Best restaurants in Cardiff

Serving just 12 guests in an intimate dining room above cult favourite cafe Milkwood (also worth a visit, by the way), there’s nowhere to hide at Cora if the food isn’t up to par. Fortunately chef Lee Skeet - formerly head chef of Michelin-starred Hedone in London - has quality food on lockdown, serving up an inventive, seasonal tasting menu that has Cardiff enraptured. Good luck getting a table at short notice.

Thomas is the brainchild of Tom Simmonds, a quintessentially Welsh chef, inspired by his own upbringing in Pembrokeshire. There’s undeniable French influence in dishes like poached dover sole with scallop mousse and champagne veloute, and chicken liver and Madeira parfait with blackberries, but ingredients and atmosphere are unmistakably Welsh. The speakeasy bar on the second floor is a great spot for a birthday.

This rustic, relaxed Spanish grill and wine bar has become a Quay Street favourite since it opened in 2018, with punters queuing regularly for a taste of 70-day dry-aged Rubia Gallega chuletón steaks, Segovian suckling pig, Pyrenean milk-fed lamb, whole turbot and seabass. On top of that, there's a fantastic daily-changing list of blackboard specials (once they're gone, they're gone), and a delightful list of Spanish wines and sherries available by the glass. A special mention for the Sunday lunch - easily one of the best in Cardiff, and also one of the most in-demand. 

Natural wines, sharing plates and good vibes in the park, who can say no to that? Not Michelin, apparently, who popped tiny Nook in the guide in 2020. The kitchen has continued with great aplomb since then, and Nook remains extremely busy thanks to thoughtful dishes like tempura tenderstem broccoli, cashew ricotta and vegan Worcestershire sauce, plus aubergine ragu, toasted pine nuts and coriander.

The carefully considered menu at the Heathcock has earned it a Michelin Bib Gourmand (an award also owned by Aberthin sister restaurant the Hare and Hound). Nose-to-tail ethos is bandied around often these days but the Heathcock team do a fantastic job working around seasonality and food waste, whilst still turning out gorgeous dishes like stuffed rabbit leg with a braised shoulder pithivier and pan-fried pollock with red wine-braised cuttlefish.

Great British Menu stalwart Tommy Heaney opened his eponymous restaurant in 2018, and it quickly became one of the most popular spots in the city thanks to the upbeat vibe and fantastic sharing dishes. The £35 set menu is outstanding value, if you can nab a table that is.

Tiny Rebel is a casual brewery and kitchen which houses a great range of beers. Drinks are served alongside a moreish selection of US-style snacks, including a mac ‘n’ cheese burger and decadent dirty fries.

This proudly Welsh deli is well-stocked with jams, chutneys and other delicious foodie jars, but the food is absolutely worth staying for. In the daytime, expect coffee - roasted in North Wales - and a selection of brunch dishes that might include Welsh rarebit made with cheese, local beer and mustard, or perhaps smashed avocado on toast topped with a poached egg. In the evening, Canna Deli switches focus to become a chilled-out bar, serving wines by the glass alongside platters of cheese which are made on the owner’s family farm in Anglesey. A Welsh gem.

A tapas joint that means business, Bar 44 serves up an array of small plates, including hand-carved jamon and patatas bravas. Wash it all down with fun cocktails or try a glass of Spanish brandy.

Considered by many to be the city’s best Chinese, Happy Gathering pulls in the crowds at lunchtime with its heavenly dim sum, while efficient service and fair pricing ensure it’s also packed come the evening.

This cosy pub (complete with beer garden) is all plush furnishings and roaring fires. The menu matches up too, featuring the comforting likes of steaks and pies, while hearty Sunday roasts are a further draw.

Spice Quarter offers a taste of India via curries, sharing platters and dishes from a Tandoor grill. The décor transports you to India too, thanks to a seductive mix of dark wood and burnt orange.

All-day restaurant and bar Silures champions sustainable principles and local sourcing to create its modern European menus. Expect smart, well executed plates using the best of Welsh produce, from day boat fish to cote de boeuf. 

Casanova's authentic, seasonally evolving selection of dishes have made it a fan favourite in the Welsh capital. Begin your meal with starters such as sarde en saor (a traditional Venetian dish of sweet and sour sardines on toasted focaccia), or beef carpaccio topped with mixed leaves, mustard dressing and Parmesan shavings. Moving on to main courses, you might find traditional pasta dishes such as slow-cooked ragu in a red wine sauce or pasta with king prawns and cuttlefish. Prices are mid-range here, but set menus at lunch time mean you can enjoy a three-course meal for under £20.

This colourful restaurant serves classic and contemporary Indian cuisine – think the traditional likes of lamb rogan josh paired with less conventional takes, such as a venison naan. The Sunday set menu is also a steal.

Housed in a Grade-I listed building, Park House is a fine-dining restaurant which oozes elegance. Enjoy the modern European menu as part of a five- or eight-course tasting menu while taking in the chic surrounds.

We might have reached peak burger in the UK, but Grazing Shed sets itself apart with the quality of its ingredients. Pick from a range of stacked burgers, or try the veggie and vegan varieties.

After the sad closure of Restaurant James Sommerin, James and family have returned with Home at Penarth. Joined by daughter Georgia in the kitchen, and with his wife and other daughters working front-of-house, Home is aptly named. Diners can expect a completely immersive experience - the menu is kept a complete surprise until you're sitting at your table, but anyone who remembers James' cooking will be more than pleasantly surprised at this return to form. One for adventurous palates.

Indian cuisine naturally lends itself to vegetarianism and Vegetarian Food Studio capitalises on this, offering up the tempting likes of veggie samosas, aloo paratha and a range of dosas (a crispy rice and lentil pancake).

With the intriguing tagline of ‘redefining Indian cuisine’, Mint & Mustard serves an extensive menu of contemporary Indian fare – think a vegetable mango curry or a five-spiced paneer masala, while fair prices are a further draw.

Occupying a seductive basement space that formerly acted as bank vaults, the Potted Pig entices diners with its menu of well-executed Welsh produce, including chargrilled steaks, game and classic desserts such as sticky toffee pudding.

It’s all about provenance at this pub and restaurant. Steaks are sourced from British and Irish farms, while fish is delivered daily from the coast. Top orders include beer-battered fish & chips and maple-glazed pork belly.