Lofft, the intimate 12-seat chef’s counter from chef Tom Simmons in Cardiff, has been awarded Three AA Rosettes, one of the UK’s most respected restaurant accolades, at the AA Hospitality Awards 2026.
Announced on Monday 21 September, the award sees Lofft join a select group of restaurants across the UK recognised at Three Rosette level.
The AA describes Three Rosettes as being “awarded to outstanding restaurants that are worth travelling for”. The guide notes that “only around 15% of Rosette-awarded restaurants reach 3 Rosettes. These are serious dining destinations – places you travel for, book ahead for, and remember long after the meal ends”
The accolade marks another significant milestone for Lofft, which opened in February above Thomas, the brasserie in Cardiff’s Pontcanna neighbourhood.
Lofft offers an intimate ten-course tasting menu experience centred around an open kitchen. The restaurant is led by Executive Chef Tom Peters, whose career includes Roux at Parliament Square, Maaemo in Oslo and an appearance on MasterChef: The Professionals.
The tasting menu is built around seasonal Welsh produce and showcases the best ingredients available throughout the year. Guests are seated around the chef’s counter with a full view of the cooking process, creating an immersive and personal dining experience.
The AA recognition follows further early success for the restaurant. In August, Lofft was included in the MICHELIN Guide, marking another significant achievement in the restaurant’s first year.
Chef Tom Simmons said:
“Receiving Three AA Rosettes in our first year is an incredible achievement for the whole team. From the beginning, our ambition with Lofft was to create something intimate and personal that showcased exceptional Welsh produce and the talent of our chefs. We’re hugely proud of what the team has built and of the experience we’re creating for our guests.”
Executive Chef Tom Peters added:
“At Lofft, every dish is built around exceptional ingredients, precision and attention to detail. We want every guest to leave having experienced something memorable, both in terms of the cooking and the atmosphere around the chef’s counter. To be recognised with Three AA Rosettes is incredibly rewarding and a testament to the hard work of the whole team.”
Lofft forms part of Tom Simmons’ reimagined Pontcanna restaurant, which launched earlier this year as two distinct but connected dining experiences under one roof: Lofft, an intimate chef’s counter upstairs, and Thomas, the brasserie, a relaxed Welsh brasserie shaped by seasonal Welsh produce and French-inspired cooking downstairs.
