Friends of the Hardwick
A few trade secrets and a few of the places we love to eat when we've got a rare night off from working hard at the Hardwick.
Where to Stay
Where to stay when you come to visit us.
- The Old Rectory, The Bryn, Nr Abergavenny
- The Old Rectory is a beautiful 16th Century country house in the nearby village of The Bryn. It is surrounded by peaceful gardens, lush farmland and imposing mountains. Flanked by greenery on all sides, the house enjoys expansive views and overlooks the lazily meandering River Usk. A substantial family house steeped in history and full of lovely period touches. The Old Rectory offers guests a warm and welcoming home away from home.
- The Old Rectory website
- Llansantffraed Court Hotel, Abergavenny
- A timeless landscape, steeped in history and legend, awaits the traveller to Llansantfraed Court Country House Hotel and Restaurant. Set in the ancient county of Monmouthshire, amid picuresque hills and themystical valleys of the Usk and the Wye, the serenity of the countryside is contrasted by the history all around.
- Llansantffraed Court Hotel website
- Rectory Cottage, Mamhilad, Monmouthshire
- Rectory Cottage B&B. A 4 star bed and breakfast located about 15 minutes from here in a quiet picturesque location. Ideal for a weekend break in the area to give guests ample opportunity to visit the Hardwick once or twice.
- Rectory Cottage website
- Black Mountain Cottages, Bettws Newydd, Usk, Monmouthshire
- A 5-Star Self-Catering Cottage, Mayberry Cottage is a 200 year old quarry worker's cottage situated 'off the beaten track' outside the village of Llangattock, about 15 minutes away from here. It sleeps 8 people and commands a superb position with outstanding views over Crickhowell, across to Table Mountain and the Sugar Loaf. Inside the Brecon Beacons National Park, it is ideally situated as a base for exploring our wonderful area.
- Black Mountain Cottages website
Places we love to go
- Ypolyn, Nantgaredig
- Great mates and great food. We had one of the best meals we've ever had in our lives here. A simple and fantastic take on food.
- Ypolyn website website
- Culinaria, Bristol
- Traditional Bistro food is served in a contemporary setting. Stephen and Judy Markwick opened this new venture in the summer of 2004. Changing the Menu weekly means there is always something new to try.
- Culinaria website website
- Northcote Manor, Lancashire
- A taste of Lancashire Nigel Haworth's restaurant is a testament to the great local produce of Lancashire. Lucky enough to have his own gardens at the Manor, Nigel has fresh ingredients in abundance and he never disappoints.
- The Northcote Manor website website
- The Kitchin, Edinburgh
- "From nature to plate." Tom Kitchin's Edinburgh establishment boast innovative seasonal menus that'll keep you taste buds jumping for joy.
- The Kitchin website website
- Plas Bodegroes, Pwllheli
- Idyllic and beautiful. Chris and Gunna Chown's wonderful restaurant with rooms. Traditional dishes and local ingredients. The way things should be.
- Plas Bodegroes website website
- Tyddyn Llan, Llandrillo
- Perfect for Snowdonia. Bryan and Susan Webb returned home from London to set up a fantastic country house hotel and restaurant.
- Tyddyn Llan website website
- Carlton Riverside, Llanwrtyd Wells
- Relaxed, friendly and fantastic food.A great place to go.
- Carlton Riverside website website
- Tom’s Kitchen, Chelsea
- The best 'hang-out' breakfast in town It's not like we're in London much these days, but when we are and a late night is involved, you can be sure we'll head on the Tom's Kitchen for breakfast
- Tom's Kitchen website website
- The Star Inn, Harome
- Destination restaurant in North Yorkshire. Could be the longest drive to lunch we've ever had, but it's worth the effort.
- The Star Inn website website
- Harbourmaster Hotel, Ceredigion
- Harbour Master In the heart of Cardigan Bay. As well as fantastic local seafood, they have superb meats from the welsh hills and a great breakfast menu too.
- Harbourmaster Hotel website website
- Purnell’s, Birmingham
- Bold and innovative cuisine. Glynn Purnell's contemporary fine-dining restaurant located in one of Birmingham city centre.
