The Walnut Tree in Abergavenny has been named Restaurant of the Year 2026 at the prestigious AA Hospitality Awards, recognising the restaurant’s continued commitment to exceptional food, excellent produce and consistently high standards.
The award is a major accolade for a restaurant that has been part of the Welsh dining landscape for more than 60 years. First opened in 1963, The Walnut Tree quickly established a reputation for exceptional food and hospitality and became a favourite with both local diners and visitors to the area.
Today, The Walnut Tree kitchen is led by Head Chef Paul Brown whilst Shaun Hill, acclaimed ‘Chef’s Chef’, has been at the helm since the restaurant reopened in 2007 as a joint venture with William Griffiths of the House of Caradog. Shaun’s ingredient-led, unfussy approach to cooking has helped cement the restaurant’s position as one of the UK’s most respected restaurants.
In 2008, The Walnut Tree was named AA Restaurant of the Year for Wales, and the restaurant has also held a Michelin star since 2010.
The Walnut Tree is part of the House of Caradog, a family of hospitality businesses based in and around Abergavenny. The wider operation includes two cottages alongside the restaurant, complimentary taxis between The Walnut Tree and The Angel Hotel, and an extensive cut-flower garden which supplies seasonal flowers to the restaurant and other House of Caradog businesses. The restaurant also houses regularly changing ‘Gallery in a Restaurant’ exhibitions, curated by The Art Shop, which have featured work by distinguished British artists including George Rowlett, John Macfarlane and William Brown.
Shaun Hill, Acclaimed 'Chef's Chef'The award gives justification for all the hard work and attention to standards. We are a small team that work long hours to deliver consistency, so it gives a boost to morale for this to be acknowledged.”
Further information
To find out more about incorporating The Walnut Tree into corporate hospitality programmes, private dining experiences and incentive travel itineraries in south-east Wales, contact info@thewalnuttreeinn.com.
