Best Contemporary British Restaurants in Craven Arms

A good friend travelled many miles to meet me. I chose the Ivy as I have been going there ever since it opened in Birmingham and eat in the many Ivy restaurants in London and elsewhere. I trust the menu and the wine list. Today the only things that went wrong were a polite request for the table I usually get or the second best table ( in my opinion). Yet having booked several weeks ago both were taken. When were they booked? Secondly the double espresso arrived cold. It was unlike the Ivy to do that. I have known all the previous managers but not the present one. I must introduce myself at my next visit.

An excellent meal in friendly and comfortable surroundings. My wife’s beetroot soup was the best she has tasted, and the mains of duck breast, imaginatively served with roast beetroot and elderberry jelly, and sea bass on a bed of cauliflower and hazelnut with parsley sauce, were really accomplished cooking. The quiche savarin, which we shared, was equally good. Highly recommended.

We visited on a Monday lunchtime to celebrate a birthday so it was fairly quiet and all aspects of our visit were fabulous. What a wonderful venue the Cheltenham Ivy is, can’t wait to go again!

Very welcoming staff, beautiful wood-panelled surroundings, gentle background music, superb food (tasting menu) and excellent paired wines. Look forward to a future visit!

Monday lunch. Very quiet (as expected). Food was excellent. Service good. Prices reasonable. Recommend.