The Stubborn Duckling in Ceredigion

Absolutely sensational food!! Could not recommend this restaurant more. We visited the area for a long weekend, had we have had this food in Bristol where we are from, we would have paid at least double!! If we return to the area we will absolutely be booking again!

Unassuming little bistro, serving out of this world food with attentive service. Incredibly good value for delicious food, carefully prepared and expertly cooked - this is a chef who knows their craft. Do not miss this restaurant if you’re in the area - it’s quite a find!

I have struggled deciding whether to leave this but feel that ultimately I should because it is only the truth.. We have eaten in this restaurant on at least 10 occasions & always been extremely happy with the food & service. However 2 weeks ago we decided to treat ourselves as we had received some great news that deserved celebrating. We were so disappointed! The food was not up to its usual standard at all.. We both had the cheese soufflé to start & it was dry & hollow like an overcooked Yorkshire pudding, only saved by the separate sauce that came with it in a jug. That on its own we could have forgiven but our mains were just as disappointing. I had the salmon & my husband had the pork belly, both were again disappointing. The salmon was dry & unimaginative & so was the pork. I could cook better myself & when we eat out we expect as good as or better than we can eat at home. We intended to have the 3 courses when we booked but we stopped at 2 to avoid further disappointment. When the waitress came to collect the plates & asked was everything ok I was completely honest. I started by saying I’m not saying this because I want a free meal, we were genuinely disappointed tonight, the food lacked love & passion. I explained that we had eaten there many times & always been extremely happy prior to this. I explained how the food was dry & not up to their usual standard. The waitress said she would talk to the boss. We waited & we waited & NOTHING. In the end I had to call her over & ask for the bill. We were hoping that the chef would come out so that we could say everything I have written here but not once were we offered an explanation or an apology. We paid the bill in full & left & sad to say we will not be returning.. Prior to this I can honestly say this was our favourite restaurant & we have recommended it to many.

Excellent, would love to have been able to go again. Visited again for Sunday lunch. Still superb.

We had a wonderful evening at The Stubborn Duckling. Having visited a well known restaurant in the area the previous evening, the relaxed style of The Stubborn Duckling was more than welcome. Complimentary focaccia on arrival was a lovely and delicious touch. With a decent wine list, there's plenty of choice available that compliments the cuisine on offer. I had the parfait, which was unlike any 'pate' I have previously eaten. The careful paring of acidic balsamic, with flavourful treacle bread and the salty hit of crackling was unmatched. My partner had the pork cheek and celeriac lasagne which was tender and unctuous, or has he called, it 'pure filth'. The main event. My lamb was to die for. I don't think I've ever had lamb so tender and flavoursome and the tang of goats cheese and onion tarte tatin cut through the richness beautifully. My partner had the beef, melt in the mouth and full of umami with crisp onion rings. To finish we shared a chocolate fondant with blood orange and malt ice cream. Occasionally, a pudding at the end of a big dinner can 'finish you off'. Not here. The balance of flavours was spot on! The richness of the perfectly cooked fondant was offset by the acidity of the blood orange and the sweetness of the malt ice cream! The complimentary fudge at the end of the meal was a lovely touch. The front of house here also deserve a mention, attentive but not overbearing, just right! If you're looking for a relaxed atmosphere and a delicious food offering, I can't recommend this restaurant enough!

I have struggled deciding whether to leave this but feel that ultimately I should because it is only the truth.. We have eaten in this restaurant on at least 10 occasions & always been extremely happy with the food & service. However 2 weeks ago we decided to treat ourselves as we had received some great news that deserved celebrating. We were so disappointed! The food was not up to its usual standard at all.. We both had the cheese soufflé to start & it was dry & hollow like an overcooked Yorkshire pudding, only saved by the separate sauce that came with it in a jug. That on its own we could have forgiven but our mains were just as disappointing. I had the salmon & my husband had the pork belly, both were again disappointing. The salmon was dry & unimaginative & so was the pork. I could cook better myself & when we eat out we expect as good as or better than we can eat at home. We intended to have the 3 courses when we booked but we stopped at 2 to avoid further disappointment. When the waitress came to collect the plates & asked was everything ok I was completely honest. I started by saying I’m not saying this because I want a free meal, we were genuinely disappointed tonight, the food lacked love & passion. I explained that we had eaten there many times & always been extremely happy prior to this. I explained how the food was dry & not up to their usual standard. The waitress said she would talk to the boss. We waited & we waited & NOTHING. In the end I had to call her over & ask for the bill. We were hoping that the chef would come out so that we could say everything I have written here but not once were we offered an explanation or an apology. We paid the bill in full & left & sad to say we will not be returning.. Prior to this I can honestly say this was our favourite restaurant & we have recommended it to many.

