From marvellous Mediterranean fare to British fine dining and just about everything in between, the compact West Country city of Bath certainly holds it own when offering up selection of restaurants for its visitors and residents to choose from.
Casual feasting, upmarket dining, underground restaurants, food from the world over and more, the selection of eateries across the city and beyond impresses with its exceptional choice, making Bath a certified destination dedicated to food lovers.
When planning luscious lunches and decadent dinners in the city, it pays to have a selection of the cream of the crop to hand from the long list of great restaurants to be found, and so we’ve summed up our favourite picks that we think are worth a visit for their great food, wines, atmosphere, service and more.
Here are 13 of our favourite restaurants in the city of Bath.
Henry’s
Tucked away on Saville row – close to the famed ring of townhouses, The Circus – sits Henry’s, an intimate fine dining restaurant with low lighting, and a small open plan space in which to devour fine wines and delectable courses prepared by chef Henry Scott and team.
Fresh, seasonal produce can be found across the menus with an imaginative five- and seven-course menu offered in the evenings boasting modern European influences across the delightful and, frankly, inspired dishes.
For seven years Henry’s has been offering customers a warm welcome to enjoy the great food being served up here. The five-course farm and sea menu comes highly recommended for those looking to enjoy a decadent dinner. Start with a delicate yet flavourful smoked salmon parfait with cream cheese, white soy, nori and rice cracker; followed by salt-coley brandade raviolo with a lobster bisque foam, celeriac, vanilla puree and a herb crumb.
Comte Royal with roast cauliflower, balsamic shallot, quince, wholemeal cracker and sorrel offers up a cool, creamy and cheesy course with sharper flavours to uplift; while Rhug Estate venison with chard, beetroot espuma, chicken liver pate, cocoa and peanut crumb is absolute perfection.
Finish with ginger and turmeric chocolate fondant with a cardamom anglaise, chocolate sable and marinated cherries and you will have experienced a menu filled with an excellent blend of texture, flavour, ingredient pairings and colour.
Address: 4 Saville Row, Bath BA1 2QP
Phone: 01225 780055
Website: henrysrestaurantbath.com
Boho Marché
A stone’s throw from some of Bath’s greatest shops and boutiques, Boho Marché is located in the Francis Hotel Bath and transports diners to a Moroccan-meets-Mediterranean haven. Expect great cocktails, interesting décor and an all-day dining menu filled with plenty of options, including sharing boards, soups, seafood, burgers, steaks, salad, poke bowls, pasta, tagine and more.
Menu highlights include scallops in garlic butter, served on a cauliflower puree with crispy pancetta; spicy salmon crispy tostadas with yuzu cured salmon, avocado, red onion, barbecue mayo and fresh herbs; truffled tagliatelle with a butter emulsion, minced truffle and parmesan; lamb rump with gratin dauphinoise, extra fine beans, and red wine jus; and crème brûlée.
Tasty cocktails, including classics like margaritas and espresso martinis, are sure to delight, while the buzzy, friendly and relaxed atmosphere aids an enjoyable meal.
Address: Francis Hotel Bath, Bath BA1 2HH
Phone: 01225 473351
Website: bohomarche.com
Dower House Restaurant
Tucked inside the resplendent Royal Crescent Hotel, on the famed architectural crescent in Bath, sits the Dower House Restaurant, a three AA Rosette-awarded fine dining eatery headed up by chef Martin Blake. This sumptuous setting showcases the finest produce across its menus and the intimate atmosphere is sure to make any meal feel like a special occasion. It’s elegance personified.
The tasting menu is one that should definitely be experienced and diners can expect seasonal ingredients prepared to perfection such as Exmoor venison, slow cooked haunch, hispi cabbage and sloe gin jus; braised Cornish cod, maitake mushroom, hazelnut, cep velouté; and Morello cherry, meadowsweet, Valrhona Caraibe.
