Collecting, Eating & Drinking in Carmarthenshire

South Wales, Late Winter 2019

Llandeilo

One afternoon the sky smudged and turned gritty. Ominous clouds were beginning to stack up and occasional bouts of rain rolled in. It was a good excuse to retreat indoors for a spot of antique hunting. Dorian, our host at Bryn Eglur, had recommended the Works Antique Centre in Llandeilo. 

The Works is one of those emporiums with lots of separate booths spread across different levels; an expansive treasure trove of antiques. If you are driving near or through Llandeilo a stop here is made easy with ample parking outside. We spent a good hour or so browsing through memorabilia, rustic homewares, Welsh ceramics and collectables, all reasonably priced. There is also a vintage tearoom attached and a small adjoining garden centre. The man running the place that day was lovely, full of stories and local spirit, exactly the kind of character to be working in a place of curiosities. We came away with a random little assortment; a rusty old key, an aged wooden soap dish like a slice of sun-bleached driftwood, and a handful of Welsh taper candles. The latter came in particularly useful during our night in the Black Mountains.  

Llandeilo itself is worth lingering in. A market town on the edge of the Brecon Beacons, it rises above the river in a meander of bright and colourful cottages. Fast becoming a rural hub for shopping and good coffee, it’s exactly the place to while away a grey afternoon. There are no chain stores. Instead, an eclectic selection of independent retailers, galleries and eateries occupy the pretty Georgian and Victorian buildings.

The tactile clothing and creative homewares brand Toast began its high street life in Llandeilo, established by Jessica and Jamie Seaton in 1997 when they settled in the area after university and never left. I would recommend any Toast devotees stop by the store on Church Street. As well as the latest range, you can shop a selection from previous seasons in a brilliant archive and outlet section. 

Thanks to the heavy pewter rain clouds, I was craving a dose of hot chocolate when we happened upon Heavenly, a chocolatier on Llandeilo’s high street. It is crammed with artisan chocolates, fresh gelatos, cakes and other handmade creations, including some seriously impressive sculpted wedding cakes (think Welsh dragons, love spoons and mermaids!) It was perfect for stocking up on tasty souvenirs that might not make it home.

After a delicious lunch we sat at the window watching the outside world splash by in the rain, with a map crinkled over my lap while we planned the rest of the day. I buried my face in a second steaming cup of hot chocolate there that afternoon. It was made with silky and rich melting chocolate by Coaltown, a coffee roastery in neighbouring Ammanford who switched to roasting coffee after its coal pits closed. Regular live music and homemade pizza evenings are put on at Ginhaus and there are a few tables outside to enjoy the warmer days.

Old pubs & good food

The Ferryman Delicatessen, Laugharne

The Ferryman is a family run deli with attached restaurant where everything is freshly prepared and locally sourced. There is a small but carefully curated menu that boasts the likes of a proper Welsh breakfast of cockles and laverbread, Friday night tapas and occasional Sunday dinners. The little deli serves continental cheeses and meats, and the shelves are laden with Welsh – and a few Spanish – treats to take home, including a range of local craft beers. If you find yourself visiting Dylan Thomas’ Boathouse, this is a homely spot for a bite to eat inside or for putting together your own waterside picnic from all that’s on offer. 

Y. Polyn, Capel Dewi

Y. Polyn is a misshapen, whitewashed building, slightly tucked away on the junction of two country roads. It was once a half-timbered toll house built over a trickling stream, in later years a pub, and now a friendly restaurant serving unpretentious food. Despite being a bit out-of-the-way, it appeared to be a popular haunt for a mid-week evening in February. A simple bar leads through to the welcoming dining room where we were given a cosy candle-lit corner with a bare wooden table and mismatched chairs. The menu was excellent, well-balanced pub food, generously portioned. The likes of sea trout from Carmarthenshire’s Teifi and Towy estuaries, dry-aged Welsh steak, Saltmarsh lamb, locally harvested vegetables, and a nutmeg custard tart for dessert were on offer.  

White Hart Inn, Llanddarog

This 600-year-old thatched pub is rich in brewing history and still brews its own ale, lager and cider. A family-run operation, the Coles’ also distil their own spirits: whisky, gin, rum, vodka and moonshine. We called in for a quick drink while passing through and found the ale particularly tasty. The open kitchen looked to be cooking up large portioned pub-grub and we purchased some homemade honey from a little shop next to the bar. Although touristy, the oak beamed ceilings adorned with trinkets, bulky carved wooden settles and a few open fire places, make for an interesting look around. Everything is spread out across a number of rooms and there is a real sense of layered histories in each one, with many interesting legends surrounding the ancient building itself. 

