Once dubbed the ‘Mother of Wales’ for its fertile fields that fed the mainland, Anglesey has evolved into one of Wales’ most exciting culinary destinations.
Cross the Menai Bridge today, and you’ll find yourself on an island where centuries-old farming traditions meet increasingly innovative cooking, where pristine seafood is celebrated using both time-honoured techniques and more contemporary flourishes, and where the next great meal is never far away.
From Michelin-recognised heavyhitters to relaxed beachside bistros, here’s our pick of the best restaurants on Anglesey.
Sosban & The Old Butchers
Ideal for an extraordinary, intimate dining experience where innovation meets Welsh ingredients…
Just moments after crossing the Menai Bridge, you’ll discover one of Wales’ most acclaimed dining destinations, tucked away within a historic butcher’s shop, no less. This is no ordinary restaurant – Chef Stephen Stevens (great name) has created something truly unique here, holding a Michelin star for the past seven years, as well as an impressive four AA rosettes, for his bold, creative cooking.
The dining room sets a certain scene: covered windows add an air of exclusivity, while inside, Welsh slate walls, sheepskin-covered chairs and hand-painted animal tiles pay homage to the building’s butcher shop heritage. The space is an understated one – just a handful of wooden circular tables with dining chairs positioned at intimate 45-degree angles to one another, and a kitchen work bench where Stevens can be seen working solo, orchestrating each dish with precision.
There are no menus here. Instead, guests embark on a nine-course tasting experience (£175 per person) that showcases the wealth of North Wales ingredients in surprising and delightful ways. Stevens’ cooking demonstrates an innate understanding of technique and flavour – expect dishes like cod with fermented onion fudge and liquorice, or confit lamb’s tail with mustard custard (next up: goat float? brisket biscuit?) and coffee, each one demonstrating his ability to combine unexpected elements into something truly memorable.
Sosban & The Old Butchers is only open for dinner, Thursday through Saturday, with the evening kicking off at 7pm for the 16 diners lucky enough to secure a booking.
Indeed, do book months in advance – with limited seating and growing recognition, securing a table at this distinguished little place requires foresight and patience.
Website: sosbanandtheoldbutchers.com
Address: Trinity House, 1 High St, Menai Bridge LL59 5EE
Dylan’s, Menai Bridge
Ideal for waterfront dining that casually celebrates North Wales’ finest produce…
Since opening their doors in 2012, Dylan’s has grown from a single waterfront restaurant into one of North Wales’ most beloved dining institutions, with a total of four now operating across the region. Their flagship restaurant in Menai Bridge, housed in a striking modern building, offers a dining room where floor-to-ceiling windows frame spectacular views across the Menai Strait to Snowdonia beyond.
Crowned ‘Welsh Food & Drink Champion’ in 2023, Dylan’s has made it their mission to celebrate “the local produce, character and natural beauty of North Wales.” This isn’t just marketing speak – their kitchen maintains strong relationships with local suppliers, from award-winning butcher Edwards of Conwy to the region’s fish merchants.
And what a pantry they have to work with. The menu spans from properly crisp mac ‘n’ cheese bites made with Snowdonia Cheddar to their signature moules marinière, until recently sourced from Scottish waters while local Menai stocks recovered (a commitment to sustainability that speaks volumes about their approach), but now back using those grown on the Menai Strait seabed.
The restaurant undulates in energy across its expansive opening hours (11am to 10pm), with different crowds bringing a different vibe to the room as the day progresses from coffee to wine to digestif. The drinks menu gives prominence to local ales and Welsh spirits, a commitment that extends to their desserts; the Wild Horse Brewery ale sticky toffee pudding is one of Anglesey’s best desserts.
With additional branches now in Criccieth, Llandudno and Conwy, plus their own general stores, Dylan’s has become a standard-bearer for Welsh hospitality while remaining true to their original vision of championing local produce. We love it.
Website: dylansrestaurant.co.uk
Address: St George’s Rd, Menai Bridge LL59 5EY
The Freckled Angel, Menai Bridge
Ideal for creative British small plates with global influences…
Named after Ren Gill’s song and album Freckled Angels, this globetrotting restaurant has been charming diners in Menai Bridge for nearly a decade. Recently relocated to Dale Street, the dining room is a bright, breezy affair that manages to feel both Scandinavian and chapel-like, with wooden floors, angelic motifs and large windows flooding the space with marine light from the Straits. Sure, those windows may look out on a car park, but what a car park it is!
