The Best Restaurants In and Around Cardiff

It’s difficult to imagine that this authentic Spanish-inspired restaurant with rooms could be located a mere stone’s throw from Cardiff’s Principality Stadium – the site of many a Welsh rugby triumph since 1999. Perhaps your next pre-game lunch will be here, where the menu puts an emphasis on dishes cooked over fire and large cuts of meat to share. Look out for Welsh lamb in particular, an ingredient the country is known for. If you’re less inclined to push the boat out, the 3 course weekday lunch menu is very wallet-friendly.

Seafood is the driving force behind this bijou restaurant nestled in the trendy neighbourhood of Pontcanna. The surprise tasting menu features a bounty of fish and shellfish, much of it from Cornwall, ranging between a generous portion of fresh-tasting crab and mussel pappardelle. The hip hop soundtrack and simple, rustic décor ensure the atmosphere is relaxed and accessible, while on certain days the space transforms into a wine and oyster bar, Jackson’s.

Having become Cardiff’s first MICHELIN-Star restaurant, Gorse is undoubtedly the jewel in the city’s culinary crown. It’s a platform for Chef-Owner Tom Waters and his considerable talents, yet there’s never a feeling of ‘showing off’ to the cooking. Unnecessary technical gimmicks are nowhere to be seen, with the straightforward joys of superb produce cooked with unerring precision taking their place. The service follows suit, with a relaxed, amiable quality that makes Gorse feel like your favourite neighbourhood restaurant.

Another Pontcanna spot, Heaneys is testament to the power of crowdfunding, having been launched with the help of a Kickstarter campaign. A “founder’s wall” in the restaurant pays tribute to those who helped the team along their journey. It’s a relaxed and friendly place, with ambitious but good value cooking that uses produce from the attractive kitchen garden. Uisce – meaning ‘water’ in Gaelic – is their wine and oyster bar next door, where you can pop in for a drink or a couple of small plates.

Following on from their success at The Hare & Hounds in Aberthin, Tom and Sarah Watts-Jones ventured into Cardiff – or to be more precise, the suburb of Llandaff, close to the 12th-century cathedral. The kitchen here shares the hearty, no-nonsense approach of its sibling, with each unfussy dish packing in plenty of flavour at Bib Gourmand prices. There’s a bar area, too, which feels quite distinct from the restaurant and retains its role as the local watering hole. If you just can’t get enough, stay the night in one of the two bedrooms or pop down the road to Heathcock Bakery & Deli.

The seaside town of Penarth developed during the Victorian era and it’s still well worth making the three-mile journey here from the centre of Cardiff. This is particularly true as it’s ‘home’ (if you’ll pardon the pun), to this restaurant from Chef-Owner James Sommerin. It’s an apt name for a place that proudly flies the flag not just for Wales and its larder, but for the Sommerin clan, with James’s daughter Georgia joining him in the kitchen and the rest of the family involved in the service. The sauce-making alone illustrates the strong technical skill you can expect.

Learn more about father-daughter team James and Georgia Sommerin.

Over on the western side of the city, Chef-Owner Anand George has built an Indian restaurant with a full roster of delicious dishes. Tucked amongst a row of shops, its colourful décor delivers on the ‘purple’ part of its name, while there’s a whole lot more than poppadoms to be found on the wide-ranging menu – which also comes in a tasting format. The kitchen takes great care and shows plenty of technical skill, with dishes that draw on influences from multiple regions of India.

As the name would suggest, this restaurant occupies space in the city’s former Post Office, now home to The Parkgate Hotel. Smart and stylish, there is a certainly a hint of bygone elegance to the surroundings. It’s a busy spot serving throughout the day, starting with a generous breakfast through to lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. While there’s vegetarian and vegan options available, carnivores are sure to be satisfied by dishes like a ‘Celebration of British Lamb’ and multiple cuts of Welsh beef. The adjacent bar offers a great list of signature cocktails to kick off your visit.

Chef-Owner Tom Simmons talks openly of his upbringing in the Welsh countryside, so it comes as no surprise that he chose to open his restaurant in Pontcanna, close to the only large expanse of greenery in Cardiff city centre. The Welsh larder naturally inspires the menu, which is blended with strong classical French technique and the odd subtle international hint along the way. They serve a few snacks during the day in the plush cocktail bar alongside. What Tom and the team have created here is a smart, appealing neighbourhood restaurant.

Located a mere three-minute walk from Home, Touring Club is another brilliant reason to visit Penarth. Holding a Bib Gourmand for its great value cooking, it's the brainchild of Chef Bryn Williams – best known for the sadly now closed London restaurant Odette's – and is a laid-back, well-run operation. The flexible menu of snacks and sharing plates means you can have a couple of drinks and a few lighter dishes or come for a full delicious dinner. Either way, you’re sure to enjoy the uncomplicated, satisfying cooking.