The Retreat Wine Bar in Cheltenham

We sat down in the corner of the pub with our drinks planning on getting food and probably staying there for a while. The table was not reserved in any way, we were sat there for over 30 minutes having a nice quiet drink until the rudest, scruffiest man with long greasy hair and moustache came over and told us to 'get up, I need the table'. Didn't even bother to explain why, or even apologise then just stood there saying 'get up'. I genuinely didn't even realise he worked there.. I thought he was some random man asking us to get up. The pub was full with no other tables available. We were clearly an easy target being one of the youngest (29 and 31). The pub was full of over 50s. Not our fault you couldn't organise enough chairs and tables for a larger group. Clearly an error on your behalf. Safe to say we will never step foot in this place again.

Lovely bistro/bar, very friendly and helpful staff and owner. Great flavourful food in a relaxed atmosphere. Courtyard at rear.

Our first ever visit for lunch last Saturday and we thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. (Great music playlist too.) Friendly and attentive staff. The food was cooked to perfection and beautifully presented. Highly recommended! <3

Great range of lagers and a fab ambiance. Estrella and Kirin on tap to name my favourite s, Always worth a visit on an evening out in a lovely part of town. Well recommended and a nice courtyard garden out the back

Amazing gluten free fish and chips for lunch. Tender fish and light, crispy batter. Definitely the best fish and chips I’ve had. The chef certainly knows his business 👍.

Had really lovely lunch. Hot chicken sandwich. Really good.

Was a really long wait to get in. And the drinks were highly priced

Dropped in for luch at The Retreat, our first visit in 32 years! Delicious lunch, great service, welcoming and a magical bar. Quieter at lunchtime than the evening. Amazingly like it was so long ago but bigger. Fantastic.

Great atmosphere, good food, friendly staff. Our favourite place in Cheltenham, the food is excellent and great value, really pleasant staff, service with a smile. Went again last Saturday we both had the Halibut which was delicious, nice wine and great range of background music...Cat Stevens, Bob Dylan Dire Straights, Chris Rea. The Retreat is a unique, very special place.

Fabulous, tasty Sunday Lunch! Great, friendly service from the team.

Great Supper Club experience once again. Well done to James and the boys in the kitchen and all the staff!

Great pub. Haven't been there for 30 years. Still the same great atmosphere.

So so Nice range of drinks and it's a large place with a cute outdoor section Not the cleanest of places and the staff aren't the friendliest; they clearly prefer the party atmosphere on the night and they are bored/waiting for it

Great place to go for a quiet afternoon lunch. In the centre of town, in Montpellier on Suffolk Parade, nice rooms, good food, lovely staff…

Drink in evening, place was hopping my husband and I were the oldest in there! We enjoyed watching the youngsters.

It's not a bad place, food ok, drinks ok a bit overpriced though. No WiFi tried to watch the rugby tables booked with nobody sitting there, so we complained and then took over a table without questions.

Wonderful bar and staff. Even better culinary delights. Lost 1 star for the lack of heating for this time of year.

Amazing food with a good range on the menu ,good atmosphere and friendly staff! Definitely recommend

Great atmosphere, guaranteed good night !

Still the same for 40years. Good, honest pub atmosphere, food and drink. And the comic strip in the men's is still there!

Saturday 7.45pm, busy and very loud.

Absolutely delightful staff and the food was great.

Staff are very good, in the main, and provide excellent, smiley service. Atmospher (especially on Sunday market day) is electric, but price tends to reflect this. £22 for single course roast beef.

High quality restaurant food at pub prices. A lovely open kitchen which never fails to deliver. Genuinely Cheltenham hidden gem. Keep up the good work

Awful beer. Awful service. Had a pint of HPA that looked and tasted like dishwater. Went to get a pint of Guinness for pint two instead but couldn’t get the half wits serving to stop talking long enough to get served. Piss poor all round. Nothing more to say.

Popped in for a few early evening drinks on a break in Cheltenham, looked quiet from outside but had a nice sun trap beer garden and good selection of drinks. Service was excellent. Didn’t eat but the food looked great

Good beers, decent outdoor space.

