Pyesta in Cheltenham

With this type of restaurant you need to go with at least 4 people to get a varied selection of the cuisine. It is expensive for what you get however it was delicious and service very friendly. Overall satisfied and have recommended to others.

Where to start? First let me address some of the really unhelpful reviews that have been posted about this restaurant. DON’T LISTEN TO THEM! This is one of the top top restaurants that I’ve have the privilege to visit. Firstly the service was top class, faultless. A first visit for myself and my partner to a Philippine restaurant and staff and owner were on hand to guide us through their menu. There is definitely something for everyone! Cocktail drinks were on point to get us ready for a taste sensation (Moscow mule and old fashioned). BBQ skewers, mango salad, liempo, calamari, garlic rice, chicken noodles. No we didn’t quite finish it all but we certainly took what we could polish off away in takeaway tubs. This was a birthday celebration meal, and the team brought out a complimentary ice cream made out sweet potatoes with a natural violet colour. This just topped off a great evening. If you visit Cheltenham this place has to be on the ‘to do list’. Enjoy!!!

After one visit to this place for dinner, and it has became one of my favourite places in Cheltenham. We could only book a very late night dinner, but was excited to try it out and heard there was karaoke late in the evening. This place was so much fun! I don’t sing, but the energy in this restaurant is incredible and you feel so warm and included. I’ve never had such an incredible time at a restaurant before. The food to me wasn’t what I was expecting. I wasn’t expecting it to be as oily as it was, and it wasn’t like the images on the menu, so I was disappointed, but my partner loved his food. I dont typically eat fried food anyway. We loved this place and would honestly recommend it as a “must” visit!

This place is a hidden gem! I visited Cheltenham for a conference & wished to eat somewhere with good reviews & I definitely found it here! The restaurant isn't huge however the Thursday evening I visited it was busy. Colourfully decorated outside and in, the place had a friendly feeling.as soon as I walked in. I have mobility issues and although not needed there is a wheelchair lift if required to reach the restaurant floor as there are several steps up to this and the small bar area. Both staff members were friendly and attentive, giving me time to peruse the menu without having to chase them for assistance or having them pushing me form my order. They got it just right, which I was thankful for after a very long day. The gent serving me gave me some great recommendations after explaining I had not tried any Filipino food. So, with his recommendation and my inability of taking too much spice I ordered a very mild pork sisig, barbeque chicken skewers and java rice. The nice thing was the choice of heat with the order. I was given the choice of heat with the pork sisig - I decided on lowest heat level 1 (pathetic/can't handle the heat) but there are 3 levels of heat to choose. I would have loved to have tried one of the beers at the restaurant, however after a long day since 2am & ordering at 7pm I would have ended up with my face in my food asleep. Do, sadly I had to settle on ginger beer and cola drink. The beers I longingly saw on other tables looked a decent size & enjoyed by other guests. So, it was explained to me with the sisig it arrives with a raw egg on top which needs to be mixed in. The male server very kindly came along and mixed this up for me which was a lovely gesture. Now looking at the sisig it may put people off as I would say it doesn't look like the most attractive dish. BUT BOY DOES IT TASTE AMAZING!!! The texture is very different once mixed with the egg, very velvety, smooth and packed with flavour. The dish arrived on a sizzler plate and with other dishes is enough for 2 people. But for me I had the delight of eating it all for myself (I was so pleased because it was delicious & no way I would share!!). I also had a small bowl of java rice, another new for me! Although a small bowl there was a lot of rice packed in in and was the perfect amount. Again a very tasty dish which complimented the pork sissi. Lastly with the main meal were 2 chicken barbecue skewers with dipping sauce. The skewers although though not huge were well packed with chicken. These were AMAZING. The flavours hit my taste buds as soon as I bit into it. You can taste the coal/barbecue flavour on the meat with the amazing flavours from the marinade. Now, because I was being greedy & didn't want to stop I decided on a pudding. I didn't really need one as by this time I was pretty full however needed something to cleanse my palate after my main. Sadly there was not a full choice of deserts on the night I visited. I did however settle on having the Turon. This was delish having hot filo wrapped banana/jackfruit in a rum glaze and vanilla ice cream. My only issue was how I was going to finish it all and how to pick up the filo rolls to eat as I would have launched them from my bowl across the restaurant if I had tried to cut them with my spoon in the bowl with my melting ice cream. Thankfully, I managed with sticky fingers....pudding was very tasty and very sweet. I really hope to be able to return to Cheltenham again soon so that I can return to Pyesta to try more amazing dishes and to actually leave a tip this time as paid by card and not given the option to offer a further tip on top of 10% gratuity already included if I had wanted. The restaurant is reasonably priced for the amazingly tasty food and great service provided. Sadly I was only able to take a couple of photos with my phone due to very low battery & they do not give the dishes the justice they deserve. If you want to try somewhere friendly with amazing food flavours then please try this amazing gem of a restaurant!!!