Our second visit - excellent food, service and atmosphere with reasonable prices for the quality of food. We recommend and would return.

Absolutely fabulous I've tried all the Restaurants in Aberaeron and this has to be my new Favourite I can't wait to go back

We had Sunday lunch here. The food is well balanced, beautifully presented with efficient but relaxed service. This place is exceptional and I say that having eaten in many really high quality places around the world!

Sublime. An experiene to be savoured. Exqisite food pairings. The whole party thoroughly enjoyed the food. Our 2nd visit, wont be our last, and will visit again when next in the area.

We booked because of the name but would go back because the food was great. I the town for a w/e and enjoyed the evening here. Food was fresh & local. Service was excellent and price more than good.

Superb, possibly one of the nicest meals we've had in years. I spoke to the chef in advance to see if they could cater for a food intolerance and they did, brilliantly. Can't recommend it enough. The food was delicious.

A small intimate restaurant. This would not look out of place in Covent Garden! The food is worthy of Michelin Stars and is all freshly prepared. Highly recommended and one of Aberaeron best kept secrets! Amazing chef

Wow, this was quite a find. Six of us were staying at Penbontbren down the road and The Stubborn Ducking came up on a search for good food. But this was really spectacular, not a big menu (thank goodness) but everything beautifully cooked and accompanied by first class service. Well done to everyone here for giving us such a special evening!

Cannot fault the food and service, some of the best food I've been served in a restaurant. The staff had the perfect balance between attentive and intrusive and were very polite. Even with a full restaurant there was a quiet buzz of conversation. Highly recommend a visit for a special occasion.

Have visited 3 times over our last 2 visits to the town and this place is an absolute gem. Food is stunning every time and service is impeccable. No complaints! We’ve enjoyed both the evening menu and the Sunday roast. The fillet of beef on the main menu is beautiful. We look forward to our next visit!

Incredible meal, the best I’ve had in a restaurant in a very long time. The wife and I had been meaning to eat here for a long time. We booked ourselves in on Valentines night. We weren’t disappointed! The meal was stunning. Lovely little venue and the staff were great. It was so nice that we booked to go for Sunday lunch a couple of weeks later! Highly recommend

We were a party of 8 for dinner and were given a warm welcome and soon shown to our table upstairs. The efficient waiting staff soon took our order. The drinks arrived quickly along with rosemary and sae salt focaccia. Surprisingly there were little pots of herb salted butter on the table - don’t tell the Italians but perhaps the Welsh add butter to this oily bread! My first course of tempura scallops was terrific - historic. The chilli jam had exactly the right amount of chilli, and the garlic emulsion was very good. My main course was fillet of hake which was served skin on and perfectly cooked. The sprout petals were a tasty garnish and sat in a lot of parsnip and vanilla puree which rather dominated and surrounded the fish. It was a rather gooie sight. We all enjoyed the meal very much and with house wines it came to about £100 per couple including a tip.

My wife and I were visiting Aberaeron for a week away and booked a table for a Wednesday evening. The menu offered set prices depending on whether you had two or three courses (with a £10 supplement for a fillet steak on the night we visited). My wife had the mac & cheese starter a sizeable portion and very tasty, while I had a beautifully smooth duck liver parfait. For mains we had the lamb and paid the supplement for the fillet steak. Bothe were excellent. The lamb beautifully pink and the steak with a lovely outer crust but perfectly pink in the centre. My wife decided against dessert, but I opted for the the creme fraiche vanilla cheesecake which was very light and fluffy with a nice tart blackcurrant sorbet. This was all washed down with a very reasonably priced New Zealand sauvignon blanc. On top of all this the two waitresses who served us were very polite and attentive. All in all a lovely meal and I have to say that if you are in the area and get the chance to book a table, do. You won't be disappointed.

this restaurant has got to have a Michelin before long or should have had one before me and my wife have eaton around the world nearly this little restaurant in aberauron is excellent beyond any doubt what so ever, our names are will/marg Saunders from Cornwall we would go back again just to eat there fabulous

Delightful, tasty and well cooked food. Staff friendly, professional and charming. Eating here makes each visit a special occasion. Thank you

Absolutely the best !! A welcoming arrival. Food was outstanding. The quality of the food was exceptional . The Welsh lamb was a joy to eat, succulent and cooked to perfection acompanied with well presented tasty vegetables. A special mention too for the cheese "welsh rarebit" starter, what a dream that was !!! Thank you to all involved, much appreciated by us, a truly wonder Sunday lunch.

