Where are the best spots in town during Cheltenham Festival Week for drink, food and entertainment ? Where are best places for spotting racing’s celebs? Here is the Fat Jockey Top Ten. We have given you the postcodes so you satnav addicts don’t get lost. If we have missed somewhere good or you disagree with our picks let us know via the forum. We are always on the lookout for new spaces.
1. The 21 Club, 19-21 Regent St, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 1HE.
Still our number one. Old age has curtailed our visits to later in the week for fear we would miss racing. A basement night club. We like the buzz here. Very popular with jockeys. Plenty of sing-a-long anthems. Expect to hear The Favourites “Cheltenham” and Queen belting out “Don’t Stop Me Now” a few times if you stay there long enough. Can anyone help us with a fuller festival week playlist? Good outside bar for the smokers.
2. Blanc Brasserie, Promenade, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 1NN.
No change either here. Restaurant and small bar annexed to the Queens Hotel. Has had a face lift since the 2014 Festival. Good reasonably priced food in a lively atomsphere. It has a nice cackle. Steak recommended and booking pretty much essential. It’s a lot more civilised that the Queens Hotel it is adjoined to. Might be a bit middle aged for some.You will see a splattering of trainers, jockeys, bookies reps and journalists here.
3. Montpellier Wine Bar, Bayshill Lodge, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 1SY.
Something of a Cheltenham institution ‘the Wine Bar’ sounds a bit more posh than the reality and does serve beers. You might spot the odd celeb. We have seen Gavin Henson and Jimmy Nesbitt in our time. Accommodates smokers outside on the pavement and handy for a pub crawl as our Number 6 pick Harry Cook’s just across the road .
4. The Beehive 1-3 Montpellier Villas, GL50 2XE
We checked the Beehive out in November and liked it a lot. Traditional Pub with decent music. We didnt eat there and think its best for pints and maybe breakfast.
5. Harry Cook Free House, 23 Montpellier Walk, Cheltenham, GL50 1SD.
Used to be O’Neills but rebranded since 2014 Festival. Nicely feshened up but still will be loud lively and full of Paddy’s.Bands usually playing and crowds spill out onto the street from both front and back doors. Handy for a pub crawl and plenty of other options nearby if it gets too packed which it probably will. Here is what it looks like now :
6. Zizzi, Suffolk Square, St James Church, GL50 2DR
Zizzi Cheltenham is located in an old church – Pizza oven on the altar and the Beehive (no4) just around the corner.
7. Tailors Pub, 4 Cambray Place, Cheltenham, GL50 1JS.
Fine sports pub with plenty of TVs and showing Racing UK. Handy for picking up re-runs of the day’s Cheltenham races if you can bear it. Smokers accommodated with in nice seating area at the front. Basement bar has music,usually a live band.
8. Revolution, Clarence Parade, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 3PA.
You will get all kinds in here but in general this is a bit of a younger venue than some of our other old man picks. Good for cocktails, music and grub.
9. Hotel de Vin, Parabola Road, Cheltenham, GL50 3AQ.
Brasserie is located in the basement of the hotel in an attractive space. Chateaubriand for two seems to be a favourite here. We have wondered whether the bill was justified. You will probably enjoy it more after a winning day.
10. McDonalds, 224/226 High Street, Cheltenham, GL50 3HF.
Bad day on the betting front ? In eating is cheating mode ? Sometimes only the golden arches will do.
