The Orangery

Tucked down a side street near the centre of Aberystwyth, this large building has a grandiose hallway that opens on to several slickly styled rooms. The two at the front, decked out with low tables & leather sofas, are ideal for lounging, while at the back, a cavernous, high-ceilinged dining room has the feel, if not the glass, of a swanky conservatory. The black-clad staff deliver friendly, attentive service & the wine list is beguiling. The kitchen delivers an informal, excellent value selection of tapas-style light bites, alongside pizzas & salads & a decent selection of more substantial starters & main courses from the specials board. It all lends itself to a mix-&-match style of eating, so a meal could include an intensely cheesy wedge of goats' cheese & asparagus tart or garlic prawns, followed by lamb with chickpeas & ice-cream melting over a beautifully sweet-but-tangy autumn fruit crumble to finish.