It's been doing its thing for decades - and the thing is good. Good beer, good tunes, good people. All good really - could use some sound dampening.

Great customer service, and value for money, just gets a bit crowded.

What a nice place.. I went with my friend and we sat in the back garden, it was lovely.

A Cheltenham Institution, warm friendly atmosphere, fantastic food and a first class selection of beers and Wines. Mike, Lela, Mitch and the team are brilliant. A local independent.

Haven't been here for 40 years so thought I'd give it a go as I was back in town for the weekend. Didn't disappoint. lively as ever, friendly staff good selection of drinks and well kept beers.

Down in Cheltenham for the Jazz Festival and popped in for a drink in the beer garden on Saturday afternoon. Enjoyed the atmosphere so decided to book in for Sunday lunch. We were not disappointed! Possibly the best Sunday lunch We’ve had in years.Beautifully cooked , great service and value for money. Would certainly recommend.

The most exquisite food I have ever tasted. Beautifully presented (Master Chef quality) and the flavour combinations are superb. Excellent customer service also. 5 star all the way.

Very clean and well laid out good service very organised and staff very attentive.

Great bar, nice food and excellent service.

I’ve now eaten at The Retreat four times in the last 5 weeks and every time it’s been amazing . As a vegetarian it’s so great to go somewhere that puts effort and thought with the menu. Each dish has been completely different, really tasty and just mouth watering . Looking forward to eating there again . Thank you .

Good food great service but the floor needs deep cleaning. It’s smell like old pubs.

This place is in a nice quiet area so it’s a shame that it’s filled on Saturday nights with young boys taking drugs in the toilets and starting fights as if it’s a Wetherspoons. You only have to go into the beer garden and see them loitering around the toilets every five minutes, coming out and wiping their noses to know what’s going on.

We have been going to The Retreat on and off for more than 25 years and have never ever found it to be less than excellent, from having 'just' a glass pf wine through to enjoying lunch (and wine). It is the perfect lunchtime stop when shopping in Cheltenham, well worth the slight detour from the centre.

This place never changes and that's a good thing

Always an excellent night at The Retreat. Great atmosphere.

I have been going here since it opened and it's never changed. Excellent!!!

Enjoyed a few beers here as a diversion venue from the Bath Road run hostelries. Friendly service as ever in a non-traditional boozer!

We booked a table for 14 here and when we arrived the staff were rude and unhelpful we were told to shove some tables together in a corner but despite us going in earlier in the day to advise that 14 of us wanted to eat we were told we could only stay for a short time as they had reserved for other people, we were not given menus or any kind of service. We were a bit surprised and went to the bar where we were then told they didn't serve food in the evening! Despite us having told them that's what we were going for.

So social and homely! My favourite spot for drinks with friends and the food was delicious!!! I will always be returning

Wow, what fantastic food! The smoked chicken (sandwich) had a really full flavour and the potatoes with peas, beans, mint and other amazing flavours was exceptional as was dessert. To add to the experience, the staff were helpful, friendly and hard working. Can't wait to go back.

An excellent wine bar restaurant it’s a good location and friendly staff. It’s ideal for a drink with friends or a lunch with family

This used to be my absolute favourite place in Cheltenham to come drinking or eating with friends. But in recent years (last five or so) its been going downhill in terms of service and general atmosphere. The food here is always always amazing. The chefs are incredible and the food is top quality. The staff are always very young which I understand must be cheaper for the owners but it does mean they need extra training which they clearly arnt getting. Examples: ordered a drink and when I came in to ask the waitress where it was after 20 mins of waiting; she said the manager told her no more drinks (this is at 9:45pm when I’d ordered 20 mins before) But she didn’t think to come and let me know at all or apologise. Our food never arrived one night and considering the current rules with coronavirus this really shocked me.The waitress obviously hadn’t put the order through. We also got champagne with no ice bucket and when we asked for some glasses (yes arrived without any) the girl gave us a combination of wine glasses and large gin glasses. Watched the manager speak awfully to staff multiple time’s on several occasions and even the way he speaks to some of the customers shocks me. Even telling one young she looked like she was in need of a “good seeing to” when she was ordering a round. Me and my friends have decided we won’t be returning after years of regular (at least once a week) meetings here. Hopefully the owner who is a great guy can turn this around somehow! I know what I would do.