Intro: I fell in love with the Philippines over 10 years ago and have been going there most years ever since. My wife and daughter live there and I am making arrangements to move there. So it will come as no surprise when I say I love Filipino cuisine but there is a vast shortage of decent traditional "proper" restaurants in Devon. A quick Google search led me to Pyesta restaurant in Cheltenham and it's here I'm reviewing today There were an even number of British and Filipino customers at tables all eating and the place was around half full. Portia tells me they're fully booked after 6pm and always busy Friday and Saturday evenings especially as it's Karaoke from 930pm every Friday and Saturday evening. Interior: As I step in the first thing that hits me is the recognisable aroma of the cooking food and I smile instantly. It's a relatively small place nicely decorated with traditional items you might see in the Philippines such as destination plates from jeepneys, once the main source of transport in the Philippines. The bar area resembles any beach bar you would sit at sipping a cold beer/cocktail in the warm tropical breeze and the mural at the far end was designed by a local artist then painted by another so as to capture the typical kind of Filipino style you might also see when on holiday. The atmosphere is calm and inviting. Not at all overbearing and Filipino pop music plays quietly but not too loud so people can't talk together. The look is typically rustic with wooden benches and also comfortable chairs. If you're looking for a hotel lounge type environment, this isn't it. But that's not what they're going for and what they've done absolutely fits. Main: I ordered the national dish of the Philippines, Chicken Adobo which is a recipe of Portia's grandfather. Adobo is my favourite pinoy fish and here it's absolutely amazing! The serving is typically Filipino where,unlike the West where portions are huge, the portion is what a regular person would likely eat. The flavour is outstanding and well balanced. The meal was hot, well presented and, I might have already said, tasted great! Dessert: Going with tradition, after the national main dish, I decided to go with the national dessert...Halo Halo. For those who don't know what Halo Halo is, its generally quite big and has crushed ice, ube ice-cream and all manner of toppings (think if subway did an ice sundae?!) that come with each serving. Sometimes even sweetcorn! Wow! Tastes sooooo good. Not sure about the beans in the bottom (instead of sweetcorn I guess) but the rest was...delish. Service: The host and business owner, Portia, is like every single Pinoy host. Full of smiles, happy, chatty and making her way around the tables chatting with guests and ensuring they are ok. One table of tourists had stopped by and tried the food and we're very complimentary of the whole experience they had. Portia gave them some tips about local attractions but also shared some info about Pinoy culture when they asked about the Boodle (which Pyesta do every Sunday!) Front of house were 2 staff, Portia and a young guy. Portia, though chatting with customers, also cleaned tables and the younger guy served food and took orders. Unlike many places I review where lately clearing tables seems to be optional now, here as soon as a group left, the table is cleared and cleaned and all tables are spotless. Order taken quickly and food came quickly. On arriving and leaving, one or more staff ensure to say goodbye/welcome the guests as they arrive/leave. Not hugely important when the rest of the service is so good, but no table check during the meal. Value for money: At first glance Pyesta is relatively expensive particularly when you see the portion size of the main. However, some things that need to be mentioned that brings it all into perspective. First, as a Brit, I'm used to bigger, unnecessarily gut busting, portions but after eating the meal, I felt pretty satiated. Secondly, in order to achieve that traditional and typically Filipino style and cuisine, most of the products are imported which carries a hefty price tag. So, with the service, food quality and overall experience, it's a fair amount to pay. Conclusion: I drove 2 hours to visit Pyesta to try the food and Portia and her team didn't disappoint. The ambience of the place is as close to traditional as you could get in an industrial shop in the centre of Cheltenham. The service is on point and what you would expect as Filipinos have been said to be the most happy and hospitable people.on earth and here it shows in all it's Pinoy glory. The main, turned out to be just the right size portion and tasted absolutely delicious. I could've eaten more but didn't need to, it filled just right. The Halo Halo was worthy of a photo that you can see in this review and was also amazing. Overall I would absolutely recommend Pyesta to anyone seeking great tasting Pinoy food with happiness and an equally delightful welcome.