Working long, unsociable hours comes with the territory of being a well respected chef whose food is loved by people from all over. But while their shifts are long, they still find time to treat themselves to a meal or two, a cup of coffee and a cake that hasn't been prepared by them in their own kitchen.
Now, you don't get to the top of your game by having a lacklustre flavour pallate and tastebuds that couldn't tell the difference between saffron and tumeric. And so, if a chef frequents a certain coffee shop, eatery and establishment, singing its praises, it probably means it's pretty darn good - and we should probably add it to our 2023 bucket list of places to try. Immediately.
With that in mind, we spoke to some of Wales' best chefs up and down the country, from Abergavenny to Conwy, to see which eateries in our great country tickle their tastebuds - and why.
Read more: The kebab shops in the running to be named the best in Wales in 2023
Read on to find out which restaurants or cafes are included in the line up...
Lewis Dwyer and Andy Aston of Hiraeth, Llysworney, Cowbridge
Having recently opened their first venture - restaurant and gastro pub Hiraeth - together, Lewis and Andy between them have a wealth of culinary experience in the fine dining, street food and winery world. But where do they enjoy eating?
Lewis reveals: "The places I visit the most have to be Happy Lok Diner. Always find myself going back just for the Nasi Lemak, it's outstanding. And La Pantera. They always have something interesting on their forever changing menu and I do love a mezcal pickleback."
Andy adds: "I'm a sucker for a good pub! Somewhere you can get great food and a pint is my idea of heaven. I love a drive out to the Felin Fach Griffin. It's one of my favourites in Wales and the area around it is picture perfect."
Happy Lok Diner, 53 Crwys Rd, Cardiff CF24 4ND / La Pantera, 5 Quay St., Cardiff CF10 1DZ / Felin Fach Griffin, Felinfach, Brecon LD3 0UB
Angela Gray of Cookery School at Llanerch Vineyard
"I tend to gravitate towards smaller businesses, the ones that have a story. And I don't get a lot of [downtime], so when I do go out, I just want that feeling of a lovely welcome. Some comfort food... It's about food for the soul. And it can be something as simple as something from a really great bakery. There's a couple that are outstanding for me personally. Ty Melin, they have one in [Cardiff] Bay, which is cute. It is great on a summer's day. Or they've got the larger one on Wellfield Road that's great because I always buy my bread when I'm in there but I cannot not stop for a coffee and something yummy.
"Ground in Pontcanna, I love it there. My daughter, Olivia, works with me and so we often, [if] we're out and about, want to go somewhere nice, if we've got a bit of time. We always factor that in, even if we're out to shop for ingredients. We'll always try and integrate a little reward for us.
"I love The Classroom. I've been there a couple of times. I love the concept what they're doing there. It's lovely to see keen chefs in the making, tomorrow's workforce, if you like, and stars rising in that place. All hail to them because they're doing such a good job.
"When I do go out, it's usually if friends are in town. It's always like a celebration or just a great get together and much-needed catch up. So how better to do it then over a plate of food? I introduced some friends of mine to Pasture. And I have to say, the first time I went there, I was blown away. They were extremely busy, but under that kind of pressure I thought they were brilliant. The staff were very, very attentive, they were great, explained everything. The food was sumptuous.
"Thomas by Thomas Simmons, that's a completely different vibe. I love the ambiance in there. It's very laid back but it's cwtchy. I think the food is really lovely. The Purple Poppadom, that's close to my heart. I know Anand George really well, and we've been going there for years. And he's doing good things there. He's got a great chef in there now and it's back to the Purple Poppadom we knew when he opened it. And that's a real treat. Stephen Terry at The Hardwick, that is always a lovely place. Wright's Food Emporium. I love what Simon and Maryann have done there. And it's always got a lovely vibe, a great feel to it. And again, family run, great understanding of local produce and how to put that simply into a menu.
"Ultracomida in Narberth for a bit of Spanish tapas style with authentic ingredients. That's a great place because I always shop as well while I'm there. I spend a fortune on food! The Angel for afternoon tea. It's sublime. They have an in-house baker and [they] are phenomenal and everything is homemade on that plate, from the bread to the scones. Everything. And that is a mark of a good afternoon tea. On the way up to mid Wales, we would always stop at the Griffin at Felin Fech. You'd never go there and have a bad meal."
