There's nothing we at the Argus love more than a good pub - and we want to tell all about the best ones in Newport and across Gwent. Here, in the sixth of our series, we pay a visit to the Commercial Inn in Risca. Sallie Phillips reports.
If you are looking for somewhere to eat with a warm, welcoming familial atmosphere in Gwent, you can’t go wrong with the Commercial Inn.
Located in the heart of the town of Risca, on Commercial Street, the pub has been owned by the Hardwicke-Wall family for 25 years. It has been run by three generations of the family all that time, and remains that way.
The family have recently regained control over their food quality after previously using franchisers to run the kitchen.
Now, under the expertise of renowned head chef and Risca local Neil Tate, the meals produced match the warm, cosy, and welcoming atmosphere you get from the moment you step through the door.
Mrs Hardwicke-Wall said: “We pride ourselves on providing the best quality food and drink possible, so it was really important to us that we got back control of our kitchen, as sometimes we felt the food didn’t match the quality of the service.
“We have very high standards here, and now I feel confident that I can guarantee to customers that their food will always be of an exceptional level, and one that I am really proud of.
“We decided that the best way to ensure the quality of the bar and homemade food matched was to hire an outstanding head chef.
“It’s great that we’ve found someone like Neil, who came very highly recommended to us, whose passion about food matches our commitment to our customers.”
As one of the only independent freehold pubs in the UK for 25 years, the Commercial Inn have always taken immense pride in the uniquely original produce available.
This has also enabled them to keep prices affordable at a time of financial crisis for many, with a meal typically costing around £9.
The Commercial Inn is also one of the only pubs in Wales to serve ABK beer, direct from its home in Kaufbeuren, Germany, especially for their Oktoberfest celebrations.
There are an unprecedented 17 draught and four cask beers, lagers and ciders available, coming from 15 different countries, and over 60 of the finest gins, spirits and wines.
The pub is also a hotspot for sport and music, often full to the brim on matchdays for the Rugby World Cup for Neil’s special international barbeque on the patio.
People have come from all over the country to sample the food, including visitors from Newcastle, Scotland and London.
Samuel Wall said: “We really stand out for commitment to the community. We have local music artists perform Fridays and Saturdays throughout summer and during Christmas, as well as a locally made Santa’s Grotto.
“We are also home to our local men’s and women’s darts teams and have loads of screens showing Sky, TNT and EUROSPORT, to name a few. I really think there’s something for everyone here.”
However, the Inn is particularly famous for its Sunday lunches, which changes weekly, with many of the vegetables sourced directly from the chef’s own garden. The meat is sourced from an award-winning butcher in Usk.
The team are made up of loyal staff from the community, and has been for 25 years.
“It’s important in this industry to find people who will pull their weight and really help out,” Mrs Hardwicke-Wall said. “I think having our current managers and head chef has really been the final pieces of our jigsaw.
“We really believe in the empowerment of our staff here and we are proud of our model of local hiring, which is helping to support the local community.”
The Commercial Inn has featured in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide annually for 20 years and has been Cask Marque accredited since 2002.
They have also just received a five-star rating for beer and cellar hygiene for 2024.
You can find the Commercial Inn on Commercial Street, Risca, Newport NP11 6BA.
Their opening hours are: 11am-12am every day except Sunday, when they open at noon.
You can book a table or view a menu on their website or call 01633 612608 and visit their Facebook and Instagram pages.
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