Restaurant in Bath, United Kingdom
Special occasion dining with garden-hotel credentials.
The Bath Priory holds a Michelin Plate (2025) and an OAD Top 400 Europe ranking two years running — the most credentialled dining room in Bath. At ££££, it suits special occasions and serious food enthusiasts who want regional British sourcing, a calm formal atmosphere, and a country house setting with garden access. Book 4–6 weeks ahead for weekends; midweek lunch is the more accessible window.
Ranked #356 in Opinionated About Dining's Leading Restaurants in Europe in 2024 and climbing to #370 in 2025, The Bath Priory holds its ground as one of the most serious Modern British kitchens in the South West. At ££££ pricing, it sits at the leading of Bath's dining tier — matched only by Olive Tree for formal ambition. If you are looking for a country house dining experience within reach of the city, with sourcing credentials and a Michelin Plate to back the price, this is the booking to make. If you want the same quality without the hotel context, Olive Tree gives you comparable rigour at a comparable price in a more urban setting.
The Bath Priory operates Wednesday through Sunday, 12 to 10 pm, giving it one of the longer service windows in Bath's upper tier. That accessibility is part of the appeal: a Michelin Plate restaurant that you can book for a Wednesday lunch without fighting weekend competition is a practical advantage that most comparable properties do not offer. Closed Monday and Tuesday, which is standard for properties of this type.
The dining room sits inside a country house hotel on Weston Road , a Georgian property with award-winning gardens and a terrace that earns its reputation as a pre-dinner aperitif stop in warmer months. The atmosphere here is calm in a deliberate way: thick walls, well-spaced tables, and a service tempo that does not rush. The noise level stays low even when the room is full, which makes it a reliable choice for conversations that matter , business meals, anniversary dinners, or occasions where you actually need to hear the person across the table. Compare that to Bath's more compact dining rooms, where acoustics can work against you.
Chef Jauca Catalin leads the kitchen, and the menu format is seasonal à la carte. The sourcing philosophy is the clearest signal of what this kitchen values: British produce, named and traceable, with Wiltshire lamb loin cited as a representative example. For a food enthusiast who tracks ingredient provenance, this is meaningful data. It tells you the kitchen is not buying generic protein and dressing it up; it is making sourcing decisions that shape the entire menu structure. Wiltshire sits less than 20 miles from Bath, and using its lamb in preference to imported alternatives reflects a coherent, regionally grounded approach that you see at properties like Gidleigh Park in Chagford and Moor Hall in Aughton , venues where the sourcing story and the cooking quality are inseparable.
The Michelin Plate recognition (2024 and 2025 consecutively) confirms consistent kitchen execution. A Plate is Michelin's acknowledgment of good cooking without the Star designation , which means the food clears a high threshold but the full Star conversation involves factors beyond the plate. For the diner, this is a useful calibration: expect technically strong, well-considered food with quality ingredients, not experimental or boundary-pushing cuisine. The OAD ranking , a peer-assessed guide weighted heavily toward serious food travellers , places it in the top 400 restaurants in Europe two years running, which for a hotel restaurant in a secondary UK city is a meaningful credential.
The setting adds value that goes beyond the meal itself. The Relais & Châteaux affiliation (contact: bathpriory@relaischateaux.com; tel: +44 (0)1225 331 922) places The Bath Priory in a global collection of independently owned properties held to consistent hospitality standards. If you are staying overnight , and the indoor and outdoor pool, the garden, and the cozy English charm of the property make that case , the restaurant becomes part of a full-day proposition rather than just a dinner reservation. For visitors to Bath combining the Roman Baths, the Assembly Rooms, and a serious meal, this property triangulates all three without requiring a taxi across the city.
For context on the wider Bath food scene, see our full Bath restaurants guide. If you are planning a stay, our full Bath hotels guide covers the full accommodation picture. Bars, wineries, and experiences are covered at our Bath bars guide, our Bath wineries guide, and our Bath experiences guide.
Other Modern British kitchens worth benchmarking against nationally: CORE by Clare Smyth in London, The Fat Duck in Bray, L'Enclume in Cartmel, Hand and Flowers in Marlow, hide and fox in Saltwood, and The Ritz Restaurant in London. The Bath Priory is playing in credible company.
Reservations: Book well in advance , this is a hard booking, particularly for weekends and special occasions. Contact via email at bathpriory@relaischateaux.com or by phone at +44 (0)1225 331 922. Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 12–10 pm; closed Monday and Tuesday. Budget: ££££ , expect a significant per-head spend at dinner; lunch may offer better value for the same kitchen. Address: Weston Rd, Bath BA1 2XT. Website: thebathpriory.co.uk.
