Cotswolds cuisine is very cheesy.
And that’s not a bad thing.
Raise your hand if you would be chuffed with a whole chest of cheeses all for yourself.
But we tend to enjoy our cheese a little more when it comes with a beer, dinner, and more beer. Whether you’re embarking on a cheese campaign or just visiting for the first time, here are the best restaurants and pubs in the Cotswolds you should pop into.
Image Credit and Location: Whatley Manor, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England, UK
Best restaurants in the Cotswolds
Because there’s more to the Cotswolds’ cuisine than its cheeses. Dine under a Michelin-star-lit sky in the English countryside at these Cotswold restaurants with Michelin stars.
- In Cheltenham (via the Cheltenham Spa train station), you’ll find the one-starred Lumiere. Its menu is so fresh that it changes daily, but Cotswold Estate venison and line-caught Cornish day boat sea bass often make an appearance. Le Champignon Sauvage, also one-star, serves French fare like rillettes of duck and hen-of-the-wood mushrooms.
Image Credit: The Exclusive Collection/Amy Murrell. Image Location: Castle Inn, Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England, UK
- In Wiltshire, you’ll have to extend your appetite and travel radius to taste Michelin starred meals (closest stations are Kemble or Chippenham). The Dining Room at Whatley Manor has a single Michelin star and a Michelin green star thanks to its on-site beehives, orchards, and food waste management. Bybrook (closest station, Chippenham) has a single-star menu which includes vegetarian dishes like Wye Valley rhubarb and vegan dishes like Kohlrabi.
Image Credit: Andrew Brownsword Hotels. Image Location: Minster Mill, Minster Lovell, Oxfordshire, England, UK
- You can find star-less yet still Michelin-recommended Cotswold food. Grey’s and Castle Inn are both in Wiltshire, while Cheltenham has at least half-a-dozen recommended restaurants. If you’re in Oxfordshire, head to The Wild Rabbit (we’ll get to that in a minute) or Minster Mill. We’d also recommend modern British eats at Howard Arms in Warwickshire or Henne in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.
Image Credit and Location: Henne, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, England, UK
Best pubs in the Cotswolds
Bottoms up at the best pubs in the Cotswolds.
What is the oldest pub in the Cotswolds?
Unlike some of the oldest pubs in London that have a debatable history, the oldest pub in the Cotswolds is verified and authenticated: The Porch House. This five-star hotel in Stow-on-the-Wold dates back to 947 AD. Low beamed ceilings and a roaring fire welcome you to sip a pint with fellow punters in the Cotswolds’ oldest pub (closest station: Moreton-in-Marsh).
If you’re pub hopping the Cotswolds, check these other historic pubs, all of which welcomed either King Charles I or II in for a pint, privacy, and preservation of his head:
- The Fleece at Cirencester (closest station, Kemble): When you’re drinking at The Fleece, be sure to try their own award-winning Thwaites Ales.
- White Hart Royal (closest station, Moreton-in-Marsh): Housed in a former 16th-century coaching inn, this 17th-century hotel prides itself on its extensive wine list.
- The Kings Arms (closest station: Moreton-in-Marsh): Another Stow-on-the-Wold pub, the pub at this 17th-century inn might treat you to a ghost story or two if you hang around long enough.
🚆 Trainline trivia: The Kings Arms is an exceptionally common pub name in England. If you happen upon the one in Woodstock, you’ll be drinking near the historic Blenheim Palace which is the birthplace of Winston Churchill and a filming location for Harry Potter, and other series and films, like Napoleon.
What pubs are in Bourton-on-the-Water?
For a village of about 3,300, there are quite a few pubs in the area. The nearest train station is Cheltenham Spa or Moreton-in-Marsh, so let’s promote safe imbibing and focus on the pubs in Burton-on-the-Water right on High Street.
- Kingsbridge is stone-built with a beer garden on the water and poker nights weekly.
- A proper pint awaits at the traditional Rose Tree Restaurant.
- The Mousetrap Inn is a quieter B&B with a pub.
- The Duke of Wellington hotel’s stone pub and nightly darts will send you to bed right.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Reimar Gaertner/Universal Images Group. Image Location: Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, England, UK
What are the best Cotswold pubs for food?
Take the train to Kingham and The Wild Rabbit will offer you a bit of an upscale (read: pricer) Sunday lunch of Raviolo of confit rabbit. Wouldn’t you know it, another The Kings Arms in Didmarton (closest station, Kemble) has supper covered with Butcombe Gold beer-battered haddock with chips.
Tickets to the Cotswolds' best food and drink
Hungry for an adventure to the best restaurants and pubs in the Cotswolds? You pick the place, we’ll get you to the nearest train station. Download the Trainline app to find the lowest prices available for trains to the Cotswolds, one of the best day trips from London you can stomach.
Header Image Credit: The Exclusive Collection. Image Location: Bybrook, The Manor House, Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England, UK