Penallt, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

This “unique beach-side restaurant with iconic views across Oxwich to Three Cliffs Bay” has become established as a major culinary destination, and one that provides a reason for foodies to trek to the distant Gower Peninsula. There is a three-course option at lunch, but in the evenings chef Hywell Griffith and his team offer either a six-course or eight-course menu for £110 and £125 per person respectively. Fans (most diners) say “the whole dining experience is exquisite, with staff who are friendly, courteous and very well trained and truly enchanting food – locally sourced with combinations that are fresh, subtle and delicious”. Ratings this year, though, came under pressure from a minority who found it either pricey or patchy in its delivery.

“Good quality in a remote location” is found at Mark & Sue Manson’s whitewashed bistro, full of mismatched wooden furniture, and tucked away in the Towy valley not far from the National Trust’s Botanic Garden of Wales. Even a reporter who thought the hearty local cooking “unadventurous and pricey” rated it as “very good” – maybe they missed the “snip” of a set lunch menu: at £34 per person it provides “a good choice for all three courses”.