Restaurants
Once you move to the Cotswolds it is quite likely that you will eat out in pubs more than you would if you lived in a city. However there are opportunities for fine dining throughout the region, typically in hotel dining rooms.
The Michelin-starred dining room at Whatley Manor could be a good place to start your gastronomic tour of the region. Offering classical French cuisine with a few modern twists, Chef Martin Burge has retained his Michelin Star for the second year. Examples of the dishes on offer include Fillet of Dutch Veal served with porcini raviolis and rosemary foam and Dived Scallops served with spiced pumpkin puree and a light curry infusion. The Lords of the Manor hotel in Upper Slaughter offers a range of dining options including a Tasting menu, Terrace menu, A la Carte and Sunday Lunch menus. A la Carte dishes include a starter of chicken liver and foie gras parfait with main courses such as free range Gloucestershire black hen poché-grillé with tarragon scented juices. Two courses cost £37.50 with three courses for £46.00.
For that special occasion you might like to try the atmospheric Great Hall at the Lygon Arms in Broadway. The recent arrival of head chef Chris Lelliott from the Waterside Inn at Bray has ushered in a modern European menu making the most of local produce.
The Old Bell in Malmesbury offers a formal Victorian dining room as a backdrop for surprisingly contemporary food of a high quality. There are plenty of small local restaurants throughout the Cotswolds serving high quality food. These include Allium in Fairford and Wesley House in Winchcombe.
Elsewhere, the Daffodil restaurant in Cheltenham, a former art deco cinema, is a good place to go for a fun evening in a buzzy environment with a group of friends.
Ladies who lunch might like to try Jesse’s bistro in Cirencester for a light meal and glass of wine. The bistro has expanded its events programme to include periodic cookery demonstrations in addition to its dinner and wine tasting evenings. It also has a popular Jazz and Blues club upstairs in Bar 51. A special rate pre music dinner is available.
Although I have not yet tried it myself, the two course lunch at the Bibury Court Hotel has been recommended by several friends.
That perennial favourite with children Pizza Express, is in all the major Cotswolds’ towns including Gloucester, Cheltenham, Swindon and Cirencester.
Fans of Indian food should book a table at Indian Rasoi in Dollar Street. No flock wallpaper here, excellent food and friendly staff. It is open seven days a week and does take away. Also in Cirencester is the Thai Emerald which is good for large group outings. It also does take-away food.
Honda has a major UK manufacturing plant in Swindon which is good news for fans of Japanese cuisine. It is worth travelling to the Stanton House Hotel 10 minutes outside Swindon. It has the Rosemary restaurant offering a mix of European and Japanese cuisine. However, gourmands should book a meal at the hotel’s Mt Fuji restaurant which offers authentic traditional Japanese cuisine and low level seating in its four dining areas. Socks without holes and booking are recommended. Click here for a sample menu (PDF file).