After the horror “will they ever end” winter months of January and February, I was in need of a break and last year J had happened upon a rather nice cottage in Narberth, which was perfect for us and our collective dogs.  After a successful first visit in 2024 (Narberth is a rather charming town and located a short drive from numerous dog friendly beaches), we decided to repeat the visit for a long weekend in March 2025.

As with our last visit, we broke up the journey with lunch and this time it was (another return visit) Llansteffan that was the chosen pitstop.

Inn at the sticks

My first visit to the Sticks was a while back and since then it has rather blossomed with the plaudits raining in from the likes of the Times and The Good Food Guide, to name but a few.

It seemed a perfect pit stop for lunch on the way to our final destination in Narberth, with (on top of the pub) Llansteffan having a big sandy beach, lots of nice walking trails and even a castle. 

All great for tiring out the dogs and building up an appetite for lunch.

The food at the Sticks provides a pretty eclective mix, with some interesting specials on the day (as well as the main menu which has sections for meat, seafood and veg. small plates).

Some very nice combos on display here, with a vichy roasted carrot, tangy whipped feta (plus an almond crumb, drizzle of honey and a basil gel) dish my surprise pick of the  bunch, bring a real flavour bomb.  One of the best veggie dishes I have eaten in a long while this.

Faggots, with crushed/mushy peas and gravy was again one of the best iterations of a wholesome classic I have had recently, being rich and meaty with just a twang of iron rich offal. I didn’t get to try the rabbit (which Mrs. SF had), but J’s Greek lamb (slightly oddly with sherry in the mix, with that only being made some distance from Greece) was a very pleasing dish (if perhaps a touch spenny at £20, compared to the faggots).

Special mention to the wine list here (with Teej knowing her way around a wine list and some), with a very good selection of wines (more by the glass, perhaps, would be nice for lunch) at very reasonable prices.

Our bottle of Cerro Anon Gran Reserva retails at around the £20.00 and was on the list as £37 or there or there abouts ). For the UK, that is a very fair mark up.

They even have a wine bar/shop/deli next door which have a good selection of wines and predominantly nibbly/picky spanish foods (olives, cheeses etc), which is a good shout for picking up supplies.

Talking to Teej (one of the owners), the recent very positive nationwide media coverage has been a really boon with people coming from all over the UK to stay. Richly deserved, I say, with it being a great base for a few days away or as a pit stop on your journey (like us) further west.

Address: High St, Llansteffan, Carmarthen SA33 5JG

Website: https://www.innatthesticks.com/

Hwb, Narberth, Pembrokeshire

Narberth has been proclaimed by many a “foodie” (I actually hate that “twattie” term) town and with the likes of The Grove,  Ultracomida (both deli and eat in) and Anwen you will not want for a good meal here.

The Hwb is a food hall, with 4 indies operating out of kitchens in it on both an eat-in and takeaway basis

as well as a bar offering what looks like a pretty good on tap selection (less said about the wine offering the better to be honest).

After a bit of deliberation, we decided we rather liked the looks best of Top Beef (burgers and sides) and Grub (tacos etc. rather than the insects the “Powers That Be” seem intent on foisting on us, along with vat grown frankenfood filth).

Two burgers from Top Beef,

were what we went for first up (one as part of a cheeseburger meal – £14 – and the other the straight cheeseburger- £11).

Very good burgers these, which I would class as good as any I have had in Cardiff (i.e  at the sadly departed Ansh and very much still here Tom’s Smashed Burgers and looking for a new home Hench), with two properly smashed patties (both having good caramelisation, those nice gnarly nobbly bits and that buttery, nuttiness you get from quality beef). A brucey bonus was the inclusion of onions fried in beef fat.

J and I also shared a poutine (£10)

Whilst I tend to rile as against the concept of loaded fries (all too often you just get soggy chips and a “we threw the kitchen sink at it” confusion of flavours), I make an exception for poutine (a far from routine iteration of the loaded fry) where the combo of gravy and squeaky cheese curds just works with chips. Decent poutine this, with proper cheese curds used (a poutine without proper cheese curds ain’t no poutine) and a good flavour to the gravy.

Mrs. SF’s only minor quibble with her burger meal was a rather pedestrian slaw (with the oddity of discs of carrots rather than it being grated/shredded).

As we (well J and I, Mrs. SF stopped at just the burger meal) are pigs we ordered more from Grub.

I wanted the beef tacos and J wanted the chicken ones, so of course we had the chicken (£13.50).

Good amount of shredded chicken thigh with a nice level of smokiness and spice. An avocado crema added nicely to the mix, as did some sour cream topped crispy tortilla chips. My only minor quibble were the level of the barbacoa chicken could easily have been divided into 3 or even 4 (which would have made them a lot easier to eat) and the soft tacos could have benefited from just a touch more time on the heat. 

We also order a side of the Mexican grilled corn/elote (£7.50)

Good portion size here and a fair level of heat which worked well as against the sweetness of the corn, zinginess of the lime and the saltiness of the feta on it. I also really like the crunch added by the corn nuts and the fact that they bucked the corn rib (no they aren’t) trend.

Drinks wise, I had a beach lager from the Tenby Brewing Co. Lowish alcohol (3.4%) number that went done very easily. Not going to win any awards, flavour wise but a good thirst quencher which was very welcome after a 12 mile yomp with the dogs in the morning.

Mrs. SF followed my beer lead, whereas J had a pretty undrinkable (she still did) rosè.

A big bonus for us is the Hwb is very dog friendly.

Address: Moorfield Road, Narberth SA67 7AB

Website: https://www.hwbnarberth.com/

Madtom Land and Sea

We had Sunday lunch here.

A 10 hour slow cooked beef dinner

came with well flavoured beef, a good yorkie, crisp pots and mash, a boat of decent gravy (which could be refilled on request)

and a big bowl of steamed veg.

A chicken dinner was equally as good and a fulsome portion

Very nice according to Mrs. SF and it was nice to see they resisted putting a yorkie on it (only with beef, if you please).

We followed with a couple of good desserts

and it was all washed down with a couple of bottles of a gluggable Italian red.

A decent meal and good value (with us paying £114 + a tip for 3 people.).

Address: 4 Water St, Narberth SA67 7AT

Website: https://madtomnarberth.com/

Where we stayed

Our base was Kiln Farm cottage

Really nice set up,  very well specced and  surrounded by fields, which was great for the dogs, and all an easy stroll from the centre of Narberth.

Eating in is an easy option here,

with all mod cons (the induction hob, I could work, but the induction oven may as well have been the control panel for Sizewell B – lucky they had a standard oven too).

It even had a hot tub, which I retired to for a light poach whilst I snoozed off lunch at the Hwb and listened to Wales getting annihilated by England in the Six Nations. Mr. SF and J looked on in abject horror, no doubt discussing how to harpoon the great white (actually this time of year, more than a ting of blue) whale.

Lots of beaches and woods nearby to tire out the dogs and Pendine Sands is great for giving them a long run.

and the dogs even got an ice-cream

Best to check that the MOD range is not in use on day if intend a visit (as much of beach, for obviously reasons, is closed off if they are) and maybe don’t kick/pick up any unusual “shells” you come across.

All in all a very pleasant couple of days away, with food food, good wine, good company and happy dogs. Can’t ask for much more than that can you.