Restaurant GL50 in Cheltenham

Tried the 5 course menu one evening at Jonas at GL50. The quality was fantastic, superbly prepared and presented with style and enthusiasm by the chefs themselves. The flavours were intense on every course but not over flavoured. The front of house was also very good. This restaurant deserves to be very successful. My only feedback on changing things was that the wine flight, at £45/head for three small (c125ml) glasses of wine each, we thought excessive. Nice wines but (to us) no more so than the wines we would normally chose in a quality restaurant for £30-£40 for the bottle. I think adding just more one glass of wine so you didn’t need to ‘manage a glass across two savoury courses’ would make the wine flight feel a little better value.

An exceptional dining experience. Not knowing what food was coming until it was placed in front of you and described by the chefs was fun and exciting. Plenty of unique and contrasting flavour combinations. Their ethos of not having any waste made the dishes intriguing and innovative. Their passion and hard work eases into everything they do. Exceptional hosting from Balazs and terrific wine pairing which was well balanced (particularly the Hungarian Sauvingon!). Jonas and his chefs were personable and clearly proud of their craft. Thank you for a top notch evening!

Absolutely exceptional food and service. The work that goes into each dish is incredible - flavours are great - with some interesting twists. Love the fact that the menu is provided after finishing the meal, so the surprises keep coming. Every course was a delight (in particular the cabbage ice cream was fab). Although front of house was new, seems to have got the correct ambience and style. The chefs bring the food to the table and describe the dish. I can’t recommend this restaurant enough. Remains one of my absolute favourites.

Booked in advance for birthday dinner, but perhaps no need as we were the only people there all night. We had booked before the new concept launched but they phoned to discuss their changes beforehand. Super friendly from arrival; it was a pleasure to have a waiter who knew the menu and could make informed wine recommendations. We enjoyed sitting in the bar area and looking at the art while sampling canapés. Chefs came out to introduce each dish. The menu was very original if not slightly mad. Recommend going on an empty stomach, we were very full!

Jonas at GL50 is a restaurant that is memorable experience. The chef’s approach to developing a cuisine from seasonal British food and avoiding waste has led to some truly unique and dazzling dishes. Their servings of mushrooms and smoked eels were quite spectacular. The courses including amuse bouche are delightful and delicious. For comparison it is difficult to find any difference in quality between the Champignon Sauvage and Lumiere ( both with Michelin stars ) and Jonas @ GL50. Jonas kindly came out of his kitchen to discuss his recipes with my autistic daughter, which made my and her evening. All I can say is this is a fabulous restaurant and I cannot recommend it enough for a wonderful dining experience

been lucky to a lot of the top Michelin star places from waterside inn restaurant Gordon Ramsey and Le Gavroche to name a few. I must say this place the food and staff are right up there, i really mean that. My first try at 7 course tasting menu and every course was beautifully presented with very strong flavours. I real joy and the staff were very special and fun. This place deserves a STAR. We live in this area now and will be regular visitors to your place thank you

Came here for the Mrs birthday and we were truly impressed. If you want the same old, safe flavours you are used to, don’t go here, that’s not what Jonas does. If like us, you are looking for something new by someone prepared to push the envelope a bit, then I can’t recommend this place highly enough. This is, to date, the best tasting menu I have ever had (…& I’ve had a few) it was varied, with some dishes being delicate, some bold and an interesting ‘intermediate’ dish designed to take you effortlessly from savoury to sweet; very original and Iike nothing I have ever tasted before. For us, Jonas at GL50 has set a standard. I don’t know where our next fine dining experience will be but I do know what we will be comparing it to. This place is different, the wine list includes wines from India, all your cutlery needs are in a box on your table and your food is brought to the table by the chefs that cooked it. We found it pleasantly relaxed and all about the food. Book a table soon, It could well be difficult to get one before too long

Superb quality dining in a non-pretentious atmosphere. Innovating, caring and made us feel special. Exciting flavour combinations and worth every penny.

