Welsh cuisine is increasingly popular and traditional Welsh foods and dishes are now proudly offered in hotels, inns, pubs and restaurants across Wales!
Whether in the cities of Cardiff and Swansea in the south, or the towns and villages of the north like Llandudno and Betws-y-Coed, Welsh cuisine, recipes and cooking are now as celebrated as ever.
Many of the traditional Welsh recipes and cooking methods have developed over the centuries as a way of feeding hard working people using inexpensive local ingredients.
They have been handed down from generation to generation, and from family to family, but are now tasty, everyday dishes unique to our country.
We tell you here how to find the best places to eat in Eryri | Snowdonia and North Wales, and where to buy Welsh produce and ingredients, before looking at some of the dishes and foods Wales is famous for!
Fancy a foodie holiday in North Wales?
Are you planning a holiday in Wales in 2024 and is food going to be a big part of your trip?
If so we will happily help and advise you on the best places to taste delicious food when you stay with us at Crafnant House - our B&B in Eryri | Snowdonia, North Wales!
To help you plan your foodie holiday:
you will find a map and link below to the best places to eat in Eryri | Snowdonia and North Wales - many near our B&B - which you can use to find the perfect lunch or dinner
we have also listed below local places where you can buy Welsh foods and ingredients if you want a unique souvenir to take home!
and when you stay with us you get to try our delicious breakfasts, including our very popular ‘daily specials!’
Planning a holiday in Eryri | Snowdonia and North Wales in 2024?
Crafnant House is our boutique B&B in Trefriw near Betws-y-Coed - book your stay here:
Best places to eat in North Wales
If you are visiting Eryri | Snowdonia and North Wales and are looking for the best places to eat then check out the comprehensive guide on our ‘eating out’ page.
You will find both there and on the map below our favourite pubs, cafes and restaurants in the region, all not far from our B&B!
Many of our recommended places showcase local Welsh ingredients - just click on the link here for more information about all of these places:
See the best places to eat in North Wales ⮕
Check out North Wales Grub too which is a fantastic website (and Instagram feed) for the latest food openings and events in the region!
Best places to buy Welsh produce and ingredients in North Wales
Meanwhile if you want to buy local Welsh food and ingredients whilst on holiday take a look at our recommendations for places that stock the best quality Welsh products.
Blas ar Fwyd - Llanrwst
This local company in the nearby town of Llanrwst has specialised in Welsh food and drinks since 1988.
They source some of the best food and ingredients from suppliers across Wales - if they don’t stock it then it probably doesn’t exist!
Blas ar Fwyd has a fantastic deli and wine shop in Llanrwst and also offer a mail-order service.
Bodnant Welsh Food - Conwy Valley
Located near us in the heart of the Conwy Valley, Bodnant Welsh Food showcases the best produce from around the region.
There is a deli, butchers, bakery and wine shop on site and you will find a wide selection of artisan products.
You can also enjoy tasty food at both the Furnace cafe and Hayloft Bar and Grill which are found in the same location.
Dylans General Stores - Conwy & Menai Bridge
This North Wales mini-chain of restaurants now also has brilliantly stocked general stores in Conwy and Menai Bridge.
They stock their own range of freshly made baked goods, ingredients and condiments along with some of the best produce made in North Wales.
They also have an online shop so you can order their own sauces and hampers to enjoy at home!
Iechyd Da - Betws-y-Coed
This independent family run delicatessen is located near us in the picturesque village of Betws-y-Coed in Eryri | Snowdonia National Park.
As well as showcasing local produce it also stocks products from around the world, and also specialises in sugar free (diabetic) and gluten free foods.
Rhug Estate Farm Shop - Corwen
The farm shop at Rhug stocks a wide range of products from local Welsh suppliers and small businesses.
This includes the sale of their own farm products and there is also an organic meats and deli counter.
It is a very handy pit-stop on the A5 if travelling to us from the Midlands or South Wales!
The best cooking, traditional foods and recipes that Wales is famous for!
These are some of the dishes you will get to try when you eat out in North Wales on your holiday, or try making them at home if you fancy a taste of Wales!
Welsh Rarebit
This is - quite simply - famous for being the best cheese on toast you will ever have!
It often appears as a popular special for breakfast at Crafnant House, our B&B.
Our rarebit recipe combines Welsh cheese (we suggest crumbly Caerphilly cheese of course), egg, milk (or local beer / stout if there is any left over!), mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
The mixture is spread thickly on Jasmine’s homemade bread before grilling it until the cheese bubbles, darkens slightly and melts.
Variations can include having a fried egg on top - this is known as ‘buck rarebit’ - or bacon.
If you miss out on it for breakfast don’t worry - lots of cafes, pubs and restaurants across North Wales serve it for lunch and dinner.
Our Welsh Rarebit, served with slow-roasted vine tomatoes!
Bara Brith
Meaning ‘speckled bread’, you will see this traditional rich fruit cake all over Wales.
Methods of making bara brith do vary but the key ingredients are mixed spices and…. tea!
