The Whistlestop Café on Bangor Pier has won the Traditional Welsh Restaurant of the Year Award at The Food Awards Wales 2019.

The winners, voted for by the public, were honoured at a 500 guest event held at Cardiff City Stadium on Monday night, in big a celebration of the hard work of those who provide delicious food and unique flavours.

The bijou Whistlestop café can be found half way down Bangor Pier. Its signature dishes are sea food chowder, Menai straits mussels in garlic and white wine with sourdough bread, welsh rarebit, burgers, pancakes and Bara brith.

The café seats 8 inside and 20 outside with stunning views of Snowdonia and the Menai Straits. All breads, burgers cakes and Bara Brith are home made by the proprietors Terry and June Thomas.

The business prides itself on using local ingredients and suppliers including burgers which are hand made using beef from Welsh black cattle reared on Anglesey and eggs from ‘happy hens’ near Llanfairfechan. The Ice cream is made from milk supplied from Anglesey farms by award winning Plas Farm at Gaerwen and their famous Bara Brith and Scones are made at the couples home in Menai Bridge and baked fresh everyday.

The food awards recognise the achievements of local suppliers, wholesalers, chefs and establishments amongst others who always serve the community with the freshest of products and work tirelessly within their establishments to deliver great experiences to their diners. The winners are a true reflection of the quality and excellence that remark the Welsh food industry.

The elegant ceremony was hosted by the award-winning broadcaster, Polly James. She welcomed on stage meritorious individuals, acknowledged for providing visitors and residents with great gastronomic delights and working within establishments where excellence is a standard.

A Spokesperson for the Food Awards Wales 2019 said: “We are delighted to have welcomed such great finalists and winners at the Food Awards Wales 2019 and we would like to thank the public for making these awards the leading celebration of the country’s food industry.

“The purpose of the Food Awards Wales was to acknowledge the professionals that care for their diners or customers at a national scale. The awards celebrated everything food related and provided a platform to thank those who have dedicated their whole career in providing us with portable dishes, the freshest of ingredients as well as those who help us explore new flavours.

“We would like to congratulate all finalists and winners for their amazing achievements.”

The awards also provided the opportunity to fundraise for a worthwhile cause and helped raise money for the official charity partner, Make A Wish Foundation UK who grant magical wishes to children and young people, fighting life-threatening conditions.