This place is a real treat - fabulous food, but none of it run-of-the-mill. Huge attention to detail, lovely twists on old favourites - I can't tell you how lovely a stawberry desert is with a slightly sweetened goats' cheese mousse on top - lovely staff, real care about what they offer. I am intolerant to onions and garlic, but this chef goes out of his way to accommodate me. Here I get access to only a slightly reduced menu, which means that he has made stocks and sauces without onions and garlic for several of his main courses, several of his starters. A wonderful poched egg with a gloriously punchy hollandaise sauce and asparagus soldiers, I could eat that for ever. Turbot delicious. My husband had a wonderful dish of lamb three ways, pulled, faggot and as it comes, he described it to our taxi driver on the way home who complained that he was now hungry, he could just fancy that dish. Staff are wonderful. We had such a good eve, and are going back for more with all the family at the end of the month. I can't wait.

Outstanding , sophisticated food beautifully plated. Each dish was brought to the table by one of the chefs and explained in detail adding to the experience. I rarely write reviews as quite often I do not have very much to say that is positive but in this case a weekday lunch delivered so far over our expectations. The restaurant is located opposite the Minster with window tables offering good people watching opportunities and high end shopping just around the corner. On arrival our welcome was warm and genuine, this style of service continued throughout a long lazy lunch. The menu is concise but offers a good range and includes interesting ingredients. My mushroom parfait included fermented celeriac and for me it is always fun to try new things - it was very good. Hogget 3 ways was the most flavoursome lamb dish I have ever eaten. The rack cooked to perfection with a layer of fat that was not only delicious but much 'cleaner' than lamb fat normally, so good I ate all of it rather than trimming it off. Jonas served some of the plates to our table and took time to chat with us in addition to introducing the food, it was fairly quiet at lunchtime so I would not necessarily expect him to be able to do this in a busy evening. I really cannot fault anything just a shame we are not a bit closer as it would certainly be our go to for entertaining and celebrations.

Looking for a place to celebrate my wife’s birthday whilst we were in Gloucester, I stumbled upon Jonas at GL15. The team were really helpful in the build up, specifically Sophie - taking dietary requirements in advance and accommodating our young son on the day. The food was exceptional. Perfect taster menu for lunch. In-house smoked Salmon (with beetroot & horseradish) dish was honestly one of the best salmon dishes I’ve ever had. Desserts absolutely stunning - Rhubarb and Custard being the hero of the whole lunch. I can’t praise the team and Jonas for making this a truly memorable lunch. Very good value for money too. Thank you to all involved.

On the plus side we liked the ambiance of this restaurant and the staff were friendly and helpful. The chocolate dessert was delicious. On the negative side, we were largely disappointed with the food. The salmon starter was okay. The turbot was nice but a strange flavour to the sauce. Lions mane mushrooms required more of the potato addition for a better balance. Most disappointing was probably the sides of; Jersey Royal potatoes which were dry and shrunken inside ( as if left kept warm a long time) and the purple sprouting broccoli was extremely tough - grilled until it ate like hard string. I couldn’t eat it and was told it would be taken off the bill. Upon checking the bill the next morning we find it was NOT. We would say that our experience was not worth the £176 (including a good wine)

Lovely relaxed ambience and a great welcome. Nice view from our table . Enjoyed trying some new wines, loved the sparkling rose Hungarian wine before our meal. Varied menu and lovely taste combinations. The staff are obviously very proud of what they do and rightly so. Scallop starter special was perfectly cooked, as was the turbot. Everything was served at a gentle pace and we never felt rushed. Basically we found everything perfect and we left very relaxed and replete. Thank you to all the staff who made our lunch so fabulous.

Friends booked this as a table of 10 during Cheltenham race week. First time for all of us and to make life easy we all went for the “taster” menu of 7 courses. When you’re paying £90 per head you would expect an amuse bouche….well I think they did as the first course! This is what part of the email from them said: “As previously discussed we can also offer our seven course tasting menu for £90 a head. This would be a surprise menu on the evening so we would ask for any special dietary requirements for the party to ensure that all the surprises are good ones.” It certainly was a surprise - raw sliced brown mushrooms first course & second course cold beetroot. This is just a bit of food prep not becoming of a Michelin recommendation/fine dining. I think the worst part was the “transition” stage (between main course, chicken and pudding, counted as another course)….. wait for it…… cabbage ice cream….. I’m challenging your pallet was the comment !!!!!! I’m sorry but frankly the impression I got was this was rip off time during race week. ….alas the service was middling to poor to add to the final bill of £165/head. There’s plenty of other choices in Cheltenham for these prices. A pretty poor show I’m afraid Jonás. It should be so much better when we’re all having the same.

