The Roman Baths Kitchen

Roman Baths

As the end of the year nears and I reflect on 2015 and think about what's coming in 2016, the thing that stands out most from 2015 is our trip to England. I've been waiting to write about our trip to Bath, England, always thinking I need more time to really do it justice, but since we haven't dined anywhere new nor have we cooked/baked anything new, I'm just going to dive into Bath. I never like having to pick a favorite movie or song or cookie or, in this case, vacation day, but I will say that of our "day trips" from London, Bath was definitely in the top two.

Royal Crescent

From exploring the Roman Baths to the curved Georgian architecture of the Royal Crescent to Pulteney Bridge across River Avon to the gorgeous Gothic Bath Abbey, it was just a terrific day in a beautiful city (let's ignore the bumpy sidewalks!). I wish we could have stayed overnight and had 2 days to explore. Maybe next time.

Pulteney Bridge

It's definitely possible to see all the high-lights in a day trip from London's Paddington Station to Bath Spa Station (a 90 minute train ride). We weren't rushed, but we didn't get to explore all the shops in (on?) Pulteney Bridge and I would have liked to try some of the restaurants. I also would have liked more time exploring the Roman Baths. We spent 3+ hours there, but we were getting hungry so we didn't linger/take our time towards the end.

Bath Abbey

Originally we wanted to eat lunch at a cute bakery cafe called Pasty Presto but it wasn't accessible and the outdoor seating was filled. Or rather, as we approached an open outdoor table, some German tourists already sitting there leaped up and claimed the empty table we wanted, saying they had friends joining them. We were pretty annoyed because the way they did it was a little rude. I was tired & hungry & couldn't eat inside because it wasn't accessible, my 70 year old mom was tired form being on her feet for so long, and SP was going low and really needed some food. 

So, we went to a place next to Pasty Presto:

The Roman Baths Kitchen. It wasn't my first choice, it was a choice of needing food ASAP. I was a little worried about what to eat because I had an upset stomach the night before so I settled for Tomato Soup & bread.

It was good, although my stomach was much more interested in the bread than the soup. That was OK because SP likes soup and he was happy to help me.

SP had a Smoked Salmon Sandwich (with pickled cucumber and horseradish mayonnaise) with a side salad. He said it was quite good. Here's a better look at the sandwich interior:

My mom opted for the RBK Club (chicken, crispy bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise) with a side salad:

She said it was good and definitely filling for her.

We sat outside, which was lovely because it was sunny and warm. There also is a lot of outdoor entertainment, street performers like the opera singer we enjoyed, and people watching other tourists is always fun!

The Roman Baths Kitchen is a solid choice for a good lunch in Bath right next to the Abbey and Roman Baths. Our service was fine - it was lunch, outside, and casual, so it's kind of hard to judge but it was friendly and fine.

After lunch, I did get a treat from Pasty Presto: SP ran in and got me a ham & cheese croissant that was absolutely divine. So good. I ate it while he pushed me up a hill to the Royal Crescent. So good I didn't save him any.