Came to the retreat to do some work and have some lunch. without warning the chefs whipped up the most amazing vegan food spontaneously. some of the best food ive ever tasted. James, will & Dom are the best chefs in cheltenham. service from Emma and Tiffany was fantastic as per usual. you have to visit this place!!

A menudo pasa desapercibido. Creo que la gente que sé que The Retreat no es solo un pub popular, también es un gran lugar para comer durante el día y, a menudo, no está demasiado ocupado si lo haces bien. No es el este en este momento con COVID, pero me gusta la forma en que lo hacen con el distanciamiento de la mesa e incluso nos tomaron la temperatura cuando llegamos.Pero eso es suficiente, la comida era excelente y las bebidas frías y el servicio excelente, y eso es todo lo que necesitas saber. Es mucho mejor que muchos otros restaurantes de la ciudad y a veces puedo ser un poco quisquilloso. El Fish & Chips es realmente sabroso y también lo es su tamaño. Si siempre tienes hambre como yo; enganchar eso.

The team and food was excellent and really went above and beyond to support my father who had covid-19 and came out with lunch for the first time. Thank you so much!

If you can find better cooking in Cheltenham right now, I'd be amazed. My lunch of devilled sardines with harissa mayo on foccaccio was exquisite.

Esta es una barra tan agradable si se apegaran a las pautas de COVID. Fui el viernes por la noche y había varios hombres drogándose en los baños y gritando al respecto. También había una gran cantidad de gente parada junto a mi mesa. Absolutamente ningún distanciamiento social de mí a pesar de que les dije que estaban demasiado cerca. Hizo que nuestro grupo se sintiera muy incómodo, lo cual es una pena porque normalmente nos encanta este bar.

Delicious lunch, the food was amazing everyone enjoyed their meal. Good service, great atmosphere. Couldn’t fault it. Could pick anything on the menu and it be delicious.

Visité recientemente para la cena del sábado por la noche. Nos recibió en la puerta un miembro del personal que llevaba una visera. Nos tomaron la temperatura y luego nos llevaron a nuestra mesa. Todas las mesas estaban socialmente distanciadas. Todo fue servicio de mesa y el personal fue muy atento siguiendo las pautas de seguridad.Mi única queja / consejo sería el horario en que se sirven las comidas 6. 00 pm a 8. A las 30 pm que la mesa de bebedores se separe de los demás que estén comiendo. El nivel de ruido era muy alto, lo que dificultaba la conversación, lo que arruinó la experiencia. Mi comida, el pescado y patatas fritas, era de muy buen gusto, sin embargo, la descripción era un poco extrañada, ya que resultó ser pescado y patatas fritas. Mi compañero tenía el cordero, pero dijo que no había muchos condimentos / sabor, por lo que requería una gran cantidad de sal y pimienta.Con estos pequeños ajustes, definitivamente daría el visto bueno.

Este pub tiene una clientela muy joven que se droga y lucha. La gerencia no se preocupa por los residentes, es una pena que la ubicación sea excelente, pero este establecimiento no tiene ninguna sensación de comunidad, deberían mirar a la colmena para ver cómo se ve y actúa un gran pub comunitario

Good food cooked well. Friendly staff. Ate lunch here 3 days on a work course and was consistently good. Focaccia is delicious!

Don't come here if you plan to make conversation, the "live" band was so loud as to be painful. Food and beer good but when you cant hear yourself think....

Visited for a post hairdresser Saturday lunch so quite early as only 12.30 and quiet although did get busier over time. Plenty of newspapers to read. Good pub grub, generous portion of very fresh and tasty fish and chips. Very reasonably priced. You have to order drink at the bar before ordering food at the table and this is not made clear but once sorted very pleasant staff. Light conservatory dining area at back (front of bar is rather dark). Only negative was people going in and out the back courtyard to smoke so door opening and closing and then the smell of them (reformed smoker reaction) so choose table carefully.

You will not get a quite pint here. It has quite a younger clientelle, which is fine. Decent beer, don't know about the wine.