Wow if was restaurant it would Be this, a different level of food such a style such love food was out of this world a real talent. You can only love this place.. it is amazing

Quite easily the most amazing meal I have ever had. Incredible flavours with ingenious pairings. Everything was absolutely top notch, the team were amazing and friendly, and to meet Jonas at the end made it even more special. Would absolutely recommend and if you’re in...

Absolutely amazing 21st birthday meal!!! The food was beautiful, we went for a 5 course set menu, it was definitely worth every penny spent. Just want to say a special thank you to the staff for the amazing food and service. I would 100% recommend...

Really lovely meal and very friendly and personal service. The restuarant is quite pared down - simple decor, bare tables, cutlery in a neat little box on the table, unfussy menus - so the focus is on the exceptional food and very friendly service. The...

We visited Jonas@Gl50 for a birthday treat! We had the 5 course tasting menu at lunch time. The food was delicious and well presented. All the food is brought to the table by the Chefs, including Chef Jonas. It was really clear that he was...

This place is fabulous. Firstly, I am onion and garlic intolerant and therefore a nightmare to cook for. With24 hours warning, this restaurant offers me everything on their menu adapted to my dietary needs. Everything! Lumiere also offer this. These two lovely restaurants are both...

Visited on a Saturday evening with another couple to celebrate mine & my friend’s birthday. We certainly weren’t disappointed! Had 2 courses & both were superb. Not massive but plenty as so tasty. Will definitely revisit at some point. Lovely location near Cheltenham Minister too...

All in all a fantastic experience, with some very interesting flavour combinations. Service was excellent with the chefs delivering to the table being a novel touch. There were some potentially challenging dished, who would have thought that chocolate, histkey and mushroons would work as a...

So disappointed to be leaving this review as we were out for my husband's birthday and we're really looking forward to eating here. Unfortunately I was fed pork, after we had repeatedly confirmed that I was a pescatarian. It was hidden under a piece of...

A fantastic meal. Salmon, venison with mild! And frozen apple crumble. Food is of highest quality and full of flavour! Great service and value for money wines.

Lovely experience at GL50. Staff were attentive and not overly formal. Lots of nice little touches and surprises. The food was sublime and as a vegetarian it felt like real effort had gone in to making a tasty meal. 100% would recommend.

I had a birthday lunch at GL50 and it was outstanding. The food was just delicious and the service was exceptional. I very much look forward to returning in the not too distant future.

Wonderful Sunday lunch. Incredible starter of squash parfait with seed granola - depth of flavour & combination of textures just lush. Roast chicken main - generous portion with crispy roast potatoes, and parsnips roasted until caramelised. Stuffing, gravy & sides of red cabbage plus more...

Love this place, just keeps improving. Fabulous, inventive food in a relaxed and unstuffy environment. Service always exceptional. Menu always seasonal and just what you fancy eating that night.

Exceptional food! Imaginative menu and beautifully presented. Exciting wines and great service. We went for a signature birthday and loved it!

Outstanding service throughout our taster menu. The food was superb and really creative with some great twists - we loved the caramelised, malted cabbage ice cream. Thoroughly recommend Jonas at GL50!

It was a rare occasion that my wife and I could go out for a meal together, so we were quite picky about the kind of place we wanted to eat. We wanted something really good and Jonas at GL50 seemed like it would be...

Booked a table for four for a family birthday following recommendation from a friend. From the moment we entered the staff were engaging and made us feel very welcome and comfortable. The restaurant has a relaxed friendly atmosphere, the menu is fresh, exciting and intriguing....

This is one of the three best dining experiences that we have enjoyed in the last 20 years. I'm GF and vegetarian and my wife is vegetarian so we are used to having less of a choice but at GL50 we got our own menu!...

We visited this week for a celebratory dinner and throughly enjoyed a delicious tasting menu. Each dish was delicately presented and explained by accomplished staff including Jonas. From the moment we arrived we felt welcome and relaxed and were introduced to new, exciting flavours with...

