TASTE TEST: The Cottage Loaf – the UK top 100 pub in the heart of Llandudno

Market St 

Llandudno

LL30 2SR

RECENTLY named one of the UK’s top 100 pubs, The Cottage Loaf in Llandudno has long been known for excellent food and service.

I went along to see whether it was worth the hype – and found a cozy country pub nestled in the heart of a seaside town serving a menu that married fresh flavours, comfort food and sophistication.

From the outside, the Cottage Loaf stands out. Walking through Llandudno you expect to see plenty of fish bars and seafood restaurants and the town certainly doesn’t disappoint on that score.

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Llandudno: Discover which pub was named in the UK’s ‘Top 100’

As a visitor to the town you could be forgiven for not spotting it however. Tucked away down Market Street, when I arrived my first reaction was slight confusion. Just yards away from a traditional British seaside resort I found myself stood staring at a farmhouse-style country pub lifted straight out of Eryri National Park or the Cotswolds.  

Heading in for lunch I walked straight through the dark, timber-beamed bar area into the bright atrium which is the Loaf’s dining area. 

The cozy yet bright atrium-style restaurant area in the Cottage Loaf (Image: Alec Doyle, Newsquest)

The staff were friendly and well-informed as they explained that the Loaf was currently in the process of launching some new menu items.

My first menu choice was a chicken, duck liver and brandy parfait with apricot and date chutney and toasted sourdough.

Chicken, duck liver and brandy parfait with apricot and date chutney and toasted sourdough (Image: Alec Doyle, Newsquest)

At £8.50 the starter offered good value for money, with the richness of flavour a great way to begin. The brandy complemented the dish without overpowering it. Impressively it had precisely the right amount of bread for the parfait – avoiding the common predicament of either running out of bread or piling as much on as possible and risking an embarrassing spill! 

Choosing a main course I went for fish – I was still in Llandudno of course. To be specific I opted for pan-fried sea bass fillets with crispy rosti potatoes almond and red pepper Romanesco sauce, ratatouille, confit cherry tomatoes and asparagus.

Pan-fried sea bass fillets with crispy rosti potatoes almond and red pepper Romanesco sauce, ratatouille, confit cherry tomatoes and asparagus. (Image: Alec Doyle, Newsquest)

At £21.95 it was around the same as you would pay for sea bass at a nice city centre restaurant, but as it emerged from the kitchen looking stunning I soon learned why the Loaf’s chefs have such a great reputation.

Salty, flaky sea bass with a wonderfully crispy skin worked with the flavours of the ratatouille and asparagus to deliver sharp freshness while the Romanescu sauce brought depth.

The rosti were like two huge, fluffy chips, with a light exterior. As a result they were not simply dense blocks of potatoe but a light, enjoyable accompaniment to a tasty dish.

This alone underlined why the Loaf has for so long been highly regarded by food critics and online reviewers as each bite brought a new hit of flavour and zing.

After all that however I definitely needed something sweet and the Loaf offered just the thing – a raspberry blondie accompanied by a whipped white chocolate ganache and raspberry sorbet. All that for £7.95 – the same price as a chain restaurant dessert, but the quality of the Loaf’s offering was in another league.  

To be honest I’d been expecting the blondie as one serving with the sorbet on the side, but it arrived with both the sorbet and ganache separately.

Raspberry blondie with a whipped white chocolate ganache and raspberry sorbet (Image: Alec Doyle, Newsquest)

As with all the food, the presentation was first class, and the taste – the raspberry was not too tart and the sorbet not too cold, while the ganache and the blondie itself balanced everything perfectly. 

It may take a little effort to find for those unfamiliar with Llandudno, but is it worth the effort to experience this charming country pub by the sea? It absolutely is.