The quality of the food is second to none, the service is excellent along with some nice bottled beers.

We had a most delicious Sunday lunch here, the choice was wonderful, I had the duck leg which was divine! Also sneaked a starter and a dessert which were wonderful. Service and food flawless, a place you must visit. So proud to have such a...

Fantastic food, well cooked with good flavours and well presented. At a very reasonable price for the standard.

We came to Aberaeron for a week away to rest and recuperate, and to celebrate our anniversary. We looked for a nice independent restaurant and The Stubborn Duckling looked like it fitted the bill. We were delighted with our choice, the staff were friendly and...

Enjoyed a delightful Birthday meal tonight 21.10.23 The food was superb Great atmosphere and staff

Excellent choice of dishes on the menu. Friendly staff. Dishes my friends and I chose were all presented beautifully and tasted delicious. We didn't want to finish each course.

I don't normally do reviews which just repeat what everyone else has said but the Stubborn Duckling was so good I thought I would add my vote. We ate in four different restaurants during our stay in Aberaeron and this was the best food by...

Little hidden gem. The food was very delicious The star of the show was the lamb; cooked perfectly! Staff are nice and accommodating.

What a meal this was... we came for Sunday lunch and we left with full tummies. From the moment we walked in there was a warm welcoming feeling and the waitress (sorry no name 😕) was friendly and helpful with our requests. The braised beef...

An outstanding meal. We booked our last meal of a week’s holiday at The Stubborn Duckling and couldn’t have ended on a better note. From the salty focaccia served on arrival the whole meal was really something. We all three opted for two courses (£33)-mains...

We had a two course evening meal while on a short break in the area and can honestly say it is some of the best food we have tasted. The food was next level. We had: Starter: Braised duck milk bun, pickled fennel, hoisin sauce...

We are here in Sep and had one of the nicest meals we have ever had. We eat out a lot, but this cooking takes some beating. Everything was so tasty and the portions were good. We had the risotto and duck to start- both...

We had a 3 course meal while we were on a staycation in the area and it was one of the best meals we have had in a long time. Every course was delicious and they were spaced well (15 to 20 mins apart) The...

Fantastic experience. Excellent food, service and value for money. Great setting and a lovely atmosphere. Will recommend this place unreservedly.

Honestly, the best food in Aberaeron (and not the most expensive), the lamb was outstanding. If you manage to secure a table it's DEFINITELY worth a visit.

We went to this restaurant bank holiday Saturday which was recommended by our air bnb hosts. Well what can I say an excellent restaurant lovely atmosphere, staff very attentive and the food was superb. Highly recommend the crab macaroni and chocolate cheesecake.

We visited The Stubborn Duckling with friends on Friday night. Wow!!! is the best description. The bread they brought to the table was delicious and I would have been quite happy to have just had more of that. Every course was just fantastic, the best...

Booked last minute on the day, squeezed us in early to make room. Don't listen to the bad reviews on here just moaners not actually talking about the food or the restaurant... (I only read after being nosy) Loved the food, service was attentive and...

Fantastic food for my partners birthday x need to ask for a table downstairs

We had read much about this place and had high expectations. We were not disappointed. The bread on arrival was freshly made and delicious. We both had the pork cheek starter - melt in the mouth with a crispy coating and rich bbq sauce. Delicious....

Fantastic food, beautifully cooked and served by friendly, welcoming staff. This is THE place to eat in Aberaeron.

Looks like a quiet unassuming place from the outside, but punches way above its weight on the inside. The intro of focaccia and butter was sublime, and set the standard for the rest. We had crab mac n cheese, silky and chilli warm, and the...

Excellent lunch for Sunday and the lamp was really tasty ! 食物非常好吃

Had a lovely meal with my husband last week. The food was delicious and the staff were very helpful and friendly. Not a large menu but plenty of choice. The beetroot starter was amazing as was the welsh lamb. There was no rush in between...

