Get out of the office and enjoy something tasty on your lunch break at SoGlos's pick of Cheltenham's best restaurants for a working lunch — with everything from small plates and sharers to steaming bowls of fragrant noodles, curries and bao buns on the menu.
Brewhouse & Kitchen
Offering dedicated quiet 'work space' table bookings with wifi and power sockets, Brewhouse & Kitchen at The Brewery Quarter has a tasty working lunch deal, too.
Tuck into a home-baked focaccia sandwich or wrap, with unlimited freshly ground coffee for three hours, all for just £10.
Cosy Club
With brunch served until 4pm and a lunch menu featuring a variety of sharing plates which double up as great-sized starters, as well as steaks, burgers and main dishes spanning everything from pan-fried sea bass to Thai green curry, Cosy Club — conveniently located at The Brewery Quarter — is a lovely location for a working lunch.
Its selection of non-alcoholic coolers, spritzes and punches are ideal for when you're on the clock, too.
Mowgli
Mowgli's bargainous £15 lunch deal — available Monday to Friday from 12pm until 5pm — includes one street chaat and a choice of curry with rice to spice up your lunch break.
Its unique tiffin boxes for one also make for a fun lunch that's different every time you dine. The office workers' tiffin is served in a four-tier tiffin box containing the chef's choice of veggie, meat and carb dishes for a balanced meal that you can enjoy on your lunch break.
Sam's Montpellier
Casual fine dining restaurant, Sam's Montpellier, offers a unique menu of small plates in a stylish but relaxed setting, with three plates for the price of two on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday lunchtimes.
Tucked away in Montpellier Courtyard, the menu is separated into Earth for vegetable dishes, Land for meat and Sea for fish and seafood dishes, which are ideal for sharing between two people. The pistachio parfait with red onion marmalade is a firm favourite with the SoGlos team!
Nagomi
Independent Japanese and Korean restaurant, Nagomi, is one of Cheltenham's hidden gems — as is it's fantastic value £10 lunch offer, which is available every day when dining in.
The menu changes every month, with diners given a choice of 'flavour-packed' bowls like beef or tofu bibimbap, chicken or vegetable yakisoba, Korean raymun noodle broth or curry udon, accompanied by a mini version of its famous Korean corn dog.
Pho
Slurp down something delicious on your lunch break at Pho in The Brewery Quarter, with fragrant bowls of Vietnam's national dish, creamy curries, wok fried rice, salad and plenty of tasty sides like summer rolls and wings on the menu.
Pho is great for vegetarians and vegans, with loads of options to choose from — plus its gluten-free menu is Coeliac UK approved, so it's ideal for diners with dietary requirements. The Vietnamese iced coffee is a must try.
The Botanist
The Botanist at The Brewery Quarter is a stylish spot to enjoy a working lunch, with its £7.95 lunch menu offering light versions of its classic kebabs served in pitta with salad, hummous and crispy chickpeas, available from 11am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
The spacious restaurant has plenty of quieter corners for meetings and a great selection of botanical-inspired non-alcoholic cocktails to try, too.
KIBOU
One of Cheltenham's prettiest restaurants, adorned with blushing pink cherry blossoms, KIBOU on Regent Street serves up incredible quality sushi, ramen, bao buns and more — and it's open for lunch.
Make choosing easy with one of its bento boxes, filled with either chef's selection of sushi, miso soup and wakame salad; or hot bento like katsu curry, chicken karaage, teriyaki, pickles and rice. Lighter bites like sushi tacos or a trio of bao buns make for a great lunch option, too.
The Alchemist
While it's most well-known for its theatrical cocktails, The Alchemist is a great spot for a working lunch with a creative food menu that spans 'mouth-watering morsels' like chorizo and cheddar doughballs or Guinness rarebit; small plates like ultimate bao buns, crispy gyoza or duck pancakes; to main dishes like steak, chicken in a basket, fish and chips, or lobster mac and cheese.
There's also a selection of meat and plant-based burgers, wraps, flatbreads and sandwiches to tuck into.
The Nook
Fancy lunch with a view? Cheltenham's only rooftop restaurant, The Nook, offers diners the chance to grab a spot on its sunny terrace and soak up the spectacular views while tucking into their lunch.
Its prix fixe menu features dishes like scallop salad, yellowfin tuna carpaccio, chicken Caesar salad, pressed steak burger, wild boar ragu, roasted heritage carrots and wild mushroom gnocchi — with two courses costing £29 and three costing £34 between 12pm and 3.30pm Monday to Thursday.
Hotel du Vin
Hotel du Vin's Prix Fixe menu is available Monday to Sunday lunchtimes and offers two courses for £19.95 or three for £24.95 — with a glass of house wine or a beer for an extra £3.50.
Choose from options like chicken liver parfait on toasted brioche, Severn and Wye smoked salmon or watermelon carpaccio with feta to start; chicken or halloumi schnitzel, brown butter baked hake, roasted broccoli and chickpeas, or house salad for the main course; with creme brulee, 'pot au chocolat' or ice cream for dessert.
The Ivy Montpellier Brasserie
The Ivy Montpellier Brasserie boasts showstopping decor that's ideal for impressing an important client — and its exclusive 1917 Heritage menu offers two courses for £20.95 Monday to Friday.
Inspired by its heritage and history, diners can enjoy dishes like truffle arancini, zucchini fritti, buffalo mozzarella, confit rabbit croquettes, minute steak, cod goujons, roast chicken supreme and plant-based rendang curry. Plus, it's only £6 to add on a dessert for an extra special experience.
Woodkraft
Describing itself as an 'artisan eatery', Woodkraft on Cheltenham's Regent Street offers breakfast, brunch and lunch.
At lunchtime, diners can choose from sourdough sandwiches with smokey egg mayonnaise, ham hock and cheddar, or grilled chicken, bacon and avocado; main meals including a longhorn beef burger, wild mushroom and stilton ciabatta, pan fried gnocchi, baked camembert or salad; or a selection of small plates like yakatori meats, pork crackling, hummous and flatbread, falafel, or halloumi bites — with three small plates for £15.
Flight Club
Social darts venue Flight Club at The Brewery Quarter serves up a lunch deal that's ideal for local workers, with a signature burger and a drink for £12.
Choose from buttermilk chicken; smashed beef patty; beef and blue cheese; peri peri chicken; portobello mushroom and halloumi; or vegan Beyond Burger, with a glass of wine, beer or a soft drink. Bullseye!
No. 131 The Terrace
Ever-so-stylish No. 131 offers a lunch menu in its terrace restaurant between 12pm and 3pm Monday to Friday.
Opt for the Green Menu to get two courses for £18.95 or three for £23.95, with dishes like spring salad, West Country mussels or creamed smoked ham hock on toast to start; wild garlic and mushroom pappardelle, hake fillet with Jersey Royals, or Welsh lamb leg steak for the main course; and croissant bread and butter pudding, baked chocolate mousse or vegan pavlova to finish.
