43 Best Restaurants in Wales

On the beach at Oxwich, this stylish Michelin-starred eatery is considered one of the best in all of Wales. The beautifully presented dishes are made using excellent local ingredients, particularly seafood. Menus start at £94 for three courses. The solid wine list features some interesting additions from Wales, Macedonia, Croatia, Uruguay, Lebanon, and Armenia.

This contemporary hotel restaurant certainly lives up to its name (which is Welsh for "taste") as the dishes are some of the best you’ll find in Wales. Head chef Sam Owen and his team were awarded three AA Rosettes in 2022 for their creative use of local, seasonal  produce, which could include the likes of crab caught in nearby Solva or lamb from a local farm. Despite the hotel’s spectacular coastal setting, there are unfortunately no views, but the food, cocktails, wine, and professional service more than make up for it. Reservations are recommended.

Wales has undergone something of a culinary renaissance in the last couple of decades and this fantastic center is a great place to explore why. Traditional cheeses, house-made ice creams, and other artisanal food products are for sale in the farm shop and deli; there's also a bakery, a butcher, a coffee bar, and a wineshop where you can pick up Welsh malt whisky. The Furnace restaurant serves breakfast and snacks, including pizzas, while the Hayloft Bar & Grill has plenty of local meat dishes on the menu for lunch and dinner. Bodnant is on A470, 12 miles north of Conwy.

Close to Harlech's mighty castle, this friendly "restaurant with rooms" is a wonderful find. Chef Glyn Roberts uses locally sourced ingredients from salmon to lamb to create imaginative, beautifully presented contemporary dishes with a Thai accent. The main house has three spacious, modern rooms and four more are in the annex, a 16th-century coaching inn. The aviation-themed bar (the inn's owner was previously a pilot) is well-stocked and has views over Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon).

Well, this is unusual: a trendy restaurant in which all the food is prepared by prisoners; the idea behind The Clink (British slang for jail) is that those serving time for minor crimes are given the chance to turn their lives around by gaining experience as gourmet chefs. The restaurant (just outside the prison grounds) is a bright, modern space, and the Modern British food, made with local, seasonal produce, is genuinely delicious. Note that they don't serve alcohol.

This excellent "restaurant with rooms" is renowned for its creative use of local products and the rustic-chic vibe. Fruit and vegetables come from the Griffin's own organic kitchen garden, while meat is sourced from surrounding estates such as the Welsh Venison Centre. If you'd like, stay over in one of eight cozy, vintage-style bedrooms, complete with Welsh blankets and fresh flowers; dinner packages are also available. The inn is in Felin Fach, 5 miles northeast of Brecon.

Located right next to the beach, this unassuming restaurant is one of the best in south Wales. Pembrokeshire beef, Carmarthen ham, and locally caught lobster are the mainstays of the menu, served on the terrace in summer. The extensive wine list has a good selection of French wines, but be sure to try one of the house cocktails. 

In a crenellated former park lodge a short walk west of the entrance to Cardiff Castle, this cozy tearoom is the place to go for superb cakes such as Victoria Sandwich or Lemon Drizzle. There's a good range of sandwiches and around 20 teas on the menu, but the splendid Afternoon Tea is the real draw here (reservations advised). The outdoor terrace overlooking Bute Park is a lovely spot when the weather is nice.

Flickering candles, open fireplaces, exposed stone walls, and top-notch locally sourced food are hallmarks of this restaurant and bar, which dates back to the 10th century. The menu contains a selection of Welsh-reared steaks and other meat dishes, but outstanding seafood is the real specialty—try the pan-fried sea bass or seafood linguini. The romantic setting is as much of a draw as the food. Check out the huge stone Flemish chimney.

Although Cardiff doesn't boast any Michelin-starred restaurants, there is a slew of fine-dining eateries and this is one of the best. Inspired by the wonderful produce from his native western Wales, head chef Tom Simmons creates exquisite French-influenced dishes like lamb cannon with black garlic and beef tartare with truffle. The stylish restaurant, which resembles a gentleman's club crossed with a brasserie, is located in the fashionable suburb of Pontcanna, a 10-minute drive from the city center.

Regarded as one of the best chefs in the United Kingdom, Shaun Hill has been at the helm of this rustic-chic restaurant 3 miles northeast of Abergavenny since 2008. The focus here is on local, seasonal produce with international influences; lunch is £42 for two courses. There are also a couple of cottages nearby if you want to stay the night.

This two-Michelin-star restaurant, housed in a Georgian mansion set among parkland, is one of the best eateries in Wales thanks to its wonderful dishes featuring the best local, and international, meat and fish. The only option offered by chef Gareth Ward is a tasting menu featuring a whopping 20 dishes—the whole experience takes four to five hours. There are just five tables and a bench for two next to the open kitchen as well as a table for four in the kitchen. There are also 10 elegant rooms if you would like to stay the night.

Housed in a redbrick building near the Principality Stadium, this rustic-chic restaurant specializes in Spanish grills and wine. Try a sirloin from a Spanish dairy cow and then round it off with a Catalan tart accompanied, of course, by some sherry. Sunday lunch follows the Spanish tradition of shared rice-based dishes. The group also owns a stylish boutique hotel, Parador 44, located above the restaurant as well as a tapas bar, Bar 44, around the corner on Westgate Street.

It might be in an uninspiring space in a city-center shopping mall, but this little restaurant, run by members of the Hare Krishna community, is the best place to go for good-value vegan food. From their traditional dishes of dahl and curry to falafel wraps and vegan burgers, there's something to please most tastes. Or you could just take a break from sightseeing with a chai or lassi accompanied by a delicious cake. The restaurant also hosts regular events including meditation sessions and spiritual talks. 

