The Shining Stars of Welsh Food and Drink

From the snowy summits of the North to the green valleys of the South, Wales boasts an impressive array of award-winning food and drink producers and restaurants – and the trophies and accolades just keep on coming…

- Abigail Saltmarsh

When it comes to exceptional flavours, unique products and innovative combinations and creations, Wales reigns supreme in the world of food and drink. The country, which swept the board at the Great Taste Awards 2025, now holds an array of glittering accolades for diverse food and drink items and a myriad of restaurants from every corner of the nation. 

The Great Taste Awards is the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme. Organised by the Guild of Fine Food, it is judged by a panel of more than 500 experts, including chefs, buyers, food writers and retailers. 

In total, record-breaking 2025 saw 146 products from the country recognised as worthy of a star rating. An incredible eight products were awarded the prestigious three stars, 40 won an amazing two stars, and an impressive 98 items commanded a remarkable one-star rating. 

In addition, this year, an outstanding 10 Welsh restaurants proudly display coveted Michelin Stars, with one, Ynyshir, in Powys, even flaunting two. A remarkable 16 fine dining establishments now boast three or more AA Rosettes – with five of these attaining the heady heights of four or five of the prestigious culinary awards.

Alcohol producers from our breweries and distilleries also headed into 2026 parading a plethora of accolades. Some won their awards from international judges based as far afield as the USA and Africa, as well as Europe and Great Britain, while others are proud to be ranked among the very best in Wales.

Cream of the Crop

Holding the very top spots at the pinnacle of the prestigious Great Taste Awards are the Golden Fork winners. Often referred to as “the Oscars of food and drink,” Golden Forks are presented to the very highest rated products.

Claiming the most recent resounding victory for us was Golden Fork champion Mario’s Ice Cream, from Cross Hands, near Llanelli. Founded by Mario Dallavalle, a third-generation ice cream maker, the company is known for its smooth blend of Italian heritage, contemporary taste and fine local ingredients. 

With over 40 years of experience, the family-run business produces luxury ice creams, sorbets and other desserts, using milk from an award-winning Carmarthenshire dairy and Welsh double cream. Supplying a wide range of clients – from five-star hotels and restaurants to major supermarkets and independent retailers – through Castell Howell, its imaginative selection features over 40 flavours, including dairy-free and vegan choices.

At this year’s Great Taste Awards, Mario’s scooped multiple accolades, including three stars for its Blackcurrant and Cassis Sorbet and its Clotted Cream Ice Cream. It also won two stars for its Clotted Cream Raspberry

Ripple and its Olive Oil, Honey and Rock Salt Ice Cream.

Mario said: “We were thrilled to receive the Golden Fork. Our Blackcurrant and Cassis Sorbet is a flavour we’re incredibly proud of – it’s bold, refreshing and made with real care. This recognition is a testament to the passion and dedication of our entire team, and to the outstanding local ingredients we are privileged to have.

“These awards reflect the breadth of our range and our commitment to creating exceptional frozen desserts. To be recognised across multiple products is truly an honour.”

Way Out West

Carmarthenshire and, indeed, wider South West Wales, certainly shone brightly in the most recent Great Taste Awards. Cilgwenyn Bee Farm and Do Goodly Foods, both also from the Llanelli area, were also singled out for their fantastic food items.

Cilgwenyn Bee Farm saw sweet success with three stars for its raw Welsh Pembrokeshire Spring Wildflower Honey and two stars for its delicious Gower Saltmarsh Wildflower Honey. Do Goodly Foods, known for its chef-crafted, plant-based dips, scooped two stars for its Sun Dried Tomato Houmous.

From Talog, in beautiful, rural Carmarthenshire, Moch Coch and Ffynnon Honey Fudge were also hand-picked by the judges. Charcuterie specialist Moch Coch was presented with three stars for its Air-dried Welsh Beef, which is seasoned in robust spices and red wine, while Ffynnon Honey Fudge received two stars for its sea-salted sweet treat, created with wildflower honey from its own bees.

Moving further west into picturesque Pembrokeshire, there is also much to write home about. In Kilgetty, for example, micro-distillery Still Wild earned two Great Taste Award stars for its flavoursome, red beverage Rhudd Bitter Aperitif (28% ABV). 

Nearby in Neyland, Barti Rum has been a clear winner with its rum products. Its Spiced Rum took Gold in the Best Rum category of the Great British Food Awards in 2024, and the same year, its Barti Cream Liqueur scooped seven accolades at the prestigious World Drinks Awards.

