Our Inspector's view

The Howes' elegant venue lies a little way off the leafy promenade for which Cheltenham is famous. The building may be an unassuming terrace, but indoors looks the very image of a modern dining room – it’s an understated classy affair done in a soothing combination of cream and aubergine tones, with banquettes, statement mirrors and abstract artworks all adding up to a setting that says this is an operation of serious culinary intent; the capable hand of Helen Howe on the front-of-house tiller makes for a supremely relaxing experience. Jon Howe's inventive British cooking delivers vibrant modern flavours, deploying plenty of technical wizardry showcased in tasting menus of 6 or 8 courses; if you’re on a tighter budget, come for lunch on Friday or Saturday and grab the three-course deal. Things begin with a volley of snacks such as cep doughnut with bergamot and lemon, kedgeree arancini with egg yolk and coriander, and a cornet of Stinking Bishop with pear and chervil. The palate suitably primed for a cavalcade of visual and aromatic impact, further courses might see diver-caught Orkney scallop matched with the robust accompaniments of celeriac, ox tongue and ceps; that could be followed by Creedy Carver duck parfait with cocoa, shallot, lime and almond. A mid-meal tequila shot with salt and lime clears the way for the meaty satisfaction of Cotswold venison teamed with the assertive company of beetroot, Stilton, port and chervil root. Dessert creations are equally dazzling – perhaps Valrhona Guanaja dark chocolate and bourbon cheesecake with sesame, pecan, and brown bread ice cream. Vegetarians are well catered for too, with a menu that’s no mere afterthought and shows the same level of creativity in dishes such as salt-baked celeriac with prune, sprout and pickled onion, or Vale of Evesham cauliflower with morels, chervil root and beer vinegar. Some produce comes from the kitchen garden.

Awards, accolades and Welcome Schemes

3 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence