Latest news with #ChristosGeorgakis
Wales Online
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
7 absolutely banging things you need to eat in Swansea right now
7 absolutely banging things you need to eat in Swansea right now The list includes breakfasts prepared by a Masterchef semi-finalist and a stunning small plate menu with one of the best views anywhere in Wales The breakfast served at The Gower Deli. £12.95 Tuckers local pork sausages (2) & dry cure 3oz thick cut back bacon, smoked streaky bacon, flat mushroom, confit vine cherry tomatoes, baked beans, Trealy Farm boudin noir black & white pudding, poached Koop & kiln egg (Image: The Gower Deli ) Swansea has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to good places to go for something nice to eat. And dining venues across the city are constantly introducing new tastes and flavours to the city's culinary scene, meaning there's always new trends and dishes to try. From breakfasts prepared by a Masterchef semi-finalist, and a stunning small plate menu with one of the best views in Wales, to a hidden secret burger restaurant and a food van that will have you eagerly anticipating your next visit, here's seven standout dishes you should try in the city at the moment. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . The small plates menu at Rok Chickpea sweet potato samosa, chaat masala, coconut mint rita (£8) (Image: John Myers ) Rok, ranked by customers as the top restaurant in the city on TripAdvisor, officially opened its doors on March 1, 2024. It is located in one of the most picturesque locations in Swansea, in the former Castellamare, and before that Neptunes nightclub, offering stunning views overlooking Bracelet Bay. The menu is made up of a selection of small plates, large plates, aperitifs, nibbles and sides. It is inspired by the season, with small plate prices ranging from £8 to £12 per dish, and large plates priced between £22 and £34 per dish. There is also a range of specials, and a Sunday lunch menu at the weekend. The small plates menu is delicious and leaves you wanting more. Make sure to try the Chickpea sweet potato samosa, chaat masala, coconut mint rita (£8). Click here to read more about Rok. Where? Bracelet Bay, Mumbles Road, Swansea SA3 4JT The breakfast at The Gower Deli The Gower Deli is based in Southgate (Image: WalesOnline ) The Gower Deli has won a plethora of awards from food critics, despite having been open for less than a year. Christos Georgakis found fame on the small screen after wowing with his culinary creations on the BBC food show, and established himself in Swansea with his private chef business. But it was the dream of opening his own deli which he had harboured since a young boy, having been influenced by the local food produce he had around him growing up in Athens in Greece. His dream became a reality on August 24, 2024, when he opened up the deli, set up with the help of his partner, Leanne Richards, at Southgate Road in Southgate, Gower, Swansea, a stone's throw away from the picturesque Pennard Cliffs. Among its most popular items is the Gower Deli breakfast (£12.95) is a popular component of its menu, made up of Tuckers local pork sausages, dry cure thick cut back bacon, smoked streaky bacon, mushroom, confit vine cherry tomatoes, baked beans, Trealy Farm boudin noir black and white pudding, poached Koop and kiln egg. Click here to read the deli's full story. Where? 65 Southgate Rd, Southgate, Swansea SA3 2DH The stacked sandwiches at Darkside cafe Content cannot be displayed without consent A new café has opened serving up huge sandwiches named after famous films. Darkside Café is the one of the latest additions to Swansea's culinary scene having opened its doors at Park Street in the city centre. The new business specialises in coffee, cakes, and thickly-filled 'stacked' sandwiches, many of which have Hollywood themed-names, such as "underground favourite" The Fight Club, made up of turkey, bacon, cheese, tomato and spicy mayo, and "time-travelling classic" The Mac to the Future filled with mac and cheese. There's also The Gouda Father, which is a four-cheese grilled sandwich, The Tutanic, described as "a legendary sandwich that sinks hunger", made up of tuna mix, cheese, lettuce and tomato, and The Elvis, "fit for the King himself", filled with peanut butter, banana, bacon, and honey. Click here to read more. Where? 