Best places to eat in Cheltenham during Gold Cup week
Published 10 March 2026

It's a tribute to the serene longevity of the Champignon that reporters typically begin their accounts by reckoning up in decades, rather than years, how long they have been coming here. David and Helen Everitt-Matthias are well into their fourth decade of operations in the Montpellier district of Regency Cheltenham, and their restaurant still radiates energy and commitment. In an understated dining room – its sandy and stony tones offset with splashes of contemporary art – a highly burnished Anglo-French culinary repertoire continues to dazzle, with all the extras one might expect, from extraordinarily creative nibbles to serried regiments of petits fours.

Prawn ravioli with wilted spinach in lemongrass bisque kicked things off in fine style at an August dinner, an outrider for Cotswold white chicken with charred aubergine and girolles, and a dish of plaice with celeriac purée and rocket. There is always a neat balance between flavours that come at you full-throttle straight off, and others that develop more slowly and subtly, but still land perfectly.

Combinations can be the last word in daring, as in a starter of pigeon with black pudding, chocolate ganache, cherries and radicchio, to the extent that one can only shudder at what would happen to them in a less assured kitchen. By contrast, other ideas work with the grain of ingredients and tradition, perhaps for a main course of miso-glazed monkfish with barley broth, cockles and samphire, or glorious chump of lamb with romaine lettuce, peas and sheep's curd. That August dinner ended with poached peach, yoghurt sorbet and honeycomb – at least for those whose heads were not turned by the two dozen or so fabulous cheeses – while others will hear of nothing but bitter chocolate and pistachio délice with positively luminous pistachio ice cream.

The fixed-price menus at both lunch and dinner are an amenity for which Cheltonians give thanks. As for wine, the list is a carefully curated and quality-conscious collection with house Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at £28 (or £8 a glass), and markups that city-dwellers might find surprisingly kind. An extensive listing of half-bottles has long been one of its attractions.

It’s easy to walk past this ‘hidden gem’, so tastefully understated is its sign. Once inside, the dining room is a symphony of soothing grey, with damask covered tables, statement mirrors and shining silverware. However, there’s nothing 'grayscale' about chef Jon Howe’s 'detailed, expertly crafted and playful cooking', which is showcased in a choice of three tasting menus.

The restaurant celebrates its 15th birthday in 2024, and Howe’s cooking has climbed to new heights since the chef took on his own smallholding during lockdown, allowing for a more committed and expansive farm-to-table experience. Home-grown produce is beautifully presented in say, a canapé of coronation carrot with a delightfully light lemon curry marinade, apricot purée, yoghurt and pickled sultanas encased in a crispy waffle case made with local pale ale. Or how about a cottage pie of slow-cooked Wiltshire beef with diced root vegetables topped with a celeriac mousse, blue Wensleydale and a sourdough crumb. Exquisitely delicate tuiles in bold colours add a certain wow factor to a dessert billed as ‘forced rhubarb, ginger, Orelys chocolate and sorrel’ – a simple description that belies a dazzling display of skill while creating a panoply of textures and flavours.

Howe’s commitment to local and sustainable food is explained in detail in the menu notes that accompany each course – read them on a tablet left on your table. Service is smartly professional, yet warm and personal – the staff brim with cheerful enthusiasm. A carefully curated selection of wines is offered in a series of good-value flights, or by the glass and bottle. If you’re driving, various homemade herbal ‘jukes’ designed to mimic different varieties of white wine are a fun alternative to booze.

One of the ‘coolest’ places to move to in 2025 (according to The Times), Newnham’s recently elevated reputation rests more than a little on the opening of this fantastic boutique bistro and bottle shop. Beautifully restored from its previous incarnation as a Post Office, the formerly derelict building remains artfully distressed – think bare plaster ceilings and rough wooden floors – yet very stylish. Owners Ben Thompson and Florence de Maré are both successful designers, and it shows. Head chef Fred Page, most recently of Marle at Heckfield Place, commands the room from behind a high-top counter surrounding his open kitchen. You can sit at that counter, or at a scattering of tables around the room – there are no bad spots here. 

Likewise, there are no bad choices on Page’s weekly changing menus, which show a deep love and respect for the abundant local produce in this overlooked corner of Gloucestershire – some of which comes from the owners’ nearby smallholding. Everything is made in-house, from the cordial in your rhubarb Bellini to the unbelievably crispy olive oil-soaked spelt rolls, and Page’s small plates tease out the very best from his chosen ingredients. Feast on a snack-sized, oozingly rich pig’s head croquette with a tart, tarragon-infused sauce ravigote, a plate of perfectly executed, lemon-scented chard and ricotta ravioli, or a hearty bowl of zarzuela with monkfish, octopus and cockles. If you can resist a hunk of local cheese with homemade chutney and bara brith, pudding could be strawberry and elderflower meringue. Excellent-value lunchtime deals are also available. 

Wines by the 175ml glass or 375ml carafe are chalked on a blackboard, or you can choose something special from the additional 'premium' list. This is, of course, a bottle shop, so there’s plenty more choice on the shelves behind you. Delightfully warm, personal service makes you feel like an old friend – or, at least, a very welcome new one. 

