Cardiff Arts Institute

It may be located in a sober-looking Cardiff townhouse, but this trendy arts & music venue is absolutely stuffed with a riotous array of funky installations, pop-art graffiti, interactive Lego, eccentric lighting & plain, functional furniture. Breakfast is served throughout the day (note the meatless ‘hippie’ version), but you can also get ‘boutique burgers’, sourdough sarnies with twice-cooked chips, & a few bigger plates ranging from pie & mash to cauliflower cheese – plus jam roly-poly to finish. There’s a decent selection of international lagers at the bar, but the main draw here is the atmosphere & the lively programme of events, which ranges from life-drawing classes, live folk music & disco nights to occasional ‘end of the pier’ shows complete with cabaret, circus acts, & fish & chips.