The Pilot in The Vale of Glamorgan

Very friendly staff. Very good food. Plenty of drinks to choose from. Well organised to serve their customers during Covid.

We highly recommend this pub/restaurant run by two top French people. Very good atmosphere in the pub and delicious and generous dishes in the kitchen. Flawless which deserves 5 stars.

Fantastic food t bone steak was superb and 2 for 1 on Thursday highly recommend

Excellent food, good service. Though it took a while to pay. *The Pilot kindly opened up for my mother's wake, on a day they do not usually open. We could not have asked for better service, the staff were attentive, the food was excellent. We really appreciated their kindness and patience. The following night we went to their quiz night, as a distraction to our loss. Another great experience, even though we were at the lower end of the scale, being only a team of three. A good atmosphere, a great host and won on the additional game 'Higher/Lower'. Thank you to the pilot & the organiser.

Warm, friendly and accommodating staff. Fabulous buffet. Thank you.

Great place for a three course Sunday lunch Well worth a visit, you will not be disappointed ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We arrived not realising you need to book on Thursday possibly as its 2 BOGOF on a large part of the menu. Francois was able to fit us in which was good. We had steak, and has to be one of the best I've had in ages, cooked to perfection. The Pilot is a little gem in Penarth, and well worth the visit. We will be back

This is my favorite restaurant in Penarth, really good food , the staff is really nice and the place is adorable !

Visited here last night and had a fabulous meal where everything was cooked to perfection. This is a must visit if you are in the Penarth area. Stumbled upon this little gem of a place which has a lovely ambiance and impeccable service. Nothing was too much trouble. If we are ever in this area again will definitely be visiting.

Fantastic all round. Highly recommend.

Love this stylish French inspired Gastro Pub . Thanks Francois and Serge

A delicious lunch with great service every time. This spot is a hidden gem for those looking for tasty food in a relaxed atmosphere. The staff are friendly, and the setting is relaxed, making it perfect for a casual, enjoyable meal. Highly recommended for anyone wanting good food and a laid-back vibe!

Really lovely lunch, fish and chips beautifully cooked, tasty tartar sauce and very good value lunch menu.

Fantastic family meal - I booked a table for 12 but we turned up with 13 and they happily fitted an extra in-Sunday lunch to celebrate a birthday. The food was excellent quality and delicious and reasonable at £22 for 2 course and £25 for 3. Highlights were chorizo scotch egg, lamb shank and tart tatin. Great drinks selection, mostly local beers and french wine - we chose 1 red ,1 white both were superb. This was my first visit, I’d heard good things about the Pilot and they lived up to the hype!

Great place to meet friends, drink wine, beer and gin and eat great food. Fun quiz night on Tuesday evenings

Lovely restaurant, food and atmosphere were absolutely on point. We were there for Sunday Roast and it was delicious, we had three courses and each in its own right was fantastic. Excellent quality and value.

Good night out with a friend and great food 😋

We chose The Pilot as the website advertises the place has Michelin star aspirations. We had a family dinner for three: a burger, a bean burger and the Moroccan parcel. The burger was drowned in pink sauce, making the bun so soggy it dissolved. The chips were excessively salty, to the point of being uneatable. The sweet potato fries were uncooked in the middle and the side of couscous was not seasoned and the grain completely deprived of moisture. The Moroccan parcel consisted of a little ratatouille and a spoon-full of harissa, wrapped in filo pastry, accompanied by more ratatouille. The service itself was poor: starters were removed whilst one of us was still eating. The only redeeming factor was the wine menu, which offered some decent red. Overall, the Pilot offers mediocre pub food. Also, in the men toilets, the tap was broken and did not offer hand-washing facilities, which is a little disturbing from an hygiene point of view.

We had a great time at this pub in Penarth. François is very friendly and efficient staff.

Our favorite pub in Penarth, My wife and I love visiting the Pilot, the atmosphere is very relaxing and the food is excellent! Francois, Serge and all the staff are very friendly and polite. Highly recommend for a family meal or just a quiet meal out with your partner

Went for offers thursday, two meals 20 quid. Food nice drinks expensive. Barry island bitter 6 30 a throw They had another beer for obout 3 50

Been going for a few years now and always happy The management changed about 6 months and its got better! Great steaks Really good Sunday lunch Top service Can't fault it

So lucky to have this lovely gastro pub on our doorstep. We had an impromptu meal last night and benefited from the 2 for 1 offer currently on a Thursday. Our steak meals were perfectly cooked. Always well looked after by Francois and all the lovely team. Took friends and family there a couple of weeks ago for Sunday lunch which was also excellent and great value. Nothing was too much trouble for our young granddaughter either. Always been very happy with the selection of beers but even more so now - well deserved CAMRA award this year.

