Gorse

As a small boy from Llanishen, it felt very nostalgic walking the streets of Cardiff again. What filled me with joy though, was experiencing this little gem of a restaurant, tucked away as it is. The welcome was as warm as they get. The door adjacent to the quaint kitchen ensures you are greeted by not only the hosts, but the chefs too! A humble little room, perfectly lit and tastefully decorated. The restaurant is a labour of love from Tom and the team, and it is apparent. Service is immaculate, only pipped by L’enclume in my opinion. The staff were on par with the best of the Michelins we’ve experienced. Friendly, attentive and genuine. They were a delight. The food?! My goodness, what a treat. This is the first Michelin I’ve been to where EVERY SINGLE COURSE was exceptional. The Fallow deer? Perfection. The best piece of meat I’ve ever tasted. If I have just one critique of an otherwise perfect meal, both desserts are rich, creamy with a little tarte fruit. Just a little crunch to either of the desserts would allow better distinction between the two. Maybe a stem ginger or a biscuit. Albeit, I’m not a big dessert guy, but the smoked cherry? Chefs kiss. It is by far, the BEST dessert I’ve ever tasted. Including Moor Hall. Including L’enclume. THE BEST. the day before we visited another Michelin that shall remain anonymous (because it wasn’t the best experience) , but we had just the two courses and the cheese board. And the cost of the meal was equal to the absolute experience that Gorse put on. For the quality of service and food, this was fantastic value. Kudos. Tom and the team have built an absolutely delightful experience here in Cardiff. And I couldn’t be more proud to have such a great experience just a stones throw from where I was born.

We are on an extended road trip around the UK after having lived in London for 4 years, and I thought this was one of the best meals I have had in this country. I loved Tom Water's style of cooking - seasonal, pared back, layered, elegant. The scallops were generous, the fish perfectly cooked, the desserts delightful. At £95, I thought it was fairly priced for the quality of food and number of courses - 7 plus bonus snacks. It's glorious when a restaurant gets all the little things around the food right too. Here it's the understated simplicity of the dining room, chefs that bring dishes to the table and a lovely laid back atmosphere. A beautiful selection of small bites to start and finish, perfectly timed courses, beautiful handmade servingware. It's casual, unpretentious, elegant and technically perfect - even the madeleine petit four was the best version I've ever had, served warm. If I was being very nitpicky, the butter was too warm and the red wine needed to be slightly chilled - but to be fair these are minor annoyances in an otherwise perfect meal, and it was a very rare heat wave in Wales. I didn't love the table at the back of the restaurant, it feels a bit like being shoved in a corner but it was absolutely worth it to be able to eat here.

The welcome is as warm as one could hope for. With the entrance set beside the charming, compact kitchen, guests are greeted not only by the front-of-house team but by the chefs themselves—an immediate and personal touch that sets the tone for the experience. This is a jewel of a restaurant, thoroughly deserving of its Michelin star. Every element has been considered with meticulous care, from the thoughtfully composed dishes to the ambience of the room itself—intimate, elegantly lit, and tastefully understated. It is clearly a labour of love from Tom and his team, and that passion resonates throughout. And the food—truly exceptional. This is the first Michelin-starred restaurant I have visited where every single course impressed without exception, each dish delivering both precision and creativity in equal measure. We look forward to returning soon to experience the new, more expansive tasting menu.

Gorse had been on our hit-list for some time before eventually visiting at the start of March for the dinner tasting menu. Every dish felt carefully considered - balanced , creative and refined. Courses with elements substituted due to my dietary requirements (no fish/seafood) still had the detailed explanations and flair of the standard courses. For a menu with such a strong influence from the sea, I never once felt I was missing out. Staff were welcoming and attentive throughout, and the selection of cocktails and spirits had some brilliant standouts. Great to see plenty of local Welsh choices, including from Hive Mind Mead which is a huge personal favourite. Gorse is fully deserving of its Michelin star and I'll be dreaming of the rhubarb dessert for the foreseeable!

An absolutely exquisite meal and experience from start to finish so today I made my second visit in 4 weeks. I was made to feel very welcome as a solo diner which is very kind for a start as they are FULL. I had the 7 course tasting menu plus wine flight on a weekday lunchtime. The 'snacks' are such a lovely special touch and divine. All dishes were exquisite and the heavenly heavenly desserts. Service was so warm and attentive. I've had some amazing meals in some wonderful restaurants but I am inclined to think this was the best of all.