When you work in the city centre, one thing you are never short of is somewhere to go at lunchtime, thanks to the likes of Cardiff Indoor Market and a handful of sandwich shops dotted around the city centre. But, if I'm being honest, there can never be too much choice.
So when Cardiff's newest coffee shop, Da - read more about it here - opened in Central Square earlier this week, directly opposite my office, not only was I was excited to try out its lunch options but, as a self-proclaimed and proud coffee snob, I was keen to sample the sweet nectar that fuels *most* of our mornings.
Da has replaced Milk & Sugar, which closed down in April 2022 after saying the venue couldn't be made viable. Would Da match its predecessor's delicious offerings? Would the coffee be as good? Would the vibe be as welcoming and just lovely? Spoiler alert: it was. For more what's on stories, sign up for our newsletter here.
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Before going, I did a little research into it - and what I found was lovely. Rather than being just a coffee shop, it is one that celebrates Welsh produce (the direction many places are going in now) and uses as much locally sourced food as possible - suppliers include Coaltown Coffee, Alex Gooch, From Our Farm and Jones o Gymru.
Furthermore, it champions Welsh-ness. It says on its website: "We are proud to be Welsh, so try to pay homage to our roots and weave Welsh heritage into everything we do at Da - from our menu to our music, you’ll see hints of Welsh heritage."
Da, which is part of the Tramshed Tech community, could be missed as it is rather overshadowed by the Principality Stadium and lies beneath an office block. Thankfully, the sign outside that's brightly decorated with a green, yellow and red banner of a drawing depicting a train, showcases the vast selection of drinks on offer and indicated to me that I was in the right place for good coffee - alongside the bright blue signage on its front door.
The black, grey and wooden interior is spacious, open and sophisticated and there are booths with screens and plugs so it would make a cool place for a meeting. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. and there are also comfy seats in the corners, overlooking the River Taf.
As I walked through the cafe, I saw there were two glass fridges as well as an extensive lunch menu (which comes in both Welsh and English) complete with side snacks. In the fridges were bagged up sandwiches and cold drinks - you can get a meal deal for a fiver (or £6 for a premium one with a wider selection of pop - not your average Fanta) which is amazing considering the sandwiches appear freshly made.
Rather than opt for a meal deal, I was won over by the lunchtime menu, specifically the Kimchi bowl (£7.20) with a side of sourdough strips paired with hummus (£2.80). With it being so unusually warm outside, I was after something fresh, healthy and light and this tickled my fancy.
As I queued up to order, I noticed their selection of cakes, too - a rainbow cake (perfectly timed for Pride month), a selection of vegan sweet treats, and a handful of croissants and various croissant spin-offs (such as the cinnamon cronc) - but decided against one so as not to spoil my lunch but I'll definitely be coming back for a mid-afternoon snack.
The staff behind the till, coffee machine and preparation area were all so friendly and greeted us with the warmest smiles when ordering - so much so, I immediately felt relaxed there; an important factor, personally, when looking for a regular coffee shop in which to spend your salary. You don't always want the hustle and bustle of the big chains where coffee orders are taken at 100 miles an hour. This is more personal. More independent. Slower paced - although that doesn't mirror the speed at which our food was made and delivered.
After about only seven minutes of sitting down, our orders were placed in front of us. My dining partners enjoyed two croissants - one almond and one chocolate. The croissants were decadent and rich. Flaky pastry with a dense centre - making the flavour of each sweet and full bodied if not a smidge heavy - particularly the chocolate one. For the almond croissant, the ratio of flaked nuts to pastry (on top) was just right - not overflowing, not too sparse.
Despite it being hard to cut into with a knife and fork (due to said decadence), it was still enjoyable and devoured within minutes. Upon being asked if my colleagues would eat it again - one said yes, one said no: you win some, you lose some.
The mushroom benedict - that came with two slices of Alex Gooch sourdough bread, two poached eggs, pan fried mushrooms, hollandaise sauce and 'seasonal micro greens' - was very aesthetically pleasing. As for taste, the mushrooms provided an earthy depth to the dish while the eggs were perfectly poached - a hard white outer layer with a running yolk - topped with the creamy hollandaise sauce. It was filling, flavoursome and just a good lunch.
My kimchi bowl (made up of quinoa, kimchi, sambal olek, sesame, broccoli, carrot slaw, edamame, and roast sweet potato with crispy peanut chilli flakes - the dish was vegan and low in gluten, might I add) was presented so beautifully and colourfully I almost didn't want to spoil it by digging my fork in - but I was hungry. So I did. It was fresh and, thanks to the chilli flakes and gochugaru in the kimchi, had a kick. The carrot slaw was sweet with a slight tartness, the kimchi cabbage was salty and zingy - and after a few seconds had my mouth on fire (I may be exaggerating but as someone who is an utter wuss when it comes to spice, the heat was real) - the sweet potato chunks were soft while the quinoa provided a nutty base. This was enhanced by the sesame seeds on top as well as the edamame beans, which gave the dish a nice density and healthy feel.
The sourdough dippers were salty and drizzled in olive oil and dipped into the hummus, which was herby with a paste consistency, it went down a treat.
Onto the coffee - for which you can get a subscription deal if you love it (£30 per month you get 15 drinks a week). Provided by Ammanford's Coaltown Coffee - which opened a pop up store in Cardiff city centre in Castle Arcade late last year - I ordered an iced cappuccino which came topped with chocolate dust. With oat milk, it was sweet with a nutty taste and not too bitter. I can safely say I will be returning to get my caffeine fix on the daily.
All in all, the service was great, the atmosphere was so lovely, the food was delicious - without being too pricey - and the coffee was lush. Da iawn, Da. Da iawn. Da Coffi + Collab can be found at One Central Square, Cardiff, CF10 1FS. For more information, see here.
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