From beautiful bakes to sensational seafood; award-winning wines to the hottest sauces money can buy, Gloucestershire is brimming with artisans who know more than a thing or two about making delicious produce.
Although we had a tough time narrowing it down, SoGlos’s food-loving journalists have handpicked 19 of the county’s finest artisan food producers to whet your appetite…
Woodchester Valley Vineyard
Winners of Food/Drink Producer of the Year 2023 at the Gloucestershire Lifestyle Awards, Woodchester Valley Vineyard is no stranger to awards — its 2021 sauvignon blanc was named one of the very best in the world in 2023! The vineyard and winery near Stroud offers tours and tastings, ideal for wine buffs wanting to get an insight into the wine making process, as well as a Cellar Door shop on-site stocking a range of limited editions and new vintages, alongside its core collection.
Wholly Gelato
Another Gloucestershire Lifestyle Awards Food/Drink Producer of the Year winner, Wholly Gelato has a cult following in Gloucestershire — and for good reason! Its rich, creamy gelato is made using milk from its very own herd of cows, who you can meet on its farm just outside Gloucester, and comes in a variety of flavours that change every day. It also has a popular milk vending machine with reusable glass bottles, for regulars who can’t get enough of its delicious fresh milk.
Cotswold Gold
Grown, pressed and bottled on its Broadway farm, Cotswold Gold rapeseed oil is perfect for whipping up delicious dishes in the kitchen, as well as dipping bread and dressing salads. A storecupboard staple, its products are infused with a variety of natural flavours, from chilli and lemon to truffle. Its smoke, garlic and rosemary-infused roast potato oil is a must-try!
Hetty’s Kitchen
Hetty’s famous, Insta-worthy brownies really do taste as delicious as they look, so it's no surprise the business has also been crowned a Gloucestershire Lifestyle Awards Food/Drink Producer of the Year. Made by hand from its dedicated brownie bakery in Gloucester, the Hetty's Kitchen team bake in small batches using seasonal ingredients from local suppliers. Grab a lucky dip box if you can’t decide on just one flavour.
Tubby Tom’s
Another wonderful Gloucester foodie success story, Tubby Tom’s handmade barbecue sauces, seasonings and rubs are now sold in more than 85 outlets, including Harvey Nichols — and are even exported to Latvia, France and the Netherlands. Its vegan Bacon Dust seasoning has a cult following; brave souls rave about its Death Dust ultra hot reaper seasoning and Soul Reaper ultra hot ghost chilli and scorpion sauce; while SoGlos highly recommends the Korean One for its sweet, mild heat.
Severn & Wye Smokery
This Gloucestershire family business is known around the world for its impeccable seafood. Visit The Barn, Severn & Wye’s two-storey foodie destination in Westbury-on-Severn, to pick up some fishy delicacies like its spectacular smoked salmon, or grab a table at the restaurant for a real treat, with dishes showcasing the very best local produce.
SALT Bakehouse
Family-run SALT Bakehouse in Stroud produces award-winning bread and incredible pastries, from staple sourdoughs, ‘Stroud stick’ baguettes and focaccia, to seasonal specials and bakes made with locally foraged ingredients. Supplying pubs, restaurants and cafes across Gloucestershire and beyond, SALT also has its own kiosk in Stroud and a travelling white van stuffed with goodies that regularly pops up at locations across the county.
Winstones Ice Cream
Winstones Ice Cream has been producing ice cream and sorbets since 1925. There are around 30 flavours to try, sold at supermarkets and restaurants across Gloucestershire, as well as available for home delivery — with a visit to its parlour, on the beautiful Rodborough Common, near Stroud, making for a particular treat. Winstones even does dairy-free flavours, so vegans can enjoy its yummy ice cream, too!
The Cotswold Curer
The Cotswold Curer in Cirencester has been producing award-winning charcuterie using locally sourced free-range meats since 2013. Discerning carnivores can’t get enough of its incredible chorizo and salami — with wild boar, venison, black truffle and sloe gin just a few of the varieties to try.
Poulton Hill Estate
One of the only producers of vermouth in the county, Poulton Hill Estate's English vermouth is inspired by its hometown of Cirencester. Using a blend of phoenix, bacchus and seyval blanc grapes grown on its Cotswold vineyard, the semi-sweet vermouth is ideal to drink on the rocks or add to cocktails. It even features the Cirencester phoenix on the label.
Ethical Addictions
Ethical Addictions is an artisan coffee supply company, with its own roastery in Gloucester city centre which works directly with small producers in Africa and South America. Its quality, speciality coffee is available at cafes and restaurants around Gloucestershire, as well as online.
Godsells Cheese
Godsells creates handmade artisan cheese at its Leonard Stanley farm, using milk from its own herd of cows. The cheesemaker produces Double and Single Gloucester varieties, as well as smoked and flavoured cheeses, which are sold at local farmers markets and even in Harrods!
Truffle Hunter
If you’re looking for a little luxury, Truffle Hunter creates exquisite truffle oils from its base in South Cerney. Used in some of the UK’s top restaurants and available to buy online, the Gloucestershire producer also makes preserved truffles, as well as a range of condiments and truffle-infused dairy products, including butter and cheese.
Tewkesbury Mustard Company
A food product that was even featured in Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Tewkesbury Mustard Company is the only true producer of Tewkesbury Mustard in Tewkesbury — continuing a tradition that dates back to the 16th century. Its product range includes a variety of flavoured pots of mustard, pickled mustard seeds and even mustard balls.
Wolfys Porridge
Launched in Stroud in 2013, Wolfys began making porridge when it was searching for a hot, filling and tasty snack to be served at a festival. Now sold in major supermarkets, online and even on British Airways and EasyJet flights, each pot of Wolfys porridge has another little pot hidden under the lid, filled with jam, marmalade or honey, making it a uniquely tasty way to start the day.
Gloucester Sausage Company
You’d probably guess it from its name, but the Gloucester Sausage Co makes brilliant bangers. Based at the Knightsbridge Business Centre, near Cheltenham, stop by to buy all manner of sausages, from its famous Gloucester original and chipolatas to Spanish-style chorizo and German-inspired bratwurst.
Rave Coffee
A favourite choice of Gloucestershire coffee aficionados, Rave Coffee is an independent roaster based in Cirencester that ships its hand-roasted single origin and blended beans all over the country. There’s even a monthly subscription service coffee fans can sign up for, that delivers its delicious beans right to your door.
Kitchen Garden
Established in 1989, Kitchen Garden’s jams, marmalades and chutneys continue to be produced by hand in Stroud. Within its extensive range, some of its 100 award-winners include the delicious-sounding pear and ginger jam; fig and plum relish; Seville marmalade; tomato and apple chutney; and raspberry vinegar, as just a few examples.
Steeplechase Distillery
Inspired by Cheltenham's equestrian heritage, Steeplechase Distillery produces a range of artisan gins named after iconic racehorses like Kauto Star and Best Mate. For fans of the classics, its Steeplechase London dry gin won gold in the 2023 World Gin Awards, while for more experimental palettes, it offers a variety of limited release small-batch spirits like its Frodon English garden gin; Arkle hopped dry gin; and even cask aged gin.
