Michelin Star Restaurants in Wales for 2022
The Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland 2022 was launched on 16th February. Michelin stars are awarded to restaurants judged to be of a particularly high standard by the culinary equivalent of secret agents. No chef knows when a Michelin Inspector will be at their restaurant, or who they are when they’re there.
With such a prestigious award at stake, the food at a Michelin star restaurant will almost always be delicious. Based on this year’s results, here is the best of what Wales has to offer as of 2022.
NEW AWARD – The Green Star
Last year’s Michelin Guide was ground-breaking, for it featured a brand-new kind of award. The Michelin ‘Green Star’ highlights restaurants that are at the forefront of the industry when it comes to sustainability. Thirty-one British restaurants won the award this year, and two of those were in Wales.
According to the Michelin guide, this new award recognises restaurants that champion local producers and ‘hold themselves accountable for both their ethical and environmental standards.’
Henry Robertson – Palé Hall, Llandderfel
One of the best restaurants in North Wales, the Henry Robertson is positioned within the spectacular Palé Hall Hotel, with stunning views over the gardens.
Its menus reflect the local offerings, with organic fruits and veg grown on-site. A hydroelectric plant provides enough carbon-neutral energy to power the entire hotel. They also run an incentive scheme for ‘innovative contributions’ to reduce their carbon footprint.
Ingredients are sourced from farmers, fishermen and growers in the region, allowing guests to enjoy some of the finest fresh local seasonal fare – Welsh black beef, local venison, salmon and artisan cheeses.
Chapters, Hay-on-Wye
Chapters puts sustainability and community at the heart of everything it does. Its main priority is to support local producers and other independent businesses from Hay-on-Wye and the surrounding areas.
Alongside producing fresh, seasonal menus that showcase the region’s most iconic fare, the restaurant itself is a green fiend’s dream. The bar is made from repurposed scaffolding and the walls are decorated with foraged items pickled in Kilner jars. As for waste, leftover food goes towards staff meals or compost for the restaurant’s colourful garden.
Here, you’ll enjoy a smorgasbord of mouth-watering recipes. The menu changes with the weather but you can expect unusual dishes like duck rillette with rhubarb and fermented barley loaf dripping in seaweed butter.
7 Michelin star restaurants in Wales
1. Ynyshir, Machynlleth
Ynyshir in Machynlleth has become the country’s most esteemed restaurant, gaining its second Michelin star in 2022. In fact, it’s the only restaurant in Wales to boast this extraordinary achievement.
This surprising destination dining restaurant is set in 14 acres of beautiful landscape adjacent to the UNESCO Dfyi Biosphere nature reserve. Led by head chef Gareth Ward, restaurant-goers can watch with delight as their dinner is prepared and served by chefs who explain exactly how it was created.
The Ynyshir’s set menu boasts 17 variants to showcase seasonal ingredients and up to 20 courses. You’ll take your taste buds on an exquisite exploration of global cuisine, tucking into dishes like Welsh lamb spare rib, bluefin tuna belly and white chocolate infused with black bean paste.
2. Walnut Tree, Llanddewi Skirrid
Sitting two miles east of Abergavenny, The Walnut Tree has been a famous restaurant and inn since the early 1960s. Close to the English border, this Michelin star restaurant set in the rolling hills of South Wales has held a Michelin Star since 2010.
The food is modest, contemporary and celebrates both seasonal ingredients and traditional Welsh cooking, under the leadership of legendary chef, Shaun Hill. He draws inspiration from the food he loves to eat, meaning every dish is enthusiastically and lovingly prepared.
3. The Whitebrook, Whitebrook
This award-winning restaurant near Monmouth in South East Wales got its first Michelin star within just 11 months of opening. With chef patron Chris Harrod at the helm, the Whitebrook’s menu celebrates the growers and producers of the Wye Valley.
Whatever is not bought from local growers comes from their own kitchen garden, or is foraged from the nearby hedgerows, woods and estuary. The restaurant fuses an original combination of herbs like hogweed, bittercress and wild onion to bring a little taste of the valley to your plate.
4. Beach House, Oxwich
First awarded a Michelin star in 2019, the head chef Hywel Griffith is passionate about local produce. One of the best restaurants in South Wales, the Beach House offers tasting menus that are designed to be enjoyed as a whole table dining experience. Other dishes highlight local ingredients and you can pair them with an extensive wine list.
Above all else, the Beach House has plenty of options for health and planet-conscious vegetarians. This includes creamy risottos and cauliflower bites paired with pear, shallot and parsley.
5. Sosban & The Old Butchers, Menai Bridge
Located within a historical Butcher’s Shop on the Isle of Anglesey off the northwest coast of Wales, this dining experience is a little different to most. If you like a surprise, the Sosban & The Old Butchers restaurant could be for you. With a focus on local suppliers, the menu changes every day depending on what’s in season, often with surprising – and delicious – results.
6. SY23, Aberystwyth
A newcomer to the list, SY23 in Aberystwyth lives by the motto “foraged, farmed or fished”. Chefs source local produce and cook it over a fire during service, letting the simple yet scrumptious flavours take centre stage.
Co-owner Nathan Davies, a star of Great British Menu and a former head chef at Ynyshir, believes there’s no need to douse cuts of meat in fancy sauces. Instead, he focuses on traditional flavour combinations like scallops with seaweed and lamb with wild black garlic.
Best of all, ravenous guests will enjoy an intimate dining experience in a beautiful location above Aberystwyth’s famous clocktower.
7. Home, Penarth
Home in Penarth received its first Michelin star this year thanks to its relaxing atmosphere and world-class menus. Founder and Head Chef James Sommerin strived to design a restaurant that made everyone feel welcome. In his own words, he wants you to feel comfortable enough to “kick your shoes off under the table” – a far cry from some other accredited dining experiences.
The seasonal menus feature four or eight courses that’ll take you on an exciting culinary adventure. Each time you visit, there’ll be a different dish to explore, representing the highest quality Welsh ingredients. If you’re feeling especially fancy or celebrating a special occasion, choose the eight-course with wine pairing menu.
Bib Gourmand Awards for Wales
This year, there was no change to the Bib Gourmand accolades. Bryn Williams and the Hare and Hounds both retained their awards.
Bib Gourmand is a nod to “good quality, good value restaurants” that serve exceptional food while remaining affordable. These could include everything from luxurious restaurants to welcoming country pubs.
Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias, the Bib Gourmand Award
Located on Colwyn Bay’s windswept seafront in North Wales, the Bryn Williams’ bistro-style menu is another focused on seasonal foods and is full of local Welsh produce – particularly seafood. One of two Welsh winners of this award, this restaurant boasts a relaxed atmosphere. Plus, those dining can watch the chefs work in the open kitchen.
Hare and Hounds in Aberthin, the Bib Gourmand Award
Food that is local and in season is the focus here, so the menu reflects the best possible local produce. The food itself dictates what is on the menu at the Hare and Hounds from day to day and what isn’t bought from local farmers and growers comes from their own vegetable garden and smallholding. Aberthin born Chef Tom Watts-Jones trained in London and returned to South Wales to celebrate the best of Welsh cuisine.
Looking for something a little different? From Cardiff’s top-rated restaurants to the best evening meals in Colwyn Bay, discover more places to eat during your visit to Wales on our blog.
