A Hidden Gem

I noticed in the Daily Post a week or two back that a new Cafe-Bistro had opened in Llanddulas, next to the Thornley Caravan park on the beach. It's called Tides and I thought I would pop in to see what it was like, primarily because I had heard it had been set up by Bryn from the very successful Planters Cafe at Tal Goed Nurseries in Glan Conwy.

Well, it certainly didn't disappoint. It was obvious that a lot of money had been spent in fitting out and furnishing the premises to a very high standard. Not the largest of cafes inside (probably less than 30 covers) but it also had a large outside dining area. Tides boasts an extensive Menu and lots of Specials on blackboards as well. As you'd expect from Bryn, food and drink was both excellent and the service was both pleasant and efficient. Recommended.

How do I get there? You just turn off the A55 at Llanddulas and take the old main road (A547) heading for Abergele. Once you've passed through the main part of Llanddulas village, you go over a series of traffic calming humps. Take a left turn at the crossroads after these humps and follow the road down under the A55 to arrive outside the front door of Tides. Plenty of free parking across the road from the cafe.

55 Diner

I paid a visit to the 55 Diner in Llanddulas this morning.

Interior of 55 Diner, Llanddulas (Photo Credit)

It was originally built as a Happy Eater, then became a Little Chef. When Little Chef entered one of their periodic states of financial crisis, this branch was closed down and it remained empty for a while. Then a local businessman took it over and reopened it as the 55 Diner.

I've been here many times and the reason I visit is simple...it offers first rate food and drink at a reasonable price. When I was leaving today, I heard another customer saying that they had been really surprised at how good their food was, much better than they had been expecting. It's a world away from the half hearted attempts at food and service provided during its Little Chef days.

People often ask me where exactly it is. It's next to the Shell petrol station at the Llanddulas interchange of the A55. You head for the petrol station and, at the entrance, turn right down a road into the 55 Diner car park.

More about it here:
http://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/colwyn-bay/business-guide/feature/fifty-5-diner/33819