Mumbles, in Wales is one of the most popular destinations in the UK (you can tell this by the traffic in and out of the village the minute we get any sunshine) and is known as the gateway to the Gower.
It’s my favourite place in Swansea – a little more ‘upmarket’ than other areas in Swansea, but is still down to earth and full of locals. Sure you get the odd Ferrari and wax jacket that has never seen mud, but it’s nothing like the cornish beach towns where the rich from London/Surrey etc have bought second homes, so its dead half the year, and unaffordable to locals during popular periods. It’s a good mix.
It’s also not tacky – I don’t know where’d you buy a stick of rock, and there’s only one arcade. Mumbles is surrounded by truly beautiful natural beauty and the locals are very protective of it. At the moment, there’s a big debate about whether the temporary London Eye-style wheel on the Pier is a cheap eyesore or an asset to the scenery. For me, I remember that monkey with knockers on the pier which no one seemed to worry about, so I think the wheel is a nice addition – but – you couldn’t get me on it for a million pounds. I’ll watch others from the cafe though…
There are two main bits of Mumbles, connected by a long road of shops and restaurants – Newton Road, where most of the shopping is to be found, and then the Pier/Verdis.
Mumbles Beach
Mumbles has a little beach at the back of the pier (it really is small). It’s a little stretch of golden sand, which doesn’t get too busy – because frankly, there are a lot of better beaches in Swansea to hang out at.
I never used to go there because it’s looked upon by the people eating chips and wandering along the pier who fancy doing a bit of people-watching and well, that doesn’t massively make me feel comfortable. But these days with a toddler and baby, I quite like it being so contained.
As pretty as it is, you get views of the lighthouse – you can only really go swimming in high tide. You can walk over to the lighthouse during low tide, but be careful as people get caught out there all the time, which might mean a pretty cold and miserable night on some rocks.
To sum Mumbles beach up, it’s a nice beach to hang out for a bit, eat some chips and have a paddle, but if you have kids and want to settle in for a few hours of sunbathing, swimming and playing – there are better beaches such as Caswell, Langland or Swansea Bay.
The Mumbles restaurants
I’d argue that The Mumbles has some of the best restaurants in Swansea – and definitely the biggest concentration of great places to eat.
You can walk up and down the front, or up Newton Road and find no shortage of busy little places to eat.
There are a couple of chain places like Pierre Bistro (which I’ve heard really bad things about – but will review properly) and Prezzo, but I’m all about independent businesses.
It’s a sign of the times that people and businesses are struggling, so you’ll find that places shut down, but are replaced pretty quickly. For example we’ve recently lost The George, which is a massive disappointment, but I’m hearing rumours of a certain popular pizza place moving in soon.
Restaurants will always fill up the empty buildings (if developers don’t get in there first) in Mumbles as the locals and tourists have money to spend.
Best restaurants in Mumbles, Wales
As for the best restaurants in Mumbles? I can tell you what I’ve heard and I can tell you what I’ve experienced.
Mor was really nice but has been taken over by the people at Food By Sean (which I’ve never tried – but their Instagram looks great). Also, the Gower Seafood Hut which is right at the front, but lately on the park grounds. That’s consistently deemed the best place to get seafood in Swansea – and I can testify that the prawns and chips are stunning.
Gin and Tapas on Newton Road is always very busy and the food is great, as is Fika which sells luxury bagels (don’t let that put you off – they are the best ones you’ll find in the city).
If you’re after a curry, I rate Mumtaz highly. There’s a really nice vibe inside.
I also really rate Gin and Juice for brunch (the interior is stunning and has a fire) and Croseo Lounge for an easy place to go with a baby.
Dog-friendly restaurants
The Mumbles has a ton of dog-friendly restaurants, so you’re unlikely to struggle to find somewhere that welcomes your pooch.
I’m a big fan of The Mermaid generally (see my review of the food) and it’s particularly dog friendly, with free biscuits and a dog menu.
The Front Room is another one which is very welcoming of dogs, and don’t forget Verdis (which is now owned by the same people who own The Lighthouse ) which has a massive patio and serves food – not just delicious ice cream.
If you’re after a more chill vibe and want coffee, cake or something lighter to eat – the incredibly popular Mumbles Coffee is dog friendly too.
Michelin-star restaurants in mumbles
There are no Michelin-star restaurants in the Mumbles as of yet, but I’d say Mor was probably the closest you’re getting to that type of quality and style.
You’ll want to visit the Beach House in Oxwich for a Michelin star (check out my review here), which is about a twenty-minute drive and is of course, very good (especially the laverbread bread).
Shops in The Mumbles, Wales
The Mumbles has the best shopping in Swansea (which is pretty poor when it comes to shopping generally).
It doesn’t have a ton of big shops like you’d get in town, but if you like smaller independent boutiques which sell unique things, then The Mumbles is for you.
Some of my favourites are the galleries – Oyster Gallery and Gower Gallery, the shop in the Methodist church on the front, CocoBlush, and Adelante to name a few.
Clothes shops in the mumbles
The biggest clothes shop is probably Peacocks, but I hate it in there. I don’t get it. I never see people in there and it looks awful inside – but I suppose it’s useful if you’re desperate and don’t want to travel into Swansea’s main city centre.
Mountain Warehouse, which is connected to an Animal also sells a load of clothes at usually heavily discounted prices (there always seems to be a 70% off sale). No idea why!
There’s Fat Face, Joules, Rock Salt, Sea Salt and Animal if you’re looking for your typical surf shop-type stuff. I like to support smaller businesses if possible – I think they make Mumbles special, not your run-of-the-mill little village.
The best clothing shop is probably Coco Blush which sells rich lady style clothes! You know, big, flowy linen things. The stuff isn’t fashionable per se (I don’t mean that in a bad way at all), but more universal beachy style. I’m definitely going to be picking up some summer dresses soon.
Independent shops in the mumbles
The best thing about Mumbles is the independent shops and probably my favourite one is Oyster Gallery. It’s bigger inside than you think and has the most gorgeous homeware, cards, art, jewellery and cute bits and bobs. You can spend ages in there looking around – and is particularly spectacular at Christmas. It’s right at the top of the hill on Newton Road – so don’t miss it – it’s worth the trek up the hill.
Uno is another little shop with really nice bits and bobs in there. Perfect for gifts.
Next door is Cash Hardware which is surprisingly massive with a garden centre outside. It’s probably pricier than shopping online or going to B&Q, but you go in there because you have that old-school customer service.
Talking of customer service, I’m a big fan of Donna Louise which is a children’s shop. It sells all the fancy kids’ brands such as Frugi, but really has brilliant customer service. I’ve been meaning to get my little girl her first shoes so popped in there for some advice and she was so knowledgeable and a million times more impressive than going to Clarks or something something similar.
Another favourite of mine (and my daughters) is the Fairy Shop on the front. It’s a great place to pick up children’s toys and gifts and the owner and her daughter are some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met.
Mumbles Charity shops
I LOVE a charity shop and some of the best ones are in Mumbles. Frankly, Mumbles has some posh people living in it, which means you get posh stuff in-store. I’ve seen designer and high-quality brands in stores.
The best one in my opinion is Llys Nini followed by Cats Protection. The problem is none of them are particularly good for children’s stuff. No idea why – it’s not like there aren’t a load of kids in The Mumbles, but they are best for homewares and adult clothes.
Supermarkets in mumbles
For a little village, there are a few small supermarkets in the mumbles. Probably the biggest one is Marks and Spencer on Newton Road, which is the one I go to most as there’s a free car park underneath.
There’s a small Tesco on Newton Road which is bigger than you think (but isn’t brilliant) and on the front, there’s a pretty decent-sized Co-op which delivers to the local area for a couple of quid.
The Mumbles Hotels
I think good hotels are a thing we lack quite a bit in Swansea and what there is is pretty expensive.
In Mumbles, there are two notable ones I can think of, but generally, tourists are more likely to stay in an Airbnb, which winds up a lot of the locals – for obvious reasons.
Boutique hotels in mumbles
So there are two boutique hotels in Mumbles – with your usual chain ones such as a premier inn being in town (If you want to stay closer to town, I recommend The Towers Hotel and Spa).
That said, if you’re willing to stay in the Gower, there are some there too. There’s one not too far from Mumbles in Park Mill called Parc Le Breos which looks absolutely amazing. I’ve gone for a drink there before on the lovely grounds, but will definitely stay there to do a review at some point because the rooms look really nice and the price is very reasonable (comparable to a Premier Inn).
Oyster Wharf Hotel
Oyster Wharf Hotel is the newest hotel in Mumbles and looks absolutely amazing. We needed something like this in the area.
Again, I’m going to try it out at some point, and hope it lives up to the hype. If you’ve stayed, let me know in the comments if it’s any good.
It’s got 16 rooms, looks cool, and modern and has incredible sea views. I can’t wait to get in there and have a little look around.
It also has a lovely-looking restaurant with a roof terrace. The food is good and has a really good lunch deal.
The Carlton Hotel
So The Carlton Hotel was the only hotel option in Mumbles for a very long time. Look, I’ve never stayed in there because its not somewhere that looks appealing to me. It might be unfair – but it looks a bit outdated.
It’s always bothered me because it’s in an incredible location, has views of the sea and has so much wasted potential. That said, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover and it does have some decent TripAdvisor reviews.
If I had the money, my dream would be to buy that place and turn it into something properly luxurious.
The Mumbles Pier
Arguably the most iconic sight in Swansea is the Mumbles Pier. I love it. It’s not that the pier itself is like one in Blackpool with tons to do – it’s just beautiful there with the lighthouse and views of the city. Plus there’s tons to do in the area.
Leave a Reply