Bath's only Michelin-starred restaurant is The Olive Tree at the Queensberry Hotel, and it's the place for a special occasion. Beyond it, the city does tasting menus (Menu Gordon Jones), excellent small plates and wine (Beckford Bottle Shop, a Bib Gourmand), proper seafood (The Scallop Shell) and atmospheric Italian (Sotto Sotto). Here's our ranked top 10 for 2026, all confirmed open, with a spread of cuisines and budgets.
We lean on the 2026 Michelin Guide and local reputation, and everything here was confirmed trading in August 2026. Book the top few well ahead, especially at weekends and over the Christmas market and Jane Austen Festival.
1. The Olive Tree
Photo: olivetreebath.co.uk
Central, at the Queensberry Hotel on Russel Street. Chef Chris Cleghorn's modern British tasting menus have held Bath's only Michelin star since 2019, with vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian and dairy-free versions of the menu. The city's benchmark for fine dining. £££.
2. Menu Gordon Jones
Wellsway, just south of the centre. A surprise tasting menu (five to nine courses) with no printed choices, sent out from an open kitchen. In the Michelin Guide and a cult favourite for adventurous diners. £££.
3. Beckford Bottle Shop
Central, Saville Row. A wine merchant with a bistro attached, holding a Michelin Bib Gourmand: seasonal small plates, dozens of wines by the glass, and the signature Bath chaps. The best value serious cooking in town. ££.
4. The Scallop Shell
Central, Monmouth Place. Bath's go-to for seafood and a very superior fish and chips, with an AA Rosette and a little upstairs terrace ("Little Scallop"). Fresh, unfussy and reliably good. ££.
5. Corkage
Central, Chapel Row. An award-winning small-plates and wine bar with a heated covered terrace (note: only the Chapel Row site survives; the old Walcot Street branch has closed). Relaxed and wine-led. ££.
6. Upstairs at Landrace
Central, Walcot Street. Above the acclaimed sourdough bakery, this Michelin Guide-listed restaurant (chef Rob Sachdev) cooks with the bakery's own stone-milled flour and local produce. Grain to plate, done properly. ££.
7. The Bath Priory
Photo: visitbath.co.uk
Weston, on the edge of the city. Modern European fine dining in a Relais and Châteaux country-house hotel with three AA Rosettes and garden views. The grand, dress-up choice. £££.
8. Clayton's Kitchen
Central, George Street. Seasonal modern British from chef-patron Rob Clayton (a former Bath Priory head chef). Consistent, confident cooking in the heart of town. ££.
9. Robun
Central, George Street. Japanese robata and yakiniku, sushi, and a serious sake and Japanese-whisky list, with meat and seafood grilled over charcoal. The most exciting recent arrival. ££ to £££.
10. Sotto Sotto
Photo: sottosotto.co.uk
Central, North Parade. Italian cooking in an atmospheric vaulted stone cellar, open daily for lunch and dinner. Bath's most romantic Italian. ££.
Also worth a table
Both confirmed open and good backups: Chez Dominique (French-European, riverside on Argyle Street) and The Circus Restaurant (modern European bistro on Brock Street, tucked between The Circus and the Royal Crescent, closed Sundays).
The honest alternative
If you'd rather not book, Bath does casual well too: the small plates at Beckford, a bakery lunch at Landrace, or fish and chips at the Scallop Shell rarely need weeks of notice. And a Sally Lunn bun remains the cheapest taste of the city's food history. For the wider scene, pubs and afternoon tea included, see where to eat and drink in Bath.
FAQs
What is the best restaurant in Bath?
The Olive Tree at the Queensberry Hotel is Bath's only Michelin-starred restaurant and the top choice for fine dining. For something different, Menu Gordon Jones does an acclaimed surprise tasting menu, and Beckford Bottle Shop offers Bib Gourmand small plates at lower prices.
Does Bath have a Michelin star?
Yes, one: The Olive Tree, held since 2019. Beckford Bottle Shop holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and Menu Gordon Jones, Robun, Upstairs at Landrace and The Bath Priory are listed in the Michelin Guide without a star.
Where do locals eat in Bath?
Away from the tourist spots, locals favour Beckford Bottle Shop, the Scallop Shell for seafood, Upstairs at Landrace, Clayton's Kitchen and Sotto Sotto, plus the cafés and pubs of Walcot Street. Booking is wise for all of them at weekends.
What's the best-value good restaurant in Bath?
Beckford Bottle Shop (a Michelin Bib Gourmand) gives you serious cooking at mid-range prices, and a bakery lunch at Landrace or fish and chips at the Scallop Shell are excellent value. The Olive Tree's set lunch is the cheapest way into the Michelin star.