Food and dining near our Herefordshire holiday cottages
Herefordshire provides some excellent local produce, and we include below our own views on where to shop for food locally, and where to eat and drink.
Food suppliers
There are a number of good local food suppliers within the area, including:
The Grapevine, Kington. Excellent local greengrocer and fishmonger. Good supply of fresh fish direct from Aberswyth every Tuesday and Thursday.
George's Delicatessen, Kington. Friendly deli that stocks local Weobley dairy products including their excellent range of fruit yoghurts.
Upperholme Farm Shop, Lyonshall. Local farm shop selling their own meat and vegetables, together with a range of other products including best selling cakes and biscuits.
Marston Meats Farm Shop, Marston near Pembridge. Farm shop with butcher on site selling their own top quality meat and local poultry. Renowned for their home made pork pies.
Delicatessen and Whole food shop, Hay on Wye. Deli with a wide range of products including smoked meats for the Black Mountain smokery and bacon from Craig Farm organics.
Local markets
Regular farmers markets are held in Hereford, Leominster, Presteigne and Ludlow.
There is a busy market every Thursday morning in Hay on Wye, which includes a popular cheese stall, good fish and game van and a stall selling a variety of French bread and pastries which tends to sell out quickly.
Kington has a small WI market every Thursday from 10.00-11.00 in the Baptist church hall, where people sell their own fresh local produce. Good for local seasonal vegetables.
Ludlow has an annual food festival every September, showcasing the best produce from Herefordshire, Shropshire and the Borders. It is the centre of the slow food movement in England, and has a good range of food outlets as well as one of the best farmers markets in the area, held fortnightly on a Thursday morning.
Eating Out
Most of the local pubs serve food. There are two pubs in the immediate vicinity which provide very acceptable food: the Tram Inn in Eardisley and the Royal George in Lyonshall. They are both friendly and welcoming local pubs which cater for locals and visitors alike.
In our view, these are some of the best:
The Stagg, Titley. Michelin star award winning pub five miles down the road serving local seasonal produce. Best to ask to sit in room by the bar, as back room lacks atmosphere. Popular for Sunday lunch. Essential to book in advance.
The Harp Inn, Radnor. Popular pub with lovely views over surrounding countryside, also provides B & B accommodation.
The Bull's Head, Craswell. This pub is only four miles from Hay but feels as though it is in the middle of nowhere and is surrounded by beautiful countryside. Popular with walkers and cyclists. Now owned by the proprietors of the Swan Inn, Hay. Good walkers food - hearty beef pies, rump steak etc well cooked in cheerful, friendly surroundings.
The Jolly Frog, Leintwardine. This doesn't look very promising from the outside, but the food is excellent. It is very family orientated and has a wood oven for its home made pizzas.
Red Indigo, Hay on Wye. Newly opened and efficiently run Indian restaurant in Hay, serving well above average Indian cooking in friendly atmosphere. The same family run a takeaway in Kington - the Hydrabad , which serves similar food.
The Swan Inn, Hay on Wye. Hotel serving good bar and restaurant food in the centre of Hay.
Mr. Underhill's, Ludlow. Exceptional Michelin starred restaurant serving a nine course tasting menu. This is the place to go for a very special celebration.
Eating In
We can supply you with our own produce in season. We generally have bacon, home made sausages and eggs on offer, plus pork, and fruit and vegetables in season.
We are now offering dinner in the farmhouse one night a week using the very best of our produce. Book in advance or enquire on arrival.
In addition we offer a farmhouse breakfast in Little Quebb on request . This may be particularly appealing on your last morning prior to departure. We serve unlimited tea and coffee, cereals, local fruit and home made bread and preserves together with our own eggs, bacon and sausages.
We have just started to stock the freezers in both cottages with local produce, on the hotel mini bar system: you pay at the end of your stay for what you have consumed. We are offering a range of local food, plus our own produce. We appreciate that you may not wish to cook much on holiday, and the cost of eating out can mount up, so this should offer a good alternative.