The International Welsh Rarebit Centre
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Ratings and reviews
5.0
Travellers' Choice 2024
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Food and ambience
Local cuisine, Cafe, International, British, Welsh, Vegetarian friendly
Does this restaurant offer free wifi?
Details
About
Tasty classic as well as more unusual rarebits, all on real bread from our on-site bakery. Plus daily specials, salads, soups, real bread to buy and fabulous coffee, teas & cakes.
PRICE RANGE
RM 43.00 – RM 64.00
CUISINES
Cafe, International, British, Welsh
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch
FEATURES
Takeout, Reservations, Seating, Highchairs Available, Table Service
Contribute
5.0
212 reviews
Excellent
193
Very good
10
Average
2
Poor
4
Terrible
3
TheSpennos
Ormskirk62 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
As a family of six, novices to Welsh Rarebit, we ventured to the International Welsh Rarebit Centre on a Saturday lunchtime, having booked in advance. A lovely converted school building (?) with fascinating décor, friendly staff and quick service. A wide selection of Rarebits available, with all the chosen meals being enjoyed by the extended family. Congratulations to the owner and staff for providing such a unique and traditional eating experience.
Written 30 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Simyonpinkfluffyclouds
Longworth4 contributions
Aug 2020 • family
We visited the International Welsh Rarebit Centre and was very pleased we made the effort to to seek it out. The food was tasty and excellent that gluten free diets are catered for. Portions are on the smaller side but I had ready anticipated this and ordered double. Nice to little gift shop within the cafe. Excellent covid measures with sanitiser on entry and every table which were well distanced. Staff all wore face shields and screens were up around the counter. It was the first place I've eaten inside in over 5 months and my anxiety was reduced by seeing staff actively sanitising.
Written 28 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
poorlittlefish
London33 contributions
Sept 2020 • none
The food was delicious, the staff were very friendly and the building is beautiful. Vegetarians are well catered for as not only is the cheese suitable for veggies, but they use free-range eggs and have oat/soya milk available for coffee.
I don't want to go anywhere that treats customers as if they have the plague and although this cafe had the required precautions in place, it was a very pleasant and normal experience.
Written 3 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard P
4 contributions
Dec 2020 • none
I wanted to visit Defynnog to show my family the ancient yews in the church yard, and searched online for a place nearby to have lunch with the family. The International Welsh Rarebit Centre popped up with good reviews, so a quick phone call and a booking for lunch was made. Even after seeing the 5* reviews the place exceeded our expectations. The menu is not huge, mostly variations on Welsh rarebit really, but it's good ... really good food, well-presented and tasty. The coffee and cakes were great too. There is also a little shop selling local produce and crafts, so we took the chance to buy a few Christmas gifts. This is somewhere we will return to again and again.
Written 5 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
poppy marenge
4 contributions
Jun 2021 • none
Yet another annoying venue that opens only certain days of the week. I can see why the national chains of cafes thrive, they are open every day of the week and you don't turn up to find everything closed. It makes it very difficult to support small businesses.
Written 8 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JLR
Gloucestershire29 contributions
Jun 2021 • couples
Delicious and generous food, with friendly service, in a beautiful setting. They catered well for me with a dairy intolerance and could even offer a vegan rarebit. Proper homemade food. Dog friendly. Highly recommend.
Written 21 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cat
Wales103 contributions
Sept 2021 • none
Lovely tea rooms in a village setting. We sat outside at a comfortable table with a parasol. Everything very clean with close attention to COVID sanitation. The menu is unusual and all sounds delicious. We had the classic Welsh rarebit and the Patagonian Welsh rarebit with a tasty side salad, both of which were very flavoursome and wholesome. And a decent pot of tea, such a rarity when eating out. The homemade cakes had fascinating ingredients: strawberry, vanilla and basil; lime and courgette, and were superb. The young staff serving us couldn't have been more polite and friendly and complemented a very enjoyable lunchtime in late summer sunshine.
Written 4 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Schwing10
Poole153 contributions
Nov 2021 • couples
The International Welsh Rarebit Centre is tucked away and we circled the area a couple of times before finding it. We were so glad we did. We received a really warm welcome from staff to a beautiful building with a lovely fire in the burner.
We ordered classic rarebit served with minestrone soup and rabbit food. Portions are very generous and the food is delicious and filling.
