The establishment – which, despite its size and popularity, maintains a farmhouse feel entirely in keeping with its idyllic location – is widely renowned and travelled-to. As such, it has gained and maintained a reputation for being one of the best places to eat in Wales. The guides and critics agree – Tyddyn Llan has garnered a clutch of accolades for its food as well as its hospitality.
Focusing primarily on Welsh ingredients where possible, with close attention paid to the provenance of the necessarily imported foodstuffs, the menus offer a number of options to the visitor – broken down into a series of lunch choices, a gourmet list, an a la carte dinner menu, and a tasting selection. The dishes themselves tend to be quite classic in their conception and execution, providing visitors with a choice of familiar staples (aged Welsh black beef with the trimmings, calf liver and horseradish, wild salmon with sorrel sauce) and fine dining favourites (roast turbot with leek risotto, pork belly with black pudding, roast loin and braised pig cheek). Welsh classic elements like laverbread make an appearance too. Lunches tend to focus on roasts, with emphasis placed on the quality of the ingredients.
A largely European wine list with a couple of nods to further afield contains a range of options, from individual glasses to top-flight fizz.
Unlike many of its competitors, Tyddn Llan doesn’t offer a slew of pampering facilities, add-ons, break packages or courses; it’s a hotel with a fine restaurant attached, set in some of the finest countryside in the UK. As such, it’s ideally suited to people who are looking for relaxation without all of the bells and whistles, and some really excellent food and drink.