Eating in Bath: Where to Go Beyond the Tourist Centre

The streets immediately around the Roman Baths and Bath Abbey (Stall Street, Bath Street, the main pedestrian area) have restaurants and cafes priced for people who are spending one day and not returning. You'll pay £4-5 more per dish than the equivalent one street away, and the quality is the same or lower. If you're eating near the Baths, walk one block east or west before choosing. The only exceptions are the Pump Room (afternoon tea, £35-45, worth it for the room) and Sally Lunn's (just off the main circuit, worth the visit for one reason).

Sally Lunn's at 6 North Parade Passage is the oldest house in Bath (built 1482, predating the Georgian city by 300 years) and has been serving the Bath bun in various forms since the 18th century. The Bath bun is a large enriched bread roll, slightly sweet, eaten with either savoury or sweet toppings. £8-12 depending on toppings. The basement museum (free) shows the original kitchen with Roman foundations visible through glass panels. The upstairs dining rooms are Georgian-low-ceilinged and atmospheric, with uneven floors and windows that look onto the narrow passage. It's a tourist institution but the bun is genuinely specific to Bath and the building is worth seeing. Go for lunch rather than afternoon tea: the savoury versions (especially with local cheese and ham) are better and the room is less crowded.

Kingsmead Square (5 minutes southwest from the Roman Baths, past the Theatre Royal) has restaurants that are better and cheaper than anything on the main tourist circuit. £15-25 for mains at dinner. Independent ownership, more local clientele, no coachload pricing. The square itself is Georgian residential turned commercial, with outdoor seating that catches afternoon sun. You'll hear more local accents here and see menus that change seasonally rather than staying static for tour groups. The walk from the city centre takes you through quieter Georgian streets where the restaurant density drops and the quality goes up.

Walcot Street north of the city centre has the most independent concentration in Bath: antique shops, cafes, and restaurants used by people who live here rather than visit. The street has a different energy from the tourist centre, with working antique dealers, art studios, and cafes that open early for commuters. Colonna and Small's on Chapel Row (just off Walcot Street) serves the best specialty coffee in Bath, £2.50-4 for drinks that actually taste different from chain coffee. The baristas know what they're doing and the beans change regularly. This is where Bath residents go when they want good food without paying tourist prices.

Bath claims to have invented the format, which may or may not be true but makes for good marketing. The Pump Room (next to the Roman Baths, £35-45 per person, book ahead) is the most atmospheric option: a Georgian assembly room with a trio playing light classical music, the original spa water fountain in the corner (you can taste it, it's mineral-heavy and slightly warm), and sandwiches and scones served on proper three-tier stands. The quality of the food is good rather than exceptional. You're paying for the room and the history, which is a reasonable transaction in Bath if you understand what you're buying. For less expensive afternoon tea (£20-28), several cafes on Milsom Street offer comparable food in less significant rooms.