The story
Executive Chef Douglas Balish steers a modern British kitchen at The Fernery in Narberth, drawing on his tenure at acclaimed establishments like Bohemia and Quay while grounding every plate in Pembrokeshire terroir. He often forages the coastline to incorporate wild ingredients, creating a dialogue between local seasonality and international technique. Head Chef James Greatorex reinforces this approach, applying precise methods honed at the Fat Duck to translate the hotel's garden harvest and seafood catches into expressive dishes. This dedication to place and craft underpins the accolades, including a Michelin Key and four AA Rosettes.
The tasting menus pair Saundersfoot mackerel with gooseberries and horseradish, or lobster with a Thai green curry prawn base. Jenkins farm eggs arrive with laverbread and bacon, while mains include ex-dairy beef with girolle mushrooms and leeks, or squab pigeon with cherry and nasturtium. Buckwheat sourdough with Ty Tanglwyst butter bridges the seafood and meat segments. Desserts feature macadamia nuts with rhubarb, mascarpone, and sweet marjoram.
Set within a whitewashed country house framed by ancient oaks, the dining room features comfortable seating, chic decor, and candlelit tables. Head Sommelier Cathryn Bell curates a cellar spanning native Welsh wines to international classics, securing an AA Notable Wine List award and recognition as Sommelier of the Year. The programme extends to a zero-proof pairing crafted with the kitchen team, plus bar cocktails evoking local geography from coastal waters to forest paths. Polished service anchors the experience, ensuring the meal unfolds without interruption.
Recognition
Details
History
Grove of Narberth is in a remarkable location – a glorious, whitewashed country house of various vintages, surrounded by gardens that are 'a riot of colour in spring and summer' with ancient oaks and verdant, tree-lined fields. The interior delivers all the hoped-for modern country house glamour: an abundance of comfy sofas, chic decor, polished service. All of this comes together in The Fernery, a smart, white tableclothed affair, candlelit in the evenings, with the focus on local, seasonal ingredients and global flavours. On the eight-course tasting menu, smoked potato could be teamed with dashi, asparagus and bottarga, while succulent beef cosies up with fermented shiitake, alliums and potato. Squab pigeon is paired with celeriac, cherry and nasturtium, and native Black Bomber Cheddar is matched with apple, carrot and a fresh blast of coriander. Herbs are put to good use here – note a dessert of macadamia nuts with rhubarb, mascarpone and sweet marjoram – and much of what’s on the menu comes straight from the hotel’s own kitchen gardens. The extensive wine list is backed by an expert sommelier, so expect solid guidance through choices that extend from native Welsh finds to classics from the New and Old Worlds, including Billecart-Salmon Champagnes and plenty of sustainable, organic options (many of them available by the glass).
4 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
Location
Facebook
Instagram
X