Category: Cardiff

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The 4 best Chinese restaurants in Cardiff

We list the best Chinese restaurants in Cardiff, based on personal experience and on food bloggers’ and travellers’ ratings. The 4 best Chinese restaurants in Cardiff.

1.  Summer Palace
2-4 High Street, Llandaff, Cardiff CF5 2DZ
029 2056 4808
“Ten of us descended on this well established Chinese restaurant, located in the Cardiff suburb of Llandaff. Suffice to say, all the food was outstanding but for me, one dish was exceptional and that was the lemon chicken. You must try it, it would be sin not to. I could not fault the service, it was quick and done with a smile. If you are in Cardiff and looking for the best Chinese restaurant then The Summer Palace is for you.” – Peter111040

2.  Happy Gathering
233 Cowbridge Road West, Canton, Cardiff CF5 5TD
029 2039 7531

MartinG writes: “My wife and I who are Cardiff based have been visiting Chinese restaurants all over the world for over 40 years and a recent visit back we were told by old friends the Happy Gathering was still great we decided to give them a try last Sunday late afternoon. To say the décor hasn’t change for probably 30 years would not be remiss but the service was spot on we ordered dim sum which turned out in our opinion were the best presently available in Cardiff.”

3. Riverside Chinese Restaurant
44 Tudor Street, Cardiff CF11 6AH
029 2037 2163

Ronaldinhollew writes: “I had Szechuan Monkfish, something I had never encountered before, and it was very nice. We also had crispy duck pancakes which were stunning, among the best I have ever had.It was up there with other good Chinese restaurants I have visited in China Towns in London and Manchester. If looking for a good Chinese restaurant in Cardiff, Riverside Cantonese is definitely worth a try.”

4. The Crispy Duck
21 Whitchurch Road, Cardiff CF14 3JN
029 2062 8008

Ajec88 writes: “Different to other Asian restaurants the Crispy Duck offers a number of small dishes (that can also be starters) on their menu, similar to tapas, and as we love tapas this was our first choice. The menu had a great selection, we choose calamari, satay beef, gyoza, teriyaki chicken and soft shell crab, everything was so tasty, satay sauce was lush! Tempura batter was crispy. Beef was a little chewy but this could have been the cut that we had, would still order again. The gyoza dumpling filling was great and they had been steamed and grilled so had a soft and crispy side.”

The Summer Palace. Number One in the best Chinese restaurants in Cardiff list on CardiffBest.com
The Summer Palace. Number One in the best Chinese restaurants in Cardiff list on CardiffBest.com

 

 

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The 3 best Italian restaurants in Cardiff

For pasta, pizza and other Italian dishes, these are the 3 best Italian restaurants in Cardiff. Opinion is bound to vary, but this is the Top 3 Italian Restaurants in Cardiff according to cardiffbest.com…

The very best Italian restaurant in Cardiff

1. Elgano Italian Restaurant
58 Cathedral Road, Cardiff CF11 9LL
029 2034 4060
Serving fresh authentic Italian cuisine. In Italy, at every meal ample time is taken to enjoy food, wine and conversation. The relaxed environment and  passion for delicious food and fine wine helps Elgano to offer a dining experience that is truly one to savour. As one diner writes: “Great service from the moment we arrived, the wine recommendation was lovely and a good choice. The food was served promptly, we tried a variety of items, chicken in black pepper sauce, sea food pasta, rack of lamb and chicken with pesto, all great.”

The second best Italian restaurant in Cardiff

2. I Giardini di Sorrento
12 City Road, Cardiff CF24 3DL
07703 429185
Inspired by the fresh and authentic flavour of the Sorrento peninsula of Italy. There’s a selection of home-made pastas, desserts and cakes  as well as the most mouthwatering pizzas, steaks and fish cooked to order. An atmospheric snug restaurant with open-plan kitchen, this is a place that will give you an authentic warm Italian welcome. As one diner notes: “My absolute favorite has to be the cheese cake! I can honestly say it’s out of this world so much incredibly yummy I had to have another to take home.”

The Bronze Medal Italian restaurant in Cardiff

3. Cafe Citta
4 Church Street | Cardiff City Centre, Cardiff CF10 1BG
029 2022 4040
One of the best Italian restaurants in the centre of town. It has a warm atmosphere, the pizza is superb and the staff are friendly. Make sure you book as the place is very small.

