The story
The Bell at Selsley anchors its Modern British menu around ingredients sourced across Stroud and Gloucestershire. The kitchen prepares every element in house, rolling dough for bread and curing meats before they reach the pass. Beetroot gnocchi tossed with courgette and rocket pesto highlights the team’s focus on vibrant seasoning, while the main course features a glazed blade of local beef resting on roast garlic mash and king oyster mushrooms. Starters follow the same disciplined approach, pairing wild garlic with salmon tartare or balancing smoked duck against Italian black figs and burrata.
A sixteenth century Grade II listed building stands on a hillside overlooking five converging valleys and nearby rushing streams. The honey-hued stone exterior frames a cosy beamed bar and a separate dining space where floor to ceiling windows capture the shifting afternoon light. Guests settle into high ceilings and exposed timber throughout the property, maintaining a relaxed Cotswold character without sacrificing comfort. The layout encourages lingering whether visitors join friends for a casual pint or book a quiet weekend retreat.
The cellar stocks award winning British spirits alongside an extensive wine list that begins at twenty two pounds. House brewed Uley Bitter and a curated gin menu provide steady companions to the main courses. This dedication to British cooking has earned the venue a Good Food Guide rating alongside two AA rosettes and a place in the Good Pub Guide. The accolades reflect a straightforward approach to hospitality that prioritises quality produce and attentive service over unnecessary theatrics.
Recognition
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History
From its hillside perch in a village a couple of miles outside Stroud, the Bell at Selsley commands a quintessentially Cotswold panorama – watching over five converging valleys, looking up to blustery commons above, and down to venerable mills beside rushing streams. The inn itself is also easy on the eye, built of honey-hued stone, with a cosy beamed bar as well as a more contemporary dining room, where floor-to-ceiling windows allow guests to watch the last slanting rays of sunset illuminating the rooftops of the town (if the weather is kind). The menu brings together British and European influences, with ingredients drawn from the region and much further afield. Bright ideas and deft execution are the kitchen's hallmarks: Italian black fig, burrata and home-smoked duck made for a spirited medley at our June dinner, likewise salmon tartare topped with wild garlic. Local flavours loom large among the mains – notably a mighty blade of Gloucestershire beef presented regally atop roast garlic mash and king oyster mushroom – although the real highlight for us was a serving of beetroot gnocchi with courgette, rocket pesto and Parmesan cream, a dish positively bursting with bright notes. Desserts have some old-school flourishes (baked Alaska, for instance), but many will prefer to go for the cheeseboard with its heavy West Country accent. House wines start at £22, and the locally brewed Uley Bitter is also a winner.
2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
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