Six restaurants in Wales have been named in the Good Food Guide's Top 100 Local Restaurants list for 2026, which celebrates community-driven venues offering brilliant value and top-quality cooking. The Black Bear Inn in Bettws Newydd, Monmouthshire, took the top Welsh spot, ranking fifth overall in the UK.
The Black Bear Inn Leads Welsh Entries
The Black Bear Inn, already featured in the Michelin Guide and the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list, received praise from acclaimed food reviewer Giles Coren in The Times, who called one of its dishes "historic." Owner Josh Byrne expressed delight at the recognition, telling WalesOnline: "We're absolutely thrilled to be on this list among such good company and especially pleased to place so high and be rated best local restaurant in Wales by our customers and the Good Food Guide judges."
Cardiff Restaurants Recognized
Two Cardiff restaurants made the list: Ogof and Thomas the Brasserie. The Good Food Guide praised Thomas the Brasserie for revamping its menu to include affordable British comfort classics, calling it a "homerun." The Pontcanna venue also offers a fine-dining experience upstairs at Lofft. Ogof, located on King's Road, serves seasonal sharing dishes and was added to the Michelin Guide less than a year after opening, also being named among the best new restaurants in the UK by Conde Nast.
Other Welsh Restaurants on the List
Swansea's The Shed, run by former St John chef director Jonathan Woolway, combines a nose-to-tail ethos with Welsh produce. Completing the list are Y Polyn in Nantgaredig, Carmarthenshire, and The Dining Room in Abersoch, Gwynedd.
About the Awards
Now in their 16th year, the Best Local Restaurant awards recognize community-driven restaurants offering brilliant value and high-quality cooking in relaxed settings. Head of Reviews & Listings at the Good Food Guide, Chloë Hamilton, said: "In the face of adversity, creativity has flourished in unusual and unlikely places. It has been hugely rewarding to see how these tiny operations are offering outstanding quality in a way that so clearly strikes a chord with the local crowd. Arrive with an open mind and a good appetite and you'll be brilliantly rewarded."
