5 Welsh restaurants in food bible’s Top 100 as one dubbed ‘unforgettable’

Harden’s Best UK Restaurants 2026 guide is here and there are more Welsh restaurants in their top 100 of UK restaurantsConwy’s The Jackdaw places in Harden’s Top 100

Five well regarded Welsh restaurants have made another ‘best of’ list – this time food bible, Harden’s Best UK Restaurants guide’s top 100.

Now in its 35th year, Harden’s remains the only UK restaurant guide based entirely on 30,000 reports from regular diners, rather than professional critics.

The Welsh results for 2026 sees Gareth Ward’s globally renowned, double Michelin starred, Ynyshir maintain its acclaim and sees it move back up the list from 93rd place in 2025 to number 62.

Meanwhile, it is Ward’s smaller, younger venture Gwen that has emerged as Wales’ leading restaurant. The intimate wine bar/restaurant named after Gareth’s mother saw reviewers praise the “awesome set up” and say it is: “tiny… intimate… unforgettable”.

Aside of Machynlleth’s finest, fellow Michelin favourites, Home in Penarth and The Whitebrook in Monmouthshire, placed in the top 100, as well as AA Hospitality Awards’ Best Welsh Restaurant, Conwy’s Jackdaw.

Reflecting on the last year in hospitality, Harden’s co-founder and editor Peter Harden said: “It’s understandable that over the last 12 months the hospitality industry has been toiling away under a cloud of gloomsterism. Hit by food inflation, rising wages, relentless rent increases and soaring utilities – some long-term operators say that 2025 is the toughest year they can recall.

“However, what our survey results and data-crunching from across the sector shows is the remarkable resilience at work from those in the trade: our number of entries remains very steady and strong newcomers are emerging in each area of a quality that is probably better than ever.

“What is challenging for suppliers can be good for consumers. Customer expectations are so high now, restaurants have to work ever-harder to cut through and we’re seeing a number of new openings from across the UK going straight into the Top 100.

“This really is testament to the rigorous standards, hard work and innovation being put in by front and back of house teams who are impressively determined to find a way in difficult circumstances and continue to raise the bar to bring diners high quality experiences.”

Read more about Wales’ 5 restaurants in Harden’s Guide 2026Gwen, Machynlleth – No. 24Gwen storefront in Machynlleth, Powys(Image: Gwen / Instagram)

Described as “an awesome set-up” and “more accessible than Ynyshir but equally inspirational”, Gwen has quickly become a must-visit destination. Only three metres wide, the venue pairs a casual drop-in wine bar with an intimate dining space behind a curtain, where eight guests enjoy a 10-course menu cooked and served around an open kitchen by chef Corrin Harrison. Diners consistently praise the experience as “tiny… intimate… unforgettable” with a “perfect blend of top quality and enjoyment”.

Ynyshir Restaurant & Rooms, Eglwys Fach – No. 62Located in the peaceful setting of the Dyfi Estuary, the Powys eatery is the most highly-awarded restaurant in Wales(Image: Heather Birnie)

Meanwhile, Ynyshir has begun to climb back up the ranking from last year’s 93 but remains in the lower half of the Top 100. Famed for its boundary-pushing, rock ’n’ roll atmosphere, Ynyshir continues to deliver a “31-course, all excellent” tasting experience that “blurs the line between a meal and theatre”. Decor, music and pacing contribute to an immersive dining journey that diners describe as one-of-a-kind. Reports suggest a slight mellowing of its once highly provocative approach, with seafood and local produce increasingly used to balance its signature rich, meat-led dishes.

Despite “staggering” costs, feedback this year has been universally positive.

Home, Penarth – No. 76