Visited again for a birthday - all the food was delicious, spot on with every element and every course - almost a fight over who finished the truffle mash! Portion sizes expertly judged. Personal service. If you enjoy your food this is the place to...

My Previous review :- The last time we ate here, Was when it was the "White Spoon" And to be honest, i cant remember it ! This time as GL50 It was a pleasant meal. A Tad expensive, But the qaulity is excellent. As a...

Our second visit and we were not disappointed. An eight-course taster menu with accompanying wine-flight was flawlessly cooked and served by talented and friendly staff. Stand out courses were the turbot and chicken-liver parfait, the pollock in lobster bisque, and the Tunworth ice-cream with honeycomb...

A very special eating experience (We had the 7 course tasting menu). The inventiveness of the cooking & very original wine list sets this place apart. Add that to fantastically good & genuine service, you have an amazing restaurant.

We had the 5 course tasting luncheon. The chefs took into account my dislike for mushrooms and adjusted/created separate dishes to cater which I wasnt expecting but shows their creative ability to adapt to guests and still deliver on beautiful tasting dishes. The five courses...

We tried the Sunday lunch on the opening weekend. This represents a good value option to try this restaurant and does not disappoint. The food was tasty and well thought through. The plan is to do different options each month. The portion size was good...

A lovely authentic restaurant that seems to take pride in serving people, and serving them well. the food is fabulous, and considering the quality and service very reasonable. I cant think of a better place to spend an enjoyable evening

My friends and I went last night for my birthday as a treat. We were impressed firstly by the ambiance. Staff were friendly and welcoming, rather than intimidating. This is a relaxed, friendly little restaurant which makes you feel comfortable. The food was excellent, particularly...

A visit to this restaurant reminded me of experiences in France where I learned never to judge a venue from the outside or the flashy décor! This is a case in point. If you are looking for a bold outside and an expensive interior this...

It was a birthday celebration, we were given a choice of vegetarian options for every course and the food was superb. The staff were attentive and knowledgeable. The Eton Mess dessert was out of this world

We had a lovely 7 course dinner at GL50 and the food was excellent and well-presented, using local produce. Great service as well and a good choice for our special dinner in Cheltenham. We also had a good conversation with Chef Jonas and his enthusiasm...

We were so excited for another fine dining tasting menu by a restaurant mentioned by the Michelin guide. What a shame, it was a massive waste of time and money. We had 1 meat course given out of 7 courses. The amuse bouche was classed...

We should have called it a day when the starters arrived. Smoked salmon was a teaspoon of tasteless minced fish and cucumber. Asparagus with hens egg was an ok egg and a few peeled strands of max half an asparagus spear - an inconceivable serving...

Ordered the beef rib sharer special for our anniversary dinner. Never tasted such a tender, well cooked and perfectly seasoned piece of beef. Sides were excellent, wine list short but outstanding. Absolutely faultless

Fantastic visit, great quality 9 course tasting menu for 4 people including vegetarian and no fish. Top quality food without too much formality

Fantastic food which not only looked good but was so delicious. Great friendly service without being pretentious, Good selection of wine\drinks, my glass of Rose was very nice. Such a nice touch when the chef comes out for a chat about is passion for the...

4 of us went to celebrate my 40th birthday, and in all honestly this was hands down the best dining experience I’ve ever had. We went for the 7 course tasting menu and the food was exceptional with great combinations, variety of textures and spot...

Super from start to finish. Warm welcome. Lovely touch having a personalised envelope containing the menus. Excellent choice of wines. The food was outstanding, the chef Jonas came out a couple of times and each dish was described. As a coeliac I was well catered...

The food, service and ambience at GL50 is unbelievably good. It’s difficult to describe just how fantastic the food was here. Every dish had clearly taken hours of preparation and while the photographs give an indication of what we ate, I can assure you that...

Wow. From start to finish, just wow. The setting, service and of course the food were all impeccable. My lovely friend treated me to the 7 course tasting menu for lunch. It was incredible. All of the flavours were insane, and the chef coming out...

Michelin describe this as a simple restaurant? Really? It's not stuffy-starch-stuck-up like some of the top Michelin restaurants but to call it simple is very misleading, The food was outstanding, innovative and perfectly cooked. Service was friendly and polished. Highly recommended.

