Think Cardiff, and what springs to mind? Rain, perhaps — or the rugby. But peer beneath the surface, and there’s a lot going on.
The Welsh capital is rapidly reinventing itself as a buzzing, thriving city that is simply packed with great places to eat. Yes, there are Welsh cakes (and damn good ones too), but just a short hop away from the city centre lurk Michelin-quality restaurants, farmers markets galore and more brunch hotspots. Home to 12 Michelin guide restaurants and chefs including Tommy Heaney and Dave Killick (who are launching a buzzy new venue, Ember, in the New Year), Cardiff is fast earning a reputation as the next foodie mecca.
It’s more eating than you can pack into a weekend — not that we aren’t going to try. Cardiff is only two hours away from London by train, making it the perfect place to while away a weekend. Here’s how to spend 48 hours feasting in the city.
Where to eat
Breakfast
Where better to start the day than Hard Lines in the city suburb of Canton (I say suburb; it’s still only a 25 minute walk from the train station on the other side of town). The diner has become something of a cult favourite among Cardiff’s in-the-know foodies, and for good reason. Their in-house-roasted coffee beans make for a spectacular brew — served as they are in cheap American-style mugs, the tonal dissonance is jarring. The hot plates, which are served diner-style in the form of huevos rancheros, chorizo hash and breakfast pancakes are just as good (hard-lines.co.uk).
In the mood for something a little lighter? Brod is a Danish bakery which borders the brunch hotspot of Pontcanna and offers delicious cinnamon snegl (or swirl), but be prepared to contend with queues out of the door (thedanishbakery.co.uk). You might not expect to find a Danish bakery in a Cardiff suburb, but the offering is reliably excellent.
Lunch
When it comes to markets, Cardiff cannot be beaten. For those who fancy a browse or just a snack, the Cardiff Market in the town centre has it all. It boasts a growing number of excellent street food stands (Mexican food stall The Bearded Taco is a must-try) but do also head over to Welsh cake stand Cardiff Bakestone, which is somewhat of a local institution and on match days can spawn queues forty-deep. Even so, the chance to spot the cakes browning on the hot plates, before tucking in, is worth it.
Dinner
What about dinner? Easy: Matsudai. This little gem is undoubtedly Cardiff’s best-kept secret — a restaurant in Grangetown (a suburb about half an hour’s walk from the city centre) that, in my opinion, serves some of the best ramen anywhere in the UK. Run by James Chant, who pivoted to food after a career in the music industry, Matsudai boasts an ever-changing menu, but some things always stay the same: slow-cooked broths, meltingly tender meats and soy-cured eggs with velvety yolks.
Come for the ramen, stay for the starters — especially the pickled mushrooms, which are out of this world. And if you can grab some of the lamb gyoza, all the better. Booking is essential (a meal costs around £60pp for two, matsudai.co.uk)
In the centre of town waits Terra Mare. Billing itself as a contemporary, authentic Italian eatery, it brings together local food (Pembrokeshire oysters and seaweed, or Welsh truffle for example) with classic Italian flavours: tomatoes, olives, mountains of cheese. Everything is simply delicious (meals cost around £120 for two, terramare-amh.com).
If Spanish food is more your style, then try Asador 44. This is a restaurant where Welsh lamb and beef gets slow-cooked into mouthwatering dishes and is served alongside lashings of Spanish red wine (which the restaurant proudly states it considers the best in the world). Though the abundance of small plates are worth splashing out on, including mackerel, fresh sourdough and a simply excellent thinly-sliced tomato salad, stay for the mains, which include slow-cooked lamb shoulder and confit duck (meals cost around £120 for two, grupo44.co.uk/asador44).
For those in search of more Welsh flavours, then how about The Potted Pig? Located inside an old bank vault underground on the High Street, the restaurant is all about nose-to-tail eating and seasonal Welsh flavours. Head over to sample its ever-changing menu, which ranges from lamb bonbons to takes on Welsh rarebit (a meal costs around £150 for two, thepottedpig.com).
Where to shop
For shopping inspiration, just take a stroll through Cardiff’s famous arcades. A triumph of Victorian engineering, they house exceedingly pretty walkways of steel and glass, bordered on either side by the store fronts of small businesses. Especially recommended is Royal Arcade, which houses a gorgeous Lucy + Yak (a store than sells 70s style patterned clothes), a shop stacked with artist prints of the city (Driftwood Designs) and a whisky shop — which also comes stocked with local Cardiff beers.
Want to shop like a local? Head to The Corporation in Canton. Just down the road from Hard Lines, it’s an old pub that has been converted into a home for several local businesses, including a wellness centre, Italian deli and jewellery shop. A five-minute browse can easily turn into half an half — just as well that there’s also a bar, which comes well-stocked with board games (corpmarket.co.uk).
A little further down the road awaits Kings Road Yard in Pontcanna. A sweet little street packed with local shops (plant shops, second hand clothing stores and cute boutiques stuffed with knick-knacks and cards), it also hosts an excellent market of the same name on Saturday mornings. Come along and fill your boots with local Welsh cheeses, coffees and crafts — even better, the venue occasionally hosts live music events too (kingsroadyard.co.uk).
Where to drink
Cardiff’s bar scene is thriving, and one of the best places to get involved is Nighthawks. Located in the historic Castle Arcade, this friendly little bar offers an ever-changing list of hand-picked wines, as well as lovingly made cocktails. The atmosphere is always buzzing, and you’ll have the double satisfaction of supporting a small local business (nighthawksbar.co.uk).
For those in search of something a little more outré, there’s Lab 22. Its mission statement is to “push the boundaries of mixology and set the standard for cocktails in Cardiff.” The cocktail menu boasts some out-there flavours (anybody know what Mint³ is?) but a trip down this particular yellow brick road is still excellent (lab22cardiff.com).
Near to the Principality Stadium is Bar 44, which is also well-worth stopping by, as much for its tapas as its cocktails. A snug little space, it’s furnished in warm wood and is always packed with locals. Why? That might have something to do with the wide-ranging cocktail menu. Choose from spicy margaritas (perfectly mixed, and a house favourite), a range of classics or the bar’s massive selection of sangria-based cocktails (which make sense considering the bar’s Spanish theme). It’s all delicious.
Where to stay
The explosion of excellent restaurants hasn’t quite met its match in Cardiff’s hotel scene. That said, there are a few good options, and one of the best is Parador 44, a new boutique 3-star hotel in the city centre.
Located on the upper floors above Asador 44, Parador 44 is where Welsh and Spanish culture meet and mingle in beautiful harmony. Think crisp white sheets, immaculately finished bathrooms and sound-proofing that removes all trace of the world outside — quite a feat, considering that it’s based just off one of Cardiff’s main streets. On the lower floor, there’s a sitting area that offers refreshments and a host of Spanish snacks. All in all: a foodie’s dream stay (rooms start from £120pp; grupo44.co.uk).
Less foodie, but equally nice is the Park Gate Hotel by the Principality Stadium. Billed as Cardiff’s only 5-star hotel, it’s also home to The Sorting Room, a Michelin Guide listed restaurant (which boasts delicious traditional food at surprisingly affordable prices) — but the real draw are the beautifully appointed rooms, which look out over the capital’s stadium and centre (rooms from £147; theparkgatehotel.wales).
How to get there
Cardiff is two-hours by train from London. GWR’s Long Weekender offer is up to 50 per cent cheaper than an Anytime Return, allowing you to leave on a Friday or Saturday and return on a Monday at any time. Tickets start from £119 return. gwr.com