Highly recommended! Service was spot on, very friendly and attentive. The food was delicious, Welsh lamb and the Welsh Beef were superb, cooked to perfection. Thank you!

The best streak I’ve ever had! This place is a hidden gem and I highly recommend you visit before they get a Michelin star and the price goes up. Staff were lovely great service and spoke Welsh which was great. Would be nice to have...

Set menu, but the food is of a high quality, excellent service and a lovely intimate setting. Booking is highly recommended, and ask to be seated on the ground floor if you have mobility issues. No Dogs.

We have just been for Sunday lunch. One of the best Sunday roasts we’ve had for a long time. Went with friends who have been often and their recommendation did not disappoint. A lovely relaxed atmosphere, delightful service and delicious hot food. Lovely glasses of...

Second time i have eaten at the Duckling, and the last time i had a meal this good was when i ate here on my first visit back in 2021. Outstanding food and excellent service.

We visited for dinner last Saturday evening and it was exquisite and divine. Lovely, intimate, great atmosphere and setting and stunningly tasty food. Highly recommended and we'll definitely be back.

Truly wonderful place, visited last summer and twice again this year whilst staying locally. The food is beautiful and the service is great and really friendly. The best steak we’ve ever eaten! The roast dinner on our Sunday visit was just great too. Already looking forward to returning next year!

I recently had a birthday meal here with my husband and both the service and food were excellent. Both waitresses were friendly and got the balance perfectly right of being there whenever you needed something but left you alone the rest of the time. We...

We were recommended this restaurant and it didn't disappoint! It was very good value for money, but more importantly the food, service, atmosphere and attention to detail was exceptional! The Chef definitely cooks from the heart! A little gem of a place!

Lovely, intimate restaurant. Fantastic food, good wine, very friendly staff and a relaxed ambience. The ONLY thing that was disappointing was the offer of cafetière coffee. Not sure if this was a temporary measure or whether that’s the only coffee that is served but, personally,...

Incredible food and very friendly service. Chilled and intimate atmosphere. Highly recommend the fillet of beef… cooked to perfection every time.

Varied menu, exceptional food, great value for money, excellent customer service .. visited whilst on holiday .. if only you were in Warwickshire!

Excellent food and friendly service at a reasonable price. The Welsh lamb was outstanding. Good range of menu choices

Wonderful food in calm, friendly atmosphere. Excellent personal service. All done perfectly. A little gem. Worth a detour but you'll need to book.

Wow! The menu is so full of choice, the crab mac and cheese was delightful.my husband says the beetroot tartare was yummy. The Welsh amb was amazing - the best ever, the Hake was succulent. No space for dessert but squeezed in a coffee creme...

The beetroot tartlet was lovely & light. The BBQ sauce on the pork cheeks lit up the tastebuds. The beef was wonderfully tender and the fries were superb. The lamb was perfect; the veg and sauce were ideal compliments. The glass of Italiian red was...

Excellent service from the phone call to book the table to when we left after our meal, the food was exquisite and the best I’ve ever tasted, the presentation was impressive we went for my wife’s birthday and we will definitely be returning also the...

Lovely food, fantastic staff, really lovely place and will definitely be returning.

Another fantastic place to eat. The food was wonderful. Beautifully cooked and presented. I had the lamb. It was cooked exactly how I like it. The desert was lovely. The service was spot on. The waitresses were friendly and professional. We will definitely be going back. It pays to book, as when we went the restaurant was full. Thank you for a lovely meal.

Best food in Ceredigion, if not beyond. Can't wait to go again!

A hidden gem within Aberaeron. It’s an absolute must to experience the exceptional food and service that this fine dining restaurant provides. We visit regularly and as we believe the owner is also the head chef. The quality of the food is always maintained at the highest standards resulting in a fantastic, enjoyable and affordable gastronomic experience , each and every time we visit, no matter what day or time.

Beautiful place with beautiful food

This is an amazing little place. We went for an evening meal during the week. The staff were attentive and friendly and smiley. The food was unbelievably good. The place was pleasantly decorated and well presented. Would highly recommend and will visit again when we are in the area.

Fabulous find! Lovely setting, great service, delicious food from a menu where we wanted it all(!) And will be back to sample some more. Book in advance to avoid disappointment.

What a wonderful meal and great value for money. All courses cooked and presented beautifully. The staff were friendly and worked constantly to make sure we were happy with our meals. I wished we lived locally I would be making the Stubborn Duckling a regular place to eat. Shame I could only award this restaurant 5 stars. It deserves so much more.

