For food and drink that tastes good and does good, you can't beat going organic — and Gloucestershire has a bumper crop of organic foodie destinations to visit, from old-fashioned farm shops to cafes, restaurants and brewery taprooms.
To celebrate Organic September in the county, SoGlos rounds up our favourite foodie destinations in Gloucestershire, where you can enjoy everything from a pint of refreshing organic beer to a hearty Sunday roast with organic meat, veg and more.
Stroud Brewery
A hotspot not just for delicious organic beer, but for excellent organic food as well, the canalside taproom at Stroud Brewery is well worth seeking out. Sample everything from founder Greg Pilley's go-to easy drinking beer Budding to seasonal specials like Alederflower, alongside wood fired pizza, local beef burgers, tasty brunch dishes and a selection of small and large plates like mozzarella cheesy fries; baba ghanoush with grilled sourdough focaccia; and Dave's famous fish pie — all made from organic, local and seasonal ingredients.
The taproom also hosts a diverse range of foodie pop-ups, from Caribbean curry nights, fajita nights, Charr'd plant-based barbecue nights to Mediterranean mezze nights.
Stroud Farmers' Market
The most famous farmers' market in the county and SGGLA Shopping and Leisure Destination of the Year 2023, Stroud Farmers' Market is an organic foodie's paradise, with local farmers and artisans selling everything from organic veg grown just down the road; organic milk and eggs from locally-reared animals; to freshly baked cookies, bread and puddings made with organic flour, artisan organic cheese and small-batch fudge — not forgetting the aforementioned Stroud Brewery beers, too!
Taking place every Saturday from 9am to 2pm on Cornhill Market Place in the centre of Stroud, it's practically a right of passage for Gloucestershire foodies!
Daylesford Organic Farm in Kingham
Daylesford Organic Farm is Gloucestershire's original organic foodie destination — and a tourist magnet that draws in visitors from near and far. Its farm shop is stacked to the rafters with organic produce, including fruit and veg grown in its market garden; high welfare meat from the farm; fresh artisan bread and pastries from the bakery; milk, yoghurt and cheese from the creamery; store cupboard staples from the zero-waste pantry; tipples from its biodynamic wine stall; and a variety of treats from the deli counter.
There's also the Michelin green star cafe The Trough; The Old Spot restaurant; and The Legbar serving coffee, cocktails and small plates all on-site, as well as the Daylesford Cookery School, which teaches budding chefs how to make everything from afternoon tea to the ultimate seasonal dinner party spread with organic ingredients.
Suffolk Rock in Cheltenham
Independent bistro Suffolk Rock in the heart of The Suffolks in Cheltenham uses local organic ingredients on its menu. Open for dinner Wednesday to Saturday, it offers brunch on Saturday mornings and a hearty roast menu at Sunday lunchtimes, too.
Diners can expect starters like crispy duck fritters; lobster bisque; steak tartare; and goat's cheese souffle, with main dishes including duck breast; duo of lamb; halibut fillet; and chateaubriand to share.
Hobbs House Bakery in the Cotswolds
With shops in Nailsworth and Tetbury, as well as its cookery school in nearby Bristol, Hobbs House Bakery is the go-to place for delicious organic bread and pastries in Gloucestershire. Its organic wild white sourdough was awarded two stars in the Great Taste Awards, its organic light rye sourdough won Best of Organic Bakery in the BOOM Awards 2021, while its ancient grains loaf has been nominated for awards, too.
The company is also a certified B Corp, so it's working hard to make the world a better place through reducing waste, supporting charities and nurturing its staff, too.
Dunkertons Organic Cider near Cheltenham
Established in the 1980s, Dunkertons has been making delicious organic cider for nearly 40 years. Visitors to Dunkertons cidery and taproom on the outskirts of Cheltenham can sample its wide variety of award-winning ciders, which are all made with organic apples grown on the family's Herefordshire farm and bottled on-site in Charlton Kings, as well as tucking into tasty street food.
Cider enthusiasts can also go behind-the-scenes to see how Dunkertons makes its iconic organic cider on a tour, followed by a cider and cheese pairing.
The Fox at Oddington
This cosy Cotswold pub caught the eye of Michelin inspectors in December 2022, when they named it one of their favourite new restaurants. Part of the Daylesford stable alongside The Wild Rabbit in Kingham, The Fox at Oddington uses produce from the organic farm on its menu of sophisticated takes on pub classics like chargrilled English rosé veal T-bone, beer battered haddock and chips, Hereford ribeye steak, double cheeseburger and rosemary fries.
The pub also offers a selection of wood fired sourdough pizzas, with tasty toppings spanning Nduja, pepperoni, and hot honey; to prosciutto, olive, artichoke and portobello mushroom.
Severn & Wye Smokery in Chaxhill
With a fish market, food hall, restaurant and takeaway, Severn & Wye Smokery in Chaxhill is a must-visit for organic seafood fans. Located on the banks of the River Severn, its products are smoked on-site over hand-chipped oak using a traditional process to give them their distinctive flavour — with the business working hard to source all of its fish responsibly and become as sustainable as possible, too.
Pop by to pick up some of its renowned organic salmon, with a variety of options from classic hot smoked salmon and gravadlax, to seasonal salmon fillets flavoured with everything from orange and basil to juniper, lemon and dill.
Abbey Home Farm in Cirencester
Cirencester's award-winning Abbey Home Farm has been organic since the 1990s, growing a variety of fruits, flowers, vegetables and cereals as well as rearing cows, pigs, sheep and poultry. Sustainability, biodiversity, soil protection and education are at the heart of this working farm, which invites visitors to buy organic produce in its farm shop and enjoy tasty organic food in its cafe, too.
Stocked with everything organic, from fresh produce grown just footsteps away to organic wines, ice creams and even cookbooks, the farm shop is a wonderful, old-fashioned alternative to supermarket shopping; while the cafe makes the most of the ingredients produced on the farm.
Woodruffs Organic Cafe in Stroud
Known as the first fully organic cafe in Britain, Woodruffs Organic Cafe is a Stroud institution, having been serving up organic brunch, lunch, coffee and cake on the High Street for more than 25 years.
From crowd-pleasers like eggs Florentine and avocado on sourdough with eggs or halloumi, to more creative options like chorizo and eggs on a sweetcorn fritter, or barbecue Boston beans, organic foodies are spoiled for choice — with an excellent selection of coffees, teas, superfood lattes, homemade hot chocolates and cold drinks, too.
Ritual Coffee Roasters in Cheltenham
Roasting its own beans in a vintage Samiac drum roaster at its venue in Cheltenham, one of the core products in the Ritual Coffee Roasters range is a blend of certified organic beans grown by smallholders in Columbia and on a family-run estate in Mexico.
Organic coffee aficionados can pay a visit to the roastery at Lansdown Industrial Estate, opposite Cheltenham train station, to try a freshly roasted and ground brew. It also offers a menu of brunch dishes made with local ingredients, like Cacklebean eggs and locally grown mushrooms, to wash down with a cup or two of Ritual Organic.
Star Anise Cafe in Stroud
With a mission to 'serve and nourish' the community in Stroud, Star Anise has been serving wholesome, organic food from its family-run cafe since 2004. Its menu of wholefood dishes spans seasonal soup of the day, black bean and beetroot burgers, ramen bowls, brunch, homemade cakes and plenty more, with many ingredients being sourced from local organic suppliers and farms.
With its own gluten-free bread recipe and homemade vegan butter, too, those with dietary requirements are well catered for — its home-baked vegan croissants have a cult following with local foodies!