We had no room for cake but it looked so tempting we bought some to take away and it tasted as good as it looked - cherry & almond slice and chocolate & Guinness cake.
The gift shop is lovely, we bought chuckleberry jam which we’d never seen before and it is delicious.
Well worth a visit, we hope to return next time we’re in the area.
Written 21 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
johV3181UY
6 contributions
Sept 2021 • friends
We went here for brunch whilst on a motorbike tour round the Brecons. The food was to die for - we had the traditional Welsh rarebit and the Spanish rarebit with Chorizo and salsa - delicious! The staff were efficient and very helpful, giving us a great tip for a beautiful route through the national park to Brecon which was one of the highlights of our trip. Thank you! 5/5 and highly recommended.
Written 6 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
telheath
Brecon37 contributions
Sept 2020 • none
Called in today and had a real treat of Welsh Rarebit it was just so tasty and the staff friendly, love the old school, a typical village school small but roomy and cosy. I can recommend anyone to call in and try the food and the coffee too. Some comments say it’s only one piece of toast and expensive but it’s about the taste and the experience so give it a try before you dismiss it. P.S take a walk to the church and have a look at the ancient Yew tree.
Written 9 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Phileas_Flogg
388 contributions
Aug 2022 • none
I used to think Welsh Rarebit was just a fancy way of describing cheese on toast. Come to the IWRC to discover how much more there is to this quintessentially welsh dish.
Service is slick, options are plentiful and all food is fresh and homemade. The premises are in a tastefully restored old school which simply adds to the quirky charm.
Highly recommended.
Written 21 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cennenypedr
748 contributions
Oct 2021 • none
Found this little gem by accident today and thought we would stop for lunch. We were certainly not disapponted by the food. The traditional and the spanish rarebits were fantastic, served on a slice of bloomer bread with a very good salad. The bread was amazing and my one disappointment was that they no longer sold the bread. We did buy some cake to take with us though as we were too full to eat it there and then.
Staff seemed very friendly and helpful despite being quite busy
Covid precautions were in place and were very well done and I felt quite safe.
I would definitely recommend this place, and would certainly eat here again when I am in the area
Written 15 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rob-Bewdley
Bewdley314 contributions
Sept 2020 • friends
Had lunch here and despite the necessary and well handled covid distancing I could not be more pleased. The menu is small and specialist but includes wonderful soups and about 6 variations of Rarebit. The 'firey' rarebit variant is particularly superb.
Good selection of drinks and the staff are friendly and efficient.
Whilst in the village do visit the 5000 yr old Yes trees in the church yard down the road.
Written 2 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
maurice H
Bath22 contributions
Jul 2021 • none
This is a must visit for anyone who loves cooked cheese and happens to be on the A40 heading west from Abergavenny.
The Brainchild of a charming young Lady that works so well on all levels. The choice of which Rabbit ( you have to look for this one) to choose is truly made up of Various mixes which confirms" International" in the name.
We travelled well out of our way just to go there after seeing it featured on an episode of BBC's antique road trip, and were glad we did.
Takes Cheese on toast to a very high level and has to be recommended to all.
This is the sort of gem that is a rare as Welsh Gold, so worth seeking out.
Maurice Rutland Hubert (Wiltshire)
as an aside. I am fan of San Pellegrino canned fruit based water drinks at the time we went there it was and still is almost impossible to buy this drink in the Grapefruit
( Pompelmo) Flavour. After seeing it on the drinks menu I asked expecting sorry no stock, but the answer was yes, so if I could the score would be more 5+.....
Written 28 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stephaniediamond58
South Wales4 contributions
Nov 2022 • none
The atmosphere here is always full of welcoming warmth. The staff are attentive without being intrusive and always friendly. The range of rarebits on offer, reflecting global and seasonal tastes , cause an issue in what to chose! There is always a homemade seasonal soup to warm the soul served with fresh bread and butter. Salad is served with the rarebits and also as a sumptuous feast on it's own. If you are torn between rarebit and soup then you can have both, which we often do! The homemade cakes are a temptation that proves irresistible and if too full simply box to take away. I always start my visit with a latte made with the finest coffee beans. The Centre is also host to community events and there is usually an art exhibition upstairs by local artists. I am lucky to visit every week as part of a local group.
Written 11 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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