As part of our Green Traveller's Guide to the Brecon Beacons, Paul Bloomfield picks out a selection of restaurants, cafés, inns and food festivals that celebrate local food and drink in this glorious National Park in south Wales.
Local Welsh venison, Black Mountain smoked salmon and, of course, lamb in abundance - the Brecon Beacons is undoubtedly home to some of Wales' best food.
From Michelin-starred restaurants to quaint, family-run tearooms, almost every menu in the region will offer something that has either grown or been reared in the surrounding hills and forests. Whether you're after the freshest Breconshire lamb or one of many Welsh cheeses, you'll find that top chefs have teamed up with local suppliers to bring you the best the region has to offer.
Google map: shows the location and details of all the places to stay, local food and drink, nearby visitor attractions and activities in our Green Traveller's Guide to the Brecon Beacons:
Green = Places to stay Blue = Local food & drink Yellow = Attractions Purple = Activities
Places to eat in the Brecon Beacons
The Walnut Tree
A firm favourite now with a Michelin star under its belt. Voted one of the best restaurants in the UK, the Walnut Tree has blossomed under the expert guidance of chef Shaun Hill and now offers an eclectic menu based around the core principle of using top-quality, locally sourced ingredients. The options are constantly changing along with the seasons, but at the time of writing, the menu includes saddle of hare with roasted salsify, wild duck with morels, and a skirt of beef with roasted shallots. To wash all of this down is a vast, hand-picked selection of around 100 wines. A three-course set lunch menu costs £26. thewalnuttreeinn.com
The Hardwick
At the Hardwick, head chef Stephen Terry has created a fantastic menu using ingredients from local producers he himself has handpicked so as to ensure only the very best quality. On top of that, suppliers are credited on the menu so you'll know exactly where your dish has come from. The 'Bah Bah Black Sheep' main meal for two provides a taste of organic Pen yr Wyrlod lamb, including a crispy breadcrumbed leg and shepherd's pie. The Taste of Local Beef sharer offers similarly impressive sounding dishes with top Welsh beef. thehardwick.co.uk
Peterstone Court
Given that Peterstone Court is run by a group of restauranteurs it is no wonder that the food on offer in the restaurant is of such a high standard. With around 90% of the meat and poultry used coming from the family farm (Glaisfer Uchaf), as well as numerous local suppliers, the menu sets the standard for local, fresh dishes. The impressive '7 mile' menu ensures that everything on your plate is as local as possible, while the evening menu serves up grilled loin of Welsh Black beef, rump of Llangynidr lamb and a formidable cheese board. peterstone-court.com/restaurant/
The Castle Hotel
Run by the same group of restauranteurs as Peterstone Court, the Castle also sources almost all of their meat and poultry from the family farm, with the rest of the produce coming courtesy of a handful of local suppliers. The varied menu offers up everything from a basket of organic bread and Welsh butter to a huge Welsh porterhouse steak simply cooked over a charcoal grill. For lunch, try one of the Castle Deli board platters for a taster of Welsh produce. When you're done eating, try a pint of one the Castle's Welsh cask ales and relax in front of the open fire. castle-hotel-llandovery.co.uk
Manor Hotel
The family-owned Manor Hotel sits at the foot of the stunning Table Mountain, just on the outskirts of Crickhowell. Their focus on simple, organic produce makes for some fantastic dishes; a particular favourite is the famous '7-mile' lunchtime menu. Perhaps most impressive is that the Manor sources 80% of its meat and poultry from the nearby family farm in Llangynidr - meaning they know exactly what each animal has been fed before it reaches your plate. This helps to make dishes like the trio of Breconshire lamb and Black Mountain smoked salmon even more enjoyable. manorhotel.co.uk
Gliffaes Hotel Restaurant
The restaurant at Gliffaes sets a very high standard for dining in the Breacon Beacons National Park As a member of the 'Slow Food Movement', head chef Karl Cheetham has the aim of sourcing nearly all of Gliffaes' produce from within 50 miles of the hotel. As a result, the food is highly dependent on the seasons, while veg is grown in their own garden. Visit for lunch and you'll be able to choose from Glamorgan sausages, Gliffaes meatball casserole and Black Mountain smoked haddock. In the evening, favourites include the Welsh black fillet and a Perl Las risotto. gliffaeshotel.com
