[Closed] Citizens of Wales… where should I stop for lunch?

I would stop in one of the Wells towns (Llandrindod or Llanwtryd). The Metropole hotel in Llandrindod is a grand old place to have lunch. Pretend you are on a Victorian tour taking the waters. There might even be a Greggs just over the town square if the food isn't substantial enough 🙂
Not sure where is good in Llanwtryd, but it is a quirky popular little town so is bound to have numerous places to get a lunch.

If you take the A494 instead you can stop at the Rhug estate farm shop and cafe

Llandrindod also has the National Cycle Museum. I've never been as its always shut when I pass through!

https://cyclemuseum.org.uk/Opening-Times.aspx

Thanks guys. I’m not sure how enamoured Mrs Binners would be with a visit to the cycle museum, but I’ll suggest it 😂

We might be a bit Polish for the Grand Metrepole. I like the sound of Llanwtryd Wells so we’ll give that a go

Looking forward to Pembrokeshire and getting some leisurely miles in on the road bike

We’d both had holidays down there as kids but hadn’t been back until last year. Spent 2 weeks on Solva and absolutely loved the place. So we’re back today and have also booked a week next June too

If the Metropole is too posh there's a caff with a balcony overlooking the lake just up the hill - it's not fancy but they'll do you a decent BLT with crisps on the side and a piece of home made cake the size of your head.

But re the Metropole - it's Llandrindod Wells, so 'posh' is relative!

Personally I'd try the Dragon Hotel in Montgomery. Quick stretchlegs up the hill to the castle afterwards, to take in the views 🙂

West End Cafe in Llandovery is a firm favourite of ours. Hearty simple grub. Good chips, proper breakfasts, I’d recommend the Bakewell tart too. Hope you brought your climbing legs for Pembs.

We were down there this summer. Enjoy, it's pretty good these days..ice cream is better in Wales than in much of England I find 🙂

Not sure if the World Alternative GAmes are on in Llanyrtyd Wells at the m,oment, but if so perhaps you and Mrs Binners can compete in the Wife CArrying competition :-). I might even come up to watch lol

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/84632/world-alternative-games-include-wife-carrying-and-bog-snorkeling

(Maybe after suggesting it you will end up in the husband dragging contest instead)

Some good suggestions above. During your stay make sure to visit Ultracomida in Narberth for some pretty fine tapas.

The Harbourmaster in Aberaeron is great too.

While you're in the Saundersfoot area, I had a really cracking meal at The Warren in Carmarthen the other week. Top notch, highly recommended!

Have no suggestions in the area, but it’s nice to read that things may be changing. Because in my long experience Wales and good food have not historically been best of friends (bar a very few gems). My family live in N Wales and they rave excitedly about the most awful old dried bootmeat and ‘boiled to destroyed’ veg. Or ‘cracking cup of tea, chips and fishcake’. Cue hot muddy milk, dessicated oven chips and slim, oily, thickly-breadcrumbed instant-mash disc of dry disappointment, on the side of some yellowing, watery frozen peas.

Good luck, OP!

#itsnotyouitsme
#parsleymoanius

Felin Fach Griffin is top notch for a lunch or dinner treat & trip to Brecon Beacons

Oh discerning tasteful ones, where would you recommend? Don’t mind taking a bit of a detour as we’re not in any hurry

You sir should go to ynyshir, I quote "fat fuelled, meat obsessed" it's a restaurant made for Binners*

*well, maybe not.

Thanks for all the pointers folks. We’ll be checking some of these out

A great start to the hols so far. A really nice drive down and we stopped off at Llanwtryd Wells as @welshfarmer suggested. What a lovely little place.

We had a stroll, then lunch on the riverside terrace of the Drovers Rest restaurant. It’s a really beautiful spot, the food was excellent and as I’m doing the driving, Mrs Binners had a couple of glasses of rose sat in glorious sunshine. So thanks for earning me some serious brownie points there fella 😃

@ctk - your hopes would have been dashed again today, my friend. The cycle museum was still shut

We might be a bit Polish for the Grand Metrepole. I

Whilst I have never been in, it is in Llandod, it ain't going to be that posh!!

The national cycle museum is shut, thank god. It was dull anyway. Second the Griffing at Felinfach nr brecon. Failing that, you can't go wrong with the Metropole. Or, further North is the Nags Head at Garthmyl, right on the A483, which is pretty good.

Would also recommend Ultracomida in Narberth if day tripping or return journey.
Ginhaus, Llandeilo alternatively.

Talgarth Bakers Table were doing black pudding scotch eggs last week.

28 minute detour from A483 Chirk to Rhug Estate
https://maps.app.goo.gl/gbaYkn4t3tAtAkxi 6">Rhug Estate Farm Shop

EDIT Ignore me, its early, I read M50 instead of 56, this is miles off your route.. Shame, nice pub.

I would go for the Dragon Inn in crickhowell, its sort of on your route, lovely village, lovely driving.
Food there is top notch.
https://dragoninncrickhowell.com/

it’s nice to read that things may be changing

15 or more years ago I took my future wife on a Mid Wales trip, I remember stopping in Dolgellau and being pretty disappointed. We had a shit lunch at the Royal Ship. We went back this summer and it was much nicer, there were a fair few places that looked good and we had a good breakfast at Y Sospan. Didn't go in the Ship but the food being eaten outside looked a lot better. So yes I think the rise in endogenous tourism has really helped bring the standard up.

However some people like shit food, just look at Trip Advisor.

@molgrips if only you’d walked across the street and visited T H Roberts. A coffee, cake and top breakfast sarnie emporium. Always a highlight of a stay in the area. A true gem (look on Trip Advisor). As with all it’s better out of season when you can have space and time to enjoy a few coffees and a game of Scrabble or read the papers, use the wifi etc.

On the other side - last time I camped near Barmouth I raced up the Mawddach trail on the single speed to grab some night scran after a long afternoon without grub. It was November and cold. The George was shut for refurb. Gutted yet not undeterred carried on for Dolgellau. It was so quiet there you could hear a pin drop. Decided to risk the kebab/burger place in town and ordered cheeseburger and chips in a poly box. Pedaled like an idiot back to the tent in poor attempt at conserving some heat in the meal. On opening the box I couldn’t believe it. I’ve had some bad takeouts and awful pub meals in my days especially in the 1980s, but this was far away the worst burger and chips I’ve ever seen. They somehow managed to cook the chips to dry, and the burger was the kind of sweaty light grey colour that made the separating congealed cheese and limp yellow lettuce look putrid. I was almost relieved that it tasted more or less of nothing at all.

You can’t trust trip advisor can you? That kebab and burger place gets mostly 5 stars. Someone should start up tripadvisoradvisor

I went to TH Roberts as well for coffee. It was very good but they weren't in a rush to get back out into the shop and serve me 🙂

TripAdvisor has some very interesting advice on pubs in Blackpool