Vegan restaurant overtakes Queen Inn to be named ‘Best in Wales’

Stephen Price

A vegan restaurant has overtaken The Queen Inn, Cwmbrân to be named the best in Wales and one of the best in the world – making the all-important global top ten.

HappyCow has named their best vegan restaurants in the world for 2025, with a coveted list of some of the best, most exciting eateries in the world as voted for by their users.

The plant-based app announced that Asante, a cafe in Barcelona, Spain, has taken the top spot on its first annual Top Global Vegan Restaurants List, but for the first time ever – two Welsh restaurants made the list. And, in a shock to some, the previous Welsh winner, The Queen Inn didn’t rank the highest.

Two Welsh restaurants appeared in the top 10 for 2025: Penrhyndeudraeth’s The Eating Gorilla at an impressive number seven, and Cwmbran’s The Queen Inn at number nine.

The ranking system is based on millions of HappyCow reviews and analysed overall ratings as well as the quality, quantity, and recency of feedback before naming Asante as the number one vegan restaurant in the world for 2025.

HappyCow’s full ranking includes a total of 81 restaurants. The company noted that the results show a “decentralisation of vegan excellence,” where people can increasingly find top-rated eateries outside of major cities, such as London.

The full Top Ten is as follows:

1. Asante, Barcelona, Spain
2. Hoi Banh My Chay, Hoi An, Vietnam
3. Nhà Hàng Chay Tathata, Da Nang, Vietnam
4. Tripperia Vegana TAN8, Florence, Italy
5. VíK – Vegan Venue, Bratislava, Slovakia
6. 100% Vegana Taqueria, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
7. The Eating Gorilla, Penrhyndeudraeth, Wales
8. Saido, Tokyo, Japan
9. The Queen Inn, Cwmbran, Wales
10. Bayt Sara, Amman, Jordan

The Eating Gorilla

The Eating Gorilla was set up by professional parents, Barry and Becky, who wanted a more outdoors (ie) life for their children whilst living and working in a fantastic community with a well thought of business. This led them to Penrhyndeudraeth and The Eating Gorilla

Having found The Eating Gorilla, they met Diane and Robin who founded The Eating Gorilla and made it what it is today. They helped the couple and advised them all the way when they didn’t need to but because of the passion for the cafe they mentored us from day one. We couldn’t be more thankful.

They wrote on their website: “So now is the time for us to put our own stamp on the business. We are novices, so bare with us please but we have the same passion and commitment that Diane and Robin have and we are going to give it our all going forward.

“We aim to meet expectations and hope everyone who comes to The Eating Gorilla, whether it’s every day or once or twice a year in on holiday, enjoy their experience at the TEG like they always have.

“Right enough waffle, hopefully we’ll see you soon at The Eating Gorilla.”

Sharing the news about making the European top ten on Facebook, they said: “This is an amazing accolade for The Eating Gorilla 🌱🦍 The main reason why, is the dedication, passion and sacrifice from the previous owners Diane Harrison and Robin Williams over the years.

“Myself and Rebecca Phillipson are now putting our stamp on things slowly, however this cafe would not have its standing without its customers.

“Thank you from all of us.”

The Queen Inn

The Queen Inn is a favourite on the Welsh culinary scene for vegans and omnivores alike – and they’re basking in the glow of their third top ten entry in Happy Cow’s world best list.

The award-winning pub which famously made its entire menu vegan back in 2022 clarified its stance on serving meat-based dishes, following a ‘growing trend’ of other businesses going ‘back to meat’ in August 2025.

In a statement shared on social media on Wednesday 27 August, the team wrote: “We’ve had a few people ask recently, so need to set the record straight.

The post featured three photo captions which read: “Official statement. With the growing trend of other plant-based restaurants and influencers going ‘back to meat’, we’ve had a few people ask if we’ll do the same…

“The answer is simple: no.”

The statement continued: “Yes, times are tough and it’s never easy running a business that puts ethics before profit. But this is a promise we’ll never break.

“Our kitchen has been 100% plant-based for almost 4 years, and we’ll never go back.”

The post added: “We’ll close before we put corpses back on the menu, and we won’t be closing any time soon.”

The Queen Inn removed animal products from its menu for Veganuary 2022, and famously scooped the title of the best-ranked vegan restaurant in Europe

Two years later, it was named the fourth best plant-based restaurant in the world and the best in Europe by vegan guide, Happy Cow.

Menu items include gourmet versions of pub classics like f*sh and ch*ps and ch*cken and b*con pie.

Happy Cow

HappyCow was founded in 1999 as a pre-smartphone directory of vegan and vegetarian-friendly restaurants. For decades, the web platform (now an app) has been a go-to for people looking for food while visiting new cities and traveling.

In October, longtime vegan, HappyCow user, and business consultant Claudia Torres acquired the company and became CEO. According to HappyCow, the new restaurant ranking marks the first major initiative under her leadership. “Authentic reviews are crucial as they provide genuine insights,” said Torres.

“Our thoughtful approach to ranking not only ensures that emerging favourite spots receive the recognition they deserve but also that well-loved establishments continue to shine for their consistent quality,” she added. “Our community plays an essential role in this process. Every review they share not only helps fantastic restaurants stand out, but also contributes to the growth of the vegan community worldwide.”

According to Plant Based News, HappyCow is also reportedly undergoing a full tech rebuild behind the scenes, which will modernise the platform’s design, improve search, and expand beyond food.

The Queen Inn has taken the news about its toppling from the number one position in Wales in its stride, however, championing another restaurant in the process – The Aberglais, Merthyr.

In the latest post from the beloved vegan eatery, they not only shared the Veganuary menu from The Aberglais, but wrote: “Another Welsh pub with some great vegan options; we love to see it. Support these dishes and you never know what your demand might cause!

Below the menu, too, they added: “Menu looks awesome, really hope you get the demand you deserve! Feel free to get in touch if there’s anything we can do to help. Would love to see your vegan menu thriving.”

Barry and Becky from The Eating Gorilla told Nation Cymru: “We’re so happy that our little vegan cafe is so well thought of.. Having taken over from the previous owners last year, we just wanted to continue making tasty vegan food into 2026.”

View the Global Top Rated Vegan Restaurants by HappyCow Members.

Follow The Eating Gorilla and The Queen Inn, and make your booking this Veganuary (and beyond!)