Great Family Friendly Places For Eating Out, Near Croft Farm & Celtic Cottages
All of our cottages have fully equipped modern kitchens to make cooking on your self-catering holiday with us here at Croft Farm & Celtic Cottages super easy, but we also know that an enjoyable part of any holiday is exploring what the local eateries have to offer, whether that’s for lunch, an evening meal, or a light snack whilst out and about in the area.
With that in mind, we thought it would be useful to compile a list of good local family-friendly places to eat out. This is by no means exhaustive – and this area is increasingly becoming known for its foodie establishments.
So feel free to dip into this list and enjoy letting someone else take care of feeding the family! Where appropriate we have loosely categorized them into either Cafe/Coffee Shop or Pub/Restaurant although inevitably there may be some blurring of these categories, and many of the cafe’s do also sell alcohol!
Our closest village is St Dogmaels, which also leads on to Poppit Sands Beach, so we’ll start the gastronomic tour there….
The Coach House Cafe & Visitors’ Centre at St Dogmaels Abbey (Cafe/Coffee Shop)
Serves home-made light meals (breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea), cakes and beverages in a delightful setting, with the Abbey ruins and village millpond just outside, as well as a small museum, gallery and gift shop.
Link to : The Coach House
The White Hart Inn (Pub/Restaurant)
A small olde worlde ‘locals’ pub which serves hearty grub (i.e. not fine dining), and are happy to have your dog if you’re eating in the bar area.
Bowen’s Fish & Chip Shop
A popular fish & chip shop – either eat in, or take-away and enjoy back at your cottage or watching the sea/sunset down at Poppit
The Ferry Inn Riverside Pub & Restaurant (Pub/Restaurant)
Serves bistro style food with a focus on making the most of local produce, in a fabulous location right on the bank of the river Teifi with plenty of room for outdoor dining, and river views. Children, dogs and muddy boots are welcome. Booking is advised especially during the summer months as this is a very popular pub.
Link To : The Ferry Inn
The Webley Hotel, Waterfront Inn & Restaurant (Pub/Restaurant)
Serves a selection of family-friendly meals, and also has a lovely small beer garden on the opposite side of the road, which is right next to the estuary on the way to Poppit Sands – perfect for enjoying the sunset, and boats pottering up and down the estuary.
Link To : The Webley Hotel
Poppit Sands Beach Cafe & Shop (Cafe/Coffee Shop)
Tucked in by the car park just behind the dunes at Poppit Sands this bustling cafe serves a range of home-made light meals, delicious cakes, beverages and award winning Welsh Ice cream – perfect for supplementing your own beach picnic, or providing whatever you need to keep the family well fed and watered for a day on Poppit Sands. The shop also stocks all the ‘usual’ seaside and beach toys, wetsuits, bodyboards etc that you might need for a great day on the beach.
Link To : Poppit Sands Beach Cafe
Just a few minutes’ drive from Croft Farm & Celtic Cottages is the compact rural / coastal market town of Cardigan, with its traditional lime-washed buildings of many colours, and the newly restored Cardigan Castle overlooking the River Teifi.
No doubt you’ll enjoy a wander around Cardigan at least once on your holiday, with plenty of independent shops, galleries and crafts, and the Guildhall Indoor Market to catch your eye.
There are also plenty of family-friendly eateries to enjoy!
Fforest Pizza Tipi (Cafe/Coffee Shop)
With a quirky fun location by the bridge on the banks of the river Teifi with a courtyard setting, large Tipi and converted riverside buildings this is a very family friendly (and dog friendly) eatery serving hand-made woodfired pizzas, salads, breads, cakes and bakes. They also have occasional live music events over the summer months.
Link To : Pizza Tipi
Also on the other side of the bridge you will find the Fforest Cafe which serves ‘light bites’ and beverages in their Outdoor Goods shop – eat in or out on the riverside.
Food For Thought (Cafe/Coffee Shop)
A very family-friendly popular cafe at the top of Cardigan with an extensive menu ranging from cakes, bakes, light bites, and seasonal meals, and a wide range of beverages – something to please everyone!
Pendre Art Gallery & Cafe (Cafe/Coffee Shop)
A nice selection of light meals and cakes and bakes, and Tapas Evenings all served within this interesting gallery setting – with a range of different seating areas with snugs, tables, sofas etc which makes it feel lovely and individual. You can also browse (and buy!) lots of different Art works, by local artists – good for a spot of gift shopping after you’ve eaten.