If The Bath Priory is fully booked or the price point is a stretch, Beckford Bottle Shop and Beckford Canteen offer Modern British cooking at a lower price tier with strong sourcing credentials of their own. Upstairs at Landrace is worth knowing for a more informal but ingredient-led experience. Acorn is the option if plant-based cooking is a priority.
Yes , it is one of the most reliable choices in Bath for a significant celebration. The low noise level, spaced tables, formal service, and Michelin Plate kitchen make a strong combination. The country house setting and garden terrace add occasion weight that city-centre alternatives like Olive Tree do not offer. Book well ahead for weekend evenings.
The kitchen's Michelin Plate recognition and OAD Top 400 Europe ranking (2024 and 2025) signal consistent quality that justifies the ££££ price at any format. The seasonal à la carte is the confirmed menu structure; whether a tasting menu is offered separately is leading confirmed directly with the restaurant. At this price tier, the ingredient sourcing , regional British produce, traceable provenance , is a core part of what you are paying for.
Treat this as a hard booking. For weekend dinners, 4–6 weeks in advance is a reasonable minimum. Midweek lunch (Wednesday to Friday) is the more accessible window and may come available with shorter lead times. Contact via bathpriory@relaischateaux.com or +44 (0)1225 331 922 to check availability.
The formal country house format suits solo diners less naturally than a counter-style or wine bar setting. If solo dining is your priority, Beckford Bottle Shop or Upstairs at Landrace offer a more comfortable solo experience at lower price points. The Bath Priory is better suited to pairs or small groups.
It is a hotel restaurant, which shapes the experience: expect formal service, a calm atmosphere, and a setting that rewards arriving early for a garden aperitif when the weather allows. The à la carte format means you are not locked into a long tasting menu , you can control the pace and spend to a degree. Dress smartly; this is not a casual room. The Relais & Châteaux affiliation sets the service standard. If you are visiting Bath specifically, pairing dinner here with a stay at the hotel makes more sense than a standalone reservation from across the city.
Lunch is the better entry point for first-timers. The kitchen and sourcing quality are the same, but lunch typically offers better value at ££££ venues , smaller spend, daylight views of the garden, and a more relaxed service pace. Dinner is the right call for a significant occasion or when atmosphere weight matters more than value. The Wednesday-to-Friday lunch window is the most accessible booking in the week.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Bath Priory | Modern British | ££££ | Hard |
| Olive Tree | Modern Cuisine | ££££ | Unknown |
| The Chequers | Traditional Cuisine | ££ | Unknown |
| Beckford Bottle Shop | Modern British | ££ | Unknown |
| Montagu's Mews | Modern Cuisine | £££ | Unknown |
| Oak | Vegetarian | ££ | Unknown |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
Yes — it is one of the stronger special occasion options in Bath. The country house hotel setting, award-winning gardens, and Michelin Plate recognition (2024 and 2025) give the occasion genuine weight. At ££££, it sits at the top of Bath's price tier, so factor that in. For a lower-key celebration, Olive Tree is a closer rival on the food side at a slightly less pressured price point.
The Bath Priory leads with a seasonal à la carte rather than a fixed tasting menu, so this is not a venue where you are locked into a long format. The à la carte showcases quality British produce — Wiltshire lamb loin is cited as a signature example — in dishes the Michelin Guide describes as well-executed and full of flavour. If a tasting menu format is what you are after, Olive Tree offers an alternative within Bath.
Book as far ahead as possible — at least three to four weeks for weekends, more for key dates and holidays. The Bath Priory is a hard booking given its hotel setting, limited seats, and OAD Top 400 Europe profile. Contact via email at bathpriory@relaischateaux.com or phone +44 (0)1225 331 922. Do not leave it to last-minute chance.
The Bath Priory is not the obvious solo dining choice in Bath. The country house hotel format and ££££ price range are geared toward couples and small groups marking an occasion. Solo diners who want the same calibre of cooking without the formality should consider Beckford Bottle Shop, which offers Modern British cooking in a more relaxed format at a lower price point.
This is a hotel restaurant first — the dining room sits inside a country house on Weston Road (BA1 2XT), with a rear garden and terrace worth using for an aperitif if weather allows. Chef Jauca Catalin runs a seasonal à la carte focused on British produce. The kitchen holds a Michelin Plate and ranked #370 in OAD's Top Restaurants in Europe in 2025. Dress smartly; the setting expects it.
Lunch is the stronger practical case — The Bath Priory opens at 12 pm Wednesday through Sunday, and a midday booking lets you make use of the terrace and gardens in daylight, which is part of the experience. Dinner slots fill faster and command more competition for reservations. If availability is tight, take the lunch slot without hesitation.
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