Dukes Bath Hotel - City Centre Accommodation

City centre restaurants complementing the city centre accommodation.

For many years, Dukes has been a highly respected participant within the Bath hotel market place.
We appreciate that the Bath hotel scene is diverse, dynamic and driven by consumer demands. Dukes has always benefitted from a superb location, although we have never considered ourselves as one of the Bath city centre hotels.

In the 80’s and 90’s the city attracted a wave of very formal hotels in central Bath offering silver service restaurant meals, a full cocktail bar, and 24 hour laundry and room service. Over the past 10 years, as travel expectations have altered, we have seen the emphasis change with the introduction of more mid-range hotels supported with celebrity chef restaurants. More recently,we have seen a trend towards more budget style hotels opening in the centre of Bath and these have been promoted heavily across all media.

Regardless of whether you choose the modern option of  a budget room , or the slightly more self-indulgent option of boutique hotels, one thing is for sure, an enjoyable evening spent in one of Bath’s great Italian restaurants will help turn a good hotel choice into a great hotel choice. The Italian restaurant scene, as with Bath accommodation, is diverse. You may choose from Italian fine dining through to large steaming bowls of provincial Italian food. Let us share with you four of the most popular independent Italian restaurants in Bath.

Aio Restaurant

Aio restaurant is a very popular Italian trattoria. Located at 7 Edgar buildings on George Street,  Aio sits in a commanding position at the ‘head’ of Milsom Street. Aio is unique in offering a snug front restaurant, a back room very suitable for family celebrations and re-unions, and a third dining area, a large secluded terrace that stretches out behind the property. From the Sardinian word meaning come and join us, Aio offers an opportunity to enjoy both Sardinian and Italian food. Home made pasta, chargrilled steaks and a selection of fresh seafood are all on offer. Phone 443900 to make a booking.

Nonna’s Italian Restaurant

Not too far away, in fact round the corner at 39 Gay Street, you will find  Nonna’s Italian Restaurant Tel: 427919. Attentively run by Angelo and Lama, they named their restaurant Nonna’s  after the Italian word for Grandmother – the cradle and home of all classic Italian recipes and cooking! Concentrating on these classic Italian recipes helped Nonna’s win ‘Best Italian’ at the Bath Good Food Awards in 2003 and will ensure you of an enjoyable lunch time or evening meal in this fine independent Italian restaurant.

Rustico Bistro Italiano

A third option is nestled between the Royal Crescent and the Circus on an attractive pedestrian cobbled street. The premium location within the upper heights of residential Bath belies the rural emphasis of the food prepared within. Rustico Bistro Italiano  – as the name suggests - takes great pride in offering guests the rich tastes of country cooking. Run by two Italian brothers, Franco and Darix, Rustico Bistro Italiano has won a reputation for authentic, well priced, memorable Italian cooking. The cioppino (fish casserole) is without parallel and the fettuccine rustico (chicken in creamy mushroom sauce with pasta) is of undoubted excellence. Franco and  head chef Fabio take great pleasure in preparing classic Italian cuisine using locally farmed produce wherever possible. Intimate, friendly and unassuming, Rustico Bistro Italiano is claimed by many to be the best ‘ Italian Trattoria’ in Bath.

Sotto Sotto

For those wishing to enjoy the ‘best’ Italian ‘ristorante’ meal in Bath, then Sotto Sotto would come in as the marked favourite. Privately run by Antonio and Carlo, the restaurant may be found at 10 North  Parade . A distinctly up market, subtly lit cocktail reception bar with an impressive barrel-brick roof, introduces a taste of the pleasure that awaits you. From the opening of the entrance door through to the  moment of departure, you will be enveloped in attentive service. Antonio and Carlo manage operations with a passionate commitment to the guest experience. With smart, precise and enthusiastic overtures, meals are professionally prepared, well-seasoned and served with great care. Once the evenings guests are seated, Antonio is on hand to ensure that each dish is savoured, from the osso bucco (veal shank) to the orecchiette mare monti (top hat pasta with seafood, beans and pancetta).

These are just four marvellous Italian restaurants for you to consider, explore and visit, regardless of whether you choose to stay in one of the boutique hotels Bath has on offer, a city centre Bath hotel or in a one of the multitude of accommodation options on offer.  We feel confident that in their own unique way  Aio, Nonna’s, Rustico Bistro and Sotto Sotto will complement or enhance your choice of accommodation and add greatly to your stay in Bath.

Dukes a Bath hotel, close to city centre restaurants, for further information click here