The Cotswolds is a verdant region in England’s Southwest dotted with quintessential market towns and quaint villages, with the cities of Oxford, Bristol and Bath on its borders. With its profile growing internationally and celebrity residents such as the Beckhams and soon, reportedly, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, there’s probably never been a more vibrant and varied local food scene.
One person who knows the Cotswolds better than most is chef Alex Dilling. When he’s not cooking at his eponymous restaurant at London’s Hotel Café Royal, he loves to spend time in the Cotswolds, where he has a home, and has even popped up to cook at some of his favourite venues, including the Wild Rabbit pub in Chipping Norton.
Here’s his guide to where to eat in the Cotswolds. As well as Pubs and restaurants, Dilling also recommends the Burford Garden Centre, for its “incredible artisan produce area”, Upton Smokery Farm Shop, also in Burford, for “exceptional smoked meats”, and The Cotswold Cheese Company (various locations).
