A BARRY bistro is the toast of the town having been named the most sustainable restaurant in Wales for the second consecutive year.

The Gallery, on Broad Street, Barry, fended off competition from Cardiff prison training venture, The Clink and Enochs Fish and Chips, in Llandudno, which won the award in 2012, who were both named as runners-up.

The Barry eaterie is one of only a handful in the UK to serve British grown tea and has plans to become the first brewer of beer using Welsh-grown hops, has been named the most sustainable restaurant in Wales.

The Gallery’s owner Barnaby Hibbert recently assisted Amelia Trust Farm, in Barry, by supplying a bee hive to enable service users to produce a local honey supply.

Barnaby was presented with his award by Raymond Blanc, president of the sustainable restaurant Association (SRA), at the Sustainable Restaurant Awards, in London today on Monday, February 23.

Barnaby said: “The award was really unexpected. We knew we had improved our score from last year. It never stops. We will endeavour to improve again. We will consolidate and do whatever we can do to reduce our impact on the environment.”

The Gallery serves organic vegetables grown locally by a charity that employs people with learning difficulties, complemented by foraged ingredients and seafood landed by day boat captains who are friends of Barnaby.

These ideas helped the 80-cover bistro and bar win the award for the second year running.

Among other factors that contributed to The Gallery’s success, the drinks list features biodynamic and organic wines and exclusively Welsh beer, the building was designed for maximum heat and light and the restaurant runs foraging experiences, funds beehives and gives talks on sustainability.

At the awards gala lunch Raymond Blanc said: “These awards are for me as important as Michelin Stars. They represent what everybody who is passionate about food should regard as the perfect ingredients: good ethics, an understanding that food touches every part of our lives and a desire to ensure that future generations will be able to experience from it the same pleasure as we have.”

The theme of the event was the Future of Food.