- Purnell's website
Suppliers
- Pen-y-Wyrlod Lamb
- Exceptionally lean organic lamb from Sarah Dickins and Nick Miller’s family farm just outside Abergavenny. Their pedigree flock of black welsh mountain sheep graze a complex mix of traditional grasses on upland pasture that has never been ploughed. Lambs are matured slowly for around nine months to create much more flavour and an excellent texture.
- Pen-y-Wyrlod Lamb website
- Llanllyr Water Company, Lampeter
- The purest premium bottled water you’ll ever taste. Patrick Gee started Llanllyr Water in 1999 filling bottles by hand from a bore hole that has been in use for over 800 years. Llanllyr have recently won the True Taste award for 2007/2008 and we have to agree, its fresh taste refreshes like no other.
- Llanllyr Water website
- The Otley Brewery, Pontypridd
- Award winning Welsh ales. Hand crafted using the finest malted barley and hops, packed with flavours and aromas that will appeal to real ale lovers everywhere.
- The Otley Brewery website
- The Rhymney Brewery, Merthyr Tydfil
- A new Brewery in South Wales to follow the old traditions and create some new ones. Traditional Ale brewed in the the one industrial heartland of Wales.
- The Rhymney Brewery website
- Cothi Valley Goats
- Passionate about goat's cheese. Yet another family run supplier. Richard and Lynn and their children Laura and David bring to market some of the finest goat meat and dairy products available today.
- Cothi Valley Goats website
- Dash Shellfish
- The freshest shellfish. A taste of the sea from one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, DASH shellfish can be found in the heart of Pembrokeshire.
- Dash Shellfish website
- Charlie Hicks, Greengrocer
- Great fruit and veg from small, caring growers. Charlie Hicks is a great mate and a big fan of our work at the Hardwick. However, to say we are his biggest fans in return would be an understatement. Charlie is a total star.
- Charlie Hicks, Greengrocer website
- Huntsham Farm, Ross on Wye
- Finest Lamb, Beef and Pork. Owned and run by Richard Vaughan and his wife, Rosamund. Huntsham Farm specialises in producing the finest meat from rare pedigree animals. Supplier to top London Restaurants, and just up the road for us.
- Huntsham Farm website
- Love, Lily - Abergavenny
- Beautiful fresh flowers. Emma and Kirsty at Love, Lily were runners up in the National Florist Shop of the year awards. Not bad going as they only set up two years ago. Their clean and contemporary designs add a modern twist to the traditional surroundings at the Hardwick.
- Love, Lily website
- Trealy Farm Charcuterie
- Trealy Farm Charcuterie, Mitchel Troy Finest continental charcuterie with a Welsh flavour. Graham Waddington and James Swift at Trealy Farm use age old tried and tested continental methods combined with cutting edge technology to create some of the Finest meat products we've ever tasted. Exclusively using locally raised, traditional breed, free range, animals they are guaranteed pigs that give beautifully marbled meat with intense flavour and perfect texture.
- Trealy Farm Charcuterie website
- Cwmni Halen Mor Mon
- The Anglesey Sea Salt Company Cwmni Halen Mor Mon (or The Anglesey Sea Salt Company) There's an old adage: "Do one thing well." It has to be said that Halen Môn is a perfect example of it. Sea salt is what they do, and they do it fantastically in a surprising number of ways. If you thought salt was salt... think again.
- The Anglesey Sea Salt Company website
- Black Mountains Smokery, Crickhowell
- Black Mountains Smokery The finest traditional naturally smoked gourmet food. Run by Jonathan and Joanna Carthew. Smoked foods hand prepared and produced at their own smokehouse in Crickhowell.
- Black Mountains Smokery website
- Neal’s Yard Creamery, Dorstone
- Fine cheeses and yoghurts. These guys at the creamery are legendary. Based just across the border in Herefordshire, they are a pleasure to work with and the products speak volumes. Their organic Greek style yoghurt with Les Churnside's local heather honey... Mmmmmmm!
- Neal's Yard Creamery website