The lunch here was excellent, would highly recommend the steak. The chicken burgers here were also very good.

First visit due to a recommendation. We enjoyed our lunch food could have been hotter, lovely courtyard would be lovely in the summer. Would return.

Came here for a pub lunch on Saturday. Very friendly and good selection of beer. Had a nice chicken burger on brioche bread. Friendly staff. Would come again,

Great for light Saturday lunch - good atmosphere and good food. Helpful friendly service - interesting decor.

We managed to miss this pub when we first moved to Cheltenham and I am still at a loss to explain why! Well, now we know it &amp; it's one of our regular haunts! Great selection of wines and beers and drinks, loads of space inside and outside and lots of things going on, e.g. live bands.

Popped into the retreat to meet a friend who told me that it was her go to place for lunch in Cheltenham. I had Serano Ham with almonds served on Foccacia with tomato rub, and it was indeed "LUSH!"

I popped into the retreat today to catch up with a mate I hadn't seen in a while and when I left I felt like I'd made a new friend with Laura the bar maid. She was funny, attentive and friendly and was happy to chat but was not too invasive. The drinks were fairly priced and the range of ales was fantastic. I will definitely be back soon.

A delight to have such a fabulous lunch with such attention to detail. Fresh and locally sourced food, wines to compliment. Delicious. A friendly atmosphere and close to the town centre. Well worth a visit or just keep going back!

Met up with some old school friends for lunch - really good food, well presented and very tasty - good veggie selection. The service was really friendly without being intrusive. Sat outside in the shade; a perfect location to catch-up.

We stopped for a quick lunch. Nice light menus. Good little garden. Friendly staff. Reasonable prices.

Visiting the Suffolk Market on a very busy bank holiday Monday led us to have lunch at the Retreat and wow we were so pleased we did. Two fantastic Burgers with lovely crispy chips were a real joy to eat. Perhaps the best burger ever. Lovely friendly staff and a brilliant buzz makes it really worth visiting this Cheltenham institution

Visited with baby and friend for a light lunch. Very pleasantly surprised. Food was well executed and good quality. Janine in the kitchen was delightful and obviously enjoys her work.

Supper club is fun and great value with wine pairings and live music - though with all the noise from a lively group of people it can hardly be heard. Ranulph chooses the wines and is keen to make sure everyone gets their fill. Usually monthly.

Over the years we have always enjoyed our visits to this great wine bar. You can always rely on it being the same, a good honest wine bar. Quality food is served at lunch time. Tables in courtyard for brighter day..

Well I haven’t been here for years but always used to drink here years ago and I must say it was like walking back into the past!

Stopped by this wonderful bar last night before dinner and really enjoyed the atmosphere. Friendly staff and a wide range of drinks.

Dropped on this place by chance!

Love this place. Have used for over 20 years and never disappointed. Great bar and food location in Cheltenham - one of the best places in town,

Not sure of this place from the outside but turned out to be good. Great menu - how often do you find three choices for veggies, that you haven’t tried before? Friendly staff who are attenrive but dont hover. Good atmosphere and a wide space. Thank you.

Had a great time on my works evening, pleasant young lady on the bar also! Great atmosphere and fine local ales.

We popped in for lunch here - specifically the hot smoked chicken sandwiches - after The Retreat was recommended by...

- the ham was thin sliced cooked ham, not what I expect when I order ham and egg. Really disappointed

Cualquiera que pueda "refugio" a este maravilloso abrevadero es seguro de un tiempo fantástico, ya sea para un almuerzo o una ligeramente ciivilised chaortic más tarde de diversión no te pierdas este lugar.

There was a great vibe in here and it got quite busy later on. Everything was clean, staff were friendly, and it was decent pricing. Thanks for a great night!

This is not the most sophisticated restaurant in Cheltenham but it's one of the most enjoyable especially on Saturdays when it is busy and buzzing with couples, families and dogs all relaxing over good food and a very good choice of wines even by the glass. Every few weeks the restaurant opens for a supper club on Wednesday night. A set menu with pre dinner drinks and canapés is accompanied by some very good live music.

Dog friendly. Lovely lunch. Everything homemade. Lots of different but nice things on menu. Reasonably priced. Friendly staff.

