Food shops to visit in the Cotswolds
Our own! We are an American husband and wife team (chef and interior designer respectively), we opened D’Ambrosi in Stow-on-the-Wold nearly four years ago. Our shop serves superbly delicious gourmet dishes that are made in house with love, exclusively to take away. We also offer a small selection of gourmet products and hampers, our signature hand-poured candles in marble, and a chic selection of linens and paper goods for entertaining. Andrew, who helmed the kitchens of several acclaimed restaurants in New York, brings a myriad of influences to the menu, from an elegant Peruvian tiradito with silky aji corn puree, to rich, warming french Choucroute with house cured and smoked “garnie”, as well as the best southern fried chicken this side of the Atlantic. While we make a great picnic, or a quick lunch on the go, easy entertaining is where we shine with our alternative approach to catering. We provide a unique menu for gatherings of all sizes in the area.
Jolly Nice lives up to its name. This former petrol station has been completely transformed into a haven for food in a series of converted buildings and yurts, with a butcher (they rear their own rare-breed beef and pork), a fishmonger, and a wonderful selection of local organic produce, cheeses and wines. This is a magical place to buy your Christmas tree, as they set out a virtual forest where you can pluck your pick right from the ground. They also have a fun little drive through. If you’re feeling peckish grab a pulled brisket sandwich (and lots of serviettes!) – delicious.
If you’re in need of a farm shop fix, and are heading towards Cheltenham, Dunkertons offers much more than their wonderful organic cider. Replete with Cider Garden and street food vendors (burgers and pizza are the winners) in a large, festive outdoor area, Dunkertons is now host to a lovely farm shop offering organic fruit & veg, a selection of organic olives, antipasti, charcuterie & cheese. Independents La Boulangerie Artisan (excellent bread and pastries), Waghorns Butchers and The Padstow Fish Co. (Fridays Only) have all taken up residence, making it an easy one stop shop.
How lucky we are to have this spectacular farm on our doorstep. Many travel far and wide to find these exquisite eggs at exclusive retailers in London and beyond. Here, just down the road from our shop, in a tiny honour-shed with the girls clucking down the path, you can pick up large trays, or small designer boxes of Cacklebean’s free-range Arlington white/rare breed eggs, along with a small selection of local honey and apple juice. Cash only!
If you’re into the organic lifestyle and living in the Cotswolds, this is your place. More than just a farm shop (a place for education, a nursery, accommodation) they sell mostly what they grow and rear on their mixed organic, biodynamic Abbey Home Farm. You’ll find a healthy selection of organic produce, meats, cheeses, pulses, flowers, skincare, cleaning products etc. In addition to food, the shop has a room dedicated to Indian crafts, where you can find reasonably priced organic block print table linens, bedding, kantha quilts and vintage decorative items, all responsibly sourced.
Gardens and interiors shops in the Cotswolds
This is not your typical garden centre, but rather a beautifully merchandised chic department store. Their cafe, set in a giant greenhouse, is a perfectly lovely place to stop for a light lunch whilst you’re shopping for coffee table books, homewares (decorative accessories, lighting, linens), plants, fragrances, garden tools and outdoor furniture, or picking up some children’s gifts in their amazing toyshop. They also have a holiday shop packed to the brim with everything you need to deck the halls, along with a selection of gourmet treats.
Amanda Brooks, former fashion director of Barneys New York, set up shop in Stow-On-The-Wold several years ago. Inside her inviting boutique with its gorgeous custom Degournay walls, you’ll find a pretty selection of home goods, ceramics by Astier de Villat, decoupage trays and accessories by John Derain along with Cutter Brooks’ own line of table linens. You can find anything from antique botanical prints, quilts, tableware and paper flowers by The Green Vase, to womenswear inspired by the English countryside from brands like Dôen, Harris Wharf London & Ulla Johnson . A must visit during the holidays for their fabulous selection of themed décor and gifts, which are also available at her Christmas Pop up on Golborne Road in Notting Hill through December.
A teeny tiny answer to the Paris Puce in the Cotswolds, Station Mill is host to eighty different vintage/antique vendors. Spread over two floors in an industrial estate on the outskirts of Chipping Norton, it’s an ideal place to find a unique gift or accessory for your home. While particularly strong for smaller decorative items and porcelain (blue and white galore with some Imari peppered in!) you’ll also find a selection of antique furniture, jewellery and art, mostly at prices that do not break the bank.
Headquartered in Tetbury, Domestic Science has a selection of good-looking vintage and new utilitarian items, as well as coloured glass, enamelware, ceramics, linens, fragrances- every kind of accessory you can think of for your home. A haven for small gifts or to find that one missing piece. They also have a location in Stow in the newly revamped Talbot Court, where their neighbour, The Curated Store with its rotating roaster of small independent design-led brands is also worth a visit.
If you’re looking to do some serious antiquing, Brownrigg has become a sought-after destination for interior designers and private clients alike. Based in Tetbury, where both their high street shop and nearby warehouse can be visited. Brownrigg, curated by Jorge Perez-Martin and David Gibson, who have a fabulous eye for the extraordinary, have assembled an eclectic, highly inspirational selection of (mostly) European art, decorative items and furniture ranging from the 17th-20th century.
Andrew and Jess run D'Ambrosi Fine Foods in Stow-on-the-Wold, a refined culinary concept that provides restaurant-quality food-to-go, as well as a curated selection of wines, liquors, homemade candles, and flowers. They are committed to using local, responsibly sourced, sustainable food to develop their exceptional dishes.
D'Ambrosi Fine Foods: dambrosi.co.uk