There are also many noteworthy successes from Haverfordwest and its surroundings. In the beer arena, St Davids Old Farmhouse Brewery took two stars in the most recent Great Taste Awards for Witte Sands (4% ABV), a Belgian-style wheat beer, and securing a top spot for Welsh cider was Seidr Ci Ddu, with three stars for La Bouche (5.4% ABV), its Normandy-style, 100% whole juice, keeved cider. This tipple is also toasting its success in the 2025 British Cider Championships, where it won Gold.

Gareth Chapman, who runs the company with his wife Luci, said: “We are really proud to have done so well with La Bouche. We knew it was a great product, but for such a small producer to win a major award really is fantastic.”

Atlantic Edge Oysters was proud to accept two stars for its Pembrokeshire Rock Oysters – seafood delicacies grown on a small farm in pristine Welsh waters. And family-run Prendergast Butchers, based at the heart of Haverfordwest and sourcing all its meat locally, matched it with two stars of its own for its Prendergast Faggots, freshly made with Pembrokeshire pork.

Pembrokeshire is also justly proud of its bouquet of AA Rosettes. The Fenery, a country house hotel at Grove of Narberth, commended for its dynamic cooking, holds a fantastic four Rosettes, while Blas Restaurant, at contemporary art hotel Twr y Felin, in St Davids, displays three for its imaginative menus. Allt Yr Afon, based in Wolf’s Castle and praised for its bold flavours, also has three Rosettes.

Annwn, in the heart of Narberth, is also a winner in fine dining. This restaurant holds a prestigious Green Michelin Star for its emphasis on sustainability and environmental practices. Annwn’s constantly changing menu focuses on seasonal and locally foraged produce.

Marvels of Mid Wales

Heading up through West and Mid Wales, the servings of Great Taste and other awards have also been heaped on. In colourful Cardigan, in Ceredigion, the small-batch Bay Coffee Roasters enjoyed the full flavour of two stars for its refreshing Colombian Excelso. And the same accolade has been awarded to the town’s bakery, Crwst, for its Hazelnut Caramel Spread, blended with sea salt and ready to spoon over toast or ice cream.

This area is also home to In The Welsh Wind, which produces a spectrum of whiskies, gins, rums and vodkas in nearby Tan-y-groes. Over the years, many of these bottles have scooped accolades and, indeed, the company was named Drinks Producer of the Year 2024 at the prestigious Wales Food and Drink Awards.

Llandysul also stands tall among award winners. Products from the Dà Mhìle Distillery and Caws Teifi Cheese both won two stars at the latest Great Taste Awards. For Caws Teifi, there was double delight with its zingy Nettle Teifi and freshly whipped up Organic Halloumi, while Dà Mhìle raised the bar with its Single Malt Welsh Whisky.

This distillery also saw off the competition at the Best of Organic Market (BOOM) Awards 2025, the UK’s only organic awards. Its Organic Single Malt Welsh Whisky came top of the finalists for Best of Organic Spirits.

In the Lampeter area, there was rising success in the Great Taste Awards, when two stars were presented to artisan bakeries Cegin Haul and Melys. Cegin Haul was in the mix with its mouth-watering Lemon Drizzle Cake and Melys, which melds the traditional with the modern, was rewarded for its Bakewell Blondie.

The Welsh Homestead Smokery, from near Tregaron, which specialises in a spectrum of smoked bacons, including a smoked honey lamb, as well as smoked chillis, jams and salts, was another winner. Its citrussy Lemon Drop Smoked Chilli Jam was also awarded two stars. 

And for Wainwright’s Bee Farm, at Bow Street, near Aberystwyth, there were Great Taste accolades for a pair of perfect products. Here, the producer won three shining stars for its Single Glen Scottish Heather Honey and two for its Organic Zambian Forest Honey.

Brand manager Dawn Eleri Wainright said: “We also won Food Producer of the Year 2025 at the Welsh Food and Drink Awards, so we had a very good year! We don’t blend the honeys from each apiary to make a standardised product – instead, we pack them separately so the consumer can enjoy the big flavours created from the botanical sources growing at each location.”

Then heading up to southern Snowdonia, Ynyshir, at Eglwys Fach, near Machynlleth, holds a very special place in the world of Welsh cuisine. Not only is this the sole restaurant in the nation to hold two Michelin Stars, but it is also the only proud bearer of five AA rosettes. At the 2025 AA Hospitality Awards, chef Gareth Ward was also named Chefs’ Chef of the Year and the establishment won the AA Wine Award for the country.

