Wales hasn’t always been globally known for its culinary reputation, so today we wanted to shine a light on some of the amazing things happening in the food scene there.
From local chefs using high quality local produce to innovative restaurants cooking cuisines from around the world the Welsh foodie scene is really starting to light up.
Worth the trip to Wales to sample these dishes alone…
1. T-Bone Steak – Assador 44
A Cardiff steak with a South American twist. You’ll want to come with a serious appetite as the portions are big, but you’d be foolish to look beyond the steak. You won’t regret it.
2. Brunch – Milk&Sugar
Milk&Sugar is the perfect spot to fuel up at the weekends and get your weekly fix of eggs. Their Benedicts are superb and they do a great pea and avocado smash on toast.
3. The Cheese Trolley – Restaurant James Sommerin
This is a Michelin-star restaurant that’s known for serving the very best food going, so when they wheel out a cheese trolley you know its going to be special. A mind blowing selection of creamy goodness.
4. Tandori Mixed Grill – The Grand Sultan
The Grand Sultan is a multi-award winning Indian restaurant in Port Talbot. You can choose any of their amazing curries but the Chicken Tandori is a work of art.
5. Ice Cream Sandwich – Science Cream
Science Cream do some seriously funky things with their ice cream in their shops and at festivals. If you can get your hands on one of their ice cream sandwiches then you really will be a happy bunny.
6. Chili Beef – Gigi Gao’s
You’ll be obsessed be with this multi-award winning Chinese restaurant with a seriously loyal customer base. The beef is hot, spicy and seriously tender in the mouth. Perfect cooking.
7. The Dessert Menu – The Checkers, Montgomery
While all the food in this Michelin-star restaurant is top class, it’s the desserts that shine the brightest and transport you to another planet. They’re like individual works of art that are almost too good to eat. Almost.
8. Mixed Grill Platter – Shaam Nights
This insanely big platter of grilled meats is one to attack before a big night out as this is seriously going to test you and a friend. A meat lovers delight and a wonderful standard of cooking too.
9. Burgers – Got BeefÂ
Nothing beats a good burger and they are the real deal here. Keep it simple with bacon and cheese and double up the patties for the ultimate cheat meal.
10. Afternoon Tea – Bodysgallen
Bodysallen has been voted into the top 10 afternoon teas in the UK, so you know it’s truly delicious. With a backdrop as spectacular as this you’ll be absolute heaven.
11. Heaneys – Sunday Roast
This is where fine dining meets the best meal of the week and the result is absolute perfection. Rich, juicy pink beef and perfectly crisp roasties.
12. Cheesy Chilli Fries – Smoke Haus
Smoke Haus do epic American food served in both Swansea and Cardiff. The menu features hefty classics like burgers and ribs, but it’s the cheesy chilli fries that steal the show. Forget the diet for a day!
13. Korean Fried Chicken – The Blue Honey Night Cafe
You probably wouldn’t expect to find Korean fried chicken this good outside Korea, or somewhere famous for its Koreatown, like LA, but the reality is that this is every bit as good if not better.
14. Pizza – Da Mara
As good as any pizza you’ll find in Italy. They even offer pizza making classes, but we think you are better off just eating it all to yourself and save the cooking to the experts.
15. Souvlaki – Meat And Greek
This Cypriot/Greek spot cooks up the very best grilled meat – if you haven’t had a Souvlaki yet you are seriously missing out. You’ll also spot them out and about at festivals and food markets.
16. Sticky Toffee Pudding – Dylans
Dylans have three locations in Wales, where you’ll find their signature dessert served perfectly with hot butter scotch sauce and vanilla ice cream. You’ll be left licking the plate.
17. The Dogfather – Hogwurst
Any restaurant that specialises in sausages is going to get an automatic upvote from us. They stack the hotdogs high with unusual toppings. Bonus tip: They also serve up a great breakfast sausage and fry up.
18. Lobster, Crab And Oysters – The Lobster PotÂ
The Lobster Pot is well off the beaten track but worth getting out to the coast for the sheer freshness of their shellfish. The combination of the lobster, crab and oysters with their simple sauces and lemon is just terrific.
19. Enochs – Fish And Chips
With locations in Anglesey and Llandudno, they take the very concept of fish and chips to a whole new level. Some great classics on the menu alongside some nifty little specials worth branching out to.
20. Slow Cooked Beef – Port Eirias
A seriously talented crew in the kitchen who have a soft spot for a beautiful slow cooked beef dish. It could be brisket or beef cheek, but whatever cut it is they’re going down low and slow and dishing up an absolute treat.
21. Lobster Salad – Beach House
Their location right on the beach is half the attraction, but then you sit down and they bring out a dish like this (which also features droolworthy sweetbreads) and you know you are somewhere very special indeed.
If you are in Wales and want to walk all that food off you should check out the 7 most Instagrammable spots in Cardiff.
