Swindon has a good selection of restaurants, and is a great place to visit for an evening out. With food from a range of countries as well as traditional British food, there’s some great choices. Here are the top restaurants in Swindon.
1. Biplob – Indian Restaurant
The first of my top restaurants in Swindon is Biplob. This Indian restaurant is definitely one of the top restaurants in Swindon, and one of the top Indian restaurants in the area. The food is amazing. There’s a wide choice of traditional Indian curries, plus some different options as well. The portion sizes are generous as well. And the inside of the restaurant is nice, with a peaceful ambience and simple, white tablecloths. This is a great restaurant for a cosy date night or a meal out with friends.
2. Los Gatos – Spanish Tapas
Another of the top restaurants in Swindon is Los Gatos. In the heart of Swindon’s Old Town, this Spanish tapas restaurant is great. It gets booked up, especially at weekends, so make sure you book a table in advance. There’s a huge choice of dishes on the menu. It’s a great place to go with friends, so you can get lots of different tapas dishes to share. I recommend the paella and also octopus. The deserts here are great too.
3. Mario’s – Italian
There are several great independent Italian restaurants in Swindon. My favourite is Mario’s. It’s in Old Town, on Wood Street. This cosy restaurant has a cave-like interior, with a great ambience. The pasta dishes here are amazing, with a choice of meat and vegetarian options. My favourite dishes here are either the salmon pasta in a tomato and cheese sauce, or pasta with sausages and mushrooms in a creamy sauce.
4. H&W (Hall & Woodhouse)
For classic pub food with a twist, I recommend trying the restaurant called H&W in Wichelstowe, Swindon. This restaurant is set right next to the canal. It’s a lovely setting, and in the summer you can sit outside next to the canal. The food here is great. The baked camembert is always an amazing starter. There’s a good range of main courses, with traditional pub burgers and other meat and vegetarian dishes. And make sure you leave room for desert as well.
5. Siam Thai
For the best Thai food in Swindon, head to Siam Thai. This restaurant is definitely one of the top restaurants in Swindon. It serves amazing traditional Thai food. The curries here are my favourite – especially the Thai green curry, which isn’t too spicy. There’s a good selection of noodle dishes as well.
6. Fabio’s – Italian
Another of Swindon’s top independent Italian restaurants is Fabio’s. It’s a great place for traditional Italian food. There’s a good selection of pizza and pasta. And there’s also a wide choice of Italian ‘secondi’ dishes as well, with meat and vegetarian options.
7. The Ridge
For the best burgers in Swindon, head to The Ridge. This restaurant in Shaw Ridge is right next to the cinema, so it’s a great place to eat before seeing a film at the cinema. It’s an American restaurant, and the burgers are amazing. There’s lots of choice of burgers, as well as other American classis like Philly Cheesesteak and hot dogs. You can also get loaded fries to go with your burger, or choose Halloumi fries instead. And don’t forget the milkshakes!
8. Fratello’s – Italian
Fratello’s is another top independent Italian restaurant in Swindon. It’s got a really cute, cosy interior. And it has amazing pasta dishes. The pizza at Fratello’s is also great, as it’s cooked in a wood fired over so it tastes like traditional Italian pizza.
9. Kaspa’s Desserts
For indulgent sweet treats, head to Kaspa’s Desserts. This dessert parlour has a huge menu of different desert options. The waffles here are my favourite. But they also do cookies, ice cream sundaes, and more. Make sure you’re hungry when you go, as the portions are big.
10. The Fox and Hounds, Wroughton
One of my favourite pubs in the Swindon area is the Fox and Hounds. It’s a little bit outside Swindon, in the village of Wroughton – just a few minutes’ drive from Swindon. This pub has a cosy feel, with traditional oak beams. The food here is great, but my favourite is the Sunday Roast. There’s a choice of different meats, with a huge Yorkshire Pudding and lots of gravy. The deserts here are great as well – the Sticky Toffee Pudding with custard is delicious.
11. Wagamama
Wagamama is a Japanese restaurant chain. The Wagamama in Swindon is at the Designer Outlet, one of the best shopping areas in Swindon. There’s loads of easy parking at the Outlet as well, so it’s really easy to get to this restaurant. The food at Wagamama is served quickly, with great fresh flavours. My favourite dish is the chicken katsu curry. But the noodle dishes are great too – especially the yaki udon, with thick udon noodles, chicken and vegetables.
