Places to eat in Stroud

Where to eat in Stroud

Stroud's food starts at Stroud Farmers' Market, every Saturday from 9am to 2pm on Cornhill Market Place and the streets around it. Producers sell their own cheese, meat, bread, fruit and vegetables. Salt Bakehouse, Baker of the Year at the BIA Industry Awards in 2016, sells its bread there. Midweek, its kiosk at 9 Union Street opens on Wednesday to Friday mornings.

In the middle of the town, Woodruffs at 24 High Street serves breakfast, brunch and lunch, then coffee and cake, every day. It opened in 1998 and still buys organic where it can. Up the hill, the Prince Albert on Rodborough Hill is a pub and music venue with local ales, and pizzas and burgers most evenings. For a longer meal, go to the Vine Tree Inn at Randwick, about 1.5 miles away. Its chef was Cotswold Life's chef of the year in 2025, the menu changes daily, and a tiered garden looks over the valleys.

Who it suits

Stroud suits a day on foot: Woodruffs, on the pedestrianised High Street, is a few minutes from the station, and the market is a few minutes from the Subscription Rooms. Families do well at Woodruffs, which has a children's room upstairs with toys and books, and at the Prince Albert's matinee gigs, which are always family friendly. Walkers on the Cotswold Way can reach the Vine Tree, about 1km off the route below Standish Wood.

Days and booking

Saturday is the day for food in Stroud, with the farmers' market and the Shambles market by St Laurence's church. It is also when Woodruffs is busiest, from 10.30am to 2pm. Woodruffs takes bookings by email, not phone, and suggests emailing the day before. At the Prince Albert, groups of fewer than five just turn up and larger groups ring ahead to book; it is closed on Tuesdays, and serves no food on Mondays unless there is a gig. The Vine Tree serves food Wednesday to Sunday only, from noon to 2.30pm and 6pm to 9pm, with the last Sunday sitting at 4.30pm, and takes bookings online or by phone.

Prices, parking and dogs

We have left prices out: none of the five publishes a priced menu we could check this season. The Vine Tree's menu changes daily and is not online, though the pub will email a sample. Woodruffs points drivers to Stroud District Council's Church Street and Parliament Street car parks, about two minutes away, which charge from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday, and are free on Sundays and bank holidays.

Dogs are welcome at Woodruffs, ideally downstairs, at the Vine Tree, and at the Prince Albert on a short lead in the day. Ask first about a full evening gig. For a bed, see where to stay in Stroud.