Shampan (Restaurant)
Known to locals as The Boat – this Indian Restaurant and Takeaway is so called because it IS located entirely on a boat moored on the edge of the river Teifi! They serve all the traditional foods you would expect in a good Indian restaurant, with a novel setting which will delight kids as being somewhere a little bit different!
Bara Menyn Bakehouse & Cafe (Cafe/Coffee Shop)
An artisan bakery which also serves light lunches and home-made cakes, with a small garden at the rear which is dog-friendly. If you want one of their daily baked loaves arrive early as they sell out fast! Good for then popping next door to Custom House Shop & Gallery for a very tempting array of home accessories and gifts by local artists and makers.
If you head off in the opposite direction from Croft House & Celtic Cottages down the coast rather than Cardigan way, you’ll find yourself in Newport (small Newport as we call it – to differentiate from ‘large Newport’ near Cardiff!).
Newport Beach is always popular, and there are also some good places to eat – both there, and on the way there.
The Trewern Arms (Pub/Restaurant)
Situated in the small hamlet of Nevern (between Croft and Newport) this is a family-friendly pub and restaurant which serves traditional pub grub with an extensive menu to cover most tastes. It has a separate pool room, lots of space outside, and is located right next to the tranquil River Nevern. It’s a great place to drop into if you’re exploring Nevern Castle, Nevern Church with its famous ‘bleeding’ yew, or the stunning Pentre Ifan Neolithic Burial Chamber nearby.
Link To : The Trewern Arms
The Golden Lion (Pub/Restaurant)
This very popular pub in Newport serves a great selection of pub and bistro quality meals with local produce used where possible. There are plenty of tables in the bar, restaurant and outdoor areas and dogs are permitted. Turn up early if you want to avoid the disappointment of no space!
Link To : The Golden Lion
The Castle Inn (Pub/Restaurant)
Another popular pub restaurant in Newport, getting a well deserved reputation for good food, complete with a full suit of armour on the pavement outside to point the way in! Again, it’s recommended you book during busy times to be sure of getting a table.
Link To : The Castle Inn
The Canteen (Cafe/Coffee Shop)
This cafe in central Newport serves hand-made stone baked pizzas, salads, Welsh burgers, desserts and cakes – a focused offering for Brunch, Lunch and Dinner but no less delicious for being so. Takeaway Pizzas also available.
Blas At Fronlas Cafe (Cafe/Coffee Shop)
A tasty selection of home-made soups, quiches, salads, light meals and cakes, plus Friday evening Tapas & Tunes and Saturday evening Suppers/BBQs during the summer months. With a nice outdoor seating area at the front which is perfect for watching the world go by.
Link To : Blas At Fronlas Cafe
Other local places which are popular with families for eating out include the following :
The Glasshouse Cafe (Cafe/Coffee Shop)
This is situated at the Welsh Wildlife Centre, Cilgerran, and serves a selection of cakes, light meals, hot lunches and beverages with seasonal specials also on offer. As it’s on the top floor of the wildlife centre it has a ‘treetops’ view of the river Teifi, surrounding marshes, Cardigan Town and the woodlands, as well as having plenty of outdoor seating where dogs are welcome. This is ideal for combining with everything else the nature reserve has to offer, and makes for a very family-friendly outing.
Link To : The Glasshouse Cafe
Patio Cafe (Cafe/Coffee Shop)
If you’re heading up the coast a little way Patio Cafe at Llangranog beach is well worth a visit. Situated right on the beach front it serves a great selection of delicious ice-creams, cakes and beverages and light bites. Ideal for a family day out with a sandy beach and great ice cream – what holiday memories are made of!
The Ship Inn (Pub/Restaurant)
This popular beach-front pub overlooks the sandy beach at Tresaith Beach with its waterfall and particularly good sunset views. They have an extensive menu with a focus on seafood, and booking is recommended for busy times. Parking is limited so factor this in to allow yourself time to park.
Link To : The Ship Inn
Ffynnone Arms (Pub/Restaurant)
The Ffynnone Arms is a spacious country pub with a wide selection of food, and plenty to choose from for those with special dietary requirements (gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, vegan etc). The pub is located at the hamlet of Newchapel, between Cenarth and Boncath. There is also a lovely woodland walk nearby with the charming Ffynnone Falls waterfall and pool to explore.
Link To : The Ffynnone Arms
The Nags Head (Pub/Restaurant)
This country pub at Abercych is popular with families as it is located next to the river Cych and has a good sized outdoor play area for children to let off steam. They serve traditional pub fayre.
Link To : The Nags Head
