Temple Guiting Shop & Tearoom

Cheltenham

A brilliant local shop is a real asset to any village. It gives a focal point to Sunday morning walks and it’s reassuring to know that the money you spend isn’t going to a global conglomerate. Temple Guiting Shop & Tearoom, which reopened in January 2017, is a case in point, celebrating the best of British food from independent and artisan suppliers. After the original shop closed in 2014, the owners of nearby Temple Guiting Estate decided to breathe fresh energy into what they saw as the heart of the village.

Fresh fruit and vegetables bring pops of colour to the stacks of wooden crates which are delivered regularly from AM Bailey in Stratford-upon-Avon. Shelves are packed with sweet bites from Frandie Macaron in Devon, Cotswold Gold rapeseed oil and breads from Bath’s Bertinet Bakery. The sourdoughs are our pick of the lot.

You’ll also spy an abundance of excellent meats such as smoky chorizo from Cotswold Charcuterie and a weekly changing list of sausages, including the likes of cracked black pepper, from local butcher Dave Moore.

Before browsing though, sate your appetite in the contemporary tearoom, painted in chic shades of grey. Pull up a chair at one of the antique tables and order one of their seasonal dishes, such as sourdough toast piled high with beetroot, parmesan and pine nuts or smashed avocado and a sprinkling of seeds. Wash it down with an excellent flat white made with beans from Devon micro-roaster Crankhouse Coffee. In the summer you’ll want to opt for a spot outside in the courtyard garden.

To really make a weekend of it, stay on the owners’ adjoining 6ha estate in The Cow Byre. This converted cowshed is the ideal country escape for two, complete with beamed ceilings and exposed stone walls. Pre-order breakfast and you’ll wake up to a basket of the shop’s best pastries.