Absolutely fabulous! Food, service, atmosphere, everything. Went here on a recommendation from a local and so happy I did!

Fab food, fab service. Excellent hospitality. Very welcoming.

Nice venue with a friendly atmosphere.

Superb meal for my mother’s birthday, lovely fresh food with a French influence. Very helpful, attentive and friendly staff

Excellent lunch, the moules frites was delicious .

Lovely meal, pleasant staff and environment

Two teenaged granddaughters each had very tasty, juicy burgers with fries, my wife and son in law had very tender, succulent sirloin steaks perfectly cooked to order with peppercorn sauce, my daughter chose the chicken with fries and I thoroughly enjoyed the fish in batter, best I have had. 6 clean plates collected by very polite , attentive staff. We will return.

This was the birthday meal with my daughter and grandson for a late lunch on Sunday. They very happily adjusted the menu for me so that I could have gluten and dairy free food. They even managed to provide me with an absolutely delicious pudding! They couldn't have been more helpful and the food was delicious.

Great pub, food was quite nice albeit very few vegetarian options.

Great food at a reasonable price - the steak was best I've tasted in a pub/bistro environment. The accompanying wine, a pinot noir, was great value. We were not disappointed.

A hidden gem high above Cardiff Bay in a less well known part of Penarth. A genuine Gastro Pub. Francois and his team looked after us and served an exceptional meal. Great choice of real ale beers too!

Superb pub in Penarth that I recommend 100%!!! The food is very good, the guiness is well served and the owner (French) is very welcoming.

Best tarte Tatin in Wales if not the world! Serge, Francois and staff are welcoming and friendly in a warm and beautiful pub. Highly recommend for good ales, good wine, good food and check out the views of Cardiff.

Big portions but poor in flavour

Not been for a while as now living out of town. But the atmosphere is really good food is great, portions are amazing I went with the burger....didn't eat for rest of day. Owers are so friendly.

Has never disappointed in the 8+ years I've been coming here. The staff go above and beyond to treat every customer with respect and deliver the best customer service possible. The food is excellent and has only improved with the recent managerial change of hands. Couldn't recommend more, one of the best places to eat in Penarth by far.

A great date night pub. The food was delicious and staff really attentive and welcoming. We loved the new menu and will be visiting again soon.

Really enjoyed our visit to the Pilot. Great choice on the new menu and the staff were really friendly and welcoming. Our food was delicious and a really nice buzz in the dining room. Will definitely be visitng again soon!

Nice food but only limited Sunday Lunch menu available

Brilliant pub with a fantastic menu. If you want a snack with your pint I'd recommend the dirty frys. I have also been here for Sunday dinner as a family and my, wife and 2 boys loved it. The meat was perfect and the veg and dessert was amazing. A fantastic selection of beer and spirits.

Located in Penarth just off the town centre, probably a five minute walking distance. This is divided into two sections, a drinking pub section and the Dining section. The Dining section was rather busy with lots of people and nice level is rather high. Clientele in there The menu was pretty much as expecting for a pub with the wine, spirit and beer selection as well as food. We was rather odd as one waitress at the order for the drinks, but could not take the order for the food followed by another waitressing the order for the food. Order the sirloin 8 ounce cooked rare, which was pretty much to perfection,but the sides were rather poor with the hand cut chips were under done. The onion ring was oil logged and soggy, the salad non-existent and the mushroom was underdone. The wine selection that I had was poor almost undrinkable. The total came up to almost £40, which seemed quite steep for a pub. The steak which is highly recommended, although the rest of the accompaniment to the dish is a let down!