12. Chiseldon House Hotel
Just outside Swindon in the village of Chiseldon is Chiseldon House Hotel. The restaurant at this cute hotel is lovely, but the highlight here is the afternoon tea. It’s a great place to come with a friend for a relaxed afternoon of drinking tea and eating sweet treats. The scones are great, and there’s a great selection of cakes as well.
13. The Bell, Purton Stoke
I think The Bell at Purton Stoke does the best Sunday Roast in the Swindon area. It’s a popular restaurant, so you’ll need to book in advance – it can get booked up on Sundays a few weeks in advance. But it’s definitely worth booking. The Sunday Roasts are amazing, with really delicious, rich gravy. And the desserts are nice as well if you’ve got room after your meal – especially the Apple Crumble.
14. Pizza Express
Pizza Express is a well known chain restaurant, with branches in many towns and cities around the UK. I like the Pizza Express at Swindon Designer Outlet. It serves great pizza, and also some good pasta dishes as well. And the desserts a great too. Even though it’s a chain restaurant with predictable food, it’s still a nice place to go with friends for a nice catch up.
15. Harper’s Weighbridge
Another of my top restaurants in Swindon is Harper’s Weighbridge. I really like the look of this restaurant. It’s set in a historical railway building in Swindon, reminding you of Swindon’s industrial railway heritage. This restaurant specialises in steak, with some great steak options. They also do a really good Sunday Roast. You can eat here after visiting Swindon’s famous Steam Museum for a day enjoying some of Swindon’s heritage.
16. Stanton House Hotel
Another great place for an afternoon tea in Swindon is Stanton House Hotel. This country hotel is right next to Stanton Country Park, which is a great place to go for a walk with a nice lake. After a long walk, you can treat yourself with an indulgent afternoon tea at Stanton House Hotel. The restaurant here is also known for its Sunday carvery, so it’s a great place for Sunday lunch as well.
17. The White Hart
The White Hart is a cute pub on the outskirts of Swindon. It’s a traditional pub, with a cosy interior with lots of different sections. The food is great as well, serving traditional British pub food. My favourite dish here is the pie and mash, with lots of gravy. And the desserts here are great too, especially the Sticky Toffee Pudding.
18. The Greek Olive
The Greek Olive is definitely one of the top restaurants in Swindon. It’s the best place to get traditional Greek food, at reasonable prices. Make sure you’re hungry when you go here, as the starters are great as well as the main course and desserts. I loved the starter I had – feta cheese, wrapped in filo pastry, with honey. It really feels like you’re in a traditional Greek restaurant.
19. Manor Farm
Manor Farm in Swindon is a cosy local pub. It’s a great place for a no-frills date night or catch up with friends and family. The menu has all the traditional British pub food you’re expect, like fish and chips and burgers. And the desserts are really nice too. The pub has a cute interior and is a nice place for a relaxed evening out.
20. Miller and Carter
For some of the best steak in Swindon, head to Miller and Carter. This steakhouse serves amazing steak. You can choose different cuts of meat, and different sauces and sides as well. It’s not the cheapest place to eat in Swindon, but the quality of the steaks are excellent.
21. The Cold Harbour, Blunsdon
Another great place for a Sunday Roast in the Swindon area is The Cold Harbour. It’s just on the edge of North Swindon, in Blunsdon. The Sunday Roasts here are really reasonably priced, with good size portions. The roast potatoes were a real highlight here! And of course, the desserts are great too.
22. Old Town Laundry Bar – Cocktails
The last of my top restaurants in Swindon isn’t quite a restaurant – it’s a cocktail bar. But it’s so good, it definitely deserves a place on my list! The cocktails here are really unique and imaginative. As well as tasting great, the cocktails here also look great. They’re all served in completely unique and different ways, in different shapes. There’s one that’s shaped like ‘Groot’. And there’s the Aladdin themed one, with Aladdin’s lamp, where the server sets fire to it right in front of you. There’s one that looks like a chemistry set, where you mix the ingredients together yourself. There’s one that’s shaped like the hand of The Incredible Hulk. And loads more. The cocktails here aren’t cheap, but it’s an amazing experience and a really fun place to visit with friends.
Hope you enjoy the top restaurants in Swindon! You can also find some great restaurants in Oxford, and also great restaurants in Bristol. If you’re looking for more things to do in Swindon, check out the top walks in Swindon and also the best walks in Wiltshire.