If you like your leaving your mouth feeling sensational this is the place to go. I did find it difficult to choose from the menu but we decided to trust the combinations boy are we glad we did a true food education.

Exquisite food served up by the chef himself- this talented team have a passion for sustainability and are creating something really special here. A real treat.

Great 5 course tasting menu with wine flight. Tucked away by the library with a lovely warm atmosphere and very attentive and knowledgeable staff. A delight.

We had the 7 course taster menu with wine fight, the staff are very knowledgable and the food drink combos work really well.

Wonderful food and perfect ambiance. We were delighted by the 7 course tasting menu. Well presented and beautiful. Wish we lived in Cheltenham....

We had the tasting menu, which is not inexpensive, but the food was excellent, and a chef bought each dish to the table which was novel and meant you could have a quick chat about the food with them as well. It's a nice dining...

Excellent menu with some really interesting dishes. The waiting staff were very well informed and it was interesting that a chef brought the food to the table and explained the dish. Really enjoyed the beef which was a special for 2 people to share.

We visited this restaurant tonight for the first time, for my husband’s birthday. Food and service were absolutely excellent! We had a small issue whereby our main courses weren’t hit but this was dealt with efficiently and effectively. They even gave us free dessert and...

We really enjoyed a superb, inventive menu, including venison fillet with haggis croquettes, and a beef fat salted caramel tart for pudding. You'll have to go there to find out more!!! Great service too. Lovely wine list. I believe it to be very fairly priced...

Nice interior decor. Although the wife snagged her jacket on the rustic table tops. Good solid food. We’re salt lovers so would have had an extra grind on most dishes. Good venison. Clever beef fat desert. Peas a little over cooked. All in all would...

We loved our night out here! Having booked on a whim, and without really knowing what to expect, we were swept away on Jonas's wonderful 7 course tasting menu, all in the wonderful care of Sophie. We just sat back and let the food, wine...

It took us a while to find a place to park and walk to the restaurant. Love the setting of the restaurant, simple and tastefully done. The menu is rather short but the quality of the food is incredibly high. There were too many flavours...

Highly over rated. No atmosphere and nothing about it left a lasting memory and will not go back. Struggling to find anything positive about the night. It’s a shame.

Had 1 vegetarian and 1 meat tasting menu. The food was amazing. The service was excellent. Could not fault it - perfect birthday treat for my husband.

Head for the Minster, right outside is GL50. We went here for lunch and was blown away at how fantastic this was. Everything was perfect, from our welcome and the named envelope of the table with the menus to the most amazing food. Put this...

Great dining space. Courteous, attentive, engaging staff. The most tantalising, flavoursome and spectacular dishes I have ever eaten. Faultless, memorable and highly desirable. Book now!

Hidden down a back-street this gem of a restaurant is worth finding as it is characterised by huge attention to detail in both the kitchen and front of house. Beautifully presented dishes included starters of venison carpaccio with a hay and parsley crisp, and a...

This was a first visit to GL50 and it wasn’t disappointing. Check out their website for examples of the a la carte menu - which all sound delicious. For our first visit we decided to try the taster menu (you have to tell them in...

GL50 came highly recommended and did not disappoint. We had a short 3 day stay in Cheltenham and dined in 3 restaurants. GL50 was our first restaurant and set the bar at a great height. The menu was full of great dishes with plenty of...

The whole experience, from booking, through to the end of the meal was excellent. Fantastic tastes. Fantastic meal. The service was warm and friendly without any hint of stuffiness or pretence; a lovely relaxed vibe ran through the whole restaurant. The food was fantastic...definitely one...

Simply fantastic! Wonderfully attentive service from the moment we arrived. The menu was varied and exciting, and every dish we had was cooked to perfection. The staff were extremely knowledgeable about the menu and made excellent wine recommendations throughout, which made our experience all the...

A wonderful meal. My venison and black cherry starter was transcendental. My wife's halibut kedgeree main course was the best main course she's ever had. The charming staff's wine recommendation was spot on, and the amuse bouche and sweets at the end capped it off,...

This meal was faultless. A warm welcome, beautifully styled decor and well spaced tables. Menu was very well balanced for choice, ingredients were top notch and a great wine list. The food was excellent, service impeccable and all underpinned by their commitment to sustainability. Thank...

