Eating Out At Cardiff's 10 Best Restaurants

Cardiff, Wales’ buzzing capital, offers a variety of restaurants and dining experiences within its historic yet contemporary city centre. Showcasing an impressively diverse range of cuisines from traditional British to Syrian, the city caters to foodies of all tastes. Following our earlier look at Cardiff’s best restaurants we delve further into the Cardiff culinary scene to bring you some newcomers as well as some old favourites.
Cardiff Bay | © TR001/Wikicommons

Chapter

Chapter is not solely a diverse restaurant and bar space, but also a multi-artform, independent venue offering live performance, cinema and international art. In between soaking up the cultural atmosphere head to the Caffi-Bar to indulge in their homemade vegan sausages with roast garlic colcannon and onion gravy, or stock up on protein with their harissa-spiced chicken burger, served with fries and homemade red slaw. Caffi-Bar hosts many events, including Oktoberfest and the Cardiff Dance Festival (10 – 22 November), in which will be a rich seam of work by international artists.

Chapter, Market Rd, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Cardiff, Wales, UK, +44 29 2030 4400

The Clink

Restaurant, European, British

The Clink is a most unusual restaurant. Founded by The Clink Charity, the restaurant is part of a ground-breaking initiative established to reduce the reoffending rates of ex-offenders, training and placing them into the hospitality industry in a move towards genuine change and structured support. The Clink offers prisoners full time work and high levels of training, delivering organic, delicious cuisine daily for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea – also serving evening meals on Wednesdays and Fridays. The stylish, chic restaurant space befits the impressive level of gastronomy achieved in the kitchen – quality food supporting a thoroughly worthy cause. Constantly improving and evolving, The Clink promises treats such as smooth mackerel pate and thinly sliced, tender roast beef, with an extra special and ever popular talent for creating mouth-watering desserts!

De Courcey’s Manor

Cafe, Cocktail Bar, Diner, Restaurant, Mediterranean, Cocktails, Vegetarian, British, Contemporary

Although nationally renowned for providing an idyllic wedding venue, the a la carte dining experience at De Courcey’s Manor is something to be enjoyed in its own right. Offering the exquisitely prepared, locally sourced cuisine that has cemented their reputation as one of the premier dining venues in South Wales, De Courcey’s caters for just about every size and shape of occasion – from an intimate party of 8 to a celebratory family bash of 130. If a private event is a little too formal, then a perfect introduction to De Courcey’s would be their famous Sunday lunch. Executed with the utmost care and attention to the individual diner, lunch begins with a cocktail in the cocktail lounge before proceeding to a beautiful, handcrafted repast comprising of dishes such as roasted Mediterranean vegetables in a garlic and herb tempura batter followed by rare breed pedigree pork loin with all the trimmings. Proceed to the glass atrium area after dinner for the most relaxing spot in which to enjoy coffee. A signature dish at Moksh | Courtesy Moksh

Moksh

Multi award-winning chef Stephen Gomes has been presented with the prestigious accolade of Best UK Indian Chef annually from 2007-2013. In his innovative venture Moksh, Gomes promises the very highest quality Indian and Goan cuisine served in a modern, contemporary style not dissimilar to the current trend for molecular gastronomy. To begin, enjoy the Treasure of the Sea platter, featuring soft-shelled crab on puffed rice, prawn cocktail with a lemon cloud and salmon tikka with salmon and mango caviar. From here, sample the black pepper chicken kalimiri chettinad with tangy, tamarind pulp or the hot coconut and tamarind fish curry, traditional fare from Goa. Presentation and taste combine in this treat for the senses, with beautiful dishes packing a high flavour punch in the chic, sensitively lit, plush interior.

Pettigrew Tea Rooms

Pettigrew Tea Rooms has everything you would expect from a traditional Welsh tearoom – and so much more. With its collection of assorted knick-knacks and charmingly mismatched crockery, Pettigrew Tea Rooms has a delightfully homespun feel belying the formidable, professional skill of its in-house bakers. The bespoke cakes are popular far and wide and available to order for a number of varying dietary requirements. Choose from delicious, moist carrot cake, classic Victoria sponge and the Welsh Bara Brith, as well as the more unusual flavours intermittently featured such as Early Grey, honey and white chocolate cake; courgette and pineapple cake and the seasonal mincemeat and brandy butter cake. Afternoon tea is the speciality of Pettigrew Tea Rooms: it promises finely cut sandwiches, high-quality tea and fluffy fruit scones, all to be enjoyed in the quaint café space perched on the edge of the castle grounds.