True North

Continuing up through the country, a plethora of producers have reaped rewards for the taste, creativity and sheer northern soul of their food and drink items. There were two of the most recent Great Taste stars for both Salted Welsh Butter and Cave Aged Welsh Red Leicester from the Llŷn Peninsula-based South Caernarfon Creameries. And the scenic slopes of Snowdonia also proved they were as productive as they were picturesque, with the Caeathro-based Snowdonia Honey Co seeing off the competition with a proud two stars for its Welsh Heather Blend jars.

In Barmouth, the Fanny Talbot dining experience boasts three AA Rosettes for its stylish and impressive dishes, while in Conwy, the Jackdaw has been endorsed with three of the same for its clever modern dishes and cool Scandi vibe.

Aber Falls Distillery, based in Abergwyngregyn, at the top of Eryri National Park, has won multiple awards over the years for its products. It was named Single Malt Winner in the World Whisky Awards 2025, and its Single Malt Welsh Whisky also stole Gold at the International Spirits Challenge 2024.

On the Isle of Anglesey, there have been trophies and celebrations too. There were three coveted Great Taste Award stars for both Halen Môn’s pure Sea Salt, harvested by hand from the Menai Strait, and Bragdy Cybi’s Môrish Seaweed Ale (4.5% ABV). The Holyhead brewery also won two stars for its 4.6% ABV Welsh Lager Lawd.

Director and brewer Daniel Jones said: “We were blown away to receive two awards, especially the top accolade. We are a small brewery and our Môrish Seaweed Ale has been a great success. It sells out faster than we can make it!”

Small-scale producer Helen’s Honeybees claimed two stars for its golden pots of pleasure, and Anglesey Bees matched it with the same award for its Anglesey Spring Wildflower Honey. Dylan’s Restaurant, of Llangefni, celebrated for the sauces, condiments and fish products it develops, gained a brilliant two stars for its version of Tiramisu Maritozzi.

At Menai Bridge, on Anglesey, Sosban and the Old Butchers Restaurant holds an acclaimed one Michelin Star for its innate understanding of cooking techniques and bold flavour combinations. It also retains four AA Rosettes for its inventive cooking.

On the other side of Snowdonia, there have been abundant accolades for Llanrwst producers too. Shepherd’s Biscuits recently won two Great Taste stars for its Wholemeal and Malted Rye Biscuits for Cheese, while food hub Blas Ar Fwyd Cyf attained the same level for its suppertime special, Welsh Cheese and Ham Quiche.

Palé Hall, a restaurant near Bala, in the Dee Valley, holds more than its share of high-quality accreditations. This destination for diners seeking refined cooking displays three AA Rosettes and also has the prestige of a Green Michelin Star.

Further east in Llangollen, there have been songs of Great Taste success for Dolwen Welsh Lamb and Beef. Here, the hill farm near Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog claimed a scintillating three stars for its PGI Welsh Lamb Rolled Loin. Wrexham Lager, with its origins stretching back to the 19^th century, has also won awards in recent times for this corner of the country.

Eastern Promise

Pausing again in Powys before heading down to South East Wales, the Checkers, in Montgomery, displays three AA Rosettes for its contemporary food cooked with flair, while Trefaldwyn Cheese won Silver in this year’s World Cheese Awards for its Trefaldwyn Blue.

Radnor Preserves, in nearby Newtown, has been singled out in the most recent Great Taste Awards for its Chuckleberry and Elderflower Preserve, which received two stars, while Radnor Hills, from near Knighton, still proudly displays the two stars it won in 2024 for its Heartsease Farm Sparkling Apple and Rhubarb drinks.

In Monmouthshire, Raglan-based N S James Family Butchers carried off two stars for both its Best End Cutlets and Welsh Faggots. Run today by Neil James, this is one of the oldest independent butchers in the country.

“We buy the best quality meat, most of which is reared within two or three miles of our shops,” he explained. “Our faggots are made from meat from less than 1 mile away, which is then seasoned and blended with our own mixture of spices. It is great to see them win another award.”

Close by, near the border with England, the Whitebrook has plenty to be proud about. This restaurant has been awarded with one Michelin Star, a Michelin Green Star and four AA Rosettes for its vibrant seasonal dishes.

