Editors Restaurant Review: Teddy’s Bar – Sunday Lunch to die for!

I’ve been hearing good things about Teddy’s Bar in Monknash for some time – so my husband and I finally got round to paying them a visit last Sunday – and wow, what a visit!

Readers who know me will know my husband Mark and I are very keen campers, and Teddy’s Bar is situated on the delightful Heritage Coast Campsite.  However, it’s Winter and we spoiled glampers have a habit of staying indoors from October onwards – I may add the campsite is currently closed for Winter, but their on-site Espresso Bar and Restaurant, Teddy’s Bar, is still open every evening for drinks and serves a home-made Sunday lunch with locally reared meats, local vegetables and excellent service in a beautiful setting (with a wine list to match).

While, from the outside, the only clue to the quality of this place is the polished tables outside a high quality wooden campsite cafe (gleaming in the middle of winter despite the rain the day before), but on walking in you could be forgiven for thinking you have walked into a top standard, truly intimate restaurant – and that sums up Teddy’s Bar.

This is definitely not your typical campsite bar, when you walk in, you are greeted warmly by Phillippa and Glyn, the owners, and it is clear that the couple have put their hearts and souls into making this place friendly, welcoming and everything, from the beautifully laid tables inside, the cosy fire and the wide range of drinks from the spotlessly clean bar was presented to a very high standard that would not look out of place in upmarket Cowbridge.  It’s easy to see why reviewers have raved about this little place, accessed a little further down the road from the reknowned Vale pub, the Plough and Harrow.

It’s fair to say if you are after cheap, mass produced pub grub, then this won’t be the place for you.  At £15 for roast beef and £17 for roast local lamb, it’s priced in line with some of the Vale’s nicer eateries – but there is a reason for that.  The food is exceptional, generously portioned and delicious and best of all – supports the local farming community

The meat was cooked to absolute perfection, the honey roasted carrots and broccoli were a real delight, and everything was home cooked – and to our joy, we each received separate jugs of gravy to match our meat, something I’ve only ever seen in top eateries.

All this, while overlooking the beautiful Heritage Coast.  Phillippa had thoughtfully given us a table with a view and both she and her staff could not do enough for us, checking we were warm enough, topping up our drinks and generally giving us what can only be described as five star service to match the five star food.

Portions were extremely generous, and as usual I had the appetite of a gnat, but thankfully my husband polished off what I couldn’t eat, because to waste a scrap would have been criminal.

We topped off our visit with a trip to nearby Slade Farm to buy some organic produce on the way back – a most satisfying way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Teddy’s Bar is one of those little gems you don’t find so often these days.  We’ll definitely be back!

Teddy’s Bar serves Sunday Lunch from 12pm-3pm.  To reserve a table, call 01656 890399