A Pembrokeshire restaurant has been named one of the best in the UK.
St Davids’ Really Wild Emporium is the only restaurant from the county to feature in the OpenTable top 100 restaurants for 2023.
The list features venues from all over the country including in London, Edinburgh and Manchester.
It is compiled from more than 1.2 million OpenTable diner reviews and using dining metrics including diner ratings, percentage of reservations made in advance, and five-star reviews.
The Really Wild Emporium was among the top spots favoured by diners this year, singled out for its bare wooden floors, original stained glass windows and quirky lighting as well as its use of wild ingredients and knowledgable and friendly staff.
The restaurant had 236 reviews on Open Table and a score of 4.9 stars out of five.
“We were so thrilled to discover that our small, quirky restaurant was included in the 2023 Open Tables 100 Best Restaurants in the UK because of consistently fantastic reviews from our diners,” said the Really Wild Emporium’s Julia Mansfield.
“The Really Wild Emporium extolls the virtues of the wild and its potential effects on the health of animals, human beings and the planet.
“By understanding and preserving the wild environment the staff here at the Emporium create an eco-centric knowledge base that our ancestors would recognise and now use it to produce a wide range of skincare products and a kitchen of earthly goodness and delights.”
Julia added that The Really Wild Emporium restaurant is led by a young but highly experienced chef who delights in the wild environment of the Pembrokeshire Coastal fringe.
“He specialises in creating unique combinations of locally produced and wild ingredients to provide healthy and sustainable plates and an informative and special dining experience,” she said.
“Our fantastic Really Wild Team is also committed to being at the heart of the environmental and foraging activities throughout the business and are always ready to share their knowledge with guests.”
The Really Wild Emporium was created during lockdown in a characterful, three storey, Art Deco building in the centre of St Davids.
From the outset the Emporium, especially the unique Really Wild Restaurant, has punched above its weight, winning awards for Pollution Free Business, Sustainable Tourism and Regenerative Tourism as well as the Best Use of Pembrokeshire National Park.
In 2023 The Really Wild Emporium was a finalist in four categories of the Visit Pembrokeshire’s Croeso Awards: Sustainable Tourism, Service Product Provider, Young Tourism Person and A Place to Eat awards.
“This was a considerable achievement for this young and growing business,” said Julia. “Whose ethos is all about the wild environment, the community and the employment of local people.”
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