The Walnut Tree

“A great all-round experience!” exclaims an admirer of this reinvigorated Welsh icon; others simply confirm that it’s a truly special restaurant. We’re also fans of chef/patron Shaun Hill, and reckon he deserves a round of applause for putting The Walnut Tree back on the Michelin-starred map in his highly distinctive manner.

This place works to a magic formula, serving keenly priced, intelligent food in refreshingly unfussy surroundings, with cosy interiors including wooden beams on the ceiling, rustic furnishings and works from local artists lining the walls. The space beyond the restaurant’s walls is just as charming, with The Walnut Tree finding itself amidst a lush garden full of verdant foliage.

The “calm yet friendly” vibe is helped along by chatty but knowledgeable staff, and the menu is an inclusive affair too, with vegetarians always made to feel “very welcome” here. Just take the tempting meat-free starter of spiced squash salad with tahini and dukka, or the warming vegetable hotpot which serves as a main course.

Cracking set lunches are a bargain, while the equally good-value a la carte could yield anything from skate in a spiced mussel broth and venison loin and hash with a lingonberry sauce, to lobster omelette and Cornish sole with shrimps and brown butter sauce.

Cleverly realised British and European flavours also collide on the list of tempting puddings – think a fig tart served with a drizzle of honey and a scoop of ricotta ice cream or perhaps ginger loaf that’s lashed with warm butterscotch sauce and topped with slices of poached pear.

The Walnut Tree’s location in the foothills of the Black Mountains is glorious and the whole place regularly resounds with chat and laughter. If you want to make a night of it, you’ll find two bookable cottages on the restaurant’s grounds, both complete with outdoor terraces and lush gardens.

Headed up by Shaun Hill, the Michelin-starred Walnut Tree is well-established as a top destination for both food and board in Wales. The dining room is simple and elegant, adorned with pieces from the sister Art Shop and Chapel, and the dishes display Hill's expertise confidently. Every ingredient is celebrated from humble herbs up to lavish cuts of meat and fish, in a dish that may seem simple, but is only presented so. 

The ever-changing set and a la carte menus depend on which ingredients are available that day. A typical lunch or dinner menu might feature indulgent intros like a twice-baked cheese souffle with Welsh black truffle, tandoori monkfish with masala gravy and raita or veal sweetbreads with pig's head cromesqui and sauerkraut. These are followed up by the likes of skate with brown butter and shrimps, seabass with chorizo, shellfish and haricot beans or Creedy Carver duck breast with pastilla and medjool date. Those with space left can enjoy a dessert such as a pear bakewell, twice-baked rhubarb souffle or a selection of French cheese. 

An extremely affordable set menu, however, will feature a similar style of dish. This might start with Keralan fish curry or pork rillettes with pickles and toast, before moving to hazelnut-crusted hake with watercress sauce or a blade of beef with mushroom and bacon. A set menu might then finish with a dark chocolate and lime cheesecake with raspberry icing, or an apple and blackberry parfait. 

The range of wines by the glass is impressive, and the range by the bottle even more so, both featuring careful global selections. Sparkling is available by the glass or bottle or in one of three Champagne cocktails, including a French 75 and kir royal. Other cocktails are on offer here too, including negronis, Brooklyns and even a black garlic bloody Mary.