It is said to have been originally constructed to house the stonemasons, who built the church next door. The low walls at the front of the building were once used to rest coffins on one side of the entrance. The bearers then sat on the other, consuming ale as payment for their services. Inside, some of the heavy wooden furniture with decorative carvings is reputed to have been made by a joiner sacked by Winchester cathedral due to his drinking habits. He, too, was supposedly paid in beer by a past landlord. The White Hart is also said to have been a favourite for Dylan Thomas to call in on his way west. And the pub is just that, a historical spot for a pit-stop pint and a packet of crisps. 

Wright’s Food Emporium, Llanarthne

This was hands down our favourite foodie haunt of the trip, recommended by Dorian (our host at Bryn Eglur) as the perfect breakfast spot for F’s birthday. From the outside it looked like a traditional coaching inn – its role for two centuries – before being transformed in 2012. Wright’s modestly call themselves a café but stepping inside we soon understood their reputation as a bustling gastronomic haven. It was a Thursday morning and, a mere fifteen minutes after opening, was already more than half full inside; an atmosphere that was quite at odds with the rural roadside location. 

Laid-back, modern, rustic charm radiated across a warren of rooms that branched off in different directions. There was a spacious dining area with exposed brick walls and white-washed panelling where local artworks were showcased. Wooden chairs sat around scrubbed antique tables while bundles of books were lined up beneath large sash window frames that flooded the room with light. We settled here by the warmth of a red Aga that had mulled apple juice with orange, ginger and cinnamon simmering slowly on its hob. In other rooms, details included an open brick fire, a pile of Welsh woollen blankets to keep cosy, thriving indoor plants in aged terracotta pots and beautiful ceramics. There was also a rear courtyard garden to soak up the sun. 

In the front room we placed our order at the counter from large chalkboards listing the day’s offerings. The breakfast we had was excellent: French toast with bacon and maple syrup, a toasted Welsh rarebit sandwich with ‘nduja, and a sausage bun with Wright’s very own tomato ‘Catsup’ – so delicious that we bought some to take home – which was made all the more wonderful for featuring an image of the family cat, Castro, on the bottle. The hot chocolate here was possibly the best I have ever come across and drank so quickly that a second was unavoidable. We are still hankering after all the other breakfast and lunch options that we didn’t choose from the menu: the pork-belly Cubano sandwich, chorizo and white bean stew, wild garlic arancini, sharing smörgåsbords and giant slices of homemade cake, to name a few. After 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays they put on an evening supper menu that looked equally exciting. 

As well as the rustic homemade fare in the café, they operate an adjoining delicatessen and wine shop. From the deli you can take home some speciality cheese, charcuterie, homemade bread or the pie of the day, with the option to use your own pie tin, perhaps to pass it off as your creation. The shelves here are buckling with locally roasted coffee, bags of pasta and various other goods to fill a larder. The wine corner – complete with an old turntable and vinyl LPs – has a good selection of imported organic wines from small producers. There are even two wooden barrels of wine and cider from which you can fill your own bottles . 

To put it simply, Wright’s is a really special place. It felt like a local hangout while also deservedly drawing people in from afar. 

Cwmcerrig Farmshop, Gorslas

A family-run farm shop that sells home-reared Texel lamb and Hereford beef, veg, fruit, pies and other Welsh produce, along with its own café. If staying nearby, this is a good place to stock up on local ingredients. 

The Forest Arms, Brechfa

This is a friendly dining pub in an ancient village, perfectly located for those making the most of the mountain bike trails or fishing along the river Cothi nearby. We called in late one evening and nestled into a corner by a blazing wood burner in the cavernous fireplace, feasting on steak and ale pies with homemade chips. 

The landlord pointed out to us a taxidermied raven called Bob, stuffed in a case by the bar. In years gone by the orphaned raven chick was tamed and became a notorious character in the village. There are stories written about him by the Welsh journalist Gareth Jones from the 1930s  hung on the walls.

The Forest Arms feels a real community pub, complete with a group of old-timers playing darts in the corner. The sort of place where you are welcomed after a long day exposed to the elements, muddy boots and all.

Black Lion, Abergorlech

The Black Lion is another old village pub popular with those taking the Brechfa mountain bike trails. It was dusk when we arrived, a little too late to make the most of the pretty riverside beer garden with views across the valley. Inside the little bar you are surrounded by exposed stone walls, beamed ceilings, wooden tables and settles. We avoided the modern dining extension and settled in the bar by the wood burner to dry off after getting caught in the rain with a pint. A local’s dog curled up by our feet, resting alongside our boots on the 300-year old flagstone floor.

< SOUTH WALES