Penycae Inn

An extravagant refit has transformed this once-ordinary boozer into a smart gastropub. Exposed brickwork, a woodburner & leather sofas make the ground floor cosy for pre-dinner drinks, & there’s a discreet table of building bricks to keep the kids busy. Upstairs, floor-to-ceiling windows open onto a large roof terrace with views over the Brecon Beacons. The menu makes good use of Welsh ingredients, as in laver bread pikelets with leeks, cockles, Carmarthen ham & a white wine sauce. Other starters include ham hock terrine on beetroot, celeriac & apple salad, while mains might feature pan-fried rib-eye steak with a full-flavoured red wine sauce & lyonnaise potatoes or duck breast on fruity couscous with a honey & orange sauce. For dessert, try a hearty bread & butter pudding or apricot ‘soup’ that fizzes on the tongue. The good-value lunch menu ploughs a similar furrow, but is bolstered by traditional options & light bites. Grills are available lunch & evening.