We took an eight-day trip around Southwest England at the beginning of July, and it was filled with amazing new places, people, and most of all: food. I have more blog posts about all the fun things we saw and did on our trip that you can find here, but if you’re looking for food content, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve rounded up all the spots we stopped to eat and drink along our trip and created a yummy food guide dedicated to the English countryside.
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WHERE WE ATE - BATH
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1. The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was recommended to us by a bartender in central Bath, and it was great! Their spritz cocktails were huge in portion size, and the wine was very flavorful. I’ve had my fair share of gnocchi from countless restaurants, and I have to say theirs was pretty mediocre. The sauce was lovely, but the gnocchi itself wasn’t cooked thoroughly enough. The desserts, however, were phenomenal (so obviously I forgot to photograph them).
What We Ordered:
- Plant-based sharing board
- Potato gnocchi (roast squash, leeks, mascarpone, sage & hazelnut butter)
- Thyme-roasted chicken salad (courgette, broad bean, pea, baby gem & mozzarella)
- Shepherd’s pie
- Strawberry spritz
- Pinot Grigio
- Lemon posset
- Sticky toffee pudding
- Raspberry ripple ice cream


2. Square Grill House
Square Grill was a split decision restaurant on our final morning in Bath. We’d been walking around looking for a spot to eat and decided on a whim to try this place out–so glad we did! It was directly in the middle of the Abbey churchyard, so we got great outdoor seating with a view of Bath Abbey, the Roman baths main building, and buskers playing soft guitar melodies as we ate. They did get my order wrong, but the Eggs Benedict that they served me was extremely yummy! Can’t go too wrong with eggs benny, though.
What We Ordered:
- Eggs Benedict
- Chef’s porridge
- Full English breakfast
- Granola (yogurt, honey, fresh fruits)

3. mjölk (not pictured)
We stopped into mjölk after our tour of the Roman Baths while waiting to get our bags off the bus. It’s a cute little coffee shop and cafe right next to Square Grill, in the center of the churchyard. They had a nice selection of coffees and pastries, along with some savory brunch options as well–overall, a quaint little cafe in an incredible location!
What We Ordered:
- Oat milk latte
- Americanos
- Raspberry square
- Chai latte
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WHERE WE ATE - BOURTON ON THE WATER
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4. Smiths of Bourton
Sometimes, even if you’re in a foreign country an ocean away from home, you just crave a juicy American burger and fries. I can confidently say that Smiths of Bourton makes the best burger I’ve ever had–like, ever. Great location right near the river, amazing cocktail menu, phenomenal side dishes, and the juiciest, most flavorful burgers (again) that I’ve ever tasted. Bravo.
What We Ordered:
- Village Gorilla (cocktail)
- Heimlich Maneuver (cocktail)
- Cape 1652 Chenin Blanc
- Mac & Cheese
- Purple Sprouting Broccoli
- Parmesan & Truffle Mayo Fries
- Green Chilli Cheeseburger
- Bacon Butter
- Triple B
- Veggie Smiths Classic




5. Bakery on the Water
This sweet little bakery was right in the heart of Bourton, sitting right next to the River Windrush, which gave us a lovely view during our outdoor breakfast. They had tons of freshly made pastries and breads, full breakfast options, and of course, coffee. Great little spot to grab a bite or take some loaves to go!
What We Ordered:
- Oat milk latte
- Green tea
- Americanos
- Sausage roll
- Raspberry custard pastry
- Bacon & tomato croissant


6. The Croft
When we decided on The Croft for dinner one night, they happened to be having a Thai pop-up night and were serving a very limited new menu. The food was great, albeit not exactly what we had been craving–but the wontons and arancini were super well done! My curry had just the right amount of heat, too, which is always a plus when you’re unexpectedly eating Asian food over British pub food.
What We Ordered:
- Aperol Spritz
- Crispy pork wontons
- Thai red curry arancini
- Vermicelli spring rolls
- Stir-fry king prawns in yellow curry
- Thai red chicken curry
- Phuket pork stew


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WHERE WE ATE - GLOUCESTER
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7. Lily's Restaurant and Tea Room
Lily’s was a quaint breakfast spot right down the street from Gloucester Cathedral. We went here on our second trip back to Gloucester since we had only stopped in the first time to see the Cathedral and then catch the last bus and book it to our Airbnb. They had great veggie options, and both full breakfasts were yummy and super filling. Their homemade scones were pretty good too, and made me miss my bakery a bit–but right now, I’d definitely rather be eating scones in England than making them in my own kitchen.
What We Ordered:
- Lily’s Breakfast (Full English)
- Vegetarian Full English
- Homemade fruit scone with butter & jam
- Toasted crumpets & butter

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The standout meal from this leg of our trip was 100% Smiths of Bourton and their incredible burgers. I still crave them more than any burger I’ve had in the US, and I loved the backstory behind the brothers and their restaurant venture (one was inspired by the burgers he ate in the States and they both decided to create their own restaurant as an homage to the American burger!). The breakfast options throughout our time in England have all been pretty similar, save for the difference between a full English (bacon, eggs, sausage, hash brown, beans, tomato and mushrooms) and a typical full spread in America (pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs, home fries, toast). Overall, I can count on one hand the number of meals I’ve had here so far that were good-but-not-great. That’s a win in my book!
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