We went in mid evening and just wanted a cup of tea. Water was barely luke warm and we had to ask for milk.Lights in toilets were turned off when one of us was still in there. Had to use phone torch to finish and escape.Pub was empty with just a few folk at the bar. Waitress too interested in chatting to customers at bar.

I have been drinking in the Retreat for many years, it has been known around Cheltenham as a lively little bar/pub with a great atmosphere. HOWEVER, the last three times I have been in there that has not been the case.It took my friends and I twenty minutes to be served (two girls behind the bar were chatting and comparing notes on their phones), when we were finally acknowledged the young girl was rather rude, clearly did not want to be there. I was then asked if I wanted an ice bucket for my bottle of red wine!!! Which was served to me with rather dirty glasses. I understand that they are young staff and everyone has to start somewhere but they should know the basics! On a further occasion my friends and I came in for the live music on a Friday like we often have done, the staff were particularly unpleasant again, not to mention drunk. We decided to sit outside (the music was very loud and not great) but ended up leaving rather promptly because of the fighting taking place with a group of young customers (they can't have been any older than 17). It upsets me to write such a negative review of what was once my favourite spot in Cheltenham but it appears to have become the local stomping ground for drunk young teenagers and the staff working here just do not engage with the customers or create the friendly atmosphere that the Retreat once had. I know many of my friends feel the same and shall not be drinking here anymore.

Just a drink here. Shame about the loud bad music. Red decor ok. Newspapers available is a nice touch.

I cannot recommend this wine bar highly enough, absolutely fabulous atmosphere, very caring staff and brilliant lunch food with an incrediblely social atmosphere ! We visit on a monthly basis and are never disappointed highly recommend!a,

I visit the Retreat for pre-dinner drinks and when friends visit. The tatty red painted atmosphere and disorganised seating brings its own character. A brightly lit bar with a good range of drinks. Staff friendly. A nice mix of ages. Sometime there is live music too. Noisy and convivial, probably my favourite Cheltenham pub. Must try the food some time.

I adore this place it has fabulous memories for me, as I started going there when it first opened back in the Summer of '81. Mike and Lella are very hands-on in the running of the place and extend a very warm welcome, offering great food, fabulous ambience and a guarantee of a great evening or afternoon. The Bowl of Chilli they serve there is as good as it was 35 years ago and is heartily recommended, as is any of the food really. Archers fans will get this. Fabulous.

My wife and I had lunch here. Really interesting interior for a start and a limited but excellent menu. The food was served promptly and was really well cooked and well presented. In addition, the service was friendly and efficient. Certainly a great place for lunch if in the Montpellier district of Cheltenham.

We eat at The Retreat almost every week, our favourite is lunch on Saturday. The menu is not extensive but importantly all the food is excellent. In the evenings the bar has a great atmosphere. Not open on Sundays.

The lunch is the most underrated in town. Where else can you go in, be served and have your meal in 10-15 mins. Really good value for money and the food itself is tasty and obviously made with time and effort.

I've had many racing breakfasts over the years in Cheltenham, the retreat has been consistently been the best quality and value breakfast you can get. Bear in mind they only open during racing. Lunch is very good as well !Chef makes his own brioche burger buns for example. Highly recommend!

The retreat is a really nice place with comfortable places to sit, and a good choice of table sizes. The drinks are sensibly priced and the staff are welcoming. The problem is the music, you can't have a proper conversation, and everyone has to shout at each other. It's a shame.

I say this with some trepidation, as I don't want to swamp the Retreat with TripAdvisor followers!This is a lovely weekday lunch restaurant (they do not do food at night, when it turns into a vibrant 20-30+ bar (which we enjoy, despite being several generations too old!)What can I say... great food, wonderful staff, fantastic karma. Please don't go there and spoil it for us (only joking - this is a wonderful place for a lazy and relaxing lunch. Fantastic!!)

Frequently use this place for business lunches. Quick polite service means this place easily passes the sub one hour test. Good menu choice, steak frites always good but there really is something for everyone. Not expensive, wide range of beers, wines and spirits. Nice outdoor sitting area. Recommended.