21 Park St, Swansea SA1 3DJ The sea bream Altitude 28 The sea bream is one of the mains on the lunch menu (Image: John Myers ) Altitude 28 opened on the top floor of the 300ft Meridian Tower, Wales's tallest residential building back in January, introducing a brand new fine-dining style menu that is far different from what many had become accustomed to at its predecessor, the Grape and Olive. The head chef of SkyDining is Nick Jones, from Upper Killay, who has fourteen years of culinary experience, and enters the kitchen with a desire to give something special to his home city. His passion is for fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and innovative flavour combinations. A tasty item that comes highly recommended on its lunch mains menu is the sea bream, with mash and mussel sauce. Click here to read more about Altitude 28. Where? Top of Meridian Tower, Trawler Road, Maritime Quarter, Swansea SA1 1JW The loaded klub burger at Klub Kitchen 83 The loaded klub burger at Klub Kitchen 83 (Image: Instagram @ ) Klub Kitchen 83 is located above the Sketty Club in Eversley Road, Sketty, and is something of a hidden secret in Swansea. The two men behind it the business are founder Sam Childs and his childhood friend Mike Green, both from Mumbles, who share a passion for "great heart-warming food". Growing up, the pair dreamed of "creating a place where everyone feels at home", with a space filled with "good vibes, great company, and mouth-watering burgers made from the freshest ingredients." This includes its signature Klub 83 burger, two three oz homemade beef patties with Welsh rarebit, red onion jam, smoked streaky bacon, toasted seeded brioche bun and seasoned skin on fries, which was also served at the Village Inn. Its menu consists of a range of beef and chicken burgers (£10.50 to £12.95, including fries), loaded fries (£9.99-£10.99), loaded naan bread (£5-7.50), and vegan and vegetarian options (£11). There's also a dessert menu including homemade brownies and crumbles (£6.50), and homemade milkshakes (£5). There's also roast dinners on a Sunday (£12.50). Click here to read our full feature. Where? 83 Eversley Road, Sketty, Swansea SA2 9DE Loaded hash browns at Food Anarchy A customer enjoys a burger and loaded tots (Image: Tales by Beth ) From the outside, it could be any other street food van, but once its open, the queues of people give a hint that it's something special. This van, and its chef, is developing a reputation as one of Swansea's best burger spots. Food Anarchy is run by Phil Fraser, who has been a chef for 20 years, and serves up a range of gourmet street food. One of the tastiest items on its menu is the loaded hash browns, which were topped with brisket, sriracha and a fried egg (£7), a very moreish dish. Where? Several locations, click here to learn more. The Joe's sando at Grandad Needs His Medicine The 'Joe's sando', a collaboration between Grandad Needs His Medicine and Joe's Ice Cream (Image: Grandad Needs His Medicine ) Grandad Needs His Medicine (GNHM) in Swansea city centre, which recently featured on BBC Wales food show Chris Cooks Cymru has developed a reputation for incredible lunchtime eats. The Elvis sandwich has been on the menu for a while and consists of crispy bacon, crunchy peanut butter, strawberry compote and sea salt. But people can now opt to upgrade and have the new 'Joe's sando' - all the fillings of the Elvis sandwich, with the ice cream parlour's signature vanilla flavour in the middle. Click here to find out more. Article continues below Where? 215a Oxford Street, Swansea SA1 3BG
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The little Welsh deli run by a former MasterChef contestant which people absolutely adore
A former MasterChef semi-finalist has reflected on the whirlwind success of his food business which he had dreamed about opening since he was a young boy. The Gower Deli has won a plethora of awards from food critics, despite having been open for less than a year. Christos Georgakis found fame on the small screen after wowing with his culinary creations on the BBC food show, and established himself in Swansea with his private chef business. But it was the dream of opening his own deli which he had harboured since a young boy, having been influenced by the local food produce he had around him growing up in Athens in Greece. His dream became a reality on August 24, 2024, when he opened up the deli, set up with the help of his partner, Leanne Richards, at Southgate Road in Southgate, Gower, Swansea, a stone's throw away from the picturesque Pennard Cliffs. The 52-year-old explained he was motivated for his menu in the "high end cafe" to feature exclusively locally sourced ingredients, and Greek flavours that are not available in many, if any, other places in the city. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here. Mr Georgakis said: "I have been talking about wanting to open something like this since I was a young kid. This is exactly what I've always dreamed of. "The whole idea of this place is my childhood, and anything I used to enjoy as a child. Every Friday my mum would give me pocket money, and then every Saturday morning, I used to go to the charcuterie and cheese shop to buy cheese and cured meats, the bakery for sourdough, and the cafe for coffee, around where I grew up in Athens. "That was my treat as a kid. The chocolate, the biscuits - my mum used to work in a chocolate factory - all of my childhood is here. "All of our products, I'd say 50 to 60 percent, are Welsh, with locally sourced produce, and the other 40 percent is Greek, as people would expect due to my heritage. "We also have French, Italian and Spanish products. We have high-quality products here, but at a price point for everyone. We don't want this place to be London price, we want things for families, the working class, for everyone. "By doing everything myself, I keep the cost down low so I can sell cheaper, and I look to set trends every week. We are way ahead of what other cafes and other places do. "We don't do any pancakes or stuff like this, we sell a Welsh breakfast, with a twist. You can't get a better breakfast. It is such a good quality. "We do not serve it with ketchup or brown sauce, and we get people asking 'Where is the ketchup or brown sauce?' and we try to explain, because of the quality of the product, you don't need it. I was checking the till, and we have done over 11,000 receipts in the till in six months, and not a single person has said 'You're wrong, you need sauce'." Mr Georgakis explained how he designed his menu around the products which are sold in the rustically-furnished deli, meaning that people could buy all the ingredients individually and reproduce the dishes at home. The dining menu features an array of home cooked dishes, with "soups of the old world" (£7.45 to £8.45), including French onion soup and chicken soup, but done 'the Greek way'. There's its deli breakfast deli sandwiches (£9.25 to £9.45), including the Gower Welsh roast beef, made up of overnight local farm roast beef, house bacon jam, gouda, balsamic mayonnaise, rocket, and Little Valley Bakery sourdough bread. The Gower Deli breakfast (£12.95) is a popular component of its menu, made up of Tuckers local pork sausages, dry cure thick cut back bacon, smoked streaky bacon, mushroom, confit vine cherry tomatoes, baked beans, Trealy Farm boudin noir black and white pudding, poached Koop and kiln egg. There's weekend brunch specials, and every Thursday night from 5.15pm until 7.15pm there is a Greek food pop-up event. The Gower Deli also produces a Greek meze menu which can be pre-ordered for £30 per person. Freshly-made ready meals are prepared for those on the go. There's extra attention to detail, with coffee served up in hand-spun mugs designed by Gower Ceramics, with input from Mr Georgakis. The mugs are made with 25 percent material from north Gower beaches, and an imprint of a Penclawdd cockle is incorporated in the mug handle. Despite still being still in its infancy, the deli, which has four full time and five part time staff, has already been recognised with awards, including a Great Taste Award for its moussaka, and best cafe in the south west at the Best of Welsh Business Awards. Looking ahead to the future, Mr Georgakis hopes to open a headquarters to produce the food, and also has plans on potentially opening additional locations in future, and an online presence, with a ten-year business plan in place. Mr Georgakis said: "We are constantly getting new people from around Swansea, Pembroke, Tenby, and a lot of Greeks, who are all coming especially because they heard about The Gower Deli. "We're getting great feedback from locals who are returning every day. As long as you stick to your guns, and what you're offering is different, and it's right, people will come." The Gower Deli is open seven days a week, from 9am until 5pm, apart from Thursday, where it is open until 8pm. 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