Must-see restaurants in Wales

  • Pryd o Fwyd

    Swansea, The Gower & Carmarthenshire

    Don’t be put off by the unpretty exterior, the inside of Pryd o Fwyd ('bite to eat' in Welsh) is much more welcoming and the food, prepared by chef Guy,…

  • Whitebrook

    Southeast Wales

    Hidden down green-canopied country lanes in a remote part of the Wye Valley, this wonderful Michelin-starred restaurant-with-rooms is well worth the…

  • St John's Place

    Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog

    St John's Place is only open two nights a week and offers only three 'plates' alongside a wider range of 'bar snacks', but this narrow focus seems to…

  • Tomatitos Tapas Bar

    Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog

    Friendly, bustling Tomatitos combines the atmosphere of everyone's favourite pub with an España-centric menu. Staples such as tortilla and chorizo in…

  • Tyddyn Llan Restaurant

    Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri)

    The glowing reputation of this Michelin-starred country restaurant is well-deserved. We are still salivating at the memory of our last visit – some dishes…

  • Wright's Food Emporium

    Swansea, The Gower & Carmarthenshire

    Sprawling through the rooms of an old village pub, this hugely popular deli-cafe serves sandwiches, salads and massive antipasto platters packed full of…

  • Beddgelert Bistro & Antiques

    Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri)

    An eccentric gem, this hybrid bistro/antique store offers exceptional home cooking. By day it's more like a tearoom, but at night the tiny dining room at…

  • Gallt-y-Glyn

    Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri)

    Sure, it serves pasta, pies, burgers and salads, too, but almost everyone comes for the pizza and the free-pint-with-every-main deal. Simply tick what you…

  • Osteria

    Anglesey & the North Coast

    Two Florentine partners opened this excellent addition to Caernarfon's dining scene in a compact whitewashed-stone building hard up against the city walls…

  • Walnut Tree

    Southeast Wales

    Established in 1963, the Michelin-starred Walnut Tree serves the cuisine-hopping meat and seafood creations of chef Shaun Hill, with a focus on fresh,…

  • Penderyn

    Swansea, The Gower & Carmarthenshire

    The gold and black wood panelled decor sets a refined tone at this restaurant inside Brown's Hotel and the food here lives up to its surroundings. Modern…

  • Restaurant James Sommerin

    Wales

    The chef with his name on the window earned a Michelin star for his previous Monmouthshire restaurant and is surely on track for another one here. Much…

  • Watson’s Bistro

    Anglesey & the North Coast

    Hidden in a verdant garden setting in the lee of the town wall, Watson's marries French bistro cooking with quality local ingredients. Everything is…

  • Ginhaus Deli

    Swansea, The Gower & Carmarthenshire

    Specialising in two of the very finest things in life (gin and cheese), this hip deli-cafe also serves cooked breakfasts, filled baguettes, quiches, tarts…

  • Mint & Mustard

    Cardiff

    Leather-backed chairs and mint and mustard decor are the sleek setting for a toothsome insight into the wonderful cuisine of the southern Indian state of…

  • Parisella's of Conwy Ice Cream

    Anglesey & the North Coast

    This kiosk on the quay sells a selection of what may well be the best ice cream in Wales. Among Parisella's 60-plus flavours are such delights as…

  • Dolaucothi Arms

    Swansea, The Gower & Carmarthenshire

    A lovely little local, this 16th-century drovers' inn has a friendly front bar complete with board games and an open fire, comfortably furnished side…

  • Enochs

    Anglesey & the North Coast

    Customers come from miles around to sample the offerings at nautically themed Enochs, a fish-and-chip joint dedicated to sustainable fishing. The mains…

  • On the Hill

    Snowdonia & the Llŷn

    The low ceilings and exposed beams of this 16th-century house near the square make a memorable setting for sophisticated country cooking. Meaty plates…

  • Vegetarian Food Studio

    Cardiff

    The best value authentic curry house in Cardiff just so happens to be meat-free too. With North Indian, South Indian and Oriental cuisine, the choice is…

