Top 10 Places To Eat Inside Cheltenham

Whether you’re visiting for the Cheltenham Festival this month or any other time of year, there’s something for everyone in this food-focused city, from modern delis to cosy cafés, pubs and fine-dining options

Baker & Graze

It’s surprisingly difficult to get a good slice of toast these days. Baker & Graze, a bakery/deli/café on Suffolk Street, serves theirs topped with smashed avocado & smoked streaky bacon as well as more creative options like fennel sausages, cavolo nero & anchovy butter or nduja, labneh & pickled fennel (from £8), plus a host of salads, sandwiches and delicate pastries. But, it also elevates its homemade sourdough from sideshow to serious menu option by offering it with a simple smear of homemade jam – a confident move that speaks volumes about its tangy, crusty quality. bakerandgraze.com KF CE CD

Koj

Andrew Kojima, a 2012 MasterChef finalist, spent five years earning his stripes before opening Koj, a Japanese ‘grazing’ (sharing plates) restaurant that eschews sushi in favour of dishes like panko cauliflower and pork donburi (simmered pork mince with soy-pickled greens). The cocktails are punchy – as is the sake list – and the atmosphere is joyous. Koj was some time coming, but in it Kojima has truly proved himself a master chef. Five-dish bento menu from £24. kojcheltenham.

The Coconut Tree

The brainchild of five Sri Lankans who grew up together in Colombo, The Coconut Tree is a converted boozer turned-restaurant serving Sri Lankan street food in blue-and-white enamelware. Service is friendly and fast, and the food is a carnival of curries heady with coconut and turmeric, warm roti, hot battered spicy cuttlefish (a sort of grown-up calamari) and, of course, hoppers (coconut pancakes served with fruity, spicy sambals). Curries from £4, sides from £2.50). thecoconut-tree.com CD CE

The Royal Oak