Located in Penarth just off the town centre, probably a five minute walking distance. This is divided into two sections, a drinking pub section and the Dining section. The Dining section was rather busy with lots of people and nice level is rather high. Clientele in there The menu was pretty much as expecting for a pub with the wine, spirit and beer selection as well as food. We was rather odd as one waitress at the order for the drinks, but could not take the order for the food followed by another waitressing the order for the food. Order the sirloin 8 ounce cooked rare, which was pretty much to perfection,but the sides were rather poor with the hand cut chips were under done. The onion ring was oil logged and soggy, the salad non-existent and the mushroom was underdone. The wine selection that I had was poor almost undrinkable. The total came up to almost £40, which seemed quite steep for a pub. The steak which is highly recommended, although the rest of the accompaniment to the dish is a let down!

What a warm, welcoming, vibrant place! For our regular lunchtime jaunt, this week we visited François and Serge at The Pilot, and we found all the things we’ve heard of this revamped old Brains pub were well founded. It’s come a very long way from once being built to give the dock workers a place to unwind after a hard days graft to it’s current position of being a well organised and comfortable gourmet repose for those who want excellent quality food coupled with friendly atmosphere and a buzzing staff who are clearly enjoying their work. May I suggest the slow braised brisket with bourgignon sauce which melts in the mouth as the flavours dance around your tongue. Yes, it’s really that good!! Fantastic value , brilliant service, a happy owner and a chef who knows his onions, what more could anyone ask for…. Ah yes, dessert ! For that I can only suggest you allow yourself ‘a look’ at the menu, if you manage to resist dessert, you are a better man than I…. A stunning meal deserves the luxury of dessert, right ?

The food was excellent, burger eaters were very happy as was the vegan. Delicious! Really friendly staff, very welcoming and excellent service. Thank you.

Really good lunchtime menu and only £11 for a main meal. The food was absolutely delicious and promptly served.

This restaurant is a gem! The scotch eggs and beef brisket are absolutely delicious, and the prices are reasonable. Service is top-notch. A must-visit for foodies! Great for a large family gather or a cosy pub meal.

Two very happy customers last night at The New Pilot. My vegan meal was by far the best I’ve had in Penarth and the best I’ve had in any French restaurant. Chef understood the need for taste, balance and portion! It was roast carrot osso bucco, which is a tomato based stew with roast carrots - delicious and so nutritious! My partner’s rib eye steak was the best she’s had around here with an amazing peppercorn sauce. The staff were fabulous - attentive, fun and yet not in your face. The owner came and talked to us about France and food. A lovely evening all round!

Excellent experience in this well recommended pub in our local area. Francois the manager/owner made us feel welcome and was very attentive and gave his honest recommendations regarding menu choices. The restaurant had a good ambience and the quality of food was excellent!

Excellent experience in this well recommended pub in our local area. Francois the manager/owner made us feel welcome and was very attentive and gave his honest recommendations regarding menu choices. The restaurant had a good ambience and the quality of food was excellent!

We visited on Mother’s Day to watch the rugby and had a stunning roast dinner. Starters, main and dessert were all perfect. I often visit with friends too - one of my favourite restaurants in Penarth for food, atmosphere and a great selection of wines, beers and cocktails 👌

Very relaxed and welcoming feel. Staff very engaged. Proprietor charming and attentive. Sunday lunch excellent. Great wine list. Will be back very soon.

A great place for great ales and wonderful food and Always welcomed by francois and the happy staff. The ales are excellent and when I wrote this the bristol beer factory ales were well lush. Good ya? croeso (bless you)

Sunday lunch is brilliant. Very tasty. Staff are excellent from the owners down. Great value for money. I rate it as excellent. Taken the family there In the week also never let us down. Stewart

Great Sunday Lunch, food fantastic and great portions, service very friendly and quick and great choice of beer. Would definately recommend.

Un super endroit avec une ambiance très conviviale. J’y suis allez pendant le 6 nations et j’ai passé un super moment. Le personnel est au top et la plats travaillés. Un endroit que je recommande si vous passez à Cardiff

Very nice home. Very good cuisine.

Very nice place with a very good atmosphere and excellent French cuisine run by French people

Excellent minute steak and ham and eggs with a twist for lunch, really enjoyed the fab service and food, thank you and see you again soon!!!

Fantastic pub! Fabulous service, really delicious food and a well thought out drinks selection. I will definitely come back here every time I visit Cardiff. I had cod with patatas bravas from the lunch menu. The fish was perfectly cooked and the bravas was super tasty, a bargain at eleven quid. Couldn't recommend this pub any higher.