Beautiful Bannau Brycheiniog, also known as the Brecon Beacons, has seen its share of success. In the Great Taste Awards, Brecon Chocolates melted the hearts of the judges with its fine array of handmade treats. A duo of delights, the Brecon Botanicals Gin Bonbon and the Dark Rum Bonbon were both awarded two stars. 

And the family-run Black Mountains Smokery was also not disappointed. Curing and oak-smoking its products from its base in Crickhowell, it collected two stars for its Cold Smoked Trout.

In Hay-on-Wye, Chapters Restaurant has a Green Michelin Star for its environmental practices, while in Llandewi Skirrid, near Abergavenny, the Walnut Tree holds one Michelin Star for its high-quality cooking. It also retains three AA Rosettes. 

In the foothills of Bannau Brycheiniog, Penderyn Distillery is another proud winner, scooping the Master in the Spirits Business World Whisky Masters and the Gold in San Francisco World Spirits 2025 competitions for its Madeira. Penderyn Distillery was also crowned Drinks Producer of the Year in the most recent Wales Food and Drink Awards.

The Beautiful South

Among the award winners, there are also a number of exciting producers from South Wales. Grey Trees Independent Craft Brewers, of Aberdare, for example, was presented with two stars at the Great Taste Awards for Stormy Skies porter (9% ABV), aged for 12 months in Penderyn Madeira whisky barrels.

In Newport, Gem 42 displays three AA Rosettes for its exciting, modern Italian cooking, while in Caerphilly, Castle Dairies has seen smooth success and earned two Great Taste stars for its Welsh Butter made with Halen Môn Sea Salt Crystals.

Rebbeca Ross, Brand Manager at Castle Dairies, said: “A delicious partnership between Castle Dairies’ Welsh Butter, hand-salted with Halen Môn Sea Salt, made on the Isle of Anglesey.  A butterly brilliant combination and we are delighted to win two Great Taste Award stars!” 

A dairy delicacy from Cardiff has also been given the same accolade. Here, Daisy and Belle’s Tiramisu Ice Cream impressed the judges with its subtle combination of coffee and chocolate flavours, finished with just a splash of alcohol.

The bustling capital has also recently made the headlines for its first-ever Michelin Star, awarded to Gorse in Pontcanna. The restaurant also won three AA Rosettes and was named AA Restaurant of the Year for Wales 2025. A true celebration of modern Welsh culinary skills.

Influenced by British and French cuisine and praised for its elegant, precise cooking, Thomas the Brasserie, also in Pontcanna, is another three AA Rosette restaurant. Not far away, close to the seafront in Penarth, Home by James Sommerin not only has four AA Rosettes but also a Michelin Star for its immersive dining experience.

Moving west, the accolades are also copious. At Hensol Castle, near Pontyclun, the distillery was named as the Country Winner for its Welsh Vodka in the World Vodka Awards 2025, and achieved Gold for its Cherry Spiced Rum in the World Rum Awards 2025. Tyla Glas Bees, from Ystrad, did well in the Great Taste Awards, coming away with two stars for its Autumn Honey.

Finally, the city of Swansea and its surroundings have also been victorious. On the magnificent Gower Peninsula, Beach House Restaurant, at Oxwich, holds one glittering Michelin Star and three amazing AA Rosettes for its culinary creations with local seafood. 

Cygnet gin, produced at the Penderyn Copperworks Distillery, is also raising a glass to multi-award-winning success. In 2025, among its many successes, its Cygnet 77 achieved the Master at the Spirits Business Global Luxury Masters and Gold at the Global Gin Masters and the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC). Its Cygnet 22 also scooped Gold at the IWSC.

And in Mumbles, start-up Nonna Assunta Liqueurs received two Great Taste Award stars for its Limoncello and Arancello. Director Alex Diiulio said the company, which has just launched a new, canned Limoncello Spritz, was “over the moon.”

“We produce in small batches and are committed to quality over quantity – winning these awards just shows how this approach is really paying off,” he added.

So to one and all, right across the country, hearty congratulations for the veritable feast of awards, accolades, triumphs and trophies. Wales continues to prove itself for its outstanding produce, inventive creations and novel fusions of flavour. 

Now all that remains is for those who appreciate the very best in food and drink to continue their own gastronomic journeys through the country, experiencing the very individual wonders of the country and indulging in their own discerning appraisals of the bounty of delicacies that await at every turn.