Seeking Sustenance in Cardiff City Centre.
Scaredy Cats
A café/bar in Working Street with a difference serving coffee, cocktails and craft beer which has been open since 2022. It is also a board games venue. I had a pint of Verdant Brewing Co Lightbulb beer made in Cornwall.
Waterloo Tea
After a very interesting ‘behind the scenes’ tour of the BBC in Central Square we returned to Waterloo Tea in Wyndham Arcade for some sustenance. We had a Welsh rarebit made with Assam black tea, leeks and cheddar, sourdough, house pickles, side salad and a Fried egg brioche made from a fried egg, ‘smoked’ cheese crisp, chilli jam, pickled red onion, spinach. And not forgetting a tea of the month!
Griff’s Deli, Cardiff Market
It’s great to see Cardiff Market being a go-to place to pick up food of various kinds. I visited Griff’s Deli, an offshoot from their Penarth shop. I didn’t get too far before deciding to have a Snowdonia, made from Black Bomber cheese, red onion, fig chutney, tomato and fresh leaves though I think a bit of chili jam snuck in there too. I went and ate it in the lovely St John’s Gardens looking at Paddington eat his marmalade sandwich.
Crumbs
After going on a very interesting tour of the old David Morgan premises (rt pic) organised by Difflomats, it was time to get some sustenance. We went to Crumbs, a vegetarian outlet in the Morgan Arcade and had a salad bowl and a flapjack. Crumbs has been serving vegetarian food since 1970 before it became fashionable. Good value for money.
Cornish Bakehouse
Cornish Bakehouse in Queen Street was originally founded in St Ives, Cornwall in 1983 and naturally specialises in Cornish pasties, the all in one lunch for tin miners. I had a traditional steak pasty and we ate it in the newly developed Dock Feeder area on Churchill Way which I think the developers would like us to call the Canal Quarter (even though it has never been a canal). We were entertained by a harpist busker Sam Hickman whist we ate.
Golden Cross
The best tiled pub in Cardiff both inside and out. Ask to see the tiled mural of Cardiff Castle behind the curtains. I went for a trusty pint of Guinness in here.
Duke of Wellington
An impressive red brick building dating back to the 1880s overlooking the Hayes. The website states it is the old Post Office but I’m not convinced as there was an old Post Office building of a similar age in Westgate Street. The pub was bustling by mid-afternoon on a Saturday. The Rev James was just fine, my favourite Brains beer these days.
Cambrian Tap
Opened as the Cambrian Hotel in 1839 then rebuilt in 1889. It closed in the 1990s before reopening as the Irish bar Kitty Flynn’s. It was then opened as the Cambrian Tap in 2015. We were there quietly enjoying a pint of Brains SA when the police ordered us to stay inside until a demonstration had passed by.
Great Western
Built in 1879 to serve the nearby Great Western Station, now Cardiff Central. I’ve always assumed that the number 6474 above the entrance of the Great Western was a locomotive number. Apparantly not. It may have been the telephone number of the hotel. I popped down Sunday morning for a small geocaching event and supped on a nice pint of Gower Gold.
Head of Steam
The Head of Steam has been in Church Street since 2018 moving into the building previously occupied by Harvester. It is part of a chain, based mainly in the North East of England and an offshoot of Cammerons Brewery of Hartlepool. It sells both real ale and craft beers, some from Belgium, as well as food. I had a pint of the milk stout Fairytale of Brew York, a topical name given the recent passing of Shane MacGowan.
Borough Arms
The Borough Arms dates back to the mid 1800s when the architecturally interesting building was built by James Howell, the draper. It maintains some of the features and atmosphere of being a traditional city centre pub. I had a pint of seasonal Santa’s Little Belter from the Glamorgan Brewing Company in Llantrisant.
Coffee Barker
Coffee Barker in Castle Arcade was started as an offshoot of the Barker clothing shop and achieved such popularity that the clothing shop was closed and the coffee shop expanded to fill the space. It has a very relaxing atmosphere and comfortable soft furnishings. I had a coffee and Oreo cookie brownie but the doorstep sandwiches looked great. Next time may be.
Pen & Wig
Although it may have the feel of a long established pub it’s not, only having been here since 1994. It is however a fine establishment and worth seeking out. A fine selection of cask ales. A good selection of old Cardiff photographs on the way up the stairs – ones you don’t normally see. I had a fine pint of Tropic of Jones from the Tomos & Lilford Brewery in Nash, Vale of Glamorgan.
Big Moose
What better place to start my exploration of city centre eateries than Big Moose on Frederick Street. You know it going to be good when you meet a tourist coming out who recommends the place. To be fair I’ve been here a few times previously and not only admire them for their charity work but also for their food and service. What better place to go to relax and have a read. I had a lovely piece of white chocolate and strawberry cake with a flat white.
Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
Time for a bit of jazz from the students at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. We happened upon Polish jass night. The Tomos Watkins beer was rather good, as was the guy on tenor sax.
Cardiff Capers 