Harden's survey result
Summary
A “low-key” and well-established seafood bistro set “in a beautiful little cove”, with a regular stream of walkers making their way along the Pembrokeshire coastal path. On the menu, a “wonderful choice of up to ten different fish to go along with great chips” (plus other fishy fare: eg. “exemplary squid, chorizo and squid ink mayonnaise”). There’s an attractive upstairs dining room for a sit-down meal, but they’re also “doing great business with take-aways” – best carted off to the harbour wall to be enjoyed amid “the relics of an industrial past mellowed by time” (especially on a grey day, think – perhaps less poetically – rusty quarry machinery).
Summary
“Great fish ’n’ chips” and other straightforward dishes is the MO of this relaxed-but-comfortable, old-school seafood bistro – a long-established fixture on the Pembrokeshire coastal path not a million miles from St David’s, and accordingly popular with walkers. The “menu caters to all ages and appetites”, featuring “ten different types of fish to go with your chips” (and now a range of specials too). “Eat out on the harbour wall” to take in the slightly stark drama of this small harbour (with much ancient quarry machinery on display), or kick back in the appealing dining room under the eaves.
Summary
The “freshest of fish, plumpest of mackerel, stacks of hot chips and salad sides” make up the menu at this “simple, unpretentious and old-school” fish bistro, ideally placed as a pitstop on the coastal path, with “up to 7, 8 or 9 options on the choice of fish”. Surrounded by ex-quarry machinery in a small harbour, it’s in a “great stormy and dramatic location” – and is “always chilly, so dress up warmly”.
Summary
“In this tiny village on the west coast of Wales” (where “an industrial archeologist would have a field day!” given the ex-quarry machinery by the quay), this “top-notch fish-focused bistro” in a modest building can seem an “amazing” find. “Up to 10 different fish accompanying the most wonderful chips” can be preceded by “fantastic large prawns, langoustines, and marinated cockles”. “On a fine day, sit on the harbour wall” and “enjoy it in the open air”.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The Shed at Porthgain?
Porthgain, SA62 5BN
Restaurant details
The Shed at Porthgain Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Allegedly a standout in an area with relatively limited choice, and as such it's 'the place to go'. The food is good, but far from exceptional. "In the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king". However, management appear to be struggling to keep up with demand, appearing short and off-hand with customers."
"Whiting was fish of the day served battered with chips. All fine but I wouldn't say particularly special. Low key restaurant and location."
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Filter Coffee | £3.60 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £6.50 |
| Service | 12.50% |
Porthgain, SA62 5BN
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑2:45 pm, 5 pm‑8:45 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑2:45 pm, 5 pm‑8:45 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑2:45 pm, 5 pm‑8:45 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2:45 pm, 5 pm‑8:45 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2:45 pm, 5 pm‑8:45 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2:45 pm, 5 pm‑8:45 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑2:45 pm, 5 pm‑8:45 pm |
Best Fish & seafood restaurants nearby
British, Modern restaurant in St Davids
Fish & seafood restaurant in Boscastle
British, Traditional restaurant in Llandaff
Best similarly priced restaurants nearby
Spanish restaurant in Narberth
