Superb local food and drink

Monmouthshire –  food capital of Wales

Monmouthshire is a foodie paradise, known as the “Food Capital of Wales ” offering a wide selection of high quality local produce

Details of specialist local suppliers, farm shops, farmers markets and restaurants offering local produce are available  to you after booking  and we are perfect for a 5* foodie break visiting top restaurants and taking  treats  home with you too!  Fresh produce varies from season to season . Take local meats, cheeses,  charcuterie  and bottles home !

Support our local farmers-( after all we know many of them personally) But we also know the pleasure our guests get from the scrumptious things they buy. We buy them ourselves!

Celebrate food at Abergavenny International Food Festival!

The award winning Abergavenny Food Festival is local, and takes place in September. Lots to taste, lots to buy and many demonstrations by famous chefs to enjoy. Bring flat shoes and a good appetite!

Locally grown wines, beers and ciders and even a gin distillery – visit the makers, taste and enjoy!

People stare at us when we recommend Welsh Wines  but they are not the new kids on the block you might think!   Monmouthshire has been a wine producing centre since the time of the Romans and the Cistercian Monks at Tintern Abbey cultivated vines exactly where they are grown today.  Visits can be made to a number of the local vineyards including the prizewinning Tintern Parva vineyard (walking distance from Tintern Abbey Cottage) and Ancre Hill in Monmouth which has an understandably  strong reputation for its sparkling wines.

If wine isn’t your thing try one of the excellent local cider makers or Kingstone Brewery in Tintern (also walking distance of Abbey Cottage). Brilliant ales lovingly created on the spot.

Our favourite local cider is from Ty Gwyn near Skenfrith and from Apple County also at Skenfrith!  but there are lots more made locally . The apples have amazing names.   Will you see Foxwhelp, Tremlett’s Bitter, Dabinett, Yarlington Mill, Brown Snout, Michelin, Chisel Jersey, Ellis Bitter or some of the many more?     If you pass through Herefordshire  in autumn you will see all the tiny apple growers pulling tractor loads of apples to the giant Bulmers plants or the slightly smaller but still large scale  Westons presses.

Traditionally on 12th night orchards have wassailing ceremonies and these are still held in early January in the Chepstow area .Many of the old farms have a cider pressing stone.  There is an excellent Cider Museum in Hereford.

Catbrook is the hamlet where Foxes Reach is located and now it also has an award winning distillery, maker of Wye Valley Gin. (We supply the damsons for their delish damson negroni from our own garden!)You can book a course to make your own gin, go on a tour, or just visit for a cocktail- and totter home. Contact Silver Circle Distillery. During summer 2022 they will also open a base in Chepstow. See website for details.

Fabulous fish!

The well named  and deservedly prizewinning local business which has a counter at Chepstow Garden Centre and a mobile van which appears at the Farmers and outdoor markets is one to make a special trip to see. Fantastic fresh fish with a strong sustainable ethic. If you would like to order ahead of your stay ask us for contact details and pick up when you are here. Generally no dearer than the supermarkets and an entirely different  quality of experience.

Restaurants, gastro pubs and eateries.

Our eating out list extends to about 40 places recommended by our guests and that’s  without including all the cafes, take aways, and snack bars of the market towns! No shortage of choice!  These are the top handful favoured by our guests at present.

• The Hardwick – between Usk /Raglan and Abergavenny
• The Black Bear –  Bettwys Newydd
• The Michelin starred Walnut Tree – close to Abergavenny easy from all three cottages
• The  Michelin starred The Whitebrook  –  Foxes Reach and Tintern Abbey Cottage – just minutes away
• The Anchor – is next to the Abbey in Tintern so seconds from Tintern Abbey Cottage and not to be missed if you are visiting the Abbey
• The Wild Hare  in Tintern-.
• The Fountain  Inn  A proper olde worlde pub with open fires between Tintern and Trellech Grange, and  a real favourite for home cooked food, especially Sunday Lunch.
• The Angel Hotel Abergavenny- for afternoon tea and has a great restaurant
• The Tudor Farmhouse- at Clearwell in the Royal Forest of Dean. Winner of many awards.