Giles Coren, the renowned food critic and writer for The Times, has hailed a distinctive dining experience in Gloucestershire as his standout meal of the summer. His memorable meal took place inside a tent at a picturesque spot in Minchinhampton, part of the travelling restaurant known as Circus Sauce.
This roving restaurant offers a fixed three-course menu priced reasonably at £50, and is unique in that it operates seasonally, changing its location approximately every week. At the time of Coren’s visit, Circus Sauce was positioned alongside Giffords Circus in Minchinhampton, though those visiting now will find the site empty, as the restaurant moves on.
Circus Sauce is a companion venture to the acclaimed Giffords Circus, which is famed for its big top shows featuring acrobats and daring feats rather than culinary delights. Nevertheless, the restaurant has gained its own acclaim for quality food.
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In his article, Coren also praised other Gloucestershire dining establishments, singling out the Woolpack Inn in Slad near Painswick and Stroud as serving “the best burger in the UK, no question.” He further complimented Juliet, a well-regarded small restaurant in Stroud, noting it was “on peak form.”
Coren attributed his introduction to the mobile restaurant to Dan Chadwick, who owns both the Woolpack and Juliet. He described his Circus Sauce meal as follows: “My most exciting meal of the summer came at Circus Sauce, the travelling, no-choice, three-courses-for-£50 restaurant in a tent that travels around the West Country for most of the year alongside the inimitable Giffords Circus.
“Supper was served family-style at long oak tables. We started with a large squid, stuffed with pork and ’nduja, sliced over a tomato and guindilla sauce. For the main, a whole roast chicken, beautifully jointed, was presented atop a deep green watercress velouté with pickled lemon. Accompaniments included baked hispi cabbage with anchovy and boulangère potatoes. It was top-flight, imaginative home cooking-far from anything resembling wedding catering, as I initially feared.”
He highlighted the “immaculate” profiteroles as a particular highlight and awarded the meal a precise score of 9.33 out of 10. Coren encouraged readers to experience Circus Sauce during its upcoming residency in Stroud later in September.
Organisers of Giffords Circus describe Circus Sauce as “a unique, travelling licensed restaurant” with a weekly changing, three-course menu priced from £50 for adults and £30 for children. The culinary experience is led by head chef Eva Maddison and aims to offer a “rustic extravagant inspired three-course feast.”
The circus and restaurant were based at Minchinhampton Common for a 12-day run over July and August, before moving on to Marlborough in Wiltshire. Since 27 August, they have been at Stratton Meadows in Cirencester, where they will remain until 7 September.
The season concludes back at the headquarters, Fennells Farm in Stroud, with performances and dining running from 10 to 27 September. While tickets for Circus Sauce are sold separately from the circus show, patrons have the option to enjoy the meal without attending the performance.
In addition to the restaurant, Giffords Circus offers a selection of classic circus treats from their wagons, including hotdogs, fries, candyfloss, popcorn, and ice cream. The Cantina Wagon serves Mexican cuisine, and this year saw the addition of The Woolpack on Wheels, a collaboration between Giffords Circus and The Woolpack, offering drinks and bar snacks.