Bath has a lot to offer for foodies – from a Michelin-starred restaurant to one of the best coffee shops in Europe.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site teeming with Jane Austen fans and Georgian architecture, Bath is not an immediately obvious gastronomic hotspot. But after you’ve worked up an appetite climbing all those hills or steaming in the public spa, here are five seriously superior places to refuel.
Mike Robinson has built a reputation for championing game cookery. As fans of The Harwood Arms – London’s only Michelin-starred pub – will attest, he also knows how to run a great restaurant. Fortunately he’s now taken these talents to several places outside the capital, including Bath, home to The Elder.
Come for the game, obviously – all managed by Mike and his team on nearby estates – but that’s not the only draw. A glorious shot of umami-rich meaty broth sets the gastronomic tone, but there’s also the atmospheric hunting lodge décor and an infectiously friendly team. Just visible through the door, a busy team of chefs working away to the drifting strains of Journey are clearly having an equally good time.
Dairy devotees are spoilt for choice in Bath – top London cheesemonger Paxton & Whitfield also has an outpost here – but this city is where it all started for The Fine Cheese Company and a pilgrimage to its original Walcot St shop won’t disappoint. It’s not just about cheese here: there’s a full delicatessen of delights and even a sister café next door serving everything from decadent pastries and coffee to a lingering lunch.
For all this delicious diversification, cheese is the real star here. Working directly with small, artisan producers across the UK and Europe, The Fine Cheese Company is the place to come for your nutty Comté fix, the creamiest Brillat Savarin, the oozing delights of local Cotswold star Little Rollright or a benchmark Brie that will put you off bland supermarket versions forever.
Treating yourself? Bath’s only Michelin-starred restaurant is nestled helpfully below the quirky yet luxurious Queensberry Hotel, which lies the gentlest stroll from architectural masterpieces The Circus and The Royal Crescent. Head chef Chris Cleghorn honed his skills under the likes of Michael Caines and Heston Blumenthal before making a mark under his own name here.
Whether you just fancy a light three-course lunch or the restaurant’s blowout nine-course tasting menu, expect creativity and masterful technique to show off the very best local ingredients. That might be poultry from Woolley Park Farm in Bradford on Avon, Solsbury Hill vegetables from Eades Farm, or even fabulous fungi from Wiltshire Truffles. It all adds up to a worthy celebration of the West Country.
Just around the corner from The Queensberry an alluring glow comes from the windows of one building in particular. Step inside for a glass of something interesting and a proper cheese or charcuterie platter. Oh, go on then, perhaps a small plate of courgette fritti with aioli – and it would be rude not to order some piggy Bath chaps [pig cheeks] while you’re visiting their namesake.
This is an urban counterpart to The Beckford Arms pub near Tisbury in Wiltshire. The setting may be different, but the hospitality is just as heartwarming. Part shop, part wine bar, part bistro, it’s happy to be whatever you need it to be. So settle in with a glass of Dolcetto until you feel ready to face the outside world again.
Do you like coffee? There’s certainly no shortage of places in Bath, from major chains to quirky independents, where you can get your fix. But if your relationship with this drink is more obsessive than that, a restless quest for the best, then place yourself in the expert hands of this insanely knowledgeable, passionate team.
Named “Best Coffee Shop in Europe 2016”, Colonna & Smalls’ reputation stretches well beyond the city limits. It’s not just that they have their own roastery and an impeccably sourced array of beans; everything from optimal water filtration to finely honed barista skills has been considered here. Once you’ve found the perfect match, take it home in bean or handy capsule format. You can even subscribe for a regular fix of adventurous new discoveries.
