Weekend in Cardiff

[Sturmundcalm]

Will be in Cardiff at the end of next month for (grown up) DD's birthday. Any suggestions of where's a must-see/do?

And any restaurant recommendations? Not mega-expensive but nice? Looking for both dinner and brunch (but probably not bottomless brunch as neither of us drinks prosecco/beer which tends to be the focus for those).

Am feeling the need to be organised as DD is just back from a beach holiday where she met someone from Cardiff who said it was crap and we should just spend all our time in Bristol instead... 🤔

Giovanni’s restaurant - authentic family run Italian restaurant right in the city centre.

Cardiff Bay is good for drinks with a good view. Could also get a boat trip from there if that’s of interest to you.

I’d recommend The Botanist and The Alchemist. Both are nice for an evening meal and cocktails but not exorbitant. They also both do a really decent brunch.
Check out what’s on at New Theatre as they often host touring West End shows.

I had a wonderful meal at Santiago's Tapas last month. Would highly recommend.
As a side point, Cardiff is a wonderful city but it is very popular and can therefore get quite busy. I took my parents there last month and it was a success as I had made all dinner and breakfast recommendations well in advance. If you do the same I'm sure you will have a fantastic weekend there as well.

Take the water taxi from Cardiff castle to the bay and enjoy a drink and a wander around the bay. The ivy is great for a drink in the bar upstairs. Go into the arcades as little shops and places to have a coffee.

The shops in Cardiff are much better than the ones in Bristol! The castle is worth a visit. The Chapel is a great place for cocktails.

Cardiff Bay! If the weather is nice you can walk all the way around to Penarth. It's a lovely walk. There's lots to do down there.
Or Cathays Park for a walk around the lake and a stop in the cafe.
Or go to the castle.

I love Cardiff - great place for a weekend.

perhaps a bit out of the way but la pentola restaurant on Whitchurch Road is great. I used to go when it was called the pot. small but great food.

Cardiff is a terrible shit hole

Museum of Welsh life in St Fagans is interesting.

If moving away from the city centre highly recommend the following places:
Longa on Whitchurch Road - they do amazing Turkish breakfast platters
Roath Park is lovely for a walk around
Victoria Park area has some lovely places to eat, Nook, The dough thrower (pizza) & Let them see cake well worth a visit!

Get a Watertaxi from Bute park (by the castle) to Cardiff bay. A lovely trip plus lots of restaurants in the bay. Big wheel etc. you can get the train back or water taxi back.
We love Bristol too but Cardiff is lovely! So many parks and a good shopping centre.
What's she in to?

Definitely NOT Giovanni's. Poor value and marketing over substance in my (local) experience. Cafe Citta is a better choice if you can get a table.

The National Museum and St Fagans are definitely worth visiting. Curado is excellent for food. The Alchemist, Botanist and Chapel 1877 (food) all good.

A walk or cycle over the barrage is lovely if the weather 's fine. Bute Park and the Secret Garden Cafe.
Great cafés in Pontcanna.

Chapel is lovely to eat or drink or both in and the staff are great.

Porro and Giardini di Sorrento are great for Italian meals and The cinnamon Tree is good for no fuss Indian food.

Nice brunch options in The Cosy Club on the seafront at Cardiff Bay. Yes, it’s a chain but is a good starting point for a walk across the barrage, as mentioned above.

Casanova’s for lunch or supper, if you like seasonal Italian food.

Bute Park for a walk and stop off at Pettigrews or the Secret Garden for tea & cakes.

Cardiff Castle is free to visit the courtyard tickets if you want to go inside. National Museum is free entry and fabulous.
Church street is full of coffee bars/pubs/places to eat. Cardiff market is also a great place for food now - Ffwrnes pizza’s (upstairs).

All the usual chains/bars you’d expect. It gets very busy in the bars/clubs so expect queues.

Asador 44 - I've always had a fantastic meal and service there. Yes to Curado and The Potted Pig.

I'd give Giovanni's a wide berth.

I'd try and book your restaurant as far in advance as you can.

I much preferred my weekend on Cardiff than my weekend in Bristol.

Sorry no specific suggestions

I really don't think you can describe Cardiff as 'a shit hole'. On what basis?

So - just back and stuff we did included:
Cafe Citta for dinner
Pitch for dinner
Alchemist for drinks
Pettigrews for tea and cake
Water taxi back from Cardiff Bay to the city centre

Ended up we couldn't get much availability for dinner on the Sat night which is why we booked Pitch - food was good but it was a bit of a weird vibe. Cafe Citta was lovely on the Friday, and that wee street had a really nice vibe to it. Pettigrews for tea and cake was really lovely, we hadn't booked anywhere and actually wandered past a clatter of places in the arcades, etc but glad that we went there. Didn't do as much of Bute Park/outdoors generally as we'd planned cause of the weather on Saturday but did have a really good time. And I'd go back so def not a shithole as far as I'm concerned!

Oh, and we had a drink at a pub in Cardiff Bay yesterday lunchtime that was really lovely - can't remember the name of it but was really traditional at the front (and had a Roald Dahl room) and then really modern/scandinavian style at the back. Was sheltered though which meant we could enjoy the sun without the wind!