Where can you eat Welsh food in Cardiff? From a mouth-watering lamb cawl to a Welsh inspired pizza, Cardiff is overflowing with authentic dishes. So, if you want a taste of home or you’re a tourist wanting to get a taste of Wales, here’s where you can get Welsh food in Cardiff.
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What is Welsh food?
Welsh cuisine is all about using local produce to make dishes you’ll want to eat time and time again. Famous foods in Wales include cawl, rarebit and laverbread. Welsh cakes, bara brith and Glamorgan sausages are seen as traditional Welsh foods. Welsh lamb, leeks and mussels are seen as some of the best Welsh ingredients. Check out the best Welsh food in Cardiff.
Get 50% off food in Cardiff
If you love food and drink, do you have a Tastecard? You get 50% off the food bill or two meals for the price of one. There are over six thousand participating restaurants across the UK. Get a 60-day free trial here:
Welsh Restaurant Cardiff Bay
Welsh Mussels
Culley’s Kitchen and Bar is a restaurant in the historical building of the Coal Exchange. Named after Richard Palenthorpe Culley, it pays homage to Cardiff’s coal mining history. The menu uses Welsh produce, such as Aber Falls Gin and Pantysgawn goat’s cheese. A highlight is the Welsh mussels – too good to be shared!
Lamb Cawl Cardiff
Thomas Restaurant at Future Inns are experts in Welsh dishes; they’ve dedicated their whole restaurant to it. All of the food is homemade. You can sample the Welsh products, ingredients and local produce used throughout. They even make their own bread. Some highlights include Welsh rarebit Cardiff with rhubarb compote and Welsh onion soup. I think they serve the best cawl in Cardiff with crusty bread and Caerfai cheddar. It’s even served in a sosban fach (a little saucepan).
Welsh Cakes
Nothing can beat the taste of a simple, freshly baked, crumbly, buttery Welsh cake. If you’re feeling extra naughty, spread over some butter or jam. Welsh cakes are sometimes called bake stones. At Fabulous Welsh Cakes in Cardiff Bay, you can watch the team make them before choosing which you want to eat. They even have different flavours, such as milk chocolate, cinnamon, cranberry and orange, or raspberry and white chocolate.
Welsh Food in Cardiff City Centre
Laverbread
You can have traditional Welsh food in Cardiff throughout the day, but the brunch menu in Pitch on Mill Lane is worth getting up for. You can have a full Welsh with bacon, sausage, tomato, black pudding, potato and leek hash brown, beans, toast and eggs your way. Make sure you try laverbread, which is a Welsh delicacy. It is a seaweed found on the west coast. After repeated washings and boiling, it becomes a soft, puree-like food. The Welsh laverbread and potato cake is served with a poached egg, hollandaise and a chorizo crisp.
Crempog
Why wait for Pancake Day when you can treat yourself to a Welsh crempog? A crempog is similar to a thick American-style pancake. It is traditionally served with lemon curd or honey. They used to be on the menu at La Pentola (previously The Pot Bistro). However, if you want pancakes, then head to Crepe Escape.
Cheese
From Snowdonia in North Wales to Blaenavon, there is a whole host of Welsh cheeses to be tried. Caerphilly cheese is a famous Welsh food in Cardiff. So many Cardiff restaurants incorporate the varieties into their menu. Cheese is the perfect topping for pizza. And with so many Welsh Italians in Cardiff, Ffwrnes is where the locals head. Found on the first floor in Cardiff Central Market, they are masters at making Neapolitan pizza, and toppings come from producers from across Wales.
Cockles
The Potted Pig use as much seasonal Welsh produce as possible. It is known as one of the best Welsh restaurants in the city centre. The restaurant is in an old bank vault. Alongside Welsh lamb rump, pork belly and sides of rarebit, they have become known for their cockles, laverbread and bacon on toast. It is some of the best fine dining on the Cardiff food scene.