Dried fruit is soaked in the tea - usually overnight - and this gives the cake the unique flavour it has.
We have also seen recipes which add Penderyn Welsh whisky!
You will find bara brith on offer in many cafes in North Wales - the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea or coffee!
Bara Brith is definitely worth trying when you visit Wales!
Cawl
This staple of Welsh cooking is almost the national dish of Wales!
A hearty stew or broth, cawl is typical of food being wholesome and traditionally based on what was available from the land.
It is also known as ‘lobscows’ in areas of Snowdonia and North Wales where we are located - similar to the dish ‘scouse’ in Liverpool - and is traditionally made in one pot.
Recipes vary between different regions, and even villages and towns within the same area.
Caws will always include though tasty ingredients such as bacon, lamb or beef and whichever seasonal vegetables are available, such as leeks, carrots and potatoes.
Watch this video on how to make lamb cawl!
Conwy Mussels
The medieval walled town in North Wales is renowned for historic buildings such as the castle and smallest house, but in addition it is famous for something else - Conwy mussels!
The River Conwy meets the Irish Sea in the estuary, so freshwater and saltwater combine together resulting in delicious, succulent orange coloured mussels.
Pubs and restaurants in the region often have them on the menu - including The Old Ship pub next door to our B&B in Trefriw, and The Tal-y-Cafn pub further up the Conwy valley.
They are well worth trying - we cook ours in a local Welsh cider when we have them for dinner!
Welsh Cakes
These distinctive, tasty treats are like a combination of small pancakes, soft cookies and flat scones containing fruit.
Welsh Cakes are traditionally prepared on a hot griddle or ‘bakestone’ rather than baked in an oven.
They are easy to make, and once they are cooked sugar is sprinkled on top.
Great eaten warm, they are equally delicious cold, and served of course with a big pot of tea!
Lots of cafes locally serve Welsh cakes and supermarkets usually sell them, so you will definitely get to try them when you stay here!
Welsh Cakes are the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea!
Laverbread
This seaweed dish is traditionally found with bacon and eggs in a ‘full Welsh breakfast’ - the one ingredient that clearly distinguishes it from an English, Scottish or Irish cooked breakfast!
Made from seaweed harvested at the Welsh coast, laverbread is similar to Japanese ‘nori’, and after being cooked and softened is usually served as a paste or puree.
It can then be spread on toast, or more commonly combined with ingredients such as oats before being fried.
It is very good for you as it is full of rich minerals and iron.
We don’t serve it for breakfast at Crafnant House as it is one of those ‘love it or hate it’ foods, and most people are surprised that it doesn’t actually involve….. bread!
Parsons Pickles in Carmarthenshire manufacture and sell laverbread.
Leeks
This humble vegetable has become one of the national emblems of Wales.
You will find it as an ingredient in a variety of traditional dishes such as the hearty stew cawl, or it might be the star of the show such as in a good leek soup.
We often shred them finely and sweat them down slowly in butter to release the sweet flavours. Then we combine them with chicken and cream to make a delicious pie.
You will also find them in our homemade vegetarian Glamorgan sausages which we sometimes serve at breakfast, or leeks are great in a classic omelette!
Welsh Lamb
The land has shaped what food the people here have eaten over centuries, and Welsh lamb is justifiably world famous due to generation after generation farming their sheep on the lush, vivid green mountains and valleys of Wales.
You will see sheep EVERYWHERE in Snowdonia when you stay with us - they have even appeared in our garden!
Welsh lamb is beautifully tender and full of flavour.
Our neighbour - the Old Ship pub - is well known for a slow-roasted lamb shoulder. It tastes amazing!
And our village butchers in Trefriw - opposite our B&B - always has different cuts available.
The slow-cooked lamb shoulder at The Old Ship pub is delicious!
Glamorgan Sausages
These tasty creations actually do not contain any meat - they are a vegetarian version of a meat sausage!
Caerphilly cheese, breadcrumbs and leeks are combined and coated in more breadcrumbs before being fried in oil or butter.
Done properly, the outside is crispy whilst the inside is all tasty gooey cheesy goodness!
We sometimes make our own Glamorgan sausages here at our B&B with our own special recipe, to give our vegetarian guests a delicious alternative at breakfast.
Crafnant House is our bed and breakfast in the village of Trefriw, Eryri | Snowdonia.
Our Victorian home has five guest bedrooms decorated in a modern style, and a delicious breakfast is served each morning in our dining room.
We look forward to welcoming you to North Wales soon!
Are you planning you holiday in North Wales in 2024 and thinking about climbing Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)?
At 3560 ft (1,085 m) high it is a justifiably popular outdoor activity and can be both a real adventure and an exhilarating day out with breathtaking views, especially if you get a ‘cloud-free’ summit!
We get lots of guests staying at our accommodation - Crafnant House, our B&B in the village of Trefriw - who come to climb ‘Yr Wyddfa’ (the Welsh name for it) - the highest mountain in Wales and England.
As experienced walkers we’ve hopefully included everything you need to know about the the different paths up and down and our honest opinions on the best and most scenic routes!