Otley pubs feature in top restaurant guide

South Wales pubs make Good Food Guide 2013

Two pubs in south Wales, both run by Nick Otley(above) from the Otley Brewing Company, have been listed in the UK’s best-selling restaurant guide.
The Bunch of Grapes in Pontypridd and the King’s Arms in Pentyrch have both been selected for the Which? Good Food Guide 2013, an annual report of the best places to eat in the UK.

All listings are based on feedback from diners alongside anonymous annual inspections to ensure that every entry is up to date. The Good Food Guide has been reviewing the UK’s best restaurants, pubs and cafes since 1951.
The Bunch of Grapes has featured in the guide for the past four years running and the King’s Arms entry is the first since the management of the pub was taken over from Brain’s earlier this year.

Nick Otley said: “Both pubs aim to make the most of quality Welsh produce including Breconshire Beef, Welsh lamb, locally made fine cheeses, as well as fruit and vegetables we grow on site.

“Through our menus we aim to push the boundaries by incorporating innovative dishes throughout the seasons such as sausage desserts and beer ice-cream.

“We’re over the moon to have made the Good Food Guide and be among the best places to eat in the UK.”



Neither of the pubs smell of fish.

Kings Arms, Pentyrch

Kings Arms, Church Road, Pentyrch, CF15 9QF
Open all day

The King's Arms is an old, long building, built on slope leading from the modern estate of Pentyrch to the site of the medieval church of the village, rebuilt in the 1850s. The thick white-washed stone walls of the pub defy mobile phone networks and are a sign of the age of this pub, at least three-hundred years old but with later additions over the years. A central doorway leads to the top bar on the left and the snug and restaurant areas to the right. The top bar is split-level and features a bar made out of a light-coloured wood and four handpumps. The stone walls are exposed in places and there are settles sofas and tables with a range of daily newspapers for customers to read. A wood-burning stove stands in the fireplace and there are chalkboard menus on the walls.

The snug is a traditional public bar, quite possibly the oldest part of the pub, or at the least altered in any form, with its huge fireplace and flagstone floor. The fireplace takes up one wall of the building and there is a hatchway to the right hand-side which may have been a stairway to an upper level, a typical feature of old rural buildings which featured a winding staircase to the side of the fire.

The ceiling was raised sometime in the past and a doorway was cut in the fireplace wall, on the left-hand side, today this leads to the restaurant area. Old copper and brass ornaments decorate the walls, the polished copper reflecting what little light there is in this small and rather dark part of the pub. Four gleaming chrome handpumps are on the bar, serving beers from Brains and Otley breweries. The pubis owned by SA Brain but leased to Nick Otley of Otley Brewery and the Bunch of Grapes in Pontypridd fame. This unique collaboration results in beers from both breweries being on the bar with Brains Bitter and IPA alongside Otley Boss and Croeso, although the beer range may vary. Local cider Orchard Gold from Gwynt y Ddraig is also available along with Brains Black.

The restaurant area, to the side of the snug is a modern extension,light and airy with a high ceiling; this area leads out to a patio area and garden with more seating. Food is served 12-2.30 and 6.30-9 and there are lunchtime and evening menus together with daily chalkboard specials, with Welsh ingredients used where possible.

Quiz night Wednesdays and regular events are held throughout the year.
Google Map:

View Larger Map

The King's Arms is accessible via public transport, although the service is not that frequent; the 136 from Cardiff run by Stagecoach

Otley and Brains join forces to run rural pub

King’s Arms given new lease of life


View Larger Map
A pub on the outskirts of Cardiff at Pentyrch, the King’s Arms, is celebrating its official opening this weekend (15-17 June) by hosting a beer festival with live bands, entertainment and a bbq.
Owned by Brains and run by the Otley Brewing Company, the Grade II listed building has undergone an extensive renovation including an exterior facelift and refurbishment of the bar and restaurant area.

Many of the original features have been retained including a mid-nineteenth century bar, flagstone flooring, oak beams and fireplace in the snug bar area.

The pub will serve a range of premium bottled and draught beers including an award-winning range of Brains and Otley ales. The pub’s menu has been designed to celebrate the best of Welsh produce with dishes including sautéed Welsh mussels mariniére style, home-made bread, slow braised lamb shank in Otley ale, laverbread and lemon with Jersey royal potatoes and Welsh gold home-made ice cream.
Throughout the weekend, visitors can dine from a special barbeque will serve a range of meats prepared by head chef, Ken Bell, as well as a salad bar and vegetable dishes.

Nick Otley: “The King’s Arms is a traditional Welsh longhouse pub and the renovation work we’ve carried out celebrates its history as it retains many of its original features while breathing a new lease of life into the building. The pub dates back to the 1700s and we are pleased to have brought it up to date with a fresh look and feel while still in keeping with its original style.

“We’re fortunate in Wales to have some of the best food and drink producers and we’re looking to celebrate this produce through our menu and the drinks we put behind the bar. Our ethos is centred on sourcing sustainably and locally, much like our sister pub, The Bunch of Grapes in Pontypridd.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming people from the village and surrounding area to come and see the new King’s Arms this weekend to enjoy live entertainment and some delicious food and drink.”

Owned by Brains Brewery, the pub was taken over in March 2012 by Nick Otley from family-run, local micro-brewery, the Otley Brewing Company. The brewery, based in Cilfynydd, produces award-winning portfolio and seasonal beers which will be showcased at The King’s Arms.

Twitter: @KingsArmsWales
Facebook

Kings Arms

Church Road
Pentyrch
Cardiff
CF15 9QF