Babel, Cheltenham - Katie Charlotte Blogs

I can’t quite keep up with all the new bars and restaurants opening in Cheltenham at the moment. Not that I’m complaining, too much choice is better than no choice at all, right? So when I heard about Babel joining the line up, I jumped at the chance of an exclusive taster evening…

Location: Babel, CheltenhamWell, hello gorgeous!

Not only is Babel the most aesthetically pleasing restaurant in the Brewery (dare I say, Cheltenham?), the food and cocktails surpassed every expectation. We were greeted at the door with glasses of prosecco and as soon as we were seated, we were offered plates of avo flatbreads. Layer upon layer of the stuff, which we devoured as we chatted through our initial thoughts.

Service aside (which was great, FYI), we all gave the place a big thumbs up. Whilst it is likely to be busy post-launch, we soaked up the chilled ambience and waited to be served (what seemed to be) an endless supply of food and drink!

Now let’s talk about those sliders…

They were amazing! The sharing board consists of:

Beef burger with dill relish (Dan’s fave)
Chicken burger with courgette & feta (my personal fave)
Sweet potato & quinoa burger with goats cheese (Lauren’s favourite)

I could have gone again with round 2, they were so delicious. It’s also ideal if you happen to be with vegetarians, although I can’t promise that the non-veggies won’t want to devour the sweet potato burger too.

We washed it down with Babel’s take on an Aperol Spritz, the Bardot Spritz. Refreshing, zingy and just as addictive as the original.

I must confess something. I’m not the kind of gal who orders the quinoa salad when I eat out. Perhaps a chicken Caesar or a pasta salad, but if it has nuts and fruit in it then I usually turn my back. So, I was pleasantly surprised that when we were given the Smoked Boke Bowl (which included pickled beets, edamame, roasted cauliflower, toasted sesame seeds and brown rice) I actually enjoyed it.

By the time the second bowl came out (the Babel Buddha Bowl), I could actually envision myself ordering one the next time I visit – although maybe with a side of sweet potato fries…

We had a great insightful chat with the cocktail guru, who told us all about the inspiration behind the drinks on the menu. With influences from America, Japan, Britain and Scandinavia, there’s something to wet everybody’s whistle – even for the designated driver of the group (thanks Dan!)

I honestly believe Babel is a perfect new addition to Cheltenham and I can’t wait to return and work my way through the menu, with my better half in tow – who wanted to share his views too –

Going into a launch event of a cocktail bar as the designated driver is… interesting. I put my hands up straight away when asked about what to drink and the staff accompanied my requests with some beautiful non-alcoholic cocktails. The food was top quality as well, from the sliders to the copious amounts of sweet potato fries (and garlic mayo dip) I was delivered. If you’re not intending to drink, or simply don’t, I still highly recommend it. Kate will be driving next time.

A big thank you to the Babel Cheltenham team for inviting us along!