15 of the best food and drink options at the 2024 Eisteddfod in Pontypridd

The National Eisteddfod is being held in Ynysangharad War Memorial Park in Pontypridd for 2024 – and there are plenty of brilliant food and drink options to enjoy. While you can take your own picnic if you want to, if you fancy buying food there, you are spoilt for choice.

The Eisteddfod is Wales’ largest cultural festival attracting over 160,000 visitors annually. The Eisteddfod is based on almost 850 years of tradition and is the natural showcase for music, dance, visual arts, literature, original performances and much more.

You can buy your tickets for the Eisteddfod online before going or you can purchase them in Pontypridd. Here is all the food and drink you can enjoy, and the ones we thought were the best.

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Hogi Hogi Hogi

You simply cannot beat a hog roast roll from Hogi Hogi Hogi. The popular street food business, which specialises in all things pork, are often at Welsh events including another Welsh language festival Tafwyl, and it is delicious.

Their hog roast rolls are simply the best, accompanied with stuffing and amazing pork crackling, so it is hard to say no. Here is their full menu and prices at the Eisteddfod:

Hog roast roll, £7, large hog roast roll, £9, pulled pork loaded fries, £11, pulled pork loaded nachos, £10, chilli beef loaded fries, £11, chilli beef loaded nachos, £10, pork chips stuffing, £10, cheesy fries £6 and fries £5.

Cegin HalfnHalf

Something new I tried at the Eisteddfod was two onion bhajis from Cegin HalfnHalf, which explores regional Indian cuisines, and they were very, very good. For £5 I was served two large onion bhajis with a mint dip – I opted out of having the spicier dip as well – and a side salad.

The onion bhajis are very well-sized, perfectly crispy on the outside but not burnt, and light and fluffy on the inside. They pulled apart and tore away very easily and were a real treat.

Here is Cegin HalfnHalf’s full menu and prices at the Eisteddfod: onion bhaji, £5, wraps-naan bread-salad £9, chickpea curry n rice £10 and butter chicken n rice, £11.

Food van by the main stage

Now this food van right by the main stage of the Eisteddfod didn’t have a name nor did it list its prices but its doughnuts were incredible. Selling doughnuts, coffee and churros this food van had the choice of three amazing doughnuts and I opted for the cookie dough one.

I paid £3.80 for a huge doughnut, so big it came in its own box, that was covered in caramel, chocolate chips and cookie dough chunks and oozed delicious, creamy and sweet caramel from the inside. The doughnuts smelt amazing and although it was quite sticky and messy to eat, I have no regrets as it was totally delicious.

Fablas ice cream

Dotted around the Eisteddfod was popular Welsh ice cream business, Fablas. They have parlours in Cowbridge, Porthcawl, Penarth and Caerphilly and have many ice cream vans at the Eisteddfod. Their prices started at £4.

Lolfa Coffi

Located near the technology area of the Eisteddfod was Lolfa Coffi, which top tip, is under cover so worth heading to if the weather is looking a bit grey. Here is their full menu and prices at the Eisteddfod:

Americano, £3.80, flat white, £4, latte, £4, cappuccino, £4, espresso, £2.90, macchiato, £4, mocha, £4.40, hot chocolate, £4.20, luxury hot chocolate, £4.60, tea, £3, orange juice, £2.80, apple juice, £2.80, water, £2.50, muffins, £3.80, blackcurrant flapjack, £3.50, apricot flapjack, £3.50, chocolate brownie, £3.50, flapjack, £3.50, caramel slice, £3.50, a slice of cake, £4.50, sandwiches, £4.90, wrap, £4.90, salad box, £7.50 and crisps, £1.50.

The bar

Also dotted around the Eisteddfod are bars where you could pick up alcoholic and soft drinks. Here are the prices:

Welsh larger Glamorgan, £6.60, I.P.A. Ffresh, £6.90, Cwrw Arbennig, £6.60, Orchard Gold cider, £6.60, Autumn Magic cider, £6.90, half pints are £3.50, white, rose and red wine is £8 a glass or £29.50 a bottle, prosecco is £8.50, spirits are £8 for singles and £10 for doubles and the spirits are vodka, Brecon gin, Gordon’s pink gin, Penderyn whiskey and spiced rum, Pimms is £8 for a glass or £13 for a pint, non-alcoholic beer is £6, non-alcoholic gin is £7 for a single and £9 for a double, water is £3 and soft drinks are £3.

Jones’ Pizza

Neapolitan pizza van Jones’ Pizza offers some very delicious-looking pizza. Here is their full menu and prices at the Eisteddfod: Margherita is £12, pepperoni is £14, joskin is £14, hipi is £14 and greedy guy is £15.

Pysgod a sglodium

Now this stall did smell good, with the tantalising smell of proper salty fish and chips almost drawing me in. They did not have their prices up when I first arrived at the Eisteddfod.

Bwyd stryd pimentos

This Jamaican food stall opened slightly later than the others and they had huge BBQs on the go, where the food looked amazing. Here is their full menu and prices at the Eisteddfod:

Jerk chicken, £13, chicken curry, £13, stewed chicken, £13, cutton curry, £13, ackee and saltfish, £13 and sweet potatoes, £13.

Mac a Chaws

The popular mac a chaws stand also attracted a crowd. Here is their full menu and prices at the Eisteddfod:

Daddy’s original, £9, teriyaki pulled beef, £11, porky pig, £11, Nashville hot, £11, risky regg, £10, bacun and sheese, £10, nacho mac ‘n’ cheese loaded fries, £10, cheesy chicken loaded fries, £10, bolognese loaded fries, £9, mac ‘n’ cheese bites, £5, mozzarella sticks, £5, cheesy fries, £6 and seasoned fries, £5.

Meat and Greek

Another huge Welsh street food name Meat and Greek are at the Eisteddfod, serving up their incredible gyros, which also attracted many people. Here is their full menu and prices at the Eisteddfod:

Gyro pitta, £12 for chicken, pork or halloumi, £14 for mixed, which is pork and chicken and you can add halloumi or feta for £2. Oregano and paprika fries, £5, feta fries, £6.50 and halloumi fries, £8.50.

Byrgyr a sglodion

What is a festival without the classic burger and chips? Byrgyr a sglodion provided the essential festival dish and they did not have prices up when I first arrived at the Eisteddfod.

Tacos

It is almost impossible to say no to a taco and these looked amazing. Here is their full menu and prices at the Eisteddfod:

Quesa birria taco, £11, black bean quesa, £9, and nachos £8 where you could add beef or beans for an extra £2.

Rhianwens Bakes

These sweet treats also looked amazing and had I not had the doughnut earlier I would have been very tempted. Here is their full menu and prices at the Eisteddfod:

You could mix and match four for £12 or individually brownies, for £3.50, blondies, for £3.50, cake slice, for £3.50, cookies, for £3.50, cupcake, for £2.50 and doughnuts, for £3.50.

Smoothies

There was also a smoothie van, which I had seen sell out at Tafwyl, so it is sure to be very popular. Their smoothies are £6 each. For the latest restaurant reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here.