‘Forest Feastival’, a brand new outdoor pop up food experience, is coming to Bridgend County this April and further boosts Bridgend County’s reputation as one of Wales’ most exciting new foodie destinations.
Billed as several weekends of ‘deliciousness in a woodland, near a castle, by the sea', Forest Feastival is an outdoor food court featuring the best street food trucks and chefs from Wales and beyond. Pitched under a canvas amongst the beautiful woodland of the Merthyr Mawr Estate, the event will span several weekends launching on the 30th of April.
The al fresco dining experience is the perfect option for a post-pandemic get together and comes courtesy of the organisers of Street Food Circus, the award-winning culinary collective first established in 2014. Attendees will have the opportunity to sample a wide range of options, with the ‘nomadic caravan of traders’ serving up everything from Asian inspired steamed buns and west African jollof rice to American hotdogs and 24-hour, double dipped buttermilk fried chicken.
Exciting New UK Foodie Destination
Merthyr Mawr is just a short drive from Laleston, a small village that is establishing a big reputation as a foodie hotspot. Perhaps best known is The Great House’s award-winning Leicester’s Restaurant, which holds two coveted AA Rosettes and has twice been named Country Restaurant of the Year.
Then there’s The Black Rabbit, established in 2018 where chef Jonathan Lewis creates delicious dishes using fresh Welsh produce. It’s tucked away inside the traditional cosy Laleston Inn, a 14th century stone house, converted into an ale house with all the charm remaining.
The latest arrival in this quiet corner of Bridgend County is the Purple Sage who moved in to the traditional 18th century pub, the Mackworth Arms in March. The Purple Sage Kitchen was established in May 2020 to offer top restaurant quality cuisine at home during lockdown.
El Prado is long established in Laleston, but reopened as part of the Martinez group of restaurants first established in Cardiff in the early 90’s offering a traditional brasserie concept specialising in fresh local fish.
It is easy to see why Laleston is considered one of Wales’ most exciting new foodie destinations.
More about Merthyr Mawr
Set on the South Wales coast, Merthyr Mawr Warren National Nature Reserve is a magical place and home to the highest dune in Wales, known as the “Big Dipper”. The dune system here is like no other in Wales, partly due to the huge area it covers – it extends to 840 acres and is a haven for wildlife - sand has settled on top of the ancient limestone cliffs creating a special habitat for insects, fungi and plants.
The area is host to a variety of festivals and events including the Rabbit Run, the Christmas Pudding Run and the family-friendly Between the Trees festival. You’ll also find a variety of accommodation options, from the Woods and Dunes ‘glampsite’ to cosy self-catering cottages.
Forest Feastival launches on the weekend of the 30th of April and continues until the end of May. Book tickets
