Where to eat in Bath
Bath eats better than its size suggests. There are old tearooms, good pubs and a Michelin-starred room, and the Saturday market sells local cheese, pies and bread. Try a Sally Lunn bun, book dinner on weekends, and walk a few streets away from the Abbey to eat well for less.
The short answer
- Best area to eat
- Walcot Street and the streets near the Circus, away from the Abbey.
- Order this
- A Sally Lunn bun, fish and chips, and a Sunday roast in a pub.
- When to eat
- Lunch from noon and dinner from 6pm. Afternoon tea is served from about 2pm.
- Book or walk in
- Book for dinner on Friday and Saturday, and weeks ahead for the tasting menus.
- Tipping
- Leave about 10 per cent if service is not included.
What to eat in Bath
- Sally Lunn bunA large, light, yeasted bun, split and served with sweet or savory toppings, a Bath speciality since the 17th century.
- Bath bunA sweet, round bun with sultanas and a crust of crushed sugar, sold in bakeries across the city.
- Fish and chipsBattered cod or haddock with thick chips, eaten in a restaurant or from paper by the river.
- Sunday roastRoast beef or lamb with potatoes, vegetables and a Yorkshire pudding, served at pubs on Sundays.
- Somerset cheddar and ciderHard cheese from the county and dry cider, sold at the Saturday market and in good pubs.
- Afternoon teaSandwiches, scones with cream and jam, and cakes with a pot of tea, served at hotels and tearooms.
Where to eat in Bath, by neighborhood
Walcot Street and the center
Independent cafés, bakeries and small restaurants, a few minutes from the Abbey. The streets around the Abbey itself are the most expensive.
Upper Town
The streets near the Circus and the Royal Crescent, with the city's higher-end restaurants and a few good pubs.
Widcombe and Bear Flat
Neighborhood places south of the river, away from the main tourist route. Bear Flat is a short bus ride or a steep walk from the center.
Places worth a booking or a queue
-
Sally Lunn's
££Tearoom and restaurant · City center
Ordera Sally Lunn bun with a sweet or savory topping
A tearoom in one of the oldest houses in Bath, where the bun has been baked to the same recipe for centuries. Small rooms and a little museum in the cellar.
- Book
- Walk in at lunch, or book for dinner.
Confirmed open: sallylunns.co.uk
-
Olive Tree
££££Restaurant · Upper Town
Orderthe tasting menu
Bath's only Michelin-starred restaurant, in the Queensberry Hotel. Modern British cooking in a quiet room.
- Book
- Book weeks ahead for weekends.
Confirmed open: visitbath.co.uk
-
The Scallop Shell
££Fish and chips restaurant · City center
Orderbattered cod or haddock with chips
A busy fish restaurant with a simple menu, a short walk from the Assembly Rooms. Chips are cut fresh each day.
- Book
- Book for dinner, or arrive early.
- Closed
- Sunday after 3pm
Confirmed open: thescallopshell.co.uk
-
The Chequers
££Pub · Upper Town
Orderthe daily menu and a Sunday roast
A neighborhood pub that the Michelin Guide lists as a Bib Gourmand for good value cooking, in a residential street.
- Book
- Book for Sunday lunch.
Confirmed open: visitbath.co.uk
Food markets in Bath
- Bath Farmers' MarketLocal cheese, pies, bread, meat and cakes, held under the old station canopy at Green Park Station. It has run since 1997.Saturdays, 9am to 1.30pmSource: bathfarmersmarket.co.uk
How Bath eats
- Meal timesLunch from noon and dinner from 6pm. Many kitchens close by 9pm, earlier on Sundays.
- TippingLeave about 10 per cent if service is not included. Check the bill.
- ReservationsBook for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, and for Sunday lunch.
- PubsOrder and pay at the bar. Many serve food all day, and a Sunday roast sells out.
Signs of a place to walk past
A restaurant beside the Abbey or the Roman Baths with a laminated menu and photographs of the food.
A tearoom that advertises a cream tea at a fixed price with no names of where the scones or jam came from.
A pub that lists a Sunday roast on a menu printed for tourists, with no mention of the day's meat.
Eating in Bath: questions people ask
What food is Bath known for?
The Sally Lunn bun and the Bath bun, plus afternoon tea, fish and chips and Somerset cheese and cider.
What is a Sally Lunn bun?
A large, light, yeasted bun that is split and served warm with sweet or savory toppings. Sally Lunn's tearoom is the best-known place to try one.
Where is the best place to eat in Bath?
For a good meal, look around Walcot Street and the Upper Town rather than the streets beside the Abbey. Book ahead for dinner.
Is there a Michelin-starred restaurant in Bath?
Yes, Olive Tree at the Queensberry Hotel holds one star. Several others, including Menu Gordon Jones, are listed in the guide.
Do I need to book restaurants in Bath?
For dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, yes. Lunch is easier, but book Sunday lunch at the better pubs.
Where can I get fish and chips in Bath?
The Scallop Shell is a long-standing restaurant for it. Check its opening days before you go.