This restaurant has got one of Wales' best views hidden away out the back

There's nothing quite like lunch with a view! Catching-up with loved ones over delicious food whilst you take a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life and soak-in the beautiful vistas around you can be just what the doctor ordered to make you feel reset, recharged and relaxed.

And at one independent restaurant in Gower, every table boasts such incredible views of the stunning beach below that you'll be left speechless. The View at Rhossili, a family-run coffee shop and restaurant, has been running for two years now and has gone from strength to strength - but still remains something of a hidden gem.

Located just a few metres from the main National Trust carpark at Rhossili Bay, as you approach the front of the restaurant you might not realise its dining area and outdoor tables are located at the rear - with a mind-blowing panorama of the beach. For the latest restaurant reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here

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Owned by local couples Sarah and Chris Bickerstaff from Sketty and Elizabeth and Jeremy 'Jez' Peak from Dunvant, the welcoming restaurant has a capacity for 60 people inside and more than 120 people outside and well-behaved dogs are welcome too. On the menu, you'll find a wide range of sandwiches, small plates and main meals with local ingredients front and centre. As for drinks, the eatery serves a range of alcoholic drinks, hot drinks, soft drinks and milkshakes. They also serve Mario's ice cream - plus "doggy ice cream," for when your pooches need a refreshment.

"It's a labour of love, it's something we're really proud of," Jez told WalesOnline when we visited on a glorious day in mid-June. "The View was previously Bay Bistro, the previous owners had had the business for a long time and were looking to pass it on - but there was no-one brave enough to take it on."

"It was a little bit like 'We Bought A Zoo,' but we bought a restaurant. The restaurant is locally loved and we [Elizabeth and I] were interested in taking it on, so we called Sarah and Chris up and said we were looking to partner-up with someone to take the business on and would they be interested? We were all prepared to do some really hard work, and Sarah and Chris share the same values as us for the business."

"We were looking for a change," added Sarah, who worked in hospitality years ago and was keen to return to the industry. "So when the opportunity came up to take the restaurant on, we couldn't say no!"

Since taking the reins of the coffee shop-restaurant in June 2022, Jez, Elizabeth, Sarah and Chris have worked hard to update the premises and its outside area and make it accessible to wheelchair users too. Among the improvements, the team have installed on-trend wooden walls in the restaurant, a cosy fire and central heating and have remodelled the kitchen and the freezer-room. They've also installed disabled toilets and established a fully-accessible entrance to the outside seating area, with some wheelchair-friendly picnic tables being added this summer.

"Accessibility is a big thing for us, we've got people who use wheelchairs in our family and it's so important to us that The View is accessible," Sarah said. "And we recently received a grant from the council which will pay for repainting the building and upgrading 20 of our tables outside [over the summer]."

"We do get a mixture of people visiting but it tends to be a lot of walkers and dog-walkers and in the summer, we get a bit of a London crowd!" she added.

"What we set out to do is a be a 'destination' place - with people coming to see us and visiting Gower while they're here," added Jez. "We've had people visit from Bristol, Cardiff, the north-east of England. When you overlook one of the best beaches in the world, you really have to shout about it!"

As well as The View's ideal location and accessibility, Jez, Elizabeth, Sarah and Chris are also incredibly proud of their recent recognition across Cymru's food scene. In the Welsh Independent Retail Awards 2024, The View won Coffee Shop of the Year, and the business is a finalist in the Food Awards Wales 2024 too. The team are also proud of their extensive food menu, which is revised regularly and aims to offer something for everyone, using local and Welsh produce wherever possible.

Among its small plates, you'll find Welsh laverbread arancini, cockles with coriander and citrus juice, Welsh rarebit, calamari, Korean BBQ chicken, flatbread with hummus and Egpytian dukkah and onion bhajis and salad, whilst side dishes available include olives, rustic chips, chips with truffle oil and gran levanto cheese, and garlic bread.

As for main meals, you'll find traditional favourites made to a high standard including fish and chips and a signature burger, as well as choices from across the world including Korean BBQ chicken loaded fries, onion bhaji flatbread and 'The View's famous Buddha Bowl'. There's also chef's specials, sandwiches and breakfasts.

"Our menu has meat, vegetarian and vegan options and a lot of our dishes can be made gluten-free or allergy-free," Sarah explained. "We make a lot of our food ourselves, using local ingredients and local suppliers and we have three herb gardens! Some of our most popular dishes include the cockles and arancini and our Gower Surfer's Brunch and Korean BBQ chicken loaded fries. We've got a Taylor Swift inspired burger on the specials at the moment and a 'Tay Tay' milkshake available too!"

The View at Rhossili is located at Rhossili, Gower (SA3 1PL). The closest carpark is just a few metres away (The National Trust Rhossili Car Park).

The restaurant is open from 10am to 3.45pm Mondays to Fridays, and from 9.30am to 4.30pm on Saturdays and Sundays, weather permitting. School holidays may have extended hours.