With its gorgeous view over Cardiff Bay, this undeniably romantic restaurant is a popular choice. The classic French bistro menu is jazzed up with international influences like tempura tiger prawns and classic mac-and-cheese, but it's the steaks, especially the Chateaubriand, that diners come here for. The extensive wine list has a decent selection of vino from around the globe.

Seasonal, local produce is what it's all about at this sustainable restaurant located in an attractive old stone building in the town center. The two-course set menu features beautifully crafted dishes like crab and potato samosa with Welsh kelp and local cheese with pickled walnuts. Advance notice is needed for diners with specific dietary requirements. 

In Cardiff's biggest shopping mall, this very popular Sicilian-Italian restaurant is renowned for its pizza. The pasta's pretty good too—try the crab spaghetti or "Cardiff Sauce," which is the chef's take on carbonara with added blue cheese. There's a good gluten-free menu, but a limited selection of wine and beer (all Italian). Leave room for a cannolo.

On the top floor of Cardiff and Vale College's City Centre Campus, this smart restaurant with panoramic views from the floor-to-ceiling windows is run by catering and hospitality students. The menus, which change with the seasons, are overseen by some of the top Welsh chefs working in the United Kingdom. The beautifully presented dishes are made with local produce; even the bread is baked here. The restaurant also offers cooking master classes and short courses.

On the banks of the River Usk between Abergavenny and Raglan, this "restaurant with rooms" serves imaginative modern Welsh dishes in a relaxed setting. The menu makes great use of local ingredients, like in the mussels with cider or leek and laverbread rissoles. There's a less expensive tapas menu including fried cockles.

In a converted mill on the River Dee, this pub and restaurant has an old waterwheel that turns behind the bar. Dine on the open-air deck or in the cozy dining room, sampling stylishly updated pub fare, such as grilled sea bass with potato and shallot terrine. There are light bites, too, and dessert classics such as hot waffles with toffee sauce and bananas. Several of the ales are from Welsh microbreweries.

This charming whitewashed inn serves elegant Welsh cuisine in a rustic dining room. Fish is a specialty, underlined with plenty of regional flavors like the salmon and leek fishcake, while the beef and lamb are locally sourced. The inn is about 1½ miles west of Raglan Castle. To get there from the castle, turn left out of the gates onto the one-way road, then backtrack towards Raglan, passing the castle again on your right. At the roundabout, take Clytha Road.

This charming little vegan bistro offers an interesting menu full of freshly cooked food. Expect copious Buddha bowls with a rainbow of vegetables as well as spicy dishes, wraps, and plenty of mouthwatering sweet treats. The coffee is pretty good, too. 

This laid-back restaurant is popular with locals, drawn by the delicious, fresh pizza made entirely to order. They also serve salads, burgers, and other comfort food. In an unashamedly crowd-pleasing move, all (adult) diners get a free pint of beer with their main. They also do basic B&B accommodations. Gallt y Glyn is just under 1 mile northeast of Llanberis.

This trailer on the seafront in the attractive village of Mumbles, about 4 miles west of Swansea, serves up some of the best shellfish in the area. Order some crispy chili prawns or dressed crab and sit on a bench to take in the views of Swansea Bay. The only downside is that it's closed over the winter.

Beamed ceilings, log fires, and rambling rooms abound at this old inn dating back to the 15th century. The menu consists of pub classics done well—think fresh cod in an MPA beer batter, a choice of steaks, and the chef's special cheese pie. You can dine in the restaurant or at the more casual bar. Bedrooms are also available upstairs. The inn is 2 miles south of Conwy.

Tucked down a lane off Wind Street, the town's main nightlife area, this cozy restaurant is consistently reliable for good food in the city center. The London Ritz--trained chef deftly turns out delicious dishes made with the best local ingredients. The two-course lunch menu is good value, and the fish courses are the most popular option. Book in advance and ask for a table upstairs as the downstairs "cave" can be a bit claustrophobic.

This fashionable, cozy café-bar with a social conscience has plenty of options for vegans and vegetarians. During the day, the menu features mainly soups, sandwiches, and salads while in the evening there are sourdough pizzas and sharing boards—all made with local produce where possible. A popular student hangout, Hoogah has a good range of local craft beers and some great cocktails. There's usually live music on Saturday night.

Named after the nickname for people born within Conwy's town walls, this sophisticated eating place above an old cinema is the place to go for fine dining. Chef Nick Rudge, who trained at Heston Blumenthal's the Fat Duck, only serves a nine-course seasonal tasting menu inspired by the produce and heritage of Wales. A lighter lunch is available for £55 on Friday and Saturday. 

It's mostly oysters and mussels on the menu at this seafood and wine bar found in an Edwardian arcade opposite Cardiff Castle, but you'll also find lamb with seaweed in a bun and a handful of other inventive dishes for carnivores, all designed for sharing. Diners and drinkers sit almost elbow-to-elbow on reclaimed wooden tables, undoubtedly wondering which guest chef will be next to run a pop-up supper club at Cora's, a small restaurant upstairs. Alternatively, just pop in for one of their own-blend coffees and watch the world go by. 

This 17th-century coaching inn close to Hay's center is ideal for a lunch break after you're done ransacking the nearby bookshops. The restaurant's sophisticated cooking emphasizes local meats and produce—for example, the Welsh lamb rump with bean stew. There are also some interesting hot sandwiches available at lunchtime. You can even opt for an overnight stay in one of the country-style rooms.