Tŷ Melin Bakery, Bayscape, Cardiff CF11 0AZ and 49 Wellfield Rd, Cardiff CF24 3PA / Ground Bakery, 15 Pontcanna St, Pontcanna, Cardiff CF11 9HQ / The Classroom Y Dosbarth, Dumballs Rd, Cardiff CF10 5FE / Pasture, 8-10 High St, Cardiff CF10 1BB / Thomas by Thomas Simmons, 3 & 5 Pontcanna St, Pontcanna, Cardiff CF11 9HQ / Purple Poppadom, 185a Cowbridge Road East,upper floor, Cardiff CF11 9AJ / The Hardwick, Old Raglan Road, Abergavenny NP7 9AA / Wright's Food Emporium, Llanarthney, Carmarthen SA32 8JU / Ultracomida, 7 High St, Narberth SA67 7AR and 31 Pier St, Aberystwyth SY23 2LN / The Angel Hotel, 15 Cross St, Abergavenny NP7 5EN / The Felin Fach Griffin, Felinfach, Brecon LD3 0UB
Daniel Powell of The Stubborn Duckling, Aberaeron
"Having a young family (two daughters under eight), down time from the restaurant is normally family time so my choices won't be the most extravagant. I'll start with the girls favourite place to go - Little Italy in Aberystwyth. This is a proper old school Italian bistro! Loads of fresh pasta dishes to chose from, pizzas, and a great tiramisu to finish.
"The next place, and continuing with the Italian theme is Tafell a Tan in Llangranog. There is only a small amount of seating serving award winning pizzas, but it's right on the beach so great for a takeaways on summer days.
"Next, and for date nights, myself and the wife's favourite restaurant would be Dexter's Steakhouse and Grill in Carmarthen. I rarely order steak when I'm out, as nothing can live up to the locally reared Dexter cattle served here!
"And finally, somewhere we visit when we're in Carmarthen and are after a quick lunch/brunch is Karmen Kafe. Plenty of homemade cakes, great coffee, and interesting menu choices handwritten on chalkboards that change daily."
Little Italy, 51 North Parade, Aberystwyth SY23 2JN / Tafell a Tan, Llangrannog, Llandysul SA44 6SN / Dexter's Steakhouse and Grill, Coracle Way, Carmarthen SA31 3JP / Karmen Kafe, 22 Bridge St, Carmarthen SA31 3JS
Shauna Guinn of Hangfire BBQ
"There's been some brilliant new foodie start-ups in Cardiff by some talented chefs the past year. Notable for us, was Lee Skeet's first restaurant - Cora. What a natural talent! And we're lucky to have him in Wales. Another one is the superb Shane Nilssen-Davies. A talented chef bringing Nordic Cuisine to the Capital. His cooking is precise, seasonally-minded, and above all, fun.
"In terms of permanent spots, we have been blown away by the continued vision, precision, and decadent joys of Bar 44 Tapas. Constantly innovating, a real jewel in the crown Cardiff Culinary scene. And the inimitable Purple Poppadom. Authentic Keralan-style cooking. Always our go-to Indian restaurant in the Capital. These places are always in the mix for us when we want to eat out.
"Celtic Cabin [also] strive to serve fresh and healthy street food wraps along with many other goodies for the beach. A focus on seasonal, local and innovative dishes, they love celebrating Welsh produce in the most beauty’s Welsh landscape. We were proud to crown [them], another Welsh winner, in the BBC Food and Farming awards having won it ourselves in 2015."
Cora, 83 Pontcanna St, Pontcanna, Cardiff CF11 9HS / Nordic Cuisine is a pop-up restaurant - keep your eyes out for its next residency / Bar 44, 14 Windsor Rd, Penarth CF64 1JH or 15-23 Westgate St, Cardiff CF10 1DD / Purple Poppadom, 185a Cowbridge Road East,upper floor, Cardiff CF11 9AJ / Celtic Cabin, Barmouth, Dolgellau LL40 2UW
Matt Waldron of The Stackpole Inn, Pembrokeshire
"My favourite place to eat local to me would have to be Y Polyn, simply because they use local ingredients, really well thought out flavor combinations and just cooked simply with a lot of care. They just produce really good, tasty dishes, sourcing great produce and supporting local farms and suppliers. Whats not to love.
"Further afield in Wales I love a trip to Ynyshir. Being the best restaurant in Wales, the experience is insane; something that you wont get anywhere else, from the food, the service and the amazing surroundings of the restaurant. The food is based on incredible produce and every bite you have is packed full of flavour.
