The Ivy, Cheltenham – October 2025

On October 20, 2025 by HungryOwl

The Ivy

Montpellier, Cheltenham

Cheltenham Literary Festival brings people flooding into the beautiful Montpellier area of Cheltenham. If you haven’t been before, it’s a stunning spot full of Regency architecture surrounding a park. For two weeks, that park transforms into the Literature Festival Village. The surrounding bars and restaurants are fully booked, and the whole area hums with energy and excitement.

This time I was joined by a friend from school — and honestly, I’ve no idea how she’s put up with me for nearly sixty years! To make the day extra special, I booked a table for two at The Ivy. I don’t even know where to start with the décor — it was simply magnificent. I adore colour and walls filled with art, so it was right up my street. The main dining area sits beneath a huge white dome that adds a touch of decadence and floods the room with light.

When you’re sitting somewhere so beautiful, your expectations for the food and service naturally rise — but there was absolutely no need to worry. We chose from the fixed-price menu: two courses for £27.95. She had the Moroccan Sweet Potato and Squash Curry, while I chose the Linguine with Prawns and Scallops. Portion sizes were generous, which surprised me after colleagues had warned I might leave hungry! Both dishes were delicately spiced and cooked to perfection.

For dessert, we shared a Rum Baba and a Chocolate Bombe, and the staff kindly brought us an extra scoop of ice cream to celebrate my friend’s birthday. I could honestly eat one of those Rum Babas every day for the rest of my life and still want more — it was that good. For me to say that about anything other than a Tiramisu is almost unthinkable!

We finished with a black coffee for me and a pot of tea for my friend.

I’ve dined at Michelin-starred restaurants and left feeling underwhelmed — only one (the Savoy Grill, back when Marcus Wareing was there) has ever truly satisfied. But The Ivy had it all: the theatre, the impeccable service, and the top-quality food that so many of those starred places somehow miss.