Welsh Rarebit
You can get the best Welsh rarebit in Cardiff. Rarebit is toasted bread covered in a cheese sauce with mustard, spices, or ale. It is usually found on the starters section of the menu in restaurants serving Welsh food. The Welsh House on High Street started life as a craft bar.
Want to know how rarebit was created? Check out a brief history of Welsh Rarebit
Salmon
Daffodil is a champion for using the best Welsh produce, sourcing all of their produce locally, including from Cardiff Market. Wye Valley Smoked Salmon is a favourite on the menu and features on the brunch, lunch and a la carte menus. Imagine tucking into a smoked poached haddock with salmon and prawns in a creamy dill sauce with a boiled egg, spinach and sweet potato mash!
Beef
The Parkgate Hotel is one of the most beloved restaurants in Cardiff, as it’s one of the Michelin star restaurants in Cardiff. The Welsh Beef Wellington is one of their signature dishes, so much so that they have curated a dedicated menu around this popular course.
Faggots
Faggots are meatballs made from minced cut-offs and offal, including pig’s heart, liver, belly meat and bacon, mixed with herbs and sometimes breadcrumbs. Don’t let the ingredients put you off; they taste delicious! They are best served with mashed potato, peas and gravy, sprinkled with malt vinegar and cracked black pepper. They can be sampled in Cardiff Indoor Market.
Ox Tongue
If you’re looking for some weird Welsh traditional food, how about ox tongue? It tastes like any other cut of beef but surprisingly has a melt-in-the-mouth, soft texture. Casanova united three Italian friends who wanted to bring the taste of Italy to Cardiff. The restaurant loves putting more modern dishes on the menu, using the best local produce.
Chocolate
There are some fantastic chocolate producers from across Wales. In Cardiff, the best place to find a variety is at the Shop Wales opposite Cardiff Castle. The range includes Siocled, Coco Pzazz, The Little Welsh Chocolate Company and Wickedly Welsh.
Cardiff’s Loving Welsh Food Tour
There’s no better way to experience food in Cardiff than on the Loving Welsh Food Tour. Explore the city’s culinary delights and get a taste of Welsh culture, learning about local flavours. It’s such a fun thing to do as a couple or with friends, trying different Welsh foods and discovering new places to eat and drink.
Travelling to the City Centre
Navigating the Cardiff City, especially during busy periods, requires thinking ahead. Whether opting for public transport or securing a parking spot in advance, a bit of planning ensures a smoother journey, allowing you to fully savour the best of Cardiff.
Getting around Cardiff has never been easier
Transport for Wales now offers Multiflex, which gives you 12 journeys for the same price as 5 returns. The route includes stops in Taffs Well, Radyr, Whitchurch, Llandaff North, Cathays, two in the city centre – Queen Street and Cardiff Central – plus Cardiff Bay. And who doesn’t want to save money to spend on indoor adventure golf?
Pre-book your City Centre parking and save!
An NCP Park Pass is an easy way to save money on parking. Not only do you access special parking deals, but you also don’t need to remember where you put the ticket collected at the barrier – mine always gets lost in the handbag. As payment is contact-free and cashless, you do it on your phone.
You can always pre-book your parking online and save money if that’s not your thing. Find a car park, choose your date and time, enter your details and make your payment. Once you’ve booked your parking online, you will receive a booking confirmation email detailing your booking and how to enter and exit the car park.
Welsh Restaurant Cardiff, Pontcanna
Leeks
The leek is the national emblem of Wales. It is one of my favourite ingredients; I love its sweet oniony flavour, which adds a great depth of flavour to soups, stews, pasta, and more. Heanys is known for sourcing only the freshest local ingredients, which are, more importantly, grown in the chef’s own garden – including leeks!
Welsh Food in Canton Cardiff
Oggie
An oggie is the Welsh version of the traditional Cornish pasty using Welsh lamb and leeks. I haven’t been able to find anywhere in Cardiff – as yet – that serve oggies. Please let me know if you know where?! In the meantime, you can try Victoria Park Pie Company. The family business has been operating since the 1930s.
