Cowley Manor has been popping up on my feeds continuously lately, flooding my screen with gorgeous interiors, dazzling pops of colour and little snippets of their humungous grounds, making me itching to go! So, I was over the moon to be invited along to try their lunch menu.

A moment for the interiors.

If I ever win the lottery – this is how I would decorate my mansion. Wes Anderson – eat your heart out. Everything was meticulously curated and symmetrical. Stunning. No notes (except – can I live there please?)

The dining area was no exception, gorgey original wooden walls and doors, contrasted beautifully with the modern patterned chairs and decor. The chairs were giving posh Tube seats (but in a cool way).

The staff were lovely and welcoming – it was a little confusing on arrival, unsure where to go for the restaurants (as there are so many rooms!) and some staff members weren’t as helpful as others, but once we arrived at the restaurant and were seated, we know we were in for a treat.

We were invited to try the ‘discovery’ menu.

Natalia (the sommelier) gave us a brilliantly warm welcome and talked us through our drinks and food with an impressive level of passion and knowledge.

I was served the Saint Germaine Des Pres cocktail to start with – which is now my new obsession. It was a really hot day and this fresh, foamy, cucumber flavoured cocktail was perfection. Give me 10 of them. Jacqui was designated driver, and was served the Southside mocktail. Lime, mint, tarragon – freshness on a stick.

The first dishes to arrive – a very very good start

• Smoked honey and potato brioche, ampersand butter
• Charles Martell Single Gloucester puffs

That brioche was the best thing I’ve eaten in a LONG time. Despite being a generous size, it was light and fluffy and we couldn’t get enough of it. It was the perfect level of salty, and if I could have one of those delivered to my door every morning, I’d be a very happy (and stodgy) lady.

The cheese puffs were also gorgeous, with a good crunch and the right level of cheesiness. The brioche just stole the show though.

Next up…

• Tomatoes, cow’s curd & garden herbs
• raw wild seabass, green strawberries & smoked cream

The tomato dish was lovely, extremely fresh and a nice balance of flavours. It would’ve been nice for this to be brought out with a serving spoon and small plates for us both, so we could really enjoy the sharing element of these dishes.

The seabass was smokey, chunky and the right level of chewy. The sauce was a zingy and zesty addition. Although green (or in this case more white) strawberries are trendy, I actually think having a pop of colour on this dish would’ve added something.

The bigger plates…

• Butternut squash, cavolo nero, peanut and turmeric root
• Bibury trout, spring peas and broad beans

The satay sauce that came with the butternut squash was one of the best I’ve ever had. Super punchy and rich, but thinner than the satay I’m used to. The squash was cooked to perfection. The greens gave a needed peppery kick.

The trout dish looked like a gorgeous pond on a spring day – full of colour. Gorgeous flavours, a real savoury explosion on a plate. It was very fresh and again, on a hot day, was the perfect dish to devour without feeling too heavy.

Always room for something sweet…

We were then brought some warm madeleines, with cherries and chantilly, and a parsley cake, with lemon curd and raspberries.

The madeleines were nicely cooked, perhaps slighlty on the dry side but lovely. I wasn’t a huge fan of the cherry sauce, but I think that’s more personal as Jacqui loved it.

The parsley cake was the star for me – it was incredibly moist, like a lemon drizzle but with some more added earthiness and freshness thanks to the curd and the parsley element. I was pretty full at this point but couldn’t stop eating. Gorgeous.

The staff in the restaurant were warm and friendly, though some of them could work on introducing the dishes more so we knew exactly what we were eating. Staff at the entrance weren’t 100% sure where to point us towards, which would’ve been helpful as we got a little lost trying to find the restaurant. Natalia the sommelier was absolutely brilliant though, she explained all the dishes she brought as well as the drinks, and told us that some of the ingredients come from their very own herb garden, which is a lovely wholesome touch.

Overall, this was a beautiful experience. We didn’t want to leave, and as it’s part of a huge hotel with a spa, you don’t have to! I’d say it’s a lovely place to go to for a fancy lunch, but the real experience will be when you then don’t need to leave and can then make the most of all else it has to offer.

Cowley Manor
Cheltenham GL53 9NL

Bitten were invited as guests, all views are our own