What to do in the Cotswolds: a luxury foodie guide

Thyme couldn’t be more Cotswolds. As you turn off the main road and approach the historic estate it feels like the modern hustle no longer exists and everything slows down to a meandering walking pace. All that’s left is rolling Cotswold hills, winding gravel pathways, pretty stone cottages, botanically inspired bedrooms, The Meadow Spa and seasonal local artwork (food to us).

We ate in the nineteenth- century Ox Barn, where the picked-that-day menu changes with the gardener’s harvests, and every dish was painting-worthy. It felt almost disrespectful to devour them. We did though, obviously. Wondering what to do in the Cotswolds? Eat here.

The Old Swan and Minster Mill are two beautiful, quintessentially Cotswolds-esque buildings sat next to the river in picturesque Minster Lovell, nestled among an abundance of Cotswolds greenery. It’s not instantly obvious that Minster Mill has so much going on behind its pretty frontage – which makes it feel all the more like you’ve uncovered a secret gem of a hotel – including expansive lawns with croquet, tennis courts, an inviting and immaculate spa tucked away at the back and nearly 40 guest rooms (there are more than 50 combined between the hotel and the pub). Minster Mill is an oasis of calm with everything you need to slow down and unwind, and the Old Swan is something straight out of a fiction novel.

We ate at the Old Swan, tender steaks cooked to perfection with all the sides and local Hawkstone lager to drink. There’s also the Wildling Restaurant at Minster Mill – a really beautiful setting for any meal – which serves traditional, local, seasonal British food. Somewhere we plan to dine at very soon, and most likely very often.

Broadway’s high street is one of the most beautiful in the Cotswolds and a foodie haven. Head to Broadway Deli – you’ll notice the TukTuk brimming with local fruit and veg – and browse everything from Italian pastries to organic wines and locally made chutneys and jams.

Then, take a trip to Broadway Cookshop before walking to Broadway Tower. The stunning views across the rolling Cotswold hills are well worth it.

The Calcot is based in the quaint town of Tetbury, perfect for a summer getaway. Ideal for fitness and wellbeing enthusiasts, the new gym and wellness centre in the Grain Store has an incredible range of equipment and hosts personal training, pilates, and spin sessions. The café also serves deliciously healthy dishes, from smoothies to buddha bowls.

But don’t leave before booking dinner at The Brasserie. The menu celebrates seasonal finds like the strawberry and Champagne pavlova, and honey martinis. As a bonus, Stroud Farmer’s Market is nearby – held every Saturday.

You’ll find everything from an extensive farm shop (with a special cheese and wine store) to three dining destinations and a cookery school at this organic Cotswold farm. It’s a mecca for foodies and sells fruit and veg harvested daily from their market garden, pasture-raised meat from their farm, artisan bread from their bakery and award-winning cheese from their creamery. This is as hyper-local as it gets.