Address: 16 Royal Cres, Bath BA1 2LS
Phone: 01225 823333
Website: royalcrescent.co.uk
The Bath Priory Restaurant
Creative cookery, a wonderful setting and a refined ambience, the restaurant at The Bath Priory is one that must be experienced. With views over the hotel’s beautiful gardens, diners will be treated to seasonal, modern French dining paired with expertly chosen wines by the restaurant’s head sommelier.
The á la carte menu includes dishes such as Devon white crab with lime, mooli and peanut chilli caramel; Himalayan salt chamber dry aged fillet of beef, smoked brisket, salsify, lovage and a red wine reduction; and apricot souffle with milk oolong tea ice cream and almond sauce.
The Bath Priory is a member of Relais & Châteaux, a coveted association of individually owned and operated luxury hotels and restaurants.
Address: Weston Rd, Bath BA1 2XT
Phone: 01225 331922
Website: thebathpriory.co.uk
The Mint Room
For the finest Indian cuisine in Bath it has to be The Mint Room, which expertly blends traditional and modern dining in a stylish setting. British ingredients meets Indian flair in this elegant restaurant, which has been delighting diners for 15 years.
For the ultimate treat, try the Tour of India tasting menu, which highlights the best of the regions with dishes like Rajasthani lamb chops, Shami kabab, Keralan sea bass moilee, and Delhi old style butter chicken. Pair with the wine flight for extra indulgence.
Address: Longmead Gospel Hall, Lower Bristol Rd, Bath BA2 3EB
Tel: 01225 446656
Website: themintroom.co.uk
The Elder
Many great restaurants are found within some of the most inviting Georgian buildings that make up the centre of Bath, and The Elder is no different. Original Georgian houses hold a series of refined dining rooms that welcome guests in for an informal yet elegant meal. With food supplied by The Elder’s own local estates and sustainability at the core of what they do, expect to be dining on meat, fish and vegetables that have been grown or harvested humanely.
Menu highlights, from their seasonal tasting menu, include slow cooked duck egg with smoked bacon, celeriac and parmesan; roast pave of Bathurst estate fallow deer with parsnip fondant, pickled quince, sprouts and blue cheese; and caramelised white chocolate mousse with coffee and chestnut.
Address: 2-8 S Parade, Bath BA2 4AB
Tel: 01225 530616
Website: theelder.co.uk
Plate restaurant and terrace
Sitting on the lower ground floor of The Bird hotel on Pulteney Road, Plate is a restaurant that gives you decadence, delightful décor, great food and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. The warm, stylish interiors stand out as do the dining domes outside on the terrace, but it’s the food and drink that you’re really going for, so what can you expect to be devouring?
After a scrumptious cocktail in the bar area, diners can devour dishes such as Creedy Carver duck breast, roasted plum, butternut puree, pickled shimeji and sticky jus; hickory smoked lamb shoulder croquette, cauliflower roasted and smooth; roasted fillet of sea bream, creamed leeks, Ratte potatoes, lobster butter sauce; not forgetting the winning Sunday roasts.
Address: 18-19 Pulteney Road, Bath, BA2 4EZ
Tel: 01225 580438
Website: thebirdbath.co.uk
Olive Tree restaurant
The only restaurant in Bath with a Michelin star, the Olive Tree is certainly one that stands out. Head to The Queensberry Hotel, situated in, you guessed it, a Georgian townhouse, and spot the characterful interiors as you head downstairs to the award-winning eatery headed up by executive head chef Chris Cleghorn.
A variety of tasting menus can be enjoyed – Six, Nine, Vegetarian Nine, Pescatarian Nine, Vegan Nine and Dairy Free Nine, where ingredients are sourced locally and prepared in creative ways. Example courses include isle of Skye langoustine, poached with kohlrabi, Tahitian Vanilla and lovage; Ruby beetroot, Kaluga hybrid caviar, alliums; and coconut, clementine, yuzu and Szechuan.