Welsh Food Cardiff, Penylan
Bara Brith
One of the very best Bara Brith to be found in Cardiff is in the Penylan Pantry. The shelves are teeming with produce from local producers, bakers, makers, farmers and dairies. Bara Brith is a fruit cake. The fruit is soaked in hot tea all day and night, then mixed, baked and cooled, ready to eat. If you’re feeling a bit naughty, spread it with salted butter.
Welsh Food in Cardiff, Gwaelod y Garth
Glamorgan Sausage
A Glamorgan sausage is a vegetarian sausage made with cheese and leeks and usually wrapped in breadcrumbs to hold them together. In the Gwaelod y Garth Inn, you can have them with your Sunday roast or mash/chips and homemade plum chutney.
When we couldn’t travel and couldn’t eat out during the lockdown, these kept me going. I would walk Ivan the Irresistible along the main road to the pub and get them in a takeaway roll, yum yum! We’d sit on the village bench to eat it and take in the view before walking back home.
Welsh Drinks you can try in Cardiff
There are so many Welsh drink producers now, including tea, coffee, soft drinks, mixers and, of course, alcohol. This list is not definitive. Here’s a small sample, especially if you’re looking for a Welsh drink to accompany your Welsh food in Cardiff.
Beer
The best place to try craft beer in Cardiff is Tiny Rebel. The Welsh beer brand started in a garage and is now multi-award winning. The beers have cool names such as Clwb Tropica, Five Dollar Shake, Electric Boogaloo, Pump Up the Jam, Passion Fruit Pool Party, Cali Pale and Vibes.
Wine
Many bars and restaurants serve glasses or bottles of Welsh Wine. The closest vineyard to Cardiff is in the Vale of Glamorgan (about a 20-minute drive). Llanerch Vineyard produces Cariad Wine, including sparkling blush, sparkling brut, dry white, off-dry white, and rose. The wine has even been praised by Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall.
Gin
Want to try some Welsh gins? Gin and Juice have over 450 gins for you to try, including Welsh brands: Benjamin Hall, Treganna Gin, Aber Falls, Jin Caerdydd, Cygnet, and Snowdonia Gin. Good luck deciding what to try first!
Rum
Next door to Gin and Juice is Rum and Fizz. Here you can make the difficult decision of which of the 200-plus rums to try with a mixer or one of the cocktails. Welsh rums available here include Barti Ddu, Welsh Witch and Devil’s Bridge.
Cider
A short drive from Cardiff is Llantwit Fardre. This is where Gwynt y Ddraig cider is made. Bubs is an independent pub venue in the heart of the city centre, serving craft beer and cider. Perfect for a casual drink! Brews include Orchard Gold, Old Crow, Black Dragon, Scrumpy, Perry Vale and Autumn Magic.
Whisky
If you are in the mood for an after-dinner tipple, The Dead Canary has gone the extra mile when it comes to creating Welsh-inspired drinks. The speakeasy-style bar even has a hidden entrance. On Barrack Lane, look out for the door labelled Fire Exit: Keep Clear. Next to it is a doorbell with an empty birdcage and feather above it. Their latest menu is inspired by dragons – the emblem of Wales. Cocktails and drinks made with Penderyn Whisky produced in the Brecon Beacons are a must-try.
Welsh Food in Cardiff
Wales has a beautiful and unique cuisine. I love the famous food in Wales because the national dishes have not derived from the upper class. It comes from the hardship and resourcefulness of our ancestors. Cardiff is the social hub of Wales and shows off our unique culture.
Eat Out – Restaurants Cardiff
Cardiff is a foodie’s delight. From the quality of the produce to the level of cooking, at both the casual and cheap eats, Cardiff is staking a serious claim to being one of the most exciting places to eat in the UK.
