Stuck for ideas this year? Elouise Hobbs hops around Wales and suggests her top picks for Easter foodie treats.
In England, they have hot cross buns, in Wales, we have Welsh cakes. These delicious bakes have been a staple accompaniment with afternoon tea and a durable treat which was a favourite with miners in the 19th century.
It’s always worth trying to make these simple treats yourself to present as a pre-dinner nibble but if you would rather leave it to the professionals, you should head down to Fabulous Welshcakes in Cardiff Bay. Their cakes are baked using traditional methods in small batches and come in a variety of seasonal flavours.
Lamb dishes will be the centrepiece at tables across Wales, and every restaurant worth its salt will be presenting their version of a lamb Sunday roast this Easter, but there are a few that stand out.
Bunch of Grapes, Pontypridd, has an award-winning menu which boasts seasonal variations and meat sourced within a 30-mile radius. Llangoed Hall is a striking country house in the Wye Valley, whose Sunday lunches are renowned for featuring fruit and vegetables which have been picked from their 17-acre garden. Alternatively, if you fancy a twist on a traditional roast lamb dinner, it’s worth visiting the Meating Place in Cardiff. The restaurant has become known for their succulent hanging meat skewers but on Sundays, they ditch their usual menu and create their own version of a Sunday roast (hint: there is a lot of meat).
The Easter egg hunt has become a traditional feature of Easter Sunday, with young children hunting round the inevitably rainy garden after the adults sit around still full from dinner. If you want a place where you can satisfy your chocolate fix in a more elegant fashion, it’s worth visiting Nine Yards, who started Lent with a pop-up pancake and milkshake night which people are still raving about. The Italian Patisserie and Prosecco bar, serves enviable sweet treats, freshly prepared by Piero, whose training as a pastry chef evident is every bite.
Whatever you are doing this Easter, make sure to set aside an afternoon to indulge the best dishes that Wales has to offer.
Fabulous Welshcakes, Cardiff Bay. Info: 029 2045 6593 / www.fabulouswelshcakes.co.uk; Bunch of Grapes, Pontypridd. Info: 014 4340 2934 / www.bunchofgrapes.org.uk; Llangoed Hall, Llyswen. Info: 018 7475 4525 / www.llangoedhall.co.uk; The Meating Place, Cardiff. Info: 029 2022 4656 / www.themeatingplace.co.uk; Nine Yards, Cardiff. Info: 029 2022 9113 / www.facebook.com/NineYardsCardiff