Cheltenham - Restaurants

(Review supplied by Dave). Definitely Cheltenham's premier curry house, where many of Asia's delightful culinary treats can be sampled. There is a nice bloke called Ali who works there and there are two exits, one to the front and one at the rear; particularly useful for 'runs'. If you are extremely nice to the waiters they make a special request to the pre-pubescent illegal immigrant chefs for your food not to contain those 'magic human fluids' which give the cuisine its' special taste. Another good thing is that you are not expected to tip and you can bring your own drink (in fact you have to as there is no licence).

(Review supplied by Paul Giverin from Thetford). Myself and a couple of colleagues found ourselves in Cheltenham for ten days eating at the company's expense. There was only one restaurant that we visited twice and that was Franco's. The food is superb and Franco himself was very entertaining. I am a great lover of mussels (cozze) but I never tasted anything like the cozze at Franco's. The main courses were fantastic with the fillet steaks cooked to perfection in some wonderfully rich sauces. Don't visit Franco's if you are watching the calories but this was in our opinion the best Italian restaurant in Cheltenham and we did visit a few!

(Review kindly submitted by P. Drake). I lived in Hungerford Street for two years before moving back to London four years ago, and eating in Joe's Cafe on a Sunday morning after a massive session the night before had to be one of the social and cultural highlights of the weekend. Fat soaked fried bread, beans, mushrooms, bacon, sausage and hot coffee - superb! Free newspapers and debating the issues of the day with the intellectual inhabitants of the surrounding streets just topped it off (PLEASE NOTE: As P. Drake has not been to Joe's Cafe for four years, this review may not be relevant. As I cannot be bothered to check if it is still in business, I'll just assume it is still there).

(Review submitted by someone who forgot to send their name). Easily the best baguette bar in the world. Sample the brie and bacon, chicken tikka and smoked cheese with roasted vegetables, all prepared by the one and only Gerry (previously head chef of Jules Bar, Jermyn Street). Come on down for a mouth watering experience!

(Review kindly submitted by Andrew Oakley). Following their success in Cirencester, the brothers Gianni have set up another restaurant, this time in the unlikely surrounds of Cheltenham's Royal Well Bus Station. Don't let this deceive you, Gianni's is by far the best Italian restaurant in the South West. There is a huge range of dishes, each distinctively Italian. Particularly recommended are the two varieties of marrinated muscles.

Main courses range in price, from a wide selection of five quid plates of pasta through tangy seafood and meat which will set you back up to twenty pounds. I've never had a duff meal yet. the sauces in particular are a joy to behold, and the portions are generous.

For dessert, the cakes are certainly better value than the ice-creams which are a bit too familiar. The merrangues are excellent. Add to this a fabulous wine list and you've got yourself the best meal out in Cheltenham - but watch your wallet as you can quite easily spend thirty or forty quid a head if you don't keep an eye on things!

(Review by ex-pat Claire Taylor). As a final treat before setting off to Bahrain for a few years my boyfriend took me to Cheltenham for the day and, inspired by the local tourist guide, we plumped for the Daffodil. What an inspired choice. From the carefully restored Art Deco interior to the inspirational cooking the Daffodil was a dining experience not to be forgotten. The food was exceptional, the service superb and the concept of dining in a converted cinema and being able to watch the chefs hard at work on the former stage was an experience not to be forgotten. I will make it my first port of call on my return to Blighty!

(Review by Randall Northam). Inspired by the review on these pages we went to the Daffodil and experienced the second worst meal we've ever had. The worst was in a Greek restaurant in Broad Street Birmingham some 30 years ago. Everything about the meal at the Daffodil suggested the microwave had been the chief creative force behind our meal. Indeed most of what we ate had clearly been reheated from lunchtime or worst the day before. One dish stood out for it's awfulness - the potatoes with garlic and (I think) thyme. They had that awful microwaved taste of reheated potatoes and the garlic and herbs were dry and seared into the potatoes. My partridge had flown and been cooked a long time before the the fondant potatoes which came with it were hot on the outside and ice cold in the middle, with again that sour, tired taste. My companion is not a complainer by nature but asked if she's enjoyed it, spoke her mind. We complained to the manager who told us, unbelievably, to write to the owner. We did, he wrote back offering his restaurant another chance to impress us. We won't be going - once bitten, twice shy.

One of the best Italian restaurants in Cheltenham and extremely reasonably priced. A good way to finish your meal is by ordering a Flaming Sambucca for a friend. Convince them it should be drank while still alight, then roll around in laughter as they proceed to set fire to their lip, dropping the flaming liquid onto the table and causing panic amongst the waiter and management. Of course, you don't have to end your evening this way, it's just a suggestion.

(Review supplied by an unknown chip lover!). Mr Chipps on the Oxford Road (near Keynsham Street) is the best chip shop in Cheltenham I reckon. Worth a walk out of town for.

If you've just had a perfect pizza, brilliant balti, champion chips, super sandwich or the meal of the millenium in a Cheltenham restaurant, let everyone know about it by typing a review into this form. If you happen to own a Cheltenham restaurant and want a brilliant review on this page feel free to bribe me.

THE BIT OF ADVERTISING YOU GET ON ALL SITES:
Cheltenham contains a lot of shops where you can get the latest entertainment products and be served by a human being. However, if you don't like personal interaction or simply want to purchase products at a cheaper price, then visit amazon.co.uk because, quite simply, they are all the best entertainment shops in Cheltenham rolled into one!