The story
Lumière, at Clarence Parade in Cheltenham (GL50 3PA), is a Modern British restaurant that holds a Michelin star for 2026. The kitchen works from a short list of seasonal tasting menus, with produce drawn from its own garden and from local farmers and producers.
Jon Howe leads the kitchen, and his cooking has grown more expansive since he took on his own smallholding during lockdown. The Good Food Guide rates the restaurant Very Good for 2026, describing his cooking as detailed, expertly crafted and playful. The family garden feeds the menu day to day, showing the chef which ingredients are at their peak.
Menus run to four, six or eight courses and change with the season. Sample menus have included hand-dived Orkney scallop with Worcester tomato, fennel and tomato XO, Mount Grace Farm Kerry Hill hogget with ewes' curd, and Oaklands strawberries with duck egg and caramelised filo. Vegetarian menus are available on request, but a fully dairy- and egg-free menu is not offered.
The dining room is calm and grey, with damask-covered tables, statement mirrors and polished silverware. Service is smartly professional but warm, and the staff are friendly without hurrying the pace. Menu notes on each course are displayed on a tablet at the table.
The wine list leans on English producers alongside classic European regions, with flights, glasses and bottles available. Pairings are chosen to complement each course. For guests who are driving, homemade herbal "jukes" are designed to mimic white wine.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
High quality cooking
It’s easy to walk past this ‘hidden gem’, so tastefully understated is its sign. Once inside, the dining room is a symphony of soothing grey, with damask covered tables, statement mirrors and shining silverware. However, there’s nothing 'grayscale' about chef Jon Howe’s 'detailed, expertly crafted and playful cooking', which is showcased in a choice of three tasting menus. The restaurant celebrates its 15th birthday in 2024, and Howe’s cooking has climbed to new heights since the chef took on his own smallholding during lockdown, allowing for a more committed and expansive farm-to-table experience. Home-grown produce is beautifully presented in say, a canapé of coronation carrot with a delightfully light lemon curry marinade, apricot purée, yoghurt and pickled sultanas encased in a crispy waffle case made with local pale ale. Or how about a cottage pie of slow-cooked Wiltshire beef with diced root vegetables topped with a celeriac mousse, blue Wensleydale and a sourdough crumb. Exquisitely delicate tuiles in bold colours add a certain wow factor to a dessert billed as ‘forced rhubarb, ginger, Orelys chocolate and sorrel’ – a simple description that belies a dazzling display of skill while creating a panoply of textures and flavours. Howe’s commitment to local and sustainable food is explained in detail in the menu notes that accompany each course – read them on a tablet left on your table. Service is smartly professional, yet warm and personal – the staff brim with cheerful enthusiasm. A carefully curated selection of wines is offered in a series of good-value flights, or by the glass and bottle. If you’re driving, various homemade herbal ‘jukes’ designed to mimic different varieties of white wine are a fun alternative to booze.
4 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
Location
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