Chef Matt Powell has shared his delight at his restaurant’s new listing in The Michelin Guide, just four months after reopening at its new location.
It’s the second important accolade for Annwn, which made number 14 on the Good Food Guide’s 20 Most Exciting Restaurants while at its original location in Lawrenny in 2022. The restaurant has since relocated to Narberth, where it opened its doors on May 12 this year.
Annwn is a unique dining experience: a small, intimate restaurant with just 10 covers where the focus is on culinary discovery. Matt cooks in an open kitchen and his partner Naomi handles all things front-of-house.
Many ingredients are foraged from Pembrokeshire’s countryside and shoreline; the menu has a strong sense of place, featuring everything from Welsh heritage grains and forgotten wild herbs to coracle-fished sewin and Pembrokeshire spider crabs and oysters.
But it also defies pigeonholing, continually evolving to reflect Matt’s own spirit of exploration. From unearthing precious out-of-print cookbooks to creating innovative new ways to experience ingredients – such as powdered oysters or aged kelp – he invites diners to join him on his journey.
Originally from Bridgend, Matt learnt fishing and foraging from his grandfather and worked for Raymond Blanc, and then at fine dining restaurants in Europe, before returning to Wales and setting up a fishing and foraging business. He used to cook meals at the end of each foraging course, using ingredients gathered during the trip. The concept for Annwn sprang from these meals. The restaurant was located in Lawrenny from September 2021 to September 2022, when it began the process of relocating to a former bank in the heart of Narberth.
The Michelin Guide entry praises Annwn’s unique offering, including its warmth, sustainability and focus on foraging and flavour.
Matt said:
“It’s fantastic to make it into The Michelin Guide, and we’re blown away to have achieved this so soon after opening in our new location. Recognition like this is hugely important for independent restaurants, and we’re very proud to have made the cut.”
