Restaurants in Cardiff (Caerdydd)
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Le Gallois
The name says it all - Le Gallois is French for 'the Welshman', and the Welsh owner-chef Padrig Jones has made his name by giving a Continental twist to the best of Welsh produce. An unfussy dining room of pale cream walls, polished-walnut tables and starched-linen napkins makes sure the focus is on the food - the menu of half a dozen starters and half a dozen main courses changes with the seasons, but signature dishes include confit of rabbit with roast langoustine, tomato and basil risotto, and roast monkfish and crispy noodles with claret sauce and Asian pesto. This is the place for a very special dinner or, if you want to sample some very special cooking without break…
reviewed
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B
Bosphorus
Sitting out over the water on its own private pier, this Turkish restaurant enjoys good views all round; the best of all are from the outdoor tables at the far end of the jetty. The food is as far removed from the humble kebab as Cardiff is from Istanbul, based on imperial Ottoman cuisine - succulent piliç guveç (chicken casserole), charcoal-grilled lamb, and crisp scallop and bacon shashlik.
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Café Minuet
Don't be fooled by the bare floorboards, folding chairs and paper tablecloths - this unassuming café produces some of the best Italian food in town. The menu includes several good vegetarian dishes, such as stracciatella alla Romana (a light soup of vegetable stock with pasta, beaten egg and parmesan, served with garlic bread) and deep-fried mushrooms stuffed with spinach and cheese.
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Ana Bela
This is a good place for a romantic dinner - chic but laid-back, with low light and candles, art on the walls and cool tunes - provided you don't mind putting your hand in your pocket. Prices are steep, but the food is superb. Try seared salmon fillet with puy lentils and bacon in a red-wine jus, roast loin of lamb with roasted red-pepper chutney. There's excellent house wine.
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Bali
Smiling waiters, low lighting and crisp linen napkins make for a warm and inviting atmosphere at this Southeast Asian restaurant. The menu gets your mouth watering with a list of Malay, Singapore and Indonesian classics such as satay, laksa, sambal, rendang and nasi goreng, and the kitchen does not disappoint, turning out authentically fragrant and spicy dishes.
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Cinnamon Tree
A cut above your usual curry house, the Cinnamon Tree has stylish, modern décor and a menu of specialities that includes unusual dishes such as tharav sofyani (duck seasoned with chilli, coriander and fenugreek in a thick, spicy sauce) and hiran champan (venison cooked with roast garlic cloves, onion and coriander seeds).
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Ba Orient
One of the hottest spots at Cardiff Bay, this sophisticated cocktail and dim-sum bar cultivates an oriental atmosphere with low tables, carved wooden benches and Japanese tatami mats. The dim sum is both delicious and beautifully presented, and there are larger dishes such as aromatic crispy duck, plus an accomplished cocktail menu to explore.
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Riverside Cantonese
A stylish Chinese restaurant that eschews the traditional red and gold décor and paper lanterns for a more modern blonde-wood, apricot and green colour scheme, the Riverside is well known for its authentic Cantonese cuisine, including classic dishes such as salt-and-pepper prawns. There's also a dim-sum menu (served noon to 17:00).
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Woods Bar & Brasserie
Housed in the historic Pilotage Building, but given a minimalist, modern makeover inside, Woods is frequented by politicians from the nearby Welsh Assembly. The cuisine is modern European, light and flavoursome, with dishes such as roast fillet of red snapper with tomato and basil sauce, and vegetarian lasagne with hazelnut pesto.
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Caribbean Restaurant
Decorated in sunny Caribbean colours, this is a small, no-frills, family-run restaurant that dishes up hearty Caribbean home cooking. Service can be slow, but that's all part of the charm - you can natter away over a couple of cans of Red Stripe before tucking into a plate of jerk chicken or saltfish with a bowl of rice-and-peas.
reviewed
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Champers
This relaxed Spanish wine bar has Andalucian-style wooden furniture set on a sawdust-scattered floor, lots of basket-work lampshades and low ceiling beams. Order a bottle of Rioja, then choose fish or meat from the counter to be cooked as you like, a plate of Serrano ham sliced from the bone or a selection from the tapas menu.
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Da Venditto
Polished-wood floors, white linen tablecloths and blue napkins help create a formal, elegant setting for a menu of modern Italian cuisine, with offerings such as platter of smoked fish with lemon vinaigrette, crab and laver-bread risotto, linguini with lobster, and fillet steak with a white wine, cream and parmesan sauce.
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Zushi
Popularised by local celebs (it's a favourite of Welsh rugby international Gavin Henson and girlfriend Charlotte Church), this is a desperately trendy sushi bar complete with colour-coded dishes on conveyor belts. OK, it ain't exactly Nobu, but the sushi is fresh and prettily prepared, and won't break the bank.
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Juboraj II
No flock wallpaper or Bollywood soundtrack here - Juboraj sports a stylish, modern brasserie look and serves a selection of classic north Indian and Bangladeshi dishes; try the tandoori trout, crisp outside, spicy and succulent within, or the duck karahi, cooked with peppers, onions, tomatoes and spices.
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Happy Gathering
It's always a sign of a good Chinese restaurant when you see the local Chinese community eating there, and you'll see them in force at this popular, long-established place (it's been around for more than 30 years). Noisy, good-natured atmosphere, good service, and kids are made welcome.
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P
Thai House Restaurant
Wales' oldest Thai restaurant has been around for more than 20 years and is still winning awards. Warm yellow walls, polished wood and candle-light make for an intimate atmosphere, and the Thai chefs certainly know their stuff, using fresh ingredients flown in from Bangkok every week.
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Scallops
No surprise that pride of place on the menu here goes to fresh seafood - from seared scallops with pea and mint purée to full-on lobster thermidor. The brightly decorated dining room is complemented by an attractive al fresco terrace with a view of the bay.
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Armless Dragon Restaurant
One of Cardiff's first foodie restaurants and still one of the best, the Dragon pretty much created what is now called 'modern Welsh cuisine' - that is, taking the finest Welsh produce and traditional Welsh recipes and giving them a contemporary gourmet twist.
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Madame Fromage
One of Cardiff's finest delicatessens, with a wide range of charcuterie and French and Welsh cheeses, Madame also has a café with tables in the arcade, serving tasty platters of cheese with bread and salad, all kinds of sandwiches, and excellent coffee.
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Brava
A cool café decorated with modern prints by local artists, with tables spilling onto the pavement in summer, Brava not only serves great coffee and wine, but also has a menu of bistro favourites, from risotto or steak sandwiches to stir-fried noodles.
reviewed
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New York Deli
This tiny wood-panelled café serves up giant, US-style sandwiches - one between two is enough for most mortals - stacked bagels and big mugs of coffee. There's a good breakfast menu too, but get in early as there are only a couple of tables.
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Ask
We don't normally bother recommending chain restaurants, but this Italian pizza and pasta joint really stands out as a good-value, family-friendly place with really tasty food, where the kids are made just as welcome as the adults.
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Buff's Restaurant
Hidden away from the crowds on the waterfront, this is a snug wine bar and restaurant that's popular with local business people, serving straightforward but well-prepared dishes such as crab cakes, fillet steak and roast lamb.
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Cornish Bakehouse
This bakery conjures up every imaginable variety of Cornish pasty, from traditional steak, potato and onion, to cheese and bacon or lamb and mint, as well as muffins and coffee, which you can eat standing up or take away.
reviewed
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Vegetarian Food Studio
This is an unassuming café and takeaway south of the city centre which has earned a reputation for serving the tastiest and most authentic Gujarati vegetarian cuisine in the city.
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