One of the three best Italian restaurants in Cardiff. Photo by Engin_Akyurt
One of the three best Italian restaurants in Cardiff. Photo by Engin_Akyurt.
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The 12 best restaurants in Cardiff

Here’s a  list of the dozen best restaurants in Cardiff. This is the best this city has to offer; the best 12 restaurants in Cardiff.

We’re taking value for money and friendliness of patrons into account, as well as the quality of the food in the restaurant.

Elgano in Cathedral Road is our favourite Italian in the city. The mussels and steak are delicious.

Corado in Westgate Street, city centre, is authentically Spanish with fab tapas. Be sure to try the Galician white wine and bottled dark beers.

Summer Palace in Llandaff is the finest Chinese restaurant in Cardiff in our opinion.

Moksh in Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay, has delicious curries.

Dosbarth – The Classroom – is a student-run restaurant with views of the city. Because it’s college-based, check the opening days and hours carefully.

Sen BBQ in Canton’s Cowbridge Road East is cheap as chips but has the best Turkish shish kebab we’ve tasted and the hospitality is great, as you may be greeted with a cup of sweet tea.

Purple Poppadom is one of the best restaurants in Cardiff for food from the Indian sub-continent.

Yakitori #1

The Chapel 1877 Restaurant And Bar

Arbennig

Fish at 85

Irie Shack Cardiff Bay

Chez Francis Bar & Restaurant

Elgano is one of the best restaurants in Cardiff
Elgano is one of the best restaurants in Cardiff
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Looking for B+B in Cardiff? Here are some of the best

Here are some suggestions of the best traditional bed and breakfast in Cardiff. So, if you’re looking for a great traditional, high-quality, good value B+B in Cardiff, here are some of the best.

B+B in Cathederal Road, Cardiff

Cathederal Road, the tree-lined avenue that stretches from the city centre to Pontcanna is a good place to stay if you want a quality B+B or hotel in Cardiff.

Church Guest House on Cathederal Rd is popular with visitors to Cardiff seeking an authentic B&B. Their website says: “Situated at 109 Cathedral Road Cardiff, it is managed and run by Andrew and situated in the heart of the Victorian district of Pontcanna on Cathedral Road, within minutes walk of the Millenium Stadium. The refurbished guest house offers a quiet, relaxing atmosphere for its guests to stay in.”

Another popular B+B in Cardiff, also on Cathederal Rd at number 101, is Courtfield Hotel. This is a typical, traditional Cardiff B+B. Set up as an independent Victorian town-house bed & breakfast hotel, set in a tree-lined conservation area, within minutes’ walk of Cardiff Castle and the city centre. This is good choice of B & B in Cardiff if you’re looking to stay overnight after a concert, or sporting event at the Millennium Stadium, SWALEC Stadium or Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay.

B+B in Newport Road, Cardiff

If you want to be on the other side of the river Taff, there are a few budget guest houses and B+B in Cardiff in Newport Rd.

Hotel One Hundred is located at 100 Newport Rd on the east of the city. It’s affordable, with rooms starting at £50 per night for bed and breakfast. There are seven bedrooms all with en-suite bathrooms. There are triple family rooms, double and twin rooms.

B+B in the countryside just outside Cardiff

Outside the city, you’ll find really nice B&Bs.
Gelynis Farm House Bed and Breakfast in Radyr is a pick-your-own fruit farm with countryside home comfort. Room Rates in August 2017: Single from £50; King/Superking/Twin from £80. There are 6 rooms, all of which have an en-suite bathroom or shower room, TV and tea & coffee making facilities.
Breakfast of fresh fruit, juice, yoghurt and cereals. Full Welsh or Continental breakfast is served until 10 am in the dining room.

The Old Post House is close to the Welsh Folk Museum in the
picturesque village of St Fagans. It’s a Grade II listed building, which used to be the village’s Post Office and Police Station. There are six bedrooms, all on the ground floor.

B+B in Cardiff. Photo by Pexels.
B+B in Cardiff. Photo by Pexels.
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Best Cardiff activities

If you’re looking for some action, this list of activities in Cardiff will give you some ideas. Best Cardiff activities. From white-water rafting to a trip to Flatholm. From a walk around the Bay and Barrage to indoor bouldering.