Booked ahead for Mother’s Day during the Wales v France game and the atmosphere in the restaurant was perfect to watch the game and eat simultaneously. Considering the busy restaurant, the staff were flawless with food arriving promptly and to very high standard.

Amazing food and setting. A dinner out with friends. Such a lovely pub and restaurant quality plus food. Great wine and beer selection too. Friendly welcome and service! Recommended!!

Arrived to be warmly welcomed by the staff. Remembered from a previous visit which immediately makes you feel special! Service was great and food delicious. I was even tempted to a dessert which never usually happens. We will definitely be back 😊

Nous étions trois familles à manger ensemble, avec enfants, et nous avons passé une très belle soirée. Le personnel est pro et aussi très sympathique. J’ai commandé l’agneau et je me suis régalée, la viande tendre et goûteuse, les légumes (surtout la betterave) rôtis, la sauce…tout était parfait. Le dessert ne m’a pas déçue, même s’il n’y avait plus de tarte tatin, je me suis consolée avec un gâteau au citron. J’ai goûté le burger de mes enfants et la viande était aussi très bonne. Tout le monde présent à cette grande tablée était satisfait de son repas, bravo! Personnellement, cela faisait longtemps que je n’avais pas aussi bien mangé, quel plaisir.

I really enjoy an evening at the pilot - particularly Conor’s Friday club which seems to be really popular

Many thanks to Francois and his team for a fantastic night last night. Dinner for 22 was a tall order but The Pilot delivered, quality food, and drinks with brilliant service throughout the evening, Thank you!

Super tasty Sunday roast. Excellent service, great atmosphere, I highly recommend for lunch, dinner, especially Sunday roast. Delicious, thank you team Pilot!

Had dinner on a busy Saturday night, Feb 24th. The food was good, but from the moment we arrived, the staff were welcoming and the service was excellent throughout. Had a nice time.

Many thanks to Francois and his team for a fantastic night last night. Dinner for 22 was a tall order but The Pilot delivered, quality food, and drinks with brilliant service throughout the evening, Thank you.

Always a pleasure going to The Pilot! Food was great as always and the staff are fantastic.

A lovely quiet and simple place. We had a good time, even a child with us had the opportunity to play with toys made available on the shelves, we appreciated it. I ate rice with scallops, not bad, but the rice was a little overcooked. For the rest everything ok the staff very kind and polite.

We popped in for a belated Valentine’s Day on Friday and despite it being busy, we thankfully managed to get a table (thanks Cat!). The staff were very friendly and attentive. We ordered drinks while browsing the menu. I ordered the Camembert Samosa while my partner ordered the Breakfast Scotch Egg for starters. The portions were great and the food was gorgeous! Now for the mains, I opted for the Slow Braised Brisket of Beef, while my partner ordered the Roasted Lamb Rump. Both were amazing and again the portion sizes were generous. I couldn’t fault a thing. The atmosphere in there was great and we’ll definitely be back! Thank you! I can’t wait to see what Francois and Serge do with the place!

Excellent pub on the edge of Penarth town with great food and selection of beers and ciders

Fabulous day out to watch the rugby and celebrate my birthday - amazing service Serge, Francois and the team were just brilliant !!

A fantastic place to spend time with friends or partner. Always a very welcoming atmosphere and fab French style food. Cannot wait to go back …. Perhaps for the next steak night :-)

Always good food and friendly staff. We really enjoy this pub for its atmosphere. Affordable prices considering the finesse of the dishes.

Lovely friendly pub and restaurant, we went with friends to eat and to watch the rugby. We were very impressed with the quality of the food and the service - at times good service and good food is hard to find, but we found the Pilot first class and nothing was too much trouble, we highly recommend and will be returning very soon.

Impeccable service, great food and very welcoming atmosphere… The Pilot has been a frequent watering hole for many of my friends and I over the years… Wishing the new owners and staff all the best in the future, keep up the good work!

Excellent Sunday fayre.. good quality generously sized. Staff friendly and service prompt. No complaints just compliments .

No list of ingredients on food. Wouldn't be a massive deal but I have some food sensitivity issues and it didn't list the sauce or toppings on the burger. Service and staff were brilliant though, super sweet staff.

