March 3, 2017 by admin
It’s the countdown to The Cheltenham Festival, where the town becomes a sea of tweed as thousands of race-goers from all over the country, and beyond, descend upon Cheltenham. The 2017 Festival will run from 14th to 17th March, with the Gold Cup taking place on Friday.
But the race-course isn’t the only place where you’ll hear the roar. A large number of establishments around Cheltenham cater for those punters who never quite make it through the bustling gates at Prestbury Park. Many instead are opting to take a more relaxed approach by booking a pre-race breakfast in the town before sitting back and placing bets from the comfort of their table. And once the racing has wrapped up, the excitement continues as Cheltenham becomes a haven of live music and entertainment.
We’ve researched the top 10 Cheltenham Festival Hotspots so that you don’t have to. So let your fingers do the walking and book your tables now!
Harry Cook
23 Montpellier Walk, Cheltenham GL50 1SD
01242 236857
Harry Cook always go to town for The Festival. This year is no exception; they’ll be serving a hearty full English breakfast from 9am til 12pm when their normal food service resumes. But, with a ch
ange to the norm, from 6pm until late, Harry Cook will be providing takeaway style eco-friendly boxes so that you are guaranteed to get a bite, even if all the tables are taken. They’ll be providing TV screens and a projector which will be airing the races throughout the day and of course Ladbrokes is right across the road for those of you wanting to place a cheeky bet. For any of you heading up to the race course, Harry Cook have laid on a coach at 12pm in time for the first race and, in case The Festival hasn’t entirely captured your interest, they will be putting on buskers outside their doors throughout the day followed by live music inside late on into the evening.
Copa
66 Regent St, Cheltenham GL50 1HA
01242 245044
Copa seems to have this one in the bag. From 8am onwards, they’ll be serving a giant full English or you can opt for the Full Irish Breakfast which includes a pint of Guinness, or a more refined champagne 
brekkie is available, as well as other options such as bacon butties or sausage sandwiches. From 12pm onwards, Copa are hosting a bbq in the garden all day as well as a Guinness tent. Inside, Copa will be holding a local ciders and ales festival and on top of that, you’ll have the choice of accoustic music upstairs or two DJs playing downstairs in the two separate bars. TVs are available and you’ll have the ability to place bets online using the interactive screens laid on (although there is a Ladbrokes a minute’s walk away on Winchcombe Street). For lifts to the racecourse, you need look no further than the adjacent High Street where buses are shuttling back and forth every 5 minutes, so you can take a relaxed and leisurely breakfast before popping round the corner for your ride to The Festival.
Sup & Chow
242 Bath Rd, Cheltenham GL53 7NB
01242 521736
Sup & Chow are a new contender for The Festival, having come onto the Cheltenham scene just last summer. And they are pu
lling out all the stops for what promises to be a fantastic week behind their doors! Sup & Chow will be providing a pre-race full English from 8:30am as well as other options for the more health conscious – yoghurts and those all-important avocado-orientated dishes. From midday onwards, a bbq and Guinness bar will be available outside and live music will be playing each evening until late. Sup & Chow are also catering for those staying in town by providing 3 TVs which will be airing the races throughout the day, and the nearest bookmakers in only a few strides down the Bath Road at Corals.
All Bar One
18 Montpellier Walk, Cheltenham GL50 1SD
01242 523431
For a good pre-race breakfast, look no further than All Bar One in Montpellier. They’ll be laying on their usual full English from 8am as well as the veggie full English option and various sarnies, bacon or otherwise. From Midday until 1pm, ABO will have an a la carte lunch/evening menu and will be serving late into the night. Although there are no buses to the racecourse from here, there is a taxi rank directly outside. If you’re staying in town however, ABO have a number of TV screens and a Ladbrokes is just 30 seconds across the road. And once the racing has died down, All Bar One will have live music playing every evening and into the small hours.
Brasserie Blanc
Promenade, Cheltenham GL50 1NN
01242 266800
Nestled in next to the iconic Queens Hotel, Brasserie Blanc is no stranger to the Race Week festivities. They’ll be offering their delicious breakfasts from 9:30am until 1pm including a full English, eggs benedict, eggs Florentine, sausage muffins, omelettes, Bloody Marys liquid breakfasts – there’s something for everyone! Normal food service will resume from midday onwards and through into the evening when an Irish band will be playing each night of The Festival. Brasserie Blanc also have TVs available with coverage of the races throughout the day and Ladbrokes is a short walk up the road to Rotunda Terrace. For those of you heading over to the race-course, there is a taxi rank a couple of minutes’ walk into town along The Promenade, or head on towards the High Street for the many shuttle buses taking race-goers to and from Prestbury Park.
The Beehive
1-3 Montpellier Villas, Cheltenham GL50 2XE
01242 702270
The Beehive offer a number of pre-race breakfast options from 9am, including their famous full English, a veggie option, a steak breakfast and much more. Although there are TVs available showing the races through the course of the day, (and a Corals is just a short walk up Bath Road) the Beehive is also kindly laying on a complimentary shuttle bus which runs between the pub and Prestury Park throughout the morning.
The Tavern
5 Royal Well Pl, Cheltenham GL50 3DN
01242 221212
Winner of a Michelin Bib Gourmand 2017, The Tavern offers a mouthwatering variety of breakfasts for 
Gold Cup Week. From 8am every day, as well as the full English with all the trimmings, you’ll have other options such as Severn & Wye smoked salmon with scrambled eggs, Avocado on toast with poached cackle-bean eggs and various sausage and/or bacon filled rolls. There will be no TVs available so you’ll need to head over to another local establishment or make your way up to Prestbury Park for live action, but be sure to return later in the afternoon for the great music The Tavern will be laying on into the small hours.
The Exmouth Arms
167 Bath Rd, Cheltenham GL53 7LX
01242 528149
The Exmouth Arms are putting on a wide variety of breakfasts from 9am during Gold Cup Week, from a full English to scrambled eggs and salmon, bacon butties and veggie options. From 12pm onwards normal food service will resume, including an evening menu from 6pm ‘til 9pm. TVs and a projector screen are available to watch the races throughout the day, with Corals a short walk across the Bath Road, and on Friday finale night, a band will be playing from 9pm until late.
The Fire Station
St James’ Square, Cheltenham GL50 3PR
01242 809135
The Fire Station will be opening their doors to punters from 9:30am when they will be serving a variety of breakfasts. But the real fun starts at 11am when you can order their bottomless brunch consisting of 2-3 courses and unlimited prosecco or bellinis! For those of you staying in town, The Fire Station has a TV in the bar area which will be live streaming the races throughout the day and you can place your bets a few minutes’ walk away at the Ladbrokes on the High Street.
The Clarence Social
1 Clarence Parade, Cheltenham GL50 3NY
01242 245539
The Clarence Social will be providing delicious breakfasts from 9am with a large range of options including the o
bligatory full English. Additionally you’ll have the choice of American pancakes, eggs Benedict, Florentine and Royale, bacon sandwiches and their “Hair of the Dog” with smashed avocado, and all come as a vegetarian variation too. Their normal lunch and evening meal menus will be served from 12pm into the evening and TVs are being made available for those of you staying in town to watch The Cheltenham Festival, with a Ladbrokes just 5 minutes away. If you are heading up to Prestbury Park, then buses to the race-course are just a couple of minutes’ walk round the corner on the High Street.
If you have any other top hotspots that should be included, send us an email at [email protected] and we’ll add the best ones. We’d love to hear from you!