The Swan Hotel
This cosy, Grade II-listed coaching inn is home to two restaurants - the Garden Room, which serves dinner during the summer and Sunday lunches, and the bistro, serving lunch and evening meals. The aim here has been to create dishes where at least 80% of the ingredients are sourced locally, resulting in a menu that offers up Herefordshire beef and Welsh Marshes lamb together with fruit and veg from the Wye Valley. The Sample Tasting Menu is highly recommended, showcasing some of the best possible ingredients from the surrounding area. swanathay.co.uk
Black Mountains Smokery
Black Mountains Smokery Shop is Jo and Jonathan Carthew’s gourmet food and hamper business. Based in Crickhowell in the Brecon Beacons, they offer a UK wide mail order and gift service online or over the phone, as well as a lovely shop. Their award-winning smoked fish, meat and cheese, produced at the smokehouse, sourced with care from British suppliers are traditionally cured and naturally oak smoked. Delicious food delivered with friendly, reliable service. Don't miss a weekly Wednesday tour and tasting; an informative guided walk around the smokery including slicing demos, serving suggestions, sampling and a free product. Booking is essential to avoid disappointment on 01873 811566 smoked-foods.co.uk
Bridge Café
Outdoor enthusiasts Carole and John have created just the sort of place they would hope to find after a long day exploring the surrounding Brecon Beacons. A short stroll from the centre of Brecon, the Bridge Café offers locally-sourced, hearty food and a relaxed, informal atmosphere. You’ll find delicious things like slow cooked Welsh lamb stew and salmon from the Black Mountains on the menu, and there’s bike storage and plenty of maps and local info for walkers and cyclists. Retire on full bellies to comfortable rooms (2 double, 1 twin) upstairs. bridgecafe.co.uk
Tower Café
Offering guests a 'warm Benedictine welcome', Tower Café is wonderfuly situated within Brecon's Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin. Wherever possible, food is sourced from local suppliers - the bacon comes from a butcher in Brecon, all other meat and fish from the Black Mountains Smokery near Bwlch. Clams of Crickhowell produce the homemade cakes, while the award-winning apple juice comes straight from Talybont-on-Usk. During the summer guests can enjoy the range of salads, soups and sandwiches while relaxing in the public garden. stmarysbrecon.org.uk/towercafe
Felin Fach Griffin
The aim of those working in the Felin Fach kitchen is to turn 'food miles into food paces'. Having developed an impressive kitchen garden, the restaurant now offers a host of gorgeous fruit and veg, as well as selling a variety of picalillies and chutneys. With never more than seven starters or main courses on offer at one time, the chefs can focus on providing top quality produce, such as Bryn Derw chicken breast and a braised shin of Welsh beef. Visit on a Sunday and indulge in the highly-praised Set Sunday Lunch (2 courses £19.75, 3 courses £23.50). eatdrinksleep.ltd.uk
Pen y Cae Inn
Pen y Cae Inn's passion for good food and seasonal produce is exemplified by the array of Welsh ingredients on offer throughout the menu - the lamb comes from Breconshire, the beef from Llandovery and fresh fish and smoked salmon from Paul and Deborah of Swansea Fish. There's also home-grown veg from the Gower and a long list of local cheeses. For a lighter lunch, try the Penclawdd Cockles, complete with laver bread, or a Welsh Black Minute steak. penycaeinn.com
Abergavenny Food Festival
Every year, this 'Glastonbury of food festivals' brings together the very best food and drink suppliers in the UK. Set out across numerous venues around town, this programme of culinary events includes everything from an inspiration Food Academy in the grounds of the castle to a huge range of exhibitions in the Victorian Market Hall. The highlight is probably the True Taste Trail, which trails across every venue and showcase some of the best Welsh produce to have been awarded the True Taste Food and Drink Awards. abergavennyfoodfestival.com
For information on characterful places to stay, nearby visitor attractions and activities, see our