Great food. Great service. Lovely environment. Best meal we've had since things re-opened. Highly recommended. We'll definitely be back

A cozy restaurant with amazing staff and head chef. My girlfriend and stayed the night in Cheltenham before heading onto our Air Bnb in the country side. Both loving all sorts of foods managed to find ourselves a Michelin starred restaurant serving a tasting menu...

This was pretty close to a faultless evening for me. Four of us went for a birthday. Lovely to have the opportunity for a cocktail and a beer whilst looking at the menu. Never felt rushed. Amuse bouche of pea soup and duck croquette set...

We enjoyed lunch for four here and both food and service were really excellent. great restaurant, well worth a visit.

Exquisite food, paired with beautiful wines, a real experience and absolutely loved the welcome, informative, knowledgable and clearly passionate team. Often as a veggie I feel underwhelmed with tasting menus but here the attention to detail, flavours and innovative approach was outstanding and I felt...

Excellent tasty food, I do love finding restaurants which standout with great service and excellent food, and a fresh taste which gets your pallet fizzing. This is one to return to, you will not be disappointed, remember to have desert!

We treated ourselves to the nine course tasting menu whilst having a week away in Cheltenham and the Cotswolds. The menu was interesting and the service was excellent. Very friendly, warm and welcoming environment and a lovely way to spend an evening with fine food...

This restaurant was absolutely perfect to celebrate a belated birthday. It was a romantic setting some what off the beaten track of Cheltenham. When we arrived, the server was lovely and she was very welcoming. We started with wine in the bar area with some...

What a surprise. Had a meal with some old friends and our first visit to GL50. The whole experience from start to finish was truly outstanding. Fabulous staff, menu, ambience and food sensational. A lovely touch for the chef and owner to come and introduce...

I’ve always enjoyed this location and with the new development it sounds as though it will become a great location. The restaurant has been tastefully decorated and the relaxed ambience was enhanced by the satisfying soundtrack. The service had the right balance of attentiveness, the...

Simply wonderful and delicious. Looking for an extra special evening out with hubby, mission accomplished. Great food, such a lovely welcome and relaxing atmosphere. Lots of innovative culinary treats. Highly recommended.

We dined at GL 50 on Tuesday evening upon arrival we were warmly greeted and sat down and ordered a drink before going to our table my wife had a cocktail which was very nice I had a bottle of beer which was nice but...

Having taken time to reflect on our experience to celebrate two family birthdays, it’s a shame that I find it necessary to write such a negative review. Having heard and read reviews about GL50 and their providing a Fine Dining experience, we booked a table...

The food was to die for, Michelin star quality. The staff were very knowledgable and it was reasonably priced I would totally recommend you try this place, you won’t leave disappointed or hungry

Absolutely top fabulous evening - the food was astonishingly good - we would certainly be regulars if we lived within striking range . They allowed us to take our own wine ( £30 Corkage which we were happy to pay) so we had a very...

The taster menu is fantastic so many different textures and tastes. It could not be faulted. The responsible Chef came out with each course and explained in detail all the ingredients. Fascinating, such wonderful skill. Excellent service from the staff. The best taster menu we...

I wish this restaurant was closer to home - I would be here every week. Fine dining in a lovely setting. not at all stuffy - just delicious and beautiful to look at.

We chose this place at the last minute, and they kindly squeezed us in - so glad they did! Just echoing all the other comments which refer to staff - friendly and attentive, food, stunningly different and delicious, reasonably priced considering the quality of each...

Having lived in Cheltenham and experienced the change in restaurants in favour of chain production offerings it was a pleasure to visit GL50. We booked for my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary and opted for the 7 course taster menu. The food and drink combo on...

The food and service were outstanding. I do not go out to eat very often but the whole dining expert was exceptional. Can’t wait until o can visit again.

My mother and I had the loveliest meal at GL50 to celebrate her birthday. This restaurant is relatively new, with an ambitious and inventive head chef and team of chefs, who have created a unique dining experience. Their menu is interesting and intentionally enigmatic, so...

Wonderful dinner, can’t recommend enough. The service, ambiance and food were all excellent. You will not be disappointed