For a small artisan bakery to have found great success with such limited hours says a great deal about the amazing things coming out of its ovens. Six Chimneys opens on Saturdays only and that’s it. Their once-a-week offerings include such crowd-pleasers as sourdough loaves, viennoiserie, morning buns and creamy patisserie, as well as more playful items along the lines of an egg-custard danish with spiced cream, or honey, brown butter and almond croissantine, or even lemon, basil and black-pepper cake. Also expect meaty sausage rolls, substantial sandwiches and savoury pies such as slow-cooked shin of beef marinated in red wine.

In secluded countryside and surrounded by orchards, this is a 'lovely traditional pub with an immaculately kept garden,’ noted one visitor. Inside, the bar with its open fires and dried hops entwined across low-beamed ceilings doubles as the restaurant, creating a cosy atmosphere. The menu of ‘good, simple, seasonal dishes’ offers excellent value for accomplished homely cooking. At inspection that included a ’very fresh and summery’ squid salad with shavings of raw fennel, and a dish of thick, creamy and 'not overly smoked' cod’s roe with seaweed crackers, a soft-boiled egg and fresh radish. Cornish cod was ‘perfectly cooked’ and accompanied by fresh broad beans, basil pesto and Jerey Royals, while a special of 'lobster frites' came dressed with garlic and parsley butter. ‘Perfect’ desserts included strawberry shortbread with fresh raspberries, crème patissière and coulis, and a chocolate crémeux with homemade honeycomb and lusciously boozy cherries. Staff are ‘super chatty, friendly and very efficient’. If the line-up of cask ales and ciders doesn't tempt you, there's also a short, reasonably priced wine list with bottles from £25. A gem of a place.

‘Excellent hosts, great food and great service,’ was one verdict on this inviting vision of stone-built Cotswold rusticity, and they were delighted to see the place packed with diners and drinkers (the pub is a great favourite with Cheltenham racegoers). Outside, there’s a garden geared up for summertime BBQs and beers, while the interior is a mix of polished chesterfields, chunky farmhouse furniture and fancy touches. Above all, the Halfway is known for its appealing blend of rustic charm and modern dining based on finely honed technique and respect for seasonal ingredients.

Opening salvos keep it simple, perhaps a bowl of pea, courgette and mint soup with Otis & Belle sourdough or creamed wild mushrooms on toast with hazelnut and truffle pesto. To follow, home in on the grilled steaks (from Paddock Farm in Lower Brailes), while the famed celeriac and mushroom pie is guaranteed to win over just about anyone. Otherwise, there might be local venison loin with Evesham tomato, courgette and venison haunch ragoût or baked Cornish plaice with new potatoes and samphire. Also look out for the £16 ‘classic of the day’.

Sunday roasts get a resounding thumbs-up from readers, likewise classic desserts such as apple and blackberry crumble or the pub’s famous steamed sponge pudding sticky with black treacle and dates. Ales from the local Donnington Brewery are the drink of choice in the bar, although there are also some zippy cocktails and a fair selection of fairly priced wines.

Occupying a corner on one of Cheltenham's broad avenues, the Tivoli wears its traditional credentials on its sleeve. Drinkers congregate in the front bar, while a spacious, wood-floored, low-lit dining area is run with friendly efficiency. Classic pub stalwarts are backed up with special deals on certain days, and there is just enough creativity within the format to maintain interest. A slab of chunky ham hock and parsley terrine is a good bet for opener, ahead of roast partridge with bacon and bread sauce or well-timed cod fillet with cabbage and brown shrimps in buttery chicken reduction. Finish with baked rice pudding and boozy prunes. Good cocktails, beers and wines contribute to the cheer.

Famed for its association with British author Laurie Lee (of Cider with Rosie fame), this attractive Cotswold stone hostelry clings to the side of the steeply beautiful Slad valley. On a sunny day, the best tables are in the vine-shaded garden, but venture inside and you'll discover a series of small, atmospheric rooms with locals at the bar, as well as a compact dining room with a mural of the Slad valley on the ceiling and a little cabinet displaying Lee's books for sale in one corner.

Pretty posies from the pub’s walled kitchen garden in Lypiatt adorn bare wood tables on scuffed wood floors – it all feels slightly shabby and historic, in the best possible way. There’s nothing rough-hewn about Adam Glover’s cooking, though, which brings a classical French sensibility to a wide-ranging array of European delights – say, a starter of fasolakia (Greek bean stew) with aged feta and oregano or a main course of pork schnitzel with fresh borlotti beans and girolles. You’d be well advised to work up a substantial appetite before dining here: dishes such as rabbit with pastis, saffron, fried bread and aïoli come in farm labourer-sized portions, especially if you order some 'dripping chips' on the side.

If you’ve still got room, pudding could be as simple as a bowl of cherries on ice or as indulgent as a Saint-Émilion au chocolat. There’s a decent selection of wine by the glass, carafe or bottle, but surely cider is the appropriate drink here, with properly made local stuff on tap or in fancier bottled form.