After eating our award-winning breakfast and before enjoying our inclusive dinner, you may want to wander around Bath in search of the perfect lunch spot. Or you may decide, like so many visitors to this historic city do, that the best lunch spot in town is located right here in the best hotel in town.
In any case, we’ve compiled a list of diverse, upscale gems for you to enjoy during your visit to the historic city of Bath.
Brasserie Brunel – Parisian Style Brasserie Restaurant
The Brasserie Brunel evokes the atmosphere of a true 19th-century Parisian Brasserie. Every part of the restaurant has been lovingly refurbished and dovetails beautifully with the overall aesthetic of the stunning Grade II listed building that houses it.
The interior of the brasserie employs natural materials, traditional handcrafted woodwork, period-appropriate upholstery, stained glass highlights and traditional wall coverings.
The same care and attention to detail is apparent in the menu which features numerous French specialities, steaks and other grilled delectables along with locally-sourced vegetables.
The restaurant is named after Isambard Kingdom Brunel who designed the Royal Hotel and is widely regarded as the most important engineer of the 19th century.
Brunel’s other accomplishments included the largest ship in the world at the time – The Great Eastern – as well as Clifton Suspension Bridge in North Somerset and the Great Western Railroad which stopped at the Bath Railway Station across the street from the Royal Hotel.
Open daily from noon to 10 p.m.
23 Manvers St, Bath BA1 1JW
Elder
Wild game chef Mike Robinson opened this new, sophisticated restaurant to bring his passion for sustainable meat to Bath. The focus of Elder is on practising an authentic humane experience when it comes to harvesting wild deer, old breed beef, lamb and pork. Every part of the carcass is used while fish are caught in local rivers and all vegetables and fruit are locally grown.
The decor mimics the original Georgian houses of each dining room. Guests are welcomed like family and experience every part of the dining process, from speaking with huntsmen to visiting the kitchen and wine cellars.
2-8 S Parade, Bath BA2 4AB
Pintxo
Found in Bath’s theatre district, Pintxo is the place to eat if you love tapas.
This restaurant is inspired by the Pintxo bars of San Sebastian. Experience a true Spanish tapas and sherry bar that offers “para picar”, cold plates, hot plates, and desserts.
Diners will appreciate the laid-back feel of Pintxo, the plein air dining both streetside and in the sunny sherry garden, as well as the extensive selection of wines and sherries to complement their lunch.
Pintxo is an authentic Basque-style tapas and sherry bar with a mission of bringing a little piece of Spain to Bath. If the idea of genuine Basque-style tapas interests you, Pintxo should be on your Bath itinerary.
31 Barton St, Bath BA1 1HG
The Bathwick Boatman Riverside Restaurant
For first-class food, walk just ten minutes from Bath City Centre to the Bathwick Boatman.
Overlooking the most beautiful site of the River Avon and located above Bath’s historic boating station, you will be instantly allured by the charm of this restaurant.
The menu at the Bathwick Boatman is delightfully simple and brimming with rustic authenticity. Every item is prepared fresh on the premises and traditional cooking methods seal in all the earthy flavours.
They serve polished lunch starters, mains, and desserts. Visit on a Sunday to get a taste of their special Sunday Lunch Menu. Lunch at the Boatman is an experience that will linger fondly in your memory. Just remember bookings are required.
Forester Road, Bathwick BA2 6QE
The Scallop Shell
For a traditional English meal, head to The Scallop Shell. They are a fish and chip restaurant and seafood grill serving up traditional English favourites.
Their chips are prepared from scratch daily from seasonal spuds. All of their fish are fresh, sustainable catches from the waters of the United Kingdom.
Choose either an indoor or outdoor upper deck to enjoy this slice of Britain. If you’re visiting from another country, it’s a necessity to have a proper British meal during your stay in Bath.22 Monmouth Place, Bath, BA1 2AY.
Corkage
In addition to being a fantastic place to enjoy great food and wine, this eaterie has an interesting, if somewhat short in comparison to its surroundings, history. It started life as a pop-up project, focused on encouraging people to go out and enjoy socialising with friends over a meal. Owing to its popularity, it soon found a more permanent home in Walcot Street and, as demand began to exceed the available space for diners, another location was opened in Chapel Row.
Whilst the Walcot Street location unfortunately closed during the COVID-19 lockdowns, you can still visit Corkage in Chapel Row (which is just off the southwest corner of Queen Sq.) if you’re in the mood for a tasty seasonal treat at lunchtime, accompanied by a fine vintage wine.
Sotto
If you’re planning a midday stroll to visit Pulteney Bridge or the Roman Baths, you may wish to consider stopping halfway to enjoy a spot of lunch at Sotto in North Parade. As you might have already guessed from the name, this restaurant specialises in Italian cuisine, a field in which it has established a very good reputation among both locals and visitors to Bath over the years.
If you are making a list of the best lunch spots in Bath and you enjoy Italian food, we’d go as far as to say that you simply must include Sotto Sotto on that list. However, a word of warning: to avoid disappointment, you should book a table in advance. It is a very small restaurant and is very popular, which means it can be hard to find somewhere to sit if you don’t plan ahead.
The Circus Restaurant
As you would expect, this restaurant can be found right by The Circus itself: that famous ring of beautiful Georgian townhouses, which attracts visitors from far and wide. The restaurant is actually in Brock Street, in the Georgian townhouses that extend back from those in the Circus (as part of the same residential development). Here you can enjoy terrific European cuisine in one of the best locations anywhere in the world.