Restaurant in South Wales, United Kingdom
Serious Welsh fire cooking, no city hassle.
BLOK at Lanelay Hall in Pontyclun is South Wales's most focused fire-cooking restaurant, built around Welsh beef from boutique farms, an open charcoal grill, and wet and dry-aged cuts. Booking is easy, the room is calm and serious, and the format suits both a destination dinner and an overnight stay. Book for the tomahawk or dry-aged rib-eye.
Booking BLOK is direct — this is not a restaurant where you need to set a calendar reminder three months out. Reservations are available through Lanelay Hall Hotel & Spa, and given its Pontyclun location rather than a city-centre address, you are unlikely to face the booking pressure of comparable fire-cooking restaurants in Cardiff or further afield. That accessibility is part of the case for going: you get a considered, technically serious dining experience without the reservation anxiety. First-timers should still book ahead for weekend evenings, when the hotel dining room fills with a mix of hotel guests and destination diners from across South Wales.
BLOK sits inside Lanelay Hall Hotel & Spa in Talbot Green, Pontyclun, and it operates as a fire-cooking restaurant with a clear brief: Welsh produce, open charcoal grill, wet and dry-aged beef, and the kind of service that feels professional without being stiff. Head Chef James Milward leads the kitchen, and the menu is built around cuts from boutique Welsh farms and breeders — dry-aged sirloin, rib-eye and tomahawk on the bone, finished over an open fire charcoal grill and served with sauces including Café de Paris butter, brown butter béarnaise and green mojo.
The scent of the charcoal grill is noticeable from the dining room , not overwhelming, but present in the way that immediately signals intent. This is not a kitchen trying to gesture toward fire cooking; the grill is the centrepiece, and the smoke that drifts through the space gives the room a particular warmth and focus that you do not get in a conventional fine dining setting. The partially open kitchen reinforces that: you can see the rhythm of the cooks and the live fire without it becoming a performance piece.
The dining room uses warm tones and natural materials. It is calm and tactile, suited to a long dinner rather than a quick meal. For first-timers, the experience lands somewhere between a confident neighbourhood restaurant and a considered fine-dining room , technically serious, but not formal in a way that feels exclusionary.
If you are planning more than one visit, the meat programme gives you a clear reason to return. The combination of wet and dry ageing means the kitchen can work with different flavour profiles across cuts, and the grill technique applied to a tomahawk on the bone is a different experience from a dry-aged sirloin. A sensible first visit focuses on one of the bone-in cuts to understand the kitchen's approach; a second visit is the right time to explore how the sauces and supporting elements work against lighter preparations.
Timing matters here. Weekend evenings bring the fullest room and the most energy from the kitchen, which suits the format well , fire cooking at scale has a different character than a quiet midweek service. That said, a midweek dinner gives you more direct interaction with the team and a more relaxed pace, which is worth considering if you want to ask questions about provenance and ageing. Both are valid; they are just different experiences of the same kitchen.
For a special occasion, BLOK makes a convincing case. The hotel setting adds practical convenience if you want to stay overnight, and the format , serious meat cookery, well-sourced Welsh produce, a composed dining room , suits celebratory dinners without requiring the formality of a full tasting menu format. Compare this to Ynyshir Hall in Machynlleth, which is a more intense and immersive experience at a significantly higher price point, or to Feu in South Wales, which shares the fire-cooking brief. BLOK's position within a hotel gives it a logistical edge for overnight stays that standalone restaurants cannot match.
For context on where BLOK sits in the broader UK restaurant picture, fire-led cooking at this level of seriousness places it in conversation with venues like Moor Hall in Aughton and Gidleigh Park in Chagford , both of which operate hotel-restaurant formats with strong provenance credentials. BLOK's price positioning and South Wales location make it more accessible than either, though both carry Michelin recognition that BLOK does not currently hold. Internationally, the open-fire format places BLOK in the same conversation as Lazy Bear in San Francisco in terms of cooking philosophy, even if the scale and context differ significantly.
Within Wales, the comparison that matters most for practical decision-making is against other destination dining options in the region. See our full South Wales restaurants guide for a wider view of the options, including how BLOK fits within the broader South Wales dining picture. If your trip includes other elements , accommodation, wine, or regional experiences , our South Wales hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide cover the rest of the picture.
Book BLOK if you want serious fire cooking using Welsh produce in a setting that earns the price without the booking difficulty of a major city restaurant. It is the right choice for a first-time visit to South Wales fine dining, and the meat programme is deep enough to justify a return. The hotel context makes it a practical anchor for an overnight trip. The one caveat: if you want a full tasting-menu format or Michelin-level service depth, look further , BLOK's value is in its focus and accessibility, not in competing with the UK's most decorated rooms.
