A Welsh gastropub has been voted one of the best in the whole of the UK.
The Hardwick in Monmouthshire has been named the 19th best in the coveted Estrella Damm 50 Best Gastropubs list, which was published on Monday night.
The pub, located just outside Abergavenny, is the only Welsh establishment on the list for the second year in a row, after being ranked in 7th place in 2019.
The Hardwick has long held an impressive reputation with diners from all over the country, having been named as the best restaurant in Wales twice in the past eight years.
To be named on the list is seen as a big deal for those in the trade as it is voted for by food and hospitality experts from across the UK, meaning it is seen as definitive list.
This year’s success is another reason to celebrate for The Hardwick’s chef and owner, Stephen Terry, who trained under such prestigious names as Marco Pierre White, Michel Roux Jr and Alain Passard.
The inclusion of The Hardwick is even more impressive when you consider that it is the only restaurant outside of England in the top 30.
What’s more, it’s one of only two in the top 50 outside of England, with the other being The Scran and Scallie in Edinburgh, which came in at number 37.
After spending time learning his trade in London, Scotland and France, chef Stephen Terry now loves loves living and working in Wales.
“One of the many pleasures of living in south Wales is that I am now closer and often at the source of produce that features on the Hardwick menus," he said.
"It is easy to take for granted in London, and most major cities, that you can pick up the phone and order pretty much anything you want to be delivered the following morning.
"But imagine how wonderful it is to go to some of my producers directly, chose my own produce alongside them, cook that produce and then credit them on the menu.
"For me, it’s about building relationships with incredibly passionate people because ultimately the Hardwick is only as good as the produce it uses."
