Wondering where’s the best place to get breakfast before Cheltenham Festival 2024? SoGlos has scoured Cheltenham to serve up 25 sensational suggestions to start your day at the races the right way.
With Cheltenham Festival taking place at Cheltenham Racecourse from Tuesday 12 to Friday 15 March 2024, book ahead to bagsy one of the best brekkies Race Week has to offer — whether you have a hankering for a full English or need that all-important first pint of Guinness to go with it.
Race Week breakfasts at The Mandarin
Brand-new for the 2023/24 racing season, The Mandarin is Cheltenham Racecourse's very own gastro pub. It's on the pricey side at £325 for a morning sitting during Gold Cup week, but this includes your club admission ticket, official racecard and betting service — as well as breakfast bites and coffee on arrival, a three-course pub lunch later in the day and premium service from its hospitality team.
Race Week breakfasts at The King's Arms Prestbury
Homely neighbourhood pub, The King's Arms in Prestbury, is only a mile from Cheltenham Racecourse and has a full breakfast menu, ideal for hungry racegoers. Expect proper cooked breakfasts with all the trimmings, the choice of eggs Benedict, Royale or Florentine, and for the sweet-toothed, cinnamon French toast topped with mixed berry compote.
Race Week breakfasts at Pittville Pump Room
Located just an eight-minute walk from the racecourse in Cheltenham’s most iconic building, Pittville Pump Room's Heritage Cafe is serving a hearty, full English breakfast buffet between 10am and 2pm, costing £15 per person. Fuel up while catching the pre-race analysis on the big screen and stop by the Shamrock Bar for a drink before heading to the track.
Race Week breakfasts at No. 38 The Park
An ultra-stylish setting, just a short walk away from Cheltenham Racecourse alongside Pittville Park, No. 38 The Park is putting on a continental spread of fresh fruits and baked pastries, to enjoy alongside traditional full English breakfasts, American-style pancakes or perfectly poached eggs.
Race Week breakfasts at Havanas Coffee
Head to Havanas Coffee for a pre-race fry-up, with full English breakfasts for £15 per person during Race Week. Set yourself up for the day with its speciality coffee — or take full advantage of the licensed bar and opt for one of its flavoured espresso martinis, for a caffeine hit with an extra buzz!
Race Week breakfasts at the Prince of Wales sports bar
As well as the closest parking to Cheltenham Racecourse, which you can book in advance from £20, the sports bar at Cheltenham's Prince of Wales stadium is also serving up a winning breakfast deal during Race Week — offering a full English breakfast buffet with a pint of Guinness.
Race Week breakfasts at Hub Box
The Brewery Quarter's burger joint, Hub Box, is putting on a boozy brunch especially for Cheltenham Festival week, served between 9am and 1pm. Tuck into a slap-up Cornish breakfast, made with only the best ingredients from the West Country — and wash it all down with a pint from the pop-up Guinness bar outside.
Race Week breakfasts at No. 131
Likely to be fully booked before anywhere else in Cheltenham, join the stylish No. 131 racing celebrations on the Promenade, for lashings of smashed avocado, kedgeree or truffled eggs, surrounded by magnificent Georgian architecture and the Race Week buzz.
Race Week breakfasts at The Beehive
Not only a delicious option for racegoers but a practical one, too, The Beehive in Montpellier is offering breakfast AND transport to and from the racecourse for just £24.95. Available from 9am to 12pm, pick from a full Irish or English breakfast, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs or a breakfast sarnie before boarding the minibus to the races.
Race Week breakfasts at The Ox
Kick off this year's Cheltenham Festival celebrations at The Ox, a town centre-based restaurant that's renowned for its Race Week brunches. Go BIG with its epic Breakfast of Champions — essentially a full English with a six-ounce steak, served with a cocktail or glass of prosecco — with lighter and vegan-friendly options, too.
Race Week breakfasts at The Five Alls
Located on Cheltenham’s lively Bath Road, The Five Alls is a lovely local pub that's offering breakfast every day from 9.30am during Race Week. Even if you're not heading up to Prestbury Park, the pub is showing all the racing action on its big screens, so you can soak up the electric atmosphere in a cosier setting.
