The Machynlleth restaurant has been named the best in Wales – beating its globally renowned older sibling.

Gareth Ward’s Gwen on Heol Maengwyn has been named the 24th best restaurant in the UK and the best in Wales in Harden’s Best UK Restaurants diners’ poll, outshining Ynyshir, which came in at number 62.

Described as “an awesome set-up” and “more accessible than Ynyshir but equally inspirational”, Gwen has quickly become a must-visit destination.

Only three metres wide, the venue pairs a casual drop-in wine bar with an intimate dining space behind a curtain, where eight guests enjoy a 10-course menu cooked and served around an open kitchen by chef Corrin Harrison.

Diners consistently praise the experience as “tiny… intimate… unforgettable” with a “perfect blend of top quality and enjoyment”.

Globally renowned Ynyshir does however maintain its acclaim reaching number 62 from last year’s 93 ranking.

Harden’s says: “Famed for its boundary-pushing, rock ’n’ roll atmosphere, Ynyshir continues to deliver a “31-course, all excellent” tasting experience that “blurs the line between a meal and theatre”. Decor, music and pacing contribute to an immersive dining journey that diners describe as one-of-akind.

“Reports suggest a slight mellowing of its once highly provocative approach, with seafood and local produce increasingly used to balance its signature rich, meatled dishes. Despite “staggering” costs, feedback this year has been universally positive.”

Other Welsh restaurants to make the list are Home in Penarth (76), The Whitebrook (88) and The Jackdaw, Conwy (95).

Harden’s remains the only UK restaurant guide based entirely on 30,000 reports from regular diners.

Harden’s co-founder and editor Peter Harden says: “It’s understandable that over the last 12 months the hospitality industry has been toiling away under a cloud of gloomsterism.

“However, what our survey results and data-crunching from across the sector shows is the remarkable resilience at work from those in the trade.”