  • Bistro Betws-y-Coed

    Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri)

    Perhaps the best place to eat in town, Bistro Betws offers some interesting adaptations of national staples, such as haddock with Welsh-rarebit crumb…

  • Mango House

    Southeast Wales

    Bringing the subcontinent to the suburbs, this snazzy Indian eatery serves up a huge menu of delicious and complex curries, including an extensive…

  • Purple Poppadom

    Cardiff

    Trailblazing a path for 'nouvelle Indian' cuisine, chef and author Anand George adds his own twist to dishes from all over the subcontinent – from Kashmir…

  • Felin Fach Griffin

    Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog

    With a string of awards as long as its wine list, this country pub offers gourmet dining in a relaxed and unpretentious setting. Open fires, leather sofas…

  • Mawddach Restaurant

    Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri)

    Occupying a smartly renovated former barn with views of Cader Idris and the estuary, Mawddach sits 2 miles west of Dolgellau on the A496. Tasteful slate…

  • Hardwick

    Southeast Wales

    This traditional inn – with its old stone fireplace, low ceiling beams and burnished copper bar – has become head chef Stephen Terry's showcase for the…

  • Quantum Coffee Roasters

    Cardiff

    Just two minutes from chain restaurants and cultural venues is this understatedly stylish coffee shop. Owned by a friendly Greek couple who adore…

  • TH Roberts

    Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri)

    Occupying a Grade II–listed building fitted with its original counter, glass cabinets and wooden drawers, this charismatic cafe still looks a lot like the…

  • River Cafe

    Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog

    River Cafe makes the most of glorious Wye frontage in the little town of Glasbury, 5 miles southwest of Hay. The dining room is open and airy, with a…

  • Carreg Cennen Tearoom

    Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog

    Possibly the best castle tearoom anywhere. The farmer-owner's longhorn beef is on the menu in the form of cottage pie and beef salad, plus it serves…

  • Blue Sky

    Anglesey & the North Coast

    Blue Sky cafe hides down an alleyway in a former Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall, but the secret is out: it's hands down the best joint in town for…

  • Pete's Eats

    Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri)

    Pete's Eats is a local institution – a busy, primary-coloured cafe where hikers and climbers swap tips over monster breakfasts and under photos of their…

  • Alfredo's

    Anglesey & the North Coast

    If it appears that Alfredo's – with its chequered tablecloths, fake ivy, fairy lights, shabby carpets and giant menu of pasta, pizza and traditional…

  • Y Gegin Fach

    Anglesey & the North Coast

    'The Little Kitchen' is a proper old-fashioned Welsh-speaking caffi, right down to the net curtains and cheery red-polka-dot tablecloths. It's a great…

  • Salt Marsh Kitchen

    Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri)

    Bare timber and blue paint give this ambitious little bistro an appropriately maritime feel, given the good things it does to fish. Inspiration is drawn…

  • Corn Mill

    Snowdonia & the Llŷn

    The water wheel still turns at the heart of this converted mill, now a cheerful, bustling pub and eatery. The deck over the tumbling Dee is the best spot…

  • Kyffin

    Anglesey & the North Coast

    Kyffin is a true gem: a fair-trade, vegetarian and vegan cafe with antique-shop fittings and a deli counter crammed with organic goodies, chocolates and…

  • Eagles Inn (Tafarn Yr Eryrod)

    Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri)

    In Llanuwchllyn, the village at the other end of the lake from Bala, this handsome stone pub is known for its Welsh-speaking regulars and great food. Most…

  • Science Cream

    Cardiff

    Wales' first liquid nitrogen ice cream parlour offers a delicious and entertaining experience, as you watch clouds of nitrogen being whipped into…

  • Hebog

    Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri)

    At the swankier end of Beddgelert's dining options, Hebog is an upmarket cafe serving the likes of braised Welsh beef in red-wine sauce and homemade…

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