The Touring Club in The Vale of Glamorgan

Second Visit: Disappointing Compared to the First! My first visit to The Touring Club left a lasting impression—minimalistic Scandinavian design, a welcoming atmosphere, and excellent food and drinks. Unfortunately, my second experience didn’t quite live up to the same standards. The sleek black exterior and Scandi-inspired interior remain highlights. The glass roof and open kitchen add charm, while the mix of bar seating, window stools, and cozy tables offers versatility. On this visit, I sat upstairs at the long communal table before moving downstairs as seats became available. However, space management remains an issue. By 2:15 PM, the venue felt cramped when a group of five arrived. The food aromas were present but not overwhelming, and the view of the chefs from the bar seating is still a nice touch. The Beef Sliders: Disappointingly dry, with average-quality meat. The kimchi and cheese added some flavor but lacked the moisture or richness a good sauce could have provided. The Crab and mango Salad: A lackluster dish with a small portion for the price. While the pesto was passable, the crab was underwhelming, and the accompanying vegetables didn’t elevate the dish. Gin Basil Smash cocktail : A letdown this time—less intensity and balance compared to my previous visit. The drink lacked the vibrant flavors I had enjoyed the first time. The team is warm but seemed somewhat overwhelmed - the wait for order was long and had to come down to ground level to prompt. Also be aware of a food service break between breakfast and lunch (12:30–1:00 PM) creates a gap where no food is served, which could be inconvenient for some diners.

Stopped for a light lunch with my wife, whilst visiting a m other local business in Penarth. I had the Crab, Mango & Basil salad and my wife the Welsh Rarebit. Both dishes were very tasty and will keep us going til teatime.

This opened a year old in Penarth, currently on the Michelin guide. A sleek, minimalistic exterior in black, paired with a Scandinavian-inspired black interior, definitely sets a modern vibe. The glass roof, open kitchen, and mixed seating options (from bar stools to cozy sofas) make it feel versatile and inviting. Even more impressed, when I found out that they open for breakfast at 0930 and close at 2330! The drinks seem stellar, too – a well-made Negroni, which was potent and well balanced. The gin basil smash was again excellent, think gin and basil sour: gin with lemon juice and basil with black pepper on the top and a creamy top- beautiful balanced and delicious, very much a summer drink. The food also sounds like it complements the ambiance perfectly, with highlights like the miso cod beautifully presented and tasted excellent. Excessively salted which enhanced the taste of the fish. Pickles looked like beetroot due to the red colour with a yuzu mayo. the herb salad with crab apple offering fresh, flavorful twist, The crab apple and herb salad with some toasted sour dough bread was excellent. Fresh , light with lovely brown and white crab meat. Lovely complex taste of Asian leaves: corriander, mint and some basil. With warm, accommodating service, this definitely sounds like the ideal spot for a relaxed evening of drinks and bites. The ambiance and thoughtful food and drink curation make it sound like an absolute gem.

I visited here with a friend & really had a great evening , with excellent food which was fresh & different. Staff were amazing & very attentive. This is an excellent addition to Penarth , & I would recommend above another tapas place in Penarth ( even though they don’t see themselves as a tapa venue) , this is a great place to eat light tapas meal with friends. Very relaxed

A wonderful simple quality meal for lunch in a great classy venue. Love the ceramic bar and steel stairs. Great idea to have open access to street in sunshine. Very continental.

Fantastic restaurant, lovely atmosphere, spotlessly clean , food and drinks were excellent . What really makes this place is the lovely welcoming staff and the warm environment. Sat in the window and enjoyed Welsh Rarebit and a thirst quenching lemonade and lime. The pleasure of eating good food in a warm atmosphere looking out onto the rain was extremely enjoyable. Would definitely recommend a visit.

Wonderful breakfast and fabulous staff. Emma is so welcoming as is the whole team! Highly recommended place to eat in Penarth

Relaxed, welcoming and good small plates. Been a couple of times and the food and service have been consistently good. If anything we would like more changes in the menu as it is a short menu and you feel that you could try more of anything they do as always great !!

This was our first visit to this super cool bar / bistro. We went for a Friday lunch for two and very much enjoyed a glass of house white and a glass of prosecco with good quality olives while we waited (a short time) for the food. We shared one crab on toast and one Welsh Rarebit and both were beyond excellent. The crab came with a good piece of lemon and the cheese came with some Worcester sauce, or similar, on the side. The toast was made from high quality sourdough (?) and was large and first class. The service was very good and the whole place had a sharp, smart look to it. The bill came to £50 with coffees.

This new restaurant has been open in the town I live in for a couple of months so I thought I would give it a try. I visited on a very wet Sunday morning. Although I just had coffee and a wonderful pastry the brunch menu looked great. I watched them preparing the food in the open kitchen, behind the bar, and will be back for the Miso Roasted mushrooms on sourdough with tahini for sure. The staff were friendly, the place was clean and I had a lovely time sheltering from the rain. My pastry was enormous - a chocolate pastry, and the staff kindly found me a bag to take the remainder home with me. I eyed up the cocktail menu for a future visit. They don't take reservations but one of the chefs explained that there is usually only a short wait for a table, in the bar area.