The Welsh restaurants that made it into the Good Food Guide 2020 have been revealed.
The top guide features the best restaurants across the UK and is well-respected by both chefs and food lovers alike.
Each position is decided by a combination of cooking score, editor appraisal and the strength of reader feedback with a space on the top 50 much sought after by establishments.
A cooking score of 10 means "just perfect dishes, showing faultless technique at every service; extremely rare, and the highest accolade the Guide can give".
Ynyshir in Eglwys Fach, near Machynlleth, is the highest ranking Welsh restaurant on the list reaching number four.
It beat the likes of Gordon Ramsay's London restaurant and Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck with its score of nine.
Restaurant James Sommerin in Penarth came in at 35, with a cooking score of seven.
The Whitebrook in Monmouthshire followed closely behind ranking at 38, with another score of seven.
The Sosban & The Old Butcher’s in Anglesey was the only new Welsh entry in the top 50, at number 45, with a score of seven.
Readers were also asked to nominate their favourite neighbourhood restaurants, with the guide looking for "places that give a warm welcome and share a passion for local produce, plus a commitment to the community".
The Good Food Guide judges visited the shortlisted finalists before selecting a winner in each region.
The Warren in Carmarthen was handed this year's Best Local Restaurant in Wales.
The annual guide, published by Waitrose & Partners, recognises the restaurants and chefs who have shown excellence in their field and exceptional talent.
Ynyshir - number 4
Since being turned from Ynyshir Hall to Ynyshir in autumn 2016, this restaurant has gained rave reviews.
Waitrose Good Food Guide Editor Elizabeth Carter said: “When the opening shot is ‘not French onion soup’ – a clear, crunchy, seaweedy-sour broth of a palate cleanser – and a tiny wagyu burger, all crisp outer and soft inner, delivers a robustly umami hit, you know you are in the hands of an unconventional chef, one who creates a dining experience like no other.
"Gareth Ward thinks about flavour, not in a classic three-course way, but through a full throttle series of punchy bites that you won’t forget in a hurry."
Restaurant James Sommerin, Glamorgan - number 35
James Sommerin and his wife Louise run this Penarth eaterie. They promise a unique and relaxed dining experience with views over the Severn Estuary.
James has been working in restaurants since he was 12. After building up his experience - and meeting Louise - James moved back to Wales in 2000, working at the Whitebrook before obtaining his first Michelin Star in 2007.
Their Penarth restaurant opened in 2014.
They offer an a la carte menu, but on Friday and Saturday nights only their six and nine course tasting menu.
The Whitebrook, Monmouthshire - number 38
This restaurant prides itself on its local food in a beautiful setting.
Chef Chris Harrod, previously of Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, also uses ingredients freshly foraged from nearby.
Within 11 months of opening, The Whitebrook was awarded a Michelin star and the restaurant has since won an AA Wine Award for Wales and Inspectors’ Choice (Restaurant with Rooms) and become one of only 39 restaurants in the UK to hold 4 AA Rosettes.
The restaurant offers courses including Orkney scallops and suckling pig with caramlised celeriac, and pear.
Sosban & The Old Butcher’s, Anglesey - number 45
The restaraunt is located in the heart of Menai Bridge on the Isle of Anglesey, within a historical butcher’s shop.
It already holds one Michelin star with their judges describing "a well-balanced six to seven course surprise menu [that] offers boldly flavoured modern dishes with original, personal touches".
According to the North Wales Live, it was opened around seven years ago by Stephen and Bethan Stevens and became an instant hit with foodies.
Wales also boasts five new entries in this year’s Good Food Guide, including:
The Warren, Carmarthen - Best Local Restaurant in Wales
This family run and sustainable cafe, restaurant & bar serving simple food focusing on local, seasonal and organic produce.
It's set in the heart of Carmarthen town after opening in 2016 after a successful Crowdfunding campaign raising over £20,000 from the community.
The guide said: “This rambling cafe and restaurant sits squarely at the heart of the community, with open mic nights, charity quizzes and occasional live music among its roster of events.
"It’s a convivial space whether you’re after a hearty breakfast, great-value lunch or more substantial dinner.
"The Warren takes full advantage of its setting to craft dishes from the excellent regional produce on its doorstep, with much of it plant-based."
Heaneys, Cardiff
Great British Menu chef Tommy Heaney opened the Cardiff spot in 2018 after crowdfunding £40,000 to open his first restaurant of his own.
The Crumlin-born chef said previously: "I want the restaurant to be the kind of place where I would go to eat; not fine-dining, but somewhere where anyone can come and grab a drink and just eat good food."
The menu at Heaney’s includes casual bar snacks and a small plates menu, through to a ‘chef’s choice’ sharing menu.
The Gaff, Abergavenny
The spot describes itself as a "small plate restaurant" that can be enjoyed shared or a meal each.
The menu changes daily, and draws from ingredients across Europe and from a number of influences.
Some of the dishes on offer have included deep fried oysters with Serrano ham and monkfish with aubergine, ginger, lime and coriander.
The Fox and Hounds, Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan
The award-winning gastropub serves home-made seasonal food in a country pub setting.
The menu changes regularly according to produce available, with the kitchen led by head chef Jim Dobson.
The a la carte menu offers asparagus and duck egg tart and rump of Welsh lamb with crispy belly, aubergine and smoked garlic puree, red pepper ketchup and roast tomatoes.
Artisan Rooms, Narberth, Pembrokeshire
The relaxed restaurant offers a menu inspired by Welsh ingredients, artisan cheese, grilled Welsh lamb and beef and locally sourced fish.
They describe themselves as the perfect spot for "long lunches and relaxed dinners".
Part of a hotel, in the summer months guests are able to eat outside on the garden terrace.
Their menu includes chicken breast with braised celery, mushroom and creamed potatoes to a white chocolate pannacotta with rhubarb and ginger sorbet.
The Good Food Guide is published by Waitrose & Partners on September12 , and is available in Waitrose & Partners shops and online retailing at £17.99.
