stevens. Since it opened back in 2012, Prithvi has become a neighbourhood favourite, scooping up a whole host of awards along the way. Don’t expect your classic chicken tikka masala: instead you’ll find fish, meat and vegetable dishes spiced with Indian flavours. A la carte dishes include beetroot with kashmiri chilli goat’s cheese and dumplings, hand-dived Orkeney scallop with tamarind and wild rice and Scottish halibut with shrimp and buerre blanc, alongside sides of biriyani rice and Wye Valley asparagus. There are also two tasting menus on offer, either five or seven courses, plus a wide selection of wine and champagne.

Prithvi 37, Bath Rd, Cheltenham GL53 7HG, prithvirestaurant.com

Le Champignon Sauvage

Le Champignon Sauvage

A stalwart on the Cheltenham dining scene, French restaurant Le Champignon Sauvage has been run by chef David Everitt-Matthias and his wife Helen since 1987. In over 30 years, David has famously never missed a service, using local ingredients to cook modern French dishes with a unique twist. To give you an idea, the menu currently includes pigeon with black pudding, hake with salsify and hazelnut bonbons, and glazed monkfish with barley broth. The eatery has garnered numerous awards over the years, including 4 AA rosettes and two stars in the Harden’s Guide. It’s a surefire bet for special occasions.

24-28 Suffolk Rd, Cheltenham GL50 2AQ, lechampignonsauvage.co.uk

KIBOU Cheltenham

When KIBOU first launched in Cheltenham’s Regent Arcade back in 2013, there were very few Japanese restaurants in the Cotswolds. Seating just 24 diners in a small basement area, the restaurant quickly grew in popularity, and three more branches followed – one in London, another in Bristol, and a third in Solihull. All serve an extensive menu of Japanese small plates, sushi, sashimi, noodle and rice dishes. Begin with starters of chicken karaage, miso aubergine and tempura king prawns ahead of large plates of donburi, ramen and curry – with some bao buns thrown in for good measure. Enjoy alongside cocktails, Japanese brewed beers and sake, amid the restaurant’s stylish setting.

Unit 36, Regent Arcade, Regent St, Cheltenham GL50 1JZ, kibou.co.uk

YOKU

A relatively new addition to the Cheltenham dining scene is YOKU, a Japanese-inspired restaurant within the No.131 hotel helmed by fashion designer Jade Holland Cooper alongside her husband Julian Dunkerton, founder of The Lucky Onion group. With its black panelling, gold leaf vaulted ceiling and glittering chandeliers, the restaurant has a glitzy feel – Jade wanted to create a place ‘where you feel you can properly dress up’, she told C&TH. Kick things off with a cocktail at Bar Toyko before heading next door for fresh sashimi, sushi hand rolls and warm dishes such as black cod and miso scallops, with everything designed for sharing and presented artistically. 

131 Promenade, Cheltenham GL50 1NW, no131.com

The Mayflower Restaurant

Another eatery that has stood the test of time, The Mayflower Restaurant opened its doors in 1982 – making it one of the longest running Chinese restaurants in Gloucestershire. It’s owned by the Kong family, and offers top-quality Cantonese cuisine amid relaxed surroundings, including many family recipes that have been around for years. Feast on starters of satay chicken, crispy spring rolls and prawn skewers ahead of classic Chinese mains cooked with finesse, which you can pair with a wide array of wines, beers and spirits.

32-34 Clarence St, Cheltenham GL50 3NX, themayflowerrestaurant.co.uk

Domaine 16

Cheese lovers will be in heaven at Domaine 16, a French restaurant on Regent Street where fondue is the star of the show. Choose between classic, truffle or bacon fondue served with bread and new potatoes for dipping – or opt for one of the charcuterie boards. There are also sharing plates like crispy camembert wedges, cheese souffle and pig croquettes, with more main-style dishes including tartiflette and a goat’s cheese roulade. Naturally, this is all designed to be paired with wine, with a variety of bottles on offer from France, Italy and Spain, plus some English sparkling.

16 Regent St, Cheltenham GL50 1HE, domaine16.co.uk

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