Eating Out in Colwyn Bay
Porth Eirias on the seafront — © Geograph contributors / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Colwyn Bay’s dining scene is small but has real high points — a Michelin-listed bistro on the beach, one of North Wales’s best-loved gastropubs on the hill, and a seafront restaurant at Rhos-on-Sea that’s been going for over a hundred years. Booking ahead matters at the top end, especially summer weekends.
Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias
The town’s headline restaurant is Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias, the seafood-led bistro inside the striking Porth Eirias watersports building right on the promenade. Chef Bryn Williams — a north Walian with a high national profile — built the menu around fish, local produce and unfussy cooking, and the restaurant is featured in the Michelin Guide, having held a Bib Gourmand — the award for genuinely good food at reasonable prices — in recent years (distinctions are reassessed annually). Floor-to-ceiling windows look straight out over the bay. It’s the obvious choice for a special lunch or dinner, and the most bookable-out room in town.
Pen-y-Bryn
Up the hill in Upper Colwyn Bay, Pen-y-Bryn (Brunning & Price) is as much restaurant as pub — a big, confident menu of elevated pub classics served all day, with cask ale, a strong wine list and a garden looking out over the whole sweep of the bay. Its TripAdvisor rating has sat at the top of the town’s listings for years, and its Sunday roasts are the local benchmark. No bookings stress at lunchtime midweek; weekends fill up.
Town Centre & Casual
Sheldons Cafe Bar (8 Penrhyn Road) covers a lot of ground well — artisan coffee and cakes by day, then tapas, steaks and craft beer in the evening, in a relaxed, family-friendly room. It’s become the town centre’s most dependable independent. For golfers and non-golfers alike, the Urbane Bistro at Silver Birch Golf Club on the edge of town has a loyal following for its warm service and generous cooking.
Rhos-on-Sea & the Hills
On the Rhos-on-Sea seafront, The Toad has been a fixture for more than a century — traditional British home cooking, big portions and sea views, consistently among the highest-rated restaurants in the area. The historic Rhos Fynach nearby does dependable pub dining with a nice outdoor area.
In the hills above Old Colwyn, the White Lion Inn at Llanelian-yn-Rhos pairs 16th-century atmosphere — slate floors, oak beams, log fires — with proper home-cooked food. A short drive, and one of the most atmospheric dinner spots in the area.
Worth the Trip: Llandudno & Conwy
Colwyn Bay sits ten minutes from two of North Wales’s best food towns. Llandudno adds fine dining and a much deeper restaurant bench; Conwy offers medieval-walled-town atmosphere with excellent seafood. Both make an easy evening out by car or train — see our day trips guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best restaurant in Colwyn Bay?
Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias, the seafood bistro on the promenade, is featured in the Michelin Guide and is the town’s headline restaurant. Pen-y-Bryn and The Toad at Rhos-on-Sea are the other consistently top-rated choices.
Does Colwyn Bay have a Michelin restaurant?
Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias is featured in the Michelin Guide and has held a Bib Gourmand — the award for high-quality cooking at reasonable prices — in previous years. Michelin distinctions are reassessed annually, so check the current Michelin Guide listing for this year’s status.
Where can I eat with a sea view in Colwyn Bay?
Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias sits directly on the promenade with floor-to-ceiling windows over the bay; The Toad at Rhos-on-Sea and the garden at Pen-y-Bryn also have sea views.
Do I need to book restaurants in Colwyn Bay?
For Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias and Sunday lunch at Pen-y-Bryn, yes — especially on summer weekends. Casual spots like Sheldons are usually fine without.
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