Address: 4-7 Russell St, Bath BA1 2QF
Tel: 01225 447928
Website: olivetreebath.co.uk
La Perla
For those who enjoy tapas and the delights of the Iberian Peninsula without having to leave the city, it has to be La Perla. Head below street level and cosy up in the restaurant, which sits in the vaults of an historic building, and tuck into an array of delicious small plates and winning wines to match.
Favoured dishes include gambas al ajillo – king prawns cooked with garlic, chilli, olive oil and white wine; queso de cabra – pan fried goats’ cheese served with truffled membrillo sauce and roasted walnuts; and sobrasada miniburgers – Majorcan soft sausage burgers served in homemade buns, Mahon cheese and wasabi mayo.
Address: 12a N Parade, Bath BA2 4AL
Tel: 01225 463626
Website: la-perla.co.uk
The Pump Room Restaurant
The social heart of Bath for the past two centuries, The Pump Room Restaurant in the centre of city, next to the baths and seventh century abbey, is a must-visit for anyone looking to immerse themselves in the city’s history while enjoying an elegant British pastime.
Champagne brunch, Pump Room Chandon afternoon tea and the morning bakery will provide diners with a fine selection of savoury and sweet treats while they listen to the sounds of the resident pianist. Follow in the footsteps of previous patrons Jane Austen and Charles Dickens for an elegant meal in the heart of Bath.
Address: Searcys at the Pump Room, Stall St, Bath BA1 1LZ
Tel: 01225 444477
Website: thepumproombath.co.uk
Socialize at The Gainsborough
Following a break, the main restaurant at the glorious Gainsborough Bath Spa is back with a brand-new offering, Socialize at The Gainsborough. Diners can expect fresh, seasonal British cuisine in a relaxed, yet refined setting. The menu boasts creative and delightful dishes such as lamb shoulder raviolo with tomato fondue and pecorino foam; Isle of Ghiga halibut, fine bean, courgette and squash minestrone and shellfish bisque; and chocolate bombe Alaska with Amaretto flambé.
Set within five-star surroundings, diners would do well to book a room in the luxurious, centrally-located hotel and make use of the spa facilities at Spa Village Bath, which uses the original thermal waters in its sumptuous setting.
Address: Beau St, Bath BA1 1QY
Tel: 01225 355366
Website: socializerestaurants.com
The Ivy Bath Brasserie
A well-known brasserie chain that uses its tried and tested techniques to please diners across the country, The Ivy Bath Brasserie is no different and comes highly rated from previous diners, so you know you’ll be in good hands. A stylish setting, a great central location and a range of dishes to please, this is one restaurant you should try.
From champagne afternoon tea to fillet of beef to lobster linguine, scallops, stilton and walnut soufflé and more, decadence is assured.
Address: 39 Milsom St, Bath BA1 1DN
Tel: 01225 307 100
Website: theivybathbrasserie.com
Sotto Sotto
Anyone who has dined on authentic Italian cuisine knows that it’s all about great quality ingredients served up with simplicity at its core. At Sotto Sotto, in a candlelit vaulted cellar, diners can expect a classic Italian menu with contemporary twist with ingredients sourced from Italy and the fresh elements supplied locally.
Delectable dishes that can be found on the menu include calamaretti fritti ai sette sapori – seven herb crisp and tender squid with a delicate garlic aioli; fettuccine al ragù d’agnello con fonduta di Pecorino – fresh homemade fettuccine pasta with lamb ragout on a bed of Pecorino cheese fondue; and branzino in crosta di noci – walnut-crusted fresh sea bass with roasted potatoes, black olives, red onion and cherry tomatoes.
Address: 10 N Parade, Bath BA2 4AL
Tel: 01225 330236
Website: sottosotto.co.uk
For more information on dining out in Bath as well as travel tips, information on shopping, where to stay, what to do and more, head to Visit Bath for a comprehensive guide to the city.