Anyway, at the helm is Bangor-born chef Mike Jones, who worked his way up to head chef at Hotel Portmeirion by age 23 before opening Freckled Angel. His menu magpie-picks inspiration from across the globe while maintaining proud Welsh roots and is heavily influenced by a certain style of small plates that’s sometimes referred to as modern global. We’re not bothered with labels if it hits the spot…
When it comes to those small plates, the twice-baked Perl Las soufflé with balsamic grapes has become the restaurant’s signature dish, no doubt, but there’s plenty of joy to found in the spicier numbers, too, whether that’s in the honey and soy cured salmon with wasabi and apple, or the Korean fried chicken with cucumber salad.
A standout during our recent visit was the restaurant’s take on ‘dippy eggs’, which saw salt beef and unami-rich parmesan toast, served with with a crispy duck egg – a masterpiece of texture and taste. The egg is expertly prepared to achieve that coveted contrast: a golden, crispy exterior giving way to a luxuriously runny yolk. It’s a real mouth-coater, make no mistake.
The small plates are priced keenly at around £8 to £11, making the Angel a great value meal for the quality. And it is quality; the restaurant has recently been featured in the Good Food Guide and named the winner of the North Wales Young Business Award for food and hospitality. There are even bottles of wine starting below £30.
Reservations are recommended, particularly for weekend dinner service, when regulars and visitors gather in this intimate 30-cover restaurant to sample Jones’ creative cooking. Open Wednesday through Sunday, 12pm to 10pm.
Website: freckledangel.com
Address: Freckled angel, Dale St, Menai Bridge LL59 5AH
The Lobster Pot, Church Bay
Ideal for supremely fresh seafood in one of Wales’ most storied coastal restaurants…
Since 1946, when John and Frieda Wilson first transformed their cottage Glan-Yr-Afon into a café serving lobster teas, The Lobster Pot has been an essential part of Anglesey’s culinary landscape. Now run by brother and sister team Adam and Ceri Griffiths (Adam as head chef, Ceri as restaurant manager), this Church Bay institution continues to celebrate the freshest local seafood, just as it has for over 75 years.
The restaurant’s sense of deep authenticity stems from its unique position – it sits right next door to its own seafood supplier, meaning the lobsters and crabs quite literally go from tank to plate. That celebration of all things clawed is evident in signature dishes like their Lobster Thermidor (£37.95) and Lobster Mornay, where sweet, fresh meat comes bathed in a Welsh cheddar cheese sauce.
Beyond lobster, the kitchen serves up whatever the local boats bring in – perhaps pollock, sea trout, cod or turbot, depending on the season. There’s also excellent mussels in either traditional white wine sauce or a fragrant Thai broth, while the menu extends to carefully selected Welsh beef and lamb dishes for those not feeling the seafood (perhaps don’t come here if that’s the case, actually!).
Crucially, the emphasis remains on letting the quality of ingredients speak for themselves, with a simple, almost prosaic preparation that enhances rather than masks natural flavours. Yep, even that cheddar sauce duvet manages to keep things polite and on good terms with the lobster meat resting below.
The dining room is relatively intimate, though a covered outdoor terrace has expanded capacity somewhat. The garden makes a perfect spot for a pre-dinner drink in summer, with views across Church Bay adding to the sense of place that makes The Lobster Pot such a special destination.
Open Wednesday through Sunday, 12pm to 9:30pm. Early booking essential.
Website: thelobsterpot.uk
Address: Church Bay, Holyhead LL65 4EU
The White Eagle, Rhoscolyn
Ideal for elevated pub dining with stunning coastal views…
Saved from closure in 2007 by the Timpson family (of key cutting and prison reform fame), The White Eagle has been transformed into one of Anglesey’s most cherished dining destinations. This white-rendered building, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and extensive elevated terrace, makes the most of its enviable position overlooking Borth Wen Beach and the sweeping views across to Bardsey Island.
Now part of the Flock Inns group (operated by Roisin Timpson), the pub’s seasonal menu reflects the richness of Welsh produce. The kitchen excels at refined pub classics – think locally-sourced steaks with triple-cooked chips, fresh fish pie topped with potato and garden pea mash, or their signature sweetcorn chowder loaded with mussels and smoked haddock. The drinks selection is equally thoughtful, with local cask ales from Conwy Brewery alongside a tight, keenly priced wine list
The spacious beer garden is a particular draw in summer months, while dogs are welcomed with open arms (and treats) both outside and in designated indoor areas. For those wanting to extend their stay (or, you know, roll into bed after one too many pints), there’s even a luxury four-bedroom apartment above the pub called The Nest, offering those same spectacular views.