Went there for a Sunday lunch for the first time great food fantastic service my only observation would be that the room downstairs is somewhere bright as in sound due to lack of soft furnishings making it difficult to hold conversations if there are other loud fellow dinners

Wery good bistro!! Nagyon tetszik a hely legjobb felszolgálókkal van ellátva. 10/10 ❤️❤️❤️

Best meal I have had in years. The chef certainly knew what he was doing. There were 7 people in our party and we all were delighted with each course. Everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection. The service was excellent too and the place had a cosy atmosphere.

Literally the best place I've ever eaten, not an exaggeration. Would pay double. Book a table.

Fantastic food! Lovely menu to choose from. Friendly service. Evening thoroughly enjoyed. Looking forward to returning.

What a gem of a place, food was amazing, I would highly recommend

I would 100% recommend this place. This food was incredible! £30 for two courses, this is great value for the quality of the food. Very good service and a lovely atmosphere. You are missing out if you don’t visit this place.

Dined at this fabulous restaurant last night. Fine dining at its absolute best and so reasonably priced. Lovely non intrusive staff. The most delicious local fare prepared lovingly by the very talented Chef/owner. This is an absolute must for all visiting Aberaeron or surrounding areas. Highly recommended.

Excellent food..service excellent..will definitely go again..

Absolutely beautiful meal and wine reliably priced

Amazing food and service what a lovely treat! Lovely atmosphere!

Fantastic Sunday lunch at the Stubborn Duckling, would highly recommend. Melt in the mouth beef; fantastic puddings; reasonable and concise wine list. Great friendly service. Definitely check it out.

Wow wow wow! Fight to get a table. This restaurant is a real find. Such beautiful food and so reasonable. We were down from london visiting family and booked a table for 8. This kind of food where we are from would be double the price and also hard to find! It’s not long been open so make sure you book and support them as this is such an amazing place!

Wonderful restaurant, fantastic Sunday lunch.

Fabulous food, friendly staff. A bit warm upstairs.

Nice small restaurant, very good food and service. A nice treat, small menu and obviously freshly cooked food. Book early it's popular and small.

Wow! Have you ever been to a restaurant where EVERY bite is a taste sensation? Every bite? I hadn't until going here last night. I've been places where the food is wonderful but not to this level. Every course, every forkful was exquisite. We had a really relaxed time and if you're in the area please book yourself a table. Thank you to the chefs, waitresses and everyone else involved. We had a lovely anniversary meal 🧡

A total little gem of a restaurant! So reasonably priced and absolutely phenomenal food. The staff were lovely and made you feel really comfortable. My high points were the beef fillet, cooked exactly to my liking and the chocolate fondant dessert. To die for!

WOW!! We had our first meal here last night and it was Top drawer… Fantastic quality, presentation and service! By far best meal we have had in a while… will definitely be back 👍🏼 Thank you 😊

Shhh don't tell anyone. Brilliant. Went two consecutive nights. Amazing food & atmosphere.

What a lovely little restaurant. The menu was very well done and difficult to choose from all the delicious options. The three course meal my wife and I had was wonderful, so beautifully presented and cooked perfectly. Thank you for a lovely evening.

Four of us ate here and we all had the Welsh beef fillet. The unanimous verdict on the evening was 'faultless'. Everything tasted divine, was nicely presented and service was very good. We'll definitely be back!

Lovely meal. Staff were friendly.

Fantastic place to eat service brilliant couldn't ask for anywhere better 🙂

Impressive attention to food presentation which tasted as good as it looked 😋 Attentive service and food well priced

Fantastic cooking and lovely staff. Highly recommended!

A superb meal and a wonderful atmosphere. I’m based in London and I believe that most restaurants close to home are not up to par with the food served here. Everything was well considered and balanced, I ate the leek Aranchini, followed by the sea bass katsu and samphire banjo,both of which were divine. As far as I’m aware they are a new business and all is cooked by one chef, I wish the team all the best for their bright future. And I’d highly recommend this special place to anyone

Very good food and service. The wine was brought to the table already opened which I didn’t expect for this kind of nice restaurant so we asked the waitress why and she said she finds it so hard to open wine. We suggested to tell her boss she/he should buy one of the super easy wine bottle openers. Boss** take note 😊

Had a wonderful meal last night, thank you.