The Pot Cafe

Bistro, Cafe, Market

Parisian cafe culture meets home-grown comfort in The Pot Cafe. Enjoy an unrivalled breakfast selection, from up-market breakfast burritos featuring chorizo, red peppers and free range scrambled egg on flour tortillas with cheddar cheese, sour cream and homemade salsa to really wake you up, or begin your morning in a more traditional, mellower fashion with ribbons of smoked salmon, a grilled flat mushroom and free range scrambled eggs on toast. Lunch is equally tempting, with a range of salads such as grilled goats cheese and candied walnut to a selection of hot choices such as vegan bean and chilli nachos or a flavoursome black eye bean burger. The recent decision to open The Pot as a French style bistro from Wednesday to Saturday evenings has proved immensely popular, with lovingly prepared French classics ranging from French onion soup with a crispy gruyere crouton to boeuf bourguignon with garlic infused roast potatoes and crème brulee to finish.

The Potted Pig

Sitting pretty in central Cardiff, within a mere 100 metres of Cardiff Castle and the Millennium Stadium, The Potted Pig takes advantage of its historical location to create a unique identity, nestled into a former bank vault underneath the city. Serving a refreshingly ‘concept-free’ menu of predominantly British cuisine – with the occasional incorporation of French and New York influences – the menu at The Potted Pig is constantly evolving in the pursuit of unique flavour and genuinely tasty, carefully crafted dishes. With a lovingly chosen selection of independent wines and an unrivalled bespoke gin collection, why not begin with a tipple before beginning with the titular Potted Pig with toasted sourdough and pickles, followed by a whole seabass with courgette, leek, peas and cockle butter and finishing on a high note with carrot cake and stem ginger ice cream.

Purple Poppadom

Restaurant, Indian

The effortlessly stylish Purple Poppadom is a jewel in Cardiff’s culinary crown – both Michelin and Good Food Guide-listed, the multi-award winning restaurant boasts accolades such as ‘Curry House of the Year 2013’ and ‘The Best Indian Restaurant in South Wales Award 2013’ from the South Wales Food and Drinks Awards. With its urban vibe evoking a modern, metropolitan ambiance and handmade treats offering an explosion of flavour, it is perhaps unsurprising that Purple Poppadom became a finalist in the Observer Food Monthly Awards 2014. Enjoy tandoori prawns from the a la carte menus, scented with Bengal kasundi mustard and rolled in aromatic spices, or take part in the Sunday Best Tasting Menu and sample a selection of dishes from delicate lentil dumplings with sweetened yoghurt and tamarind chutney, to succulent minced lamb with spices, onions, tomatoes and a flourish of green peas.

Shaam Nights

Restaurant, Halal, Middle Eastern, Lebanese, Mediterranean

The beautiful décor of Shaam Nights, with panels of stained glass, glowing bronze lanterns, patterned walls and intricate tiled flooring, promises an authentic Syrian dining experience in a decadent and ornamental setting. Enjoy halal cuisine hailing from one of the most ancient regions of the world, dishes complete with carefully crafted fusion arising from Syria’s interweaving civilisations. Shaam Nights incorporates flavours originating from Arabic, Persian and Ottoman influence, combining to create mouth-watering and culturally diverse dining options. Enjoy tabbouleh or light, delicate falafel to start, followed by a sumptuous choice of dishes ranging from chicken kufta with fluffy rice or grilled seabass rolled in and dusted with signature spices and drizzled with a lemon and garlic sauce.

Waterloo Tearooms

Founded in 2008, Waterloo Tearooms soon demonstrated its quality and popularity, shooting to fame in 2009 by scooping the ‘Best Cafe in the UK’ accolade in the BSA Awards. Now recognised Europe-wide, Waterloo Tearooms and its extensive collection of carefully selected, beautifully fragrant teas is a Cardiff staple – a place to watch the world go by, nestled comfortably opposite the stunning Edwardian Parks. With an extensive lunch menu – featuring organic salads and generous wedges of homemade cake – and a famous afternoon tea with fluffy scones, sandwiches and handmade truffles, Waterloo Tearooms is a must-visit spot in historic Cardiff.
Waterloo Tearooms, 5 Waterloo Gardens, Cardiff, Wales, UK, +44 29 2045 6073