"A newbie which I visited last month was Penmaenuchaf Hotel which I will definitely be revisiting. Beautiful hotel, and amazing food and service. Simple but elegant food served in a beautiful surrounding. They focus on local produce from around them and just treat them with respect."
Y Polyn, Capel Dewi, Carmarthen SA32 7LH / Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms, Eglwysfach, Machynlleth, SY20 8TA / Penmaenuchaf Hall Hotel, Penmaenpool, Dolgellau LL40 1YB
Stephen Terry of The Hardwick, Abergavenny
"The Wright's Food Emporium are just absolute ambassadors for just good, seasonal, proper tasty grub. They also are very dear friends, Simon and Maryann. They just epitomise seasonality and locality when it comes to Welsh projects. There's no one who does it better. They're just so passionate and friendly. And it's so unpretentious and honest. It's just all those things times 100. It's good tasty food. Everything's about quality, but affordable quality.
"My favourite place in Cardiff is Casanova. Again, just about good quality produce, unpretentious, very passionate. It's accessible, you know? It's not flashy for the sake of being flashy. It's very, very friendly, knowledgeable service at Casanova. They know everything about everything that they serve. And they source really well. They've got great Italian produce, they import their own wine - and the best risotto I've ever had in my life. Antonio [Cersosimo, the chef] just cooks pasta beautifully. True craftsmen of their art.
"Gower Seafood Hut, they're husband and wife and it's along the promenade on the Gower strip in Mumbles and it's just fabulous. I mean, they sell out every day... it's fresh and tasty. Just good. Nice tartar sauce, good wedge of lemon, lovely fried squid, good crab. And they work really, really hard out of a little hut. They're good for the Gower, you know and they're just good, honest, very hardworking people. And it's bloody tasty and it's simple.
"And then you've got the big man up at Ynyshir [Gareth Ward]. I went there a couple of years ago with James Martin, we were filming for James' show where he goes around the country. And we had dinner and stayed the night and it was just unbelievable. It's just... well, Gareth calls it fun dining, not fine dining. They've got a DJ. They play vinyl in the restaurant... it's really relaxed, fun dining. But obviously everything comes at a cost. People have to appreciate how much everything costs. They use the best of the best.
"Another one I would just mention is Susan and Bryan Webb at Tyddyn Llan up in north Wales. One of the best chefs in the country, by a country mile. His depth of knowledge is just incredible. And his cooking has such a deft touch with good, solid, classical flavours and cooking techniques."
Wright's Food Emporium, Llanarthney, Carmarthen SA32 8JU / Casanova, 13 Quay St., Cardiff CF10 1EA / Gower Seafood Hut, Promenade Terrace, Mumbles, Swansea SA3 4DS / Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms, Eglwysfach, Machynlleth, SY20 8TA / Tyddyn Llan, Llandrillo, Corwen LL21 0ST
Janet Wei of Janet's Authentic Northern Chinese Restaurant
Found in Ponty Market, Janet's Authentic Northern Chinese Restaurant offers some of the best Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Malaysian food you can eat in Wales cooked by Janet Wei herself, a self-taught chef from the Yanbian area of China - read more on her story and successes here. Her homecooked dishes like dim sum, honey chicken, bao buns and bibimbap bowls - to name a few - are so good they won her the title of Champion Streetfood at The British Street Food Awards last year.
As for what she likes to eat, she tells us: "I love to eat at the Vietnamese-inspired restaurant, Pho, in Cardiff. For a chain they are very focused on authentic Vietnamese food which is great.
"Their beef Pho and Vietnamese beef brisket curry are my go-to dishes to order."
Pho, 5-10 Church St, Cardiff CF10 1BG
Gareth Ward of Ynyshir
"Number one is Baravin in Aberystwyth. Gareth [Evans] is manager there. He's just a really good friend and super hospitable, just awesome. Looks after you really well, and I love their Caesar salads. I love Caesar salads, me. It's right on the seafront. It's just an awesome place to be.
"So the next one is a fish and chip shop Caersws fish bar. It's awesome. The guy [who runs it], he's super passionate. He makes like koji fried chicken. He's like fermenting stuff. He's just doing all sorts and he's doing sourdough batter and all that kind of stuff. What he does is really cool. It's class. [My go to order is] fish and chips with mushy peas. Loads of salt, loads of vinegar and then ketchup. I just love ketchup. If you got a really nice flatbreads or a soft bun, you make a sandwich out of it, it's class."
