The Good Food Guide has crowned Inn at the Sticks in Llansteffan as the Best Local Restaurant in Wales in its annual 100 Best Local Restaurants list.
Having beaten off competition from across the country to take the prestigious title for 2024, Inn at the Sticks - an 18th century inn at Llansteffan in Carmarthenshire - was praised for its stylish yet traditional setting, delivering Welsh sharing plates and on-point classic dishes with brilliant flavours, colour and verve.
“You would never expect to find such a gem in such a lovely small village,” wrote one nominator. “Teej and the team have surprised everyone with their culinary delights,” wrote another. “It’s nothing short of magical.”
This year, The Good Food Guide received an astonishing 60,000 nominations from UK diners, leaving the Guide’s team of expert inspectors the tasty task of anonymously eating their way around the country to select the standouts from each region.
Chloë Hamilton, co-editor of The Good Food Guide, said:
“Inn at the Sticks represents everything we’re looking for in a great local restaurant. The transformation since Teej Sparks and her talented female-led team took over last summer has lit up the community and brought in huge swathes of support from our readers.”
Owner Teej Sparks said:
“We have only been trading since July 2023 so to receive this accolade is just incredible. The devotion and dedication that the whole team has shown since day one makes us so proud to be part of this wonderful women-led team.
“Tracy and I believe that we have some of the best chefs that Wales has to offer. Deb Neale and Mel Fairman have worked together for 35 years and you can taste that experience with every mouthful.
“The whole team has a passion that you do not often see in this industry and it shines through on every plate and glass of wine that is served. We are thrilled and cannot wait to start the next phase of this incredible journey.”
Also named in the 100 Best Local Restaurants list are Paternoster Farm, Pembroke and The Warren, Carmarthen.