Winning the Michelin Award for Pub of the Year in Britain — a nation that knows and loves its pubs — is no easy feat. But Michelin said that it was an “easy choice” when they selected Wales’ Bell Inn at Skenfrith as the reigning pub for 2007.
The Bell beat out hundreds of other pubs to become the third gastropub to win the title — and the first pub in Wales to win the top honours.
In selecting The Bell for Pub of the Year 2007 in its Eating Out In Pubs Guide, Michelin mentioned the Bell’s small touches that made it so special: a daily rotating menu; vegetables and herbs grown in the pub’s kitchen garden; a blackboard listing the names of the local vendors, and tranquil surroundings for quaffing from a wide selection of real ales and an extensive wine cellar.
The Bell is a former 17th century Welsh coaching inn with eight guest rooms. It’s tucked away on the banks of the Monnow River in the Monmouthshire countryside. The inn overlooks one of the Welsh Marches’ castles, Skenfrith, an important Norman stronghold during the 13th century.
The pub is located 45 minutes from Cardiff near the book town of Hay-on-Wye and the lively market town of Abergavenny, known for its annual food festival. Serious foodies may want to book The Bell for Sept. 15-16, 2007 when the food festival will be held.
Photo by Sue Frause taken at Spinnaker’s Gastro Brewpub in Victoria, British Columbia.