His next, however, is one that is rather surprising. "You're going to laugh at this - Welshpool McDonald's. I'm telling you now, Welshpool McDonald's is on a different level. It's just got different [elements] to everyone else. [It's] just absolutely smashing it. Last time I had a crispy chicken and it definitely had [something like] truffle mayonnaise on it. I don't think it did, but it tasted like it did. Everybody I speak to says this is, by far, the best MacDonald's in the world. Welshpool McDonald's that's what it's all about."
Baravin, 1 Marine Terrace, Aberystwyth SY23 2AP / Caersws fish bar, 2 Cwrt Swswen, Station Rd, Caersws SY17 5EQ / Welshpool McDonald's, Enterprise Park, Unit 1 Buttington Cross, Welshpool SY21 8SL
Nick Rudge of The Jackdaw, Conwy
"Providero [Tea & Coffee House] in Llandudno. I go for a coffee every now and again and bit of cake and a snack. Also in in Conwy, we have a really nice Turkish bakery, which is called The White Bakery. And they do really nice freshly baked goods. Really nice coffee. And they do these little baklava, which are particularly good. Usually, if you get the timing right they're straight out the oven. So they're really hot and really, really good. I’m extremely lucky to have a great restaurant manager, Gareth, who lives in Conwy, so if we’re in luck and he smells the wonderful baklava on the way to The Jackdaw, he will pick some up and we are all in for a treat!
"Gorse (currently a pop up restaurant in Cardiff) by a friend of mine, Tom Waters, we worked together for a few years at The Fat Duck and he certainly is a great chef, definitely knows how to hit people with flavour. In my opinion for what he is cooking his events are very well priced and well worth it, so book in while you can!
"I went to SY23 restaurant in Aberystwyth earlier in the year. And that was really good. It's exciting to see what Welsh cuisine is almost going to become and what it's evolving into. And hopefully, people think the same about The Jackdaw.
"Jalsa, Conwy - again just down the road from the restaurant - a great Indian restaurant with wonderful slow cooked, less valued cuts of meat with great spicing. For me, if you are after flavour and either a sit in or takeaway meal at the same standard, this is always a go to treat!"
Providero Tea & Coffee House, 148 Conway Rd, Llandudno Junction LL31 9DU / The White Bakery, 22 Rose Hill St, Conwy LL32 8LD / SY23, 2 Pier St, Aberystwyth SY23 2LJ / Jalsa Tandoori, 31 Castle St, Conwy LL32 8AY
Douglas Balish of Grove of Narberth, Pembrokeshire
"I have a weekly ritual of going to our favourite local café, Fforc, in Narberth, who serve the best coffee around, always accompanied with one of their breakfast sandwiches. As a treat I’ll pick up a pastry from Rock and Dough, one of the most interesting up and coming bakeries in the country.
"When it’s a special occasion I love going to Coast Restaurant in Saundersfoot. The setting, looking out onto the sea combined with great service and fantastic food creates a unique experience."
Fforc, Narberth, SA67 7AR/ Rock and Dough, Hud Y Machlud, Maenclochog, SA66 7LF / Coast Restaurant, Coppet Hall Beach Centre, Saundersfoot SA69 9AJ
Hywel Griffith of Beach House, Oxwich
"There’s a small restaurant in Mumbles called Nishimura. Frank the owner opened Nishimura originally on Bryn y Mor Road in Swansea some eight years ago. Having frequented Nishimura on a regular basis, its great to see this local gem flourish in its new location."
As for where he tends to eat if he wants to treat himself, he says: "Here in Wales, Nathan [Davies]’s SY23 is hard to beat, a small restaurant serving local ingredients cooked with love over fire… what’s not to like? Further afield [in London] Elystan Street followed by Core on my birthday last year made for a pretty memorable occasion.
"I love going out in general, whether it’s a top end 3* or a great vale for money local restaurant serving great plates of food. As a chef eating out really helps to open a creative train of thought, and while you remain unique in your own style, being inspired and experiencing other restaurants is really important.
"Quite simply the most important aspects when dining out is value for money, originality and consistency, with the latter being the most important by quite some margin, there’s nothing worse than going to a restaurant the second time only to be disappointed. These restaurants] deliver exactly that, value for money, consistency and an edge of originality."
Nishimura, 580 Mumbles Rd, Mumbles, Swansea SA3 4DL/ SY23, 2 Pier St, Aberystwyth SY23 2LJ
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