Lark's Favourite Cardiff Cafes
Here at Lark we like to take full advantage of the great eateries Cardiff has to offer, so after having discussed our favourite places at length with each other, we thought we better start sharing our recommendations with everyone else! Each of use wrote a little something on our favourite spots for lunching and caffeinating around the city, so enjoy the read…
Luke’s Recommendations:
Cafe 37 - Salisbury Road
There are few better feelings than entering a warm cafe on a cold winter morning, and few comfier cafes than Cafe 37. With a menu chocked full of English and American breakfast classics as well as cheap and tasty vegetarian options, this eccentric spot will not disappoint.
Irie shack - Woodville Road
This is a fun, quirky and colourful restaurant in the heart of Cathays. Its Caribbean food is dressed to impress, coated in a delicious Jerk Mayo, and cocktails are two-for-one all hours except 7:00-9:30 pm. My personal favourites are the Hot Curry Chicken and Mutton Dressed as Lamb One-Pots. With an affordable and diverse menu, Irie Shack is a perfect dinner destination.
Sophie’s Recommendations
Stag Coffee - Crwys Road
The perfect brunch spot. Quirky and cool decor inside and a cute little outdoor area with fairy lights for the rare sunny days in Cardiff! My fave brunches are the breakfast tower which consists of a massive burger style breakfast sandwich with all the black pudding and hash brown goodness! I also love the smashed avo. There are tonnes of vegan and veggie options too, so everyone can get their fix.
La Vita - Wellfield Road
This little family run Italian is always busy no matter the day of the week which is an indication of how amazing the food is! The antipasti platter is delicious (and huge!) and they offer a range of unusual modern pasta and pizza dishes. They also have a happy hour on cocktails and a lunch menu deal, winning!
Tenkaichi Sushi and Noodle Bar - City Road
I absolutely love sushi and have tried a few different places in Cardiff but none compare to Tenkaichi on City Road. The sushi is so fresh and tasty and they offer a range of dishes if you’re not a fan of the classic fish sushi! If you’re a newbie you can order a chef’s special which gives you a platter with a range of pieces to try. The rainbow maki is a particular highlight for me. Cute little area to sit in and eat or you can order for takeaway too!
Emma’s Recommendations
Penylan Pantry - Kimberley Road
I don’t know where to start when trying to sell this deli-cafe to you. I love so much about it - the light, airy cosiness of the place… the deliciously wholesome and healthy food… its focus on sustainability and using local produce… I could go on. It’s the ideal place for sunny Sunday brunching - but you may have to wait for a table (believe me, it’s worth it).
Brød - The Danish Bakery - Pontcanna & Penarth
This place is awesome - they make great, fat, authentic danish pastries on site everyday, so make sure you get there sooner rather than later to have first dibs over their selection of items like Kanelsnegle (cinnamon roles) and Overskårne (it’s got chocolate and custard and I simply can’t translate). Due to its success in Pontcanna, they’ve recently opened up in Penarth, so go check it out!
The Early Bird - Woodville Road
If it weren’t for its sunshine-yellow walls, you’d probably wouldn’t notice this little gem tucked away along Woodville Road in Cathays. It’s a popular spot for good reason, and not just for students. Their fabulous array of bakes (shout out to local bakery Friends in Knead for supplying them) are a delight to look at, and you can have a nosy at them in the kitchen baking the brioche buns that feature in many of their delicious lunch options. My favourite is Green Eggs and Ham!
Gem’s Recommendations
La Mina Juice Bar - Albany Road
In all my visits here, I have never seen anyone buy a juice, haha! I have instead seen some mighty salads, baguettes, wraps and jacket potatoes. Mina’s is not a great option for veggies; the focus is most definitely chicken. I’d say they have at least 20 varieties and I’m working my way through all of them. You’ll never have a meal deal for lunch again after you’ve had a £3 Mina baguette!
Little Man Coffee - Bridge Street
A good spot to follow on social media as they are always offering interesting events from comedy to life drawing. Their coffee is delicious and they are also one of the few independents available in the city centre.
www.facebook.com/littlemancoffee
Coffee #1 - All over
I visit here at least 3 times a week, the staff are delightful, the coffee is always spot on and upstairs is a good spot to do a couple of hours of work.
Big Moose Coffee Co. - Queen Street
A great initiative from a father and daughter team. They are a non-for-profit organisation which supports homeless charities, they offer great food and staff are always so friendly. They also have a running club and host great events so it's well worth a visit.
We hope you love our little selection as much as we do, and please share with us your favourite spots - we’re always looking for new places to explore!
Author - Emma Coppen
(Disclaimer - photographs are not ours)