Food and drink at Cheltenham Gold Cup Festival

Thinking about joining the Cheltenham Gold Cup Festival 2024

Where, when and what to eat is one of many things to consider when planning your race-week. We’ve broken down the ins and outs of hospitality during the Cheltenham Festival 

Breakfast

Races at the festival start in the early afternoon, so brunch is the way to start the day. 

Due to the celebratory, drinking culture of the festival, it is common to indulge in a couple of drinks before making your way to the festival. As a result, boozy brunches are on offer across the town as a popular way to dive into the festivities. 

Here are a few popular breakfast venues:

• The Ivy
• BTP Cheltenham
• The Find

Of course, there is always the option of a lazy morning cooking breakfast at home. If you’re staying with us at Luxury Apartments, you will have a fully equipped kitchen to make your own breakfast. We also offer continental breakfasts upon request!

Lunch options at Cheltenham Racecourse

The options available to you will depend on your ticket but there are plenty of stalls and restaurants for all.

If you would prefer a sit-down meal, look into booking prior to festival week!

Restaurant packages and Fine Dining:

With 11 restaurant packages available for pre-booking, you’re spoilt for choice as far as dining options at the Cheltenham Festival. 

The jockey club prides itself on the level of hospitality provided within its venues. Cheltenham Festival brings horse racing and fine dining together with restaurants and private boxes working alongside the best local suppliers to create ‘culinary artwork’ all with a first-class view of the racecourse. Find out more.

Private boxes at Cheltenham Racecourse give groups of 30 people or more a chance to watch the festival and enjoy the hospitality. Private boxes include a 4-course meal, afternoon tea, and complimentary drinks.

Other options:

When you move around the racecourse you’ll find a variety of food and drink options. Food stalls are available featuring classic favourites such as pasties, pizza, and fish and chips.

Drinks:

The racecourse houses champagne bars, a ‘Guinness Village’, barista-level coffee stations, and numerous bars across its grounds.

Please note that as in some bars, you are kindly requested to to drink your beverage in the bar area from which your drink was purchased. With races are every 40 minutes, it is worth considering when you order drinks to allow time for grabbing a bite to eat or placing bets. 

Another important note is that most of the racecourse’s food and drink options only accept card payments.

Dinner:

The races finish around 17:30 so you may wish to take advantage of the array of restaurants Cheltenham town centre has to offer. Cheltenham boasts a broad selection of cuisines including French, Italian, Thai, Korean, Indian and so much more. Here are some of our top recommendations…

Cheap and Cheerful

• Ginger and Garlic
• Bosco Pizzeria
• Karapincha

Top Picks

• 12 Prithvi 
• Kibou 
• The Coconut Tree ( Enjoy 2 for 1 drinks and exclusive discounts when booking with Luxury Apartments)

Evening drinks:

The nightlife in Cheltenham Town Centre comes alive throughout Gold Cup Week with bars, pubs and nightclubs spilling with the festivities. Getting a taste of this lively atmosphere is typically seen as a vital part of the racegoer experience.