Annwn

We have just returned from West Wales where we enjoyed one of the best dining experiences we have ever had, at Annwn in Narbeth, Pembrokeshire. You could easily walk by the white house in the centre of Narbeth without a whisper of the genius that lies inside, but once in the door, you won't want to miss a thing. The space is light and airy, and exclusive. When we dined, there were just seven guests -  Annwn deliberately caters for a limited number of people each night that it is open (currently Thursday to Sunday). Matt and Naomi invite each of their guests to feel part of the experience. Every table faces the open kitchen so that diners can see the alchemy that takes place. As a result, you also get a clear understanding of how much care, thought, preparation and love goes into each dish. There is a set menu (although Matt was happy to cater for my non-meat eating dietary requirements), which comprised twelve courses when we dined there. Each features local produce, either foraged for and grown by Matt and Naomi or sourced from local producers - and you can taste the freshness of these ingredients. But it is what Matt does with these ingredients that makes it all such a magical experience. Seaweeds, seeds, leaves and coastal plants play an integral role. The combinations are unusual and inspiring, cleverly put together to showcase the local fish, lamb, oysters, cheese, vegetables. This is exceptional food. Here lies creativity, passion, craftsmanship and the obviously genuine desire that Matt and Naomi have to share their knowledge and love of the food they source and prepare. Once a course is served, Matt goes to each table in turn to explain the ingredients and how they were prepared, so that you can savour the flavour combinations all the more. We particularly enjoyed the 'Wild garlic preserved in its cycle', the 'tatws a winwns' (potato, onion and onion sauce), the 'pelydr draenen' (thornback ray, spider crab, laver, crab sauce), the 'afal gwyllt' (fermented crab apple ice) and the 'sopas "mead so sweet"' (meadowsweet cheese curd, Boulston honey). The wine menu includes local Welsh wines; the white we tried was light and refreshing and lasted us the whole evening, which runs from 7.30pm to 11.30pm. Savour every moment - such a dining experience is a rare privilege.

eturning to Annwn felt like reconnecting with a quiet piece of magic — a place where food, and story are beautifully intertwined. This time, we brought our son with us, and watching him experience the theatre of the tasting menu added a whole new dimension to the evening. It’s rare to find a restaurant that feels so intimate and yet so committed to such wonderful food The seasonal menu had evolved since our first visit, with standout moments like the oyster foam and the lobster that captured the essence of the Pembrokeshire coast, and a food journey that takes you across the Welsh countryside. Matt and Naomi are wonderful hosts and welcome you with warmth, sharing their knowledge in a way that made the experience engaging without ever being overbearing. We left inspired — and full. Dining at Annwn isn’t just about food; it’s about connection. To the land, to the season, and to each other. This second visit deepened our appreciation — and created a memory we’ll talk about for a long time. We’re already looking forward to what the next chapter brings. We spent a wonderful day prior to dinner foraging as part of the day with Gary, finding the edible flowers and fauna of the Pembrokeshire coast,

There should be ten stars for Annwn!! Matt and Naomi are in incredible team who worked seamlessly together to serve ten incredible courses of food. It wasn't just the quality of the ingredients or the care taken in foraging, preserving and cooking them, to create dish after delicious dish, it was also witnessing the care and precision and love that Matt put into plating everything before it was served. We had absolutely fantastic seats, right opposite the pass and I was completely absorbed in watching him all evening. This is so much more than just a great meal - it's a gastronomic experience. I've never experienced anything like it and will most definitely come back again to try his food at another time of year. (I live in the Highlands of Scotland so it's not close to me but it will be worth it.) Probably the best meal/experience I've ever had in my life. LOVED IT! Thank you so much Matt and Naomi.

An absolute dream! It’s a wonderful experience diving into the world of someone so impassioned by Welsh history, culture and nature through food. The only decision you have to make is which of the delicious local wines to have and the rest is simply artistry to marvel. The chef shares the tale of each dish with such heart you feel like you’re a part of the story. Diolch!

Annwn My wife and I dined at Annwn on Sunday 23 February, whilst taking a long weekend break in Pembrokeshire. We enjoy fine dining and had also been lucky enough to dine at The Fernery at The Grove Hotel the night before, which was excellent. However we were also looking forward to the experience at Annwn and we weren’t disappointed. Annwn is a small restaurant, with a maximum of 10 covers, based in an old bank in the centre of Narberth. The restaurant offers a 10 course tasting menu and is run by chef patron Matt Powell and his partner Naiomi. For anyone familiar with fine dining, there are often selected tables known as ‘chefs tables’ which provide visibility of the kitchen for the diners to watch the chef at work. At Annwn the kitchen is completely open plan with the servery straight in front of the diners. Here each diner gets to experience the theatre of Matt preparing and cooking his dishes in the open plan kitchen. His creations are then served by Matt himself, ably assisted by Naiomi. As he serves the dishes Matt explains them in detail. Unlike many restaurants, because the kitchen is open you get the opportunity to talk to Matt whilst he is preparing the dishes. Many of the ingredients used, all locally sourced, are foraged from Pembrokeshire’s shoreline and countryside and the menu changes with the seasons and reflects the quality of local suppliers. The evening we dined at Annwn there were only 4 diners in the restaurant, including ourselves, and we had front row seats straight in front of the servery. The food was sublime and meticulously presented on a wide variety of pieces of crockery, many of which used natural items (i.e.slate) to complement the restaurant’s style. We have been very fortunate over the years to dine in a number of fine dining restaurants around the world, several of which hold Michelin Stars, and some of which have a menu based largely on foraged items. Surprisingly, Annwn doesn’t yet hold a Michelin Star, although it does hold a Michelin Green Star, together with a number of other awards and is one of the UK’s top 100 restaurants. We can only assume, and hope, that this will change soon as the meal experience was exceptional in every respect - and easily equal to (if not better than) some of the meals we have had in restaurants which hold Michelin stars. I have attached a photo of the menu and a photo of each of the dishes. If you enjoy fresh produce and are happy to be a little adventurous in what you eat, I guarantee Annwn is the place to go; you will need to book well in advance and probably have to be a little flexible on date, however, it will be worth it, you won’t be disappointed. We can’t wait to return.

Feel really fortunate to have found this amazing restaurant. A very intimate and immersive experience watching Matt & Naomi working in perfect harmony. The food was amazing, foraged and always using what is seasonal and locally available, often using simple ingredients which were created into a taste sensation that blew our minds! Presentation was fantastic and playful, an artistic masterpiece which also tasted as good as it looked. Great welcome. Great service. Great selection of local wines. Outstanding! Can’t wait to come back!!

Can’t find any other restaurant better than this one in Wales!! Food was amazing gonna bring you to the heaven. They use seasonal ingredients and so everything just so fresh. The best dish is the oyster cream. I can have it every day!! The shop the atmosphere is great with very lovely decorations.

A truly amazing experience. From the space itself, to the presentation and most importantly the food, everything was absolutely perfect. The owners have created a truly unique experience and are so friendly. You can absolutely tell they are so passionate about what they do and it shows. The food was the best my partner and I have ever experienced and we can't wait to come back again!