Quick reference: Open fire charcoal grill | Wet & dry aged Welsh beef | Lanelay Hall Hotel & Spa, Pontyclun | Head Chef James Milward | Booking: direct, advance recommended for weekends.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLOK | Welsh fire cooking with precision, provenance and quiet modernity Set within the elegant surroundings of Lanelay Hall Hotel & Spa in Pontyclun, BLOK offers a modern interpretation of fine dining rooted in one of cooking’s most elemental traditions - the use of fire. It is a restaurant where locality, technique and genuine hospitality come together in a form that feels both contemporary and enduring, expressing Welsh identity with clarity rather than excess. At the heart of BLOK lies a simple but serious philosophy - respect for the ingredient and precision in its handling. Under the guidance of Head Chef James Milward, the kitchen draws confidently on the strength of Welsh produce, with a particular pride in working with meat from boutique farms and breeders across Wales. This commitment to provenance gives the restaurant much of its character, grounding the menu in a sense of place that feels sincere rather than declarative. Each cut carries not only quality, but also the story of careful husbandry, regional identity and a close relationship with those producing some of the country’s most compelling meat. Fire is central to that expression. Cooking over an open fire charcoal grill, the kitchen treats flame not as spectacle, but as a disciplined and instinctive tool - one that builds depth, texture and character while preserving the natural integrity of the product. The restaurant’s use of both wet and dry ageing brings further nuance to the meat programme, allowing the team to shape flavour and texture with flexibility and care. The result is cooking that feels refined without losing its elemental force - elegant in execution, but still deeply connected to the primal appeal of live fire. The atmosphere mirrors this balance. Warm tones, natural materials and soft lighting create a dining room that feels tactile, calm and quietly sophisticated, while the partially visible kitchen lends the space both energy and intimacy. There is a subtle sense of theatre in the rhythm of the fire and the movement of the cooks, yet nothing feels overstated. Instead, BLOK creates a mood of focus and ease, drawing guests into the process without ever disturbing the sense of composure. Service follows the same philosophy. Professional yet personable, polished without pretension, the team guides the experience with warmth and confidence. There is an evident care in the way guests are looked after, and in the way the meal is allowed to unfold at its own pace. That balance between refinement and sincerity gives the restaurant much of its character. What makes BLOK particularly appealing is the clarity of its ambition. It honours the ancient appeal of cooking over flame while expressing it through the lens of modern dining, without becoming overly conceptual or detached from its roots. Just as importantly, it is a restaurant that has been getting better year by year - quietly, consistently and without unnecessary fanfare. Under Chef James Milward, this steady evolution gives BLOK a particularly convincing sense of momentum, suggesting a house that knows exactly where it is heading and is advancing with confidence rather than noise.; Fine Dining by Fire in the Heart of South Wales Nestled within the elegant Lanelay Hall Hotel & Spa in Pontyclun, BLOK offers a refined dining experience that celebrates the art of cooking over fire. Under the guidance of Head Chef James Milward, the restaurant presents a menu that highlights premium meats and locally sourced produce, all prepared with meticulous attention to detail. Culinary Leadership Chef James Milward brings a wealth of experience to BLOK, having previously honed his skills at esteemed establishments in the region. His expertise ensures that each dish at BLOK is crafted with precision and creativity. The menu at BLOK features a selection of expertly prepared meats cooked over open fire, including: • Dry Aged Sirloin, Rib-Eye or Tomahawk on the bone These cuts are complemented by a variety of great sauces, such as Café de Paris butter, brown butter béarnaise and green mojo, enhancing the natural flavours of the meats. BLOK’s interior design combines rich textures and a warm, natural palette to create an inviting atmosphere. The kitchen concept allows diners to witness the culinary craftsmanship firsthand, adding a theatrical element to the dining experience. BLOK stands as a testament to the harmonious blend of traditional cooking methods and contemporary culinary artistry. For those seeking a memorable dining experience in South Wales, BLOK offers a journey through flavours that are both comforting and innovative. Age Method: Welsh Beef Type: Wet & dry aged Grill Type: Open fire charcoal grill | Easy | — | ||
| Restaurant Gordon Ramsay | Contemporary European, French | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| CORE by Clare Smyth | Modern British | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| The Ledbury | Modern European, Modern Cuisine | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library | Modern French | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Dinner by Heston Blumenthal | Modern British, Traditional British | ££££ | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Bar dining is not confirmed in the available venue information for BLOK. The restaurant operates within Lanelay Hall Hotel & Spa in Pontyclun, so your best move is to check the venue's official channels to ask about informal seating options before assuming it is available.
Come with an appetite for meat. BLOK's identity is built around an open-fire charcoal grill and a Welsh provenance programme covering both wet and dry aged cuts — this is not a broad-menu restaurant trying to please everyone. Chef James Milward's kitchen has been building momentum year on year, so expect cooking that is focused and deliberate rather than expansive. If fire-cooked meat is not your format, this probably is not your restaurant.
BLOK is not the kind of booking that requires months of forward planning the way a major city tasting menu does. A week or two should be sufficient for most dates, though weekends at Lanelay Hall fill quicker given the hotel draw. For special occasions or larger groups, a few weeks' lead time removes any uncertainty.
Yes, with the right expectations. The setting inside Lanelay Hall is polished and calm, service is described as professional without being stiff, and the fire-cooking format gives the meal a sense of occasion without requiring a tasting-menu format. It works well for birthdays or anniversaries where the priority is quality cooking over spectacle or a lengthy set menu.
The Whitebrook near Monmouth is the most obvious peer for fine dining rooted in Welsh produce, holding a Michelin star and focusing on hyper-local ingredients. For Cardiff city-based options, Restaurant James Sommerin (now relocated) and Heaneys represent the upper tier. BLOK is the clearest choice if fire-cooked, provenance-driven meat is specifically what you want in the region.
BLOK operates within Lanelay Hall Hotel & Spa, which has the infrastructure to handle larger bookings. For groups of six or more, check the venue's official channels to confirm room configuration and any set menu requirements, as fire-cooking restaurants often manage larger tables through a fixed or limited format rather than full à la carte.
The partially visible kitchen and calm, focused atmosphere described at BLOK make it a reasonable choice for solo diners who want to eat well without the social pressure of a tasting-counter format. It is not a counter-only restaurant, so you will not be wedged into a communal experience. That said, solo bookings at hotel restaurants in this tier are worth confirming in advance, as table allocation can vary.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
