Restaurants Near the Royal Crescent

Places To Eat Near The Royal Crescent

After a day exploring the city once frequented by Georgian high-society to take the waters and enjoy afternoon tea, you might feel a bit peckish yourself. Stop in at one of our range of restaurants near the Royal Crescent for a delicious locally-sourced pub meal and a refreshing pint of award-winning Butcombe beer.

The Methuen Arms

A former nunnery-turned-coaching inn, The Methuen Arms gastropub is a cosy country pub and restaurant dripping with character. Based in Corsham, foodies flock here after visiting Bath and the delightful Royal Crescent to taste the pub restaurant’s modern, seasonal dishes, crafted by a team of talented chefs who are dedicated to sourcing the finest local ingredients, and making everything on-site from scratch where possible.

The Crown Inn

From steamed mussels steeped in cider to Butcombe Original beer-battered fish and chips, you’ll find something you love at The Crown restaurant. Fancy something sweet after visiting the Royal Crescent? Try the decadent warm chocolate brownie with salted caramel ice cream, or a New York-style cheesecake with maple-roasted figs and blackberry sorbet.
The food and drink menu at The Crown is the perfect blend of pub classics with exciting modern touches.

The George Inn

If you’re in the mood for a classic British pub meal in an atmospheric, historic setting, you won’t find anywhere like The George Inn in Norton St. Philip. This Grade II-listed inn, close to the Roman city of Bath and the world-famous Royal Crescent, dates back to 1397, and is one of Britain’s oldest taverns, serving locally-sourced, modern twists on classic pub food and an array of proper Butcombe beers behind the bar. From decadent baked camembert to classic beer-battered fish and chips, and indulgent roast dinners, you’ll find something you love at The George Inn.

The King’s Arms

Steeped in history, The King’s Arms restaurant is a cracking 18th-century pub located in the historic market town of Melksham. Serving delicious seasonal dishes, the gastropub is renowned for its great food, alongside its excellent offering of beers, ales and wines – the perfect place to relax after spending the day in Bath at the Royal Crescent.

The Northey Arms

The Northey Arms is a stunning pub and inn steeped in history, with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. We’re passionate about great food and drink, with an all-day food offer focused on seasonal, locally sourced produce and hearty pub classics. After spending the day exploring Bath and the wonderful Royal Crescent, you’ll find plenty of award-winning Butcombe beer and cider and a wide range of wine and cocktails behind the bar to quench your thirst.

The Pig And Fiddle

An iconic pub, beloved by locals, The Pig & Fiddle gastropub in the centre of Bath is a popular stop for both Bathonians and tourists alike – especially after taking in the stunning sights of the Royal Crescent. Catch the latest big game on the flatscreen TVs, or chill in the atmospheric sun-trap beer garden – and you can’t miss the unique, delicious Piggy sharing roast dinners on Sundays! For a beautiful and boutique place to stay, check out the sister venue next door, Broad Street Townhouse hotel.

The Quarrymans Arms

Boasting incredible views across the Box Valley, the family-friendly Quarryman’s Arms gastropub in Box Hill has great food at its heart. The country pub and restaurant is renowned for its award-winning pies, sausage rolls and delicious Sunday roast, all of which can be enjoyed in the pub’s cosy dining area, or outside in its covered, heated beer garden. What’s more, it just a few miles to the centre of Bath and the world-famous attractions like the Royal Crescent.

The Royal Crescent

A world-famous landmark, the Royal Crescent is a sweeping row of Grade I-listed terraced houses in the city of Bath. As one of the greatest examples of Georgian architecture in existence, the attraction has become a go-to filming location for period dramas and films.

A brief history of the Royal Crescent

Built between 1767 and 1775, The Royal Crescent was designed by English architect John Wood the Younger as a row of lodging-houses for the gentry on their visits to Bath. At the time the crescent was surrounded by farmland and offered wonderful views of the hills and Avon valley.

Whilst the front of each terrace is identical, their rears are a mismatch of styles, a result of each original owner buying a section of the building’s façade, before hiring their own architect to complete the house behind.

The street was previously simply known as The Crescent, only gaining a royal title at the end of the 18th-century following a visit from Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany.

The Royal Crescent today

Nowadays, the crescent is classified as a Grade I-listed building and formed part of the reason the city of Bath was designated its UNESCO World Heritage status in 1987.

Out of the crescent’s 30 houses, 27 remain the homes of private residents, with some of the original terraces converted into flats. Two of the houses now form the Royal Crescent Hotel and Spa luxury hotel and spa, and the final house has been converted into a museum. Maintained by the Bath Preservation Trust, the museum gives visitors the chance to glimpse how an 18th-century owner would have furnished and occupied such a house.

The Royal Crescent’s famous occupants

From artists and authors to actors and architects, there are many notable people to have stayed or resided at the crescent. Some of these are acknowledged by plaques attached to the outside of the building including:

• Sir Isaac Pitman, who was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1894 for developing the most widely-used system of shorthand.

• The prolific 18th-century poet Christopher Anstey, who is honoured at Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey.
• 20th-century writer George Edward Bateman Saintsbury, who wrote the classic work ‘Notes on a Cellar-Book’.
• Famous 19th-century jurist, historian, writer and thinker Frederic Harrison

The Royal Crescent on film

As one of the greatest examples of Georgian architecture in the world, the Royal Crescent has become a go-to location for film crews in search of an authentic backdrop. Notable appearances include the 2007 television-film production of Jane Austen’s novel ‘Persuasion’ and the 2008 film ‘The Duchess’ starring Kiera Knightley and Ralph Fiennes.

Its most recent appearance was in the Netflix series ‘Bridgerton’, with the crescent’s museum standing in as the Featherington family residence.

Miss Amabel Wellesley-Colley

In the 1970s, there was some controversy amongst the Royal Crescent when one of its residents, a Miss Amabel Wellesley-Colley, decided to paint her front door bright yellow instead of white.

Amabel was forced to fight two court orders and defend herself at a public enquiry before it was ruled the door could remain yellow, which is how sightseers will find it today!