Open daily, noon until 8pm from Sunday to Thursday, and an hour later, until 9pm, on Fridays and Saturdays.
Website: white-eagle.co.uk
Address: Rhoscolyn, Holyhead LL65 2NJ
The Tavern on the Bay, Red Wharf Bay
Ideal for modern gastropub dining with mesmerising coastal views…
Originally built as a marine cottage in 1924, The Tavern on the Bay has been transformed into one of Anglesey’s most visually arresting venues. The restaurant offers a mesmerising 270° panoramic view that sweeps across the Anglesey coastline to the Great Orme, best enjoyed from their wooden-beamed dining room with its striking copper pendant lights and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Once again, elevated pub classics are the name of the game here – fresh market haddock in cask ale batter, Welsh lamb barmarked from the grill… You get the picture. Whilst it’s not the most groundbreaking food on the planet (or, indeed, on the island) there aren’t many better views to frame your dinner with than here. The regular ‘Piano on the Bay’ evenings further convey it’s a special kind of place.
Open daily, 11:30am until 9:30pm Sunday through Thursday, and until 10:30pm Fridays and Saturdays.
Website: thetavernonthebay.co.uk
Address: Red Wharf Bay, Anglesey LL75 8RJ
Catch 22 Brasserie, Valley
Ideal for contemporary British cooking with global influences…
Named after Joseph Heller’s novel (a reference to the owners’ bold leap from secure jobs into restaurant ownership), Catch 22 has become one of Anglesey’s most respected dining destinations since opening in 2017. Recently named among the Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Local Restaurants for 2024, this modern brasserie is the creation of chef-owner Neil Harley-Davies, who runs the restaurant with his wife Melissa and sister-in-law Ellie.
After training as an accountant, Neil switched careers to follow his culinary passion, working his way through Cardiff’s kitchens and a Michelin-starred run in Berkshire before returning home as the first head chef at the aforementioned Dylan’s in Menai Bridge. Now at his own venture, he combines high-quality local produce with culinary expertise to create contemporary British dishes with global influences.
The menu showcases produce from an impressive roster of Welsh suppliers – from Halen Môn sea salt (more of them in a moment) to Menai Oysters, Llefrith Cybi dairy to Anglesey Fine Foods. Their Singapore-style chicken curry has become a signature dish, while the legendary Snickers Trifle (a sybaritic concoction of malt panna cotta, peanut caramel and chocolate ganache) has been dubbed “the best pudding in the world” by the adjacent dining table and, in so many words, the Good Food Guide.
The modern two-story building, with its striking wooden façade, houses a dining room that can seat up to 120 guests. Spring 2025 will see the addition of a first-floor cocktail bar and lounge, adding another dimension to this vibrant establishment. Despite what the name might suggest, seafood is just one part of their broad, appealing menu that caters to all tastes.
Open Wednesday through Sunday, 10:30am until 9pm (8pm Sundays). Booking recommended for weekend service.
Website: catch22brasserie.co.uk
Address:London Road Valley, Holyhead LL65 3DP
Tide/Llanw at Halen Môn, Brynsiencyn
Ideal for coffee and homemade treats with spectacular strait-side views…
What began in 1997 as a pan of seawater boiling on an Aga has evolved into one of Wales’ greatest food success stories. Halen Môn’s sea salt, now protected by PDO status and served everywhere from royal weddings to the White House, provides the backdrop for this charming café on the edge of the Menai Strait.
Opened by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and visited by the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Tide/Llanw makes the most of its exceptional setting with panoramic views across to Snowdonia. The outdoor seating area, protected by a sturdy Welsh ‘pabell’ (canopy), offers the perfect spot to sample their carefully curated menu while soaking in the vista.
The café champions quality local produce – expect Coaltown speciality coffee alongside homemade cakes that often feature their famous sea salt. Their toasted sesame and sea salt flapjack has become something of a signature, best enjoyed with a flat white or, for those feeling festive, an ice-cold Jin Môr (their own gin).
Open Wednesday through Sunday, 10:30am until 2:30pm. No booking required. Dogs welcome with treats provided. The café forms part of the larger visitor centre, where you can tour the salt-making facilities, browse their design-led gift shop, or even try their innovative wild seaweed bathing experience.
Website: halenmon.com