Not the best Roast Dinner for the £27 cost as veg was a bit bland/small portion but service was good until Food served afterwards we had to go to the bar to ask for everything

We visited for Christmas meal and drinks. The food was absolutely spot on, the staff were busy but still made time to chat and deliver food service. I found the one Batman a bit annoying but that could be a 'me problem' because everyone else seemed not to mind his over the top style of service. It was a really nice, interested building with books on the shelf's and everything was clean and well presented. I'd say it's one of the posher pubs iv visited but as it's in penarth I suppose that's what all the retired teachers and dentists who live there would expect. I'd definitely visit again for food and a few drinks.

Had xmas day at the pilot. Meal was fantastic. Staff superb. Will definately start to go more often. Top class.

First visit French owners who provide great service Definitely worth visiting Thanks

Staff were brilliant and food was delicious!

Well we were certainly not disappointed by the Sunday lunch we ate at The Pilot,Penarth. Two courses £22 three course £25. We had one pork and one turkey, everything on the plates was executed well. A bit more thought was put into this Sunday lunch than a bog standard one. We both cleared our plates. Compliments to the kitchen team and waiting staff who were very attentive without being intrusive. We had puddings too which were sticky toffee pudding and chocolate brownie both excellent, good portion sizes and equally as tasty as the main courses. I think this is probably one of the best Sunday lunches we have every had and we've had a fair few!

Lovely venue just down the road from me. I was a little disappointed in the menu choice

Great food, great service, good selection of drinks.

Dining at a local spot in Cardiff was a delightful experience. The Fish and Chips were a local specialty, perfectly crispy and flavorful. Paired with a rich Dark Beer, it showcased the best of Welsh cuisine. The cozy atmosphere, coupled with the introduction by local work colleagues, made it feel like a genuine community find. The warmth of the place and the genuine flavors earned a solid 5 out of 5.

We've had a previous lovely experience for Sunday lunch. But tonight we were treated really poorly on arrival by the man behind the bar. Rudely ignored then forced to sit on a really uncomfortable table despite my boyfriend asking 3 times for an alternative table & my mother being 70 with a back condition & numerous other tables being available. My boyfriend had to get me an alternative chair as it was so uncomfortable. I'd never return after this experience, despite the food being very good.

We were looking for a nice pub to have a meal and The Pilot did not disappoint. The restaurant is nice and comfy, food was yummy and the staff were really helpful. There was a small issue with my meal and as soon as I mentioned it, they were very apologetic and helpful. We were visiting the area but if we came back, we’d definitely pay a second visit. The Pilot is a little, unexpected gem.

Lovely warm fire and sofas to chill or tables & chairs for dining. Didn't have Brain's beer despite advertised as a Brains pub on Google so didn't stay. Shame the windows were the wrong height to see the lovely view

The staff, food and view are all exceptional. We just wanted a Sunday dinner before heading back home and it was utterly fabulous. Everytime we come to Cardiff I will eat here!

Great little pub for lunch out. Excellent food and service, we were served by Jo and Francois, lovely members of staff, very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Will definitely be visiting again.

We were travelling an a trio, my husband and I, with our 4 year old daughter. The Pilot was recommended to us by another cafe owner, after we enquired for suggestions after a delicious breakfast (The Galley, Penarth, yum). We were delighted with the pub. The restaurant area of the pub is at the back and has a great ambience. Lovely peeks out of the window of the harbour. Food great. Kids menu has all you’d expect but they can also offer any of the mains as kids meals if you choose. Sausage and mash was great, as was burger with blue cheese extra. Service great, lovely staff. Thanks very much.

Food was nice but the quantity was incredibly stingy, I had pork came with 3 tiny potatoes and half a carrot. A main meal in a pub that costs £20 should not require a side dish to make it filling. I just remember seeing my meal and wondering where the rest of it was. Normally the average meal in a pub leaves me overfull after a main and a dessert I left unsatisfied.

Lovely place to eat. The food was good. We all had fish and chips lightly battered fish and nice wedge fries. Will definitely go again.

We visited Penarth on a family vacation from Toronto, Canada. We very much enjoyed the food and atmosphere at the local pub around the corner! We were pleasantly surprised that it was pub food with a twist. We had for meals between us ranging from fish & chips to nicely plated sole. My husband really enjoyed the burger “best burger I’ve ever had!” and he’s had a lot to compare! We also ordered take away fish and chips another night and it was just as delicious. Nicely packaged. The staff were very friendly and accommodating with our whiny toddler. We likely won’t be back to Penarh any time soon but if we do come back we will definitely have this on the list!