Race Week breakfasts at The Curious Cafe and Bistro
The Curious Cafe on Bath Road is always a popular choice for breakfast. And it's no different during Race Week, with hearty dishes to line your stomach like the Blacksmiths — featuring two sausages, two rashers of bacon, two eggs and the option to add a 40-ounce rump steak! — and its signature buttermilk pancake stacks.
Race Week breakfasts at Sorrel Stores
The Suffolks' new casual dining space, Sorrel Stores, is marking its first Cheltenham Festival with a Race Week breakfast menu for hungry punters. Throughout the four days, brunch is served from 8am to 2pm with delectable dishes like nduja fried eggs on sourdough and brioche breakfast buns with wild mushrooms or crispy coppa.
Race Week breakfasts at Flight Club
Fancy some friendly competition before watching the races? Flight Club in The Brewery Quarter is not only serving breakfast during Race Week but inviting racegoers to step up to the oche for a pre-race game of social darts! Full English brekkies cost £10.95 and breakfast rolls are priced at £4.95, but darts must be booked separately.
Race Week breakfasts at Madison's
Situated opposite Cheltenham Spa train station, Madison's is ideally located for hungry racegoers coming by rail. Sit in or get breakfast to go, with its full English and full veggie breakfasts, bacon and sausage baps all available to take away, too.
Race Week breakfasts at The Nook
Head up to Cheltenham's first rooftop restaurant for breakfast with a view during Race Week. Traditional and veggie full English brekkies are available for £19 per person, with dishes like smashed avo on toast, pulled ham hock benedict and smoked salmon costing £17. Tea and coffee is included but, if you're starting early, there's a pre-racing drinks and Champagne menu, too.
Race Week breakfasts at The Ivy Montpellier Brasserie
Feast in a fabulous setting at The Ivy in Cheltenham's exquisite Montpellier district. Available from 9am until 11.15am, diners can choose from a menu of breakfast classics, such as The Ivy full English, hot buttermilk pancakes and eggs Benedict or Royale; with lighter options including kippers, bircher muesli and smoked salmon crumpets.
Race Week breakfasts at WoodKraft
Popular brunch spot WoodKraft is catering for racegoers during Gold Cup Week, with artisan cooked breakfasts, pancake stacks or brioche French toast bites with decadent toppings, and all kinds of eggs — not forgetting its must-order side of fluffy hash brown bites.
Race Week breakfasts at The Queens Hotel
You don't need to be a guest to break your fast at Victoria's, The Queens Hotel's stylish restaurant, where you can tuck into smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, fresh fruit and pancakes drizzled with maple syrup while perusing The Racing Post.
Race Week breakfasts at The Brown Jug
Fuel up on a full English or full veggie breakfast, or pick up a sausage or bacon bap, at Bath Road’s The Brown Jug, serving breakfast from 9am throughout Race Week and showing the live races across eight screens, too.
Race Week breakfasts at Tailors
A lively sporty pub in the centre of Cheltenham, Tailors is cooking up breakfasts for racegoers all week. Feast on a full English for £12.95 or opt for a bap bursting with your preferred combo of breakfast items — with bacon, sausage, hash browns, black pudding and more to choose from.
Race Week breakfasts at The Suffolk Arms
Well-loved local pub The Suffolk Arms is joining in with the Cheltenham Festival celebrations, serving tasty breakfasts for Race Week crowds. Fill up on its full English, with extra screens so there's no chance of missing any racing action — and of course, plenty of Guinness.
Race Week breakfasts at The Bayshill
The Bayshill in the centre of Cheltenham is another friendly boozer serving breakfasts every morning during Race Week, available from 9am. It's streaming all the jump racing action live across its TV screens throughout the day, too.
Race Week breakfasts at Botanica Coffee Kitchen
Cooking up bacon baps, Turkish eggs and fancy fry-ups with all the trimmings, Botanica Coffee Kitchen is a hidden gem of a brunch spot on Cheltenham's Bramery Business Park. The perfect pit-stop after getting off the train, the SGGLA Cafe/Coffee Shop of the Year only takes about 15 minutes to get to on foot from Cheltenham Spa train station.
Race Week breakfasts at The Botanist
Another Brewery Quarter hotspot and favourite among racegoers, The Botanist is open from 9am during Race Week, serving full English breakfasts and a range of other options. Good news for Guinness lovers, too: there's a special Gold Cup week bar where they can grab a frosty pint, as well as the restaurant's popular botanical-inspired cocktails.