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- Street food in Cardiff
- Welsh food in Cardiff
- Dog-friendly restaurants in Cardiff
- Michelin-star restaurants in Cardiff
- Halal restaurants in Cardiff
Get 50% off food in Cardiff
If you love food and drink, do you have a Tastecard? You get 25% off the food bill or two meals for the price of one. There are over six thousand participating restaurants across the UK. Get a 60-day free trial here:
Places to Drink in Cardiff
Whether looking for an after-work drink with colleagues, a boy’s or girls’ night out surrounded by cocktails, or a date night spot, you’re always close to the best bars in Cardiff.
- Ballie Ballerson Cardiff
- Golf Fang Cardiff
- Roxy Lanes Cardiff
- NQ64 Cardiff
- Flight Club Cardiff
- Tonight Josephine Cardiff
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- Cocktail bar in Cardiff
- Best bars in Cardiff
Hotels to Stay the Night
If you know when you’d like to travel, try to book as soon as possible. Prices rise the closer you get to the travel date and are usually displayed per room rather than per person. However, there is a vast array to accommodate all budgets.
easyHotel Cardiff
The easyHotel Cardiff is a 10-minute walk from the theatre. It has double rooms (with or without a window), accessible bedrooms and twin rooms. Found a short walk behind Cardiff Queen Street train station, the budget hotel has en-suite bathrooms, heated rooms in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. WiFi is free; pay and display and multi-storey car parks are nearby.
Radisson Cardiff
The Radisson Blue Hotel Cardiff is in the city centre. The 4-star hotel has smart TVs in the bedrooms, private bathrooms with complimentary toiletries, laptop-compatible safes, and limited onsite parking.
Radisson Hotel Discount Code
Get 15% off 3 or 4-night stays, 20% off 5 or 6-night stays, or 25% off for 7 or more nights in luxury rooms and suites. When you use the Radisson Hotel Promo Code LONGER, you’ll also receive complimentary high-speed WiFi on unlimited devices. More information
Dog-friendly hotels in Cardiff
Your perfect dog-friendly escape in Cardiff awaits! Before I had my rescue dog, Ivan, I didn’t think Cardiff was very dog-friendly. How wrong was I? The dog-friendly hotels in Cardiff include national chain hotels, budget brands, pubs and country houses.
National Trust Holidays
National Trust Holidays offers a selection of holiday cottages, campsites and bunkhouses set in spectacular locations. They have everything you need for a night away, from kitchen facilities to cosy gardens to relax in during warmer weather.
Cottages and Houses
The award-winning business Sykes Cottages has properties across the UK, and the ones near Cardiff are beautiful. They range from cosy lodges with traditional woodburning stoves to contemporary accommodation with a hot tub. With all the amenities you could need, including parking, WiFi and many dog-friendly places, check out Sykes Holiday Cottages.
Getaway to Cardiff
You can book an escape to Cardiff in some beautiful locations with Red Letter Days. They also offer spa breaks, helicopter tours, afternoon tea, and so many different things to do. What’s more, they are affordable.
Plan a Trip with Expedia
Booking a hotel via Expedia is a seamless experience that offers convenience and choice at your fingertips. With just a few clicks, you can browse through a wide array of cosy boutique hotels and luxurious resorts tailored to your preferences and budget. Compare prices, read reviews from fellow travellers, and explore amenities, ensuring you find the perfect place to stay for your trip.
The surrounding areas
Don’t be afraid of staying outside of central Cardiff, either. Penarth, Barry, Caerphilly, Pontypridd, and Merthyr Tydfil are the surrounding areas connected by regular buses and trains. Using LastMinute.com to book hotel rooms offers the chance to seize spontaneous opportunities for travel while securing great deals. Stay at great hotels at a fraction of the price.
FREE Visit Cardiff Checklist & Guide
Get your FREE Visting Cardiff Checklist and Guide with over 25 pages full of travel tips, how to get around, places to visit, food and drink, shopping, parks and green spaces, some Welsh phrases and a travel itinerary.
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So many great places to eat in Cardiff and some great welsh dishes here!