Best Cardiff activities

If you like water, we recommend you start by looking at these four suggestions:

  1. National White Water Rafting Centre
  2. Cardiff Bay Motor Boat with Cardiff Sea Safaris
  3. Cardiff International Pool – the water tubes at the main swimming pool in the Sports Village
  4. Visit Flatholm island either with Cardiff Sea Safaris or Bay Island Voyages

For motor sport fans, the best go-karting we’ve tried in Cardiff is

Team Sport Karting

Bowling. There are three ten-pin bowling lanes worth considering:

  1. Hollywood Bowl Cardiff, Red Dragon Centre, Hemingway Rd
  2. Superbowl UK Cardiff, Stadium Plaza, Wood Street
  3. Tenpin Cardiff, Parc Nantgarw, Treforest Industrial Estate (this is quite a way north of the city but parking is easier here than at the two in the city)

If you want a guided walking tour with a spooky feeling,

Llandaff Ghost Walks

Watching sport:

  1. Principality Stadium for Wales rugby internationals,
  2. Cardiff City Stadium to watch Cardiff City FC (Bluebirds) and Wales play football,
  3. the SSE SWALEC Stadium for cricket and the
  4. Ice Arena Wales – formerly the National Ice Rink – for the Cardiff Devils Ice Hockey team.

 

This list of the best Cardiff activities includes ten-pin bowling. Photo by sharonang
This list of the best Cardiff activities includes ten-pin bowling. Photo by sharonang
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The best Cardiff bars

Coming to Cardiff for a night out? Here’s a list of the best bars you wouldn’t want to miss. The very best Cardiff bars.

First of all, it depends what you want: a pub? club? live music bar? real ale?

My favourite traditional pub in Cardiff is the Cricketers in Cathedral Road, on the road north out of the city to Pontcanna. It serves Warrior ale, which is delicious. It’s just a great place to go before a game, or to watch a game of rugby.

For a ‘land that time forgot’ pub right in the middle of town, the Old Arcade is hard to beat. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself drinking shoulder to shoulder with former Welsh rugby fly-half Barry John, as this is one of his regular haunts. Brains beer is kept better than anywhere else here, so this is one of the best Cardiff bars to sample a pint of Brains SA, known locally as Skull Attack.

One of the best Cardiff bars for music is Clwb Ifor Bach in Womanby Street, the bar-filled backstreet which runs from the Castle to the Principality Stadium. I began drinking here when it was set up in the 1980s as a venue for Welsh-language music. My band played here three or four times. Today, it’s still a great place to see bands.

The Live Lounge in the City Centre is another good place to go to hear live music. It’s got a casual, young feel and gets quite lively later.

One of the best bars in Cardiff for cocktails is 10 Feet Tall. There’s been a 241 offer there for quite a while but, frustratingly, the last time I ordered, they insisted that the two cocktails be the same! Luckily, the atmosphere makes up for this.

If it’s real ale you want, head to Tiny Rebel’s Urban Tap House on the corner of Westgate Street, opposite another favourite pub, the City Arms (used to be Cerys Matthews’s fave).

I’ll end this list of the best Cardiff bars with a recommendation in Canton, just north-west of the city. The Chapter Bar is a relaxed place where people go to watch a film, exhibition, work on the free wifi. There’s some nice German wheat beer here, but best to drink this in halves.

Pick of the best Cardiff bars Photo by SocialButterflyMMG
Pick of the best Cardiff bars Photo by SocialButterflyMMG

 

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The 10 best hotels in Cardiff

Want a list of the ten best hotels in Cardiff to help you choose the best place to stay in Cardiff? Here are the 10 best hotels in Cardiff.

Because I live here, I often get asked to recommend hotels in Cardiff. When I lived in north Wales, I often stayed overnight on business in the capital, so I came to learn which hotels I liked best.

Best hotels in Cardiff City Centre 

1. My favourite hotel in the city centre is the  Park Plaza Cardiff, Park View Greyfriars Road, Cardiff CF10 3AL, Wales. 029 2011 1111. This is where the cast of Gavin and Stacey stayed when they were filming in Cardiff. It’s luxurious without being too fancy.

2. When the Park Plaza is full, I usually try and book a room at the Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel and Spa
24-26 Newport Road, Cardiff CF24 0DD, Wales
029 2010 4740. There are some fantastic views from the upper floor bedrooms and suites and you can find food from most countries of the world a short stroll away along City Road.

3. My third choice in the central area is the Hilton Hotel Cardiff. Smack bang between the Mill Lane restaurant strip and the Motopoint Arena, this hotel really does have a prime location, and the buiding’s been around since the 1980s. Address: Hilton Cardiff, Kingsway, Cardiff CF10 3HH, Wales +44 800 028 1252

4. The Clayton Hotel Cardiff gets rