Guernsey folk are certainly not short of choice when it comes to eating out, and let’s face it, it’s a local pastime. A new restaurant, Vraic, opened its doors in July 2025 and is the latest local eatery for any foodies out there to try out. Located in the north of the island at Chouet Bay, Vraic promises to offer something completely different from anywhere else on the island, both in style and approach.
The restaurant is run by chef Nathan Davies with his wife Hollie who heads up operations and front-of house. Perhaps more akin to something more often experienced in London restaurants, Vraic boasts a long multi-course tasting menu offering a full evening or day’s experience. Nathan’s ethos is to use locally-sourced ingredients to create a delicious balanced menu, all cooked on an open fire.
“We look at the range of ingredients we have to work with, and we create a menu, rather than the other way around where you come up with a menu and then have to source the ingredients. So, we’ve spent the last 10 months or so going around the island meeting suppliers and some really brilliant artisan producers of very special ingredients. These suppliers are not big on social media or anything, because they don’t need to be – basically what they produce, they sell. These small growers are what we’re really interested in because they’re operating with a lot of soul and purpose. Their goal is very similar to ours, to produce the best possible product for their customers.”
Nathan arrived in the island in April last year with his family, including two young sons. He was also accompanied by his senior team from his previous restaurant SY23 located in west Wales which held a Michelin star. Having worked closely together in the past meant that they were able to hit the ground running.
There were several factors that led to the family selecting Guernsey as their next base.
“We were very fortunate that when we moved away from SY23, we were approached by several people and offered a few different opportunities. We viewed a number of potential projects, and we had a few boxes that had to be ticked because obviously not only were we relocating for work, we were relocating as a family. When you look at what Guernsey offers it’s tick, tick, tick. We have kids in primary school and the primary schools seem exceptional by any standard. The secondary school options are fantastic. The security, the safety and lifestyle were all major plus points. Our kids are now in sailing clubs and they’re doing all the island life type of things. It’s just perfect. So building the restaurant was the easy thing if I’m honest.”
The restaurant is backed by a local investor who wanted to build on the island’s strong culinary scene, and when it came to choosing a local location, that appears to have been quite simple too.
“The beach is just fantastic. We pulled up in the car park on a sunny summer’s day and we just said – it’s sold,” said Nathan.
Vraic offers 24 covers. All guests arrive around 6.30, enjoy drinks on the terrace and are invited to sit down at the same time at 7.30. They are then served the multi-course menu simultaneously throughout the evening, creating a unique dining experience.
“The big thing for me is atmosphere in a restaurant,” said Nathan. “If you all start eating at the same time, it’s got energy; there’s a good feeling. Everyone’s excited at the same time and nobody’s looking over at the other table and thinking that’s our next course. It puts a bit of pressure on the front of house team serving that way because there are lots of details that they have to look after at the table. But it creates a unique and a very different feel.”
At £145 per person, Vraic is not a cheap night out, but Nathan is is confident that he and his team offer value for money.
“We know what we charge is steeper than a lot of places on the island, so there’s a level of expectation on that. That’s a good thing for us, to live up to that expectation and to try and exceed expectation. We’re trying to build a core of guests who will be our repeat guests. And a repeat guest for us isn’t somebody who will come once every three or four weeks. It’s probably somebody who will come every few months. We don’t want you to get bored of the experience by coming too frequently.
“We know we’re a different type of restaurant and that we offer a unique experience. You are going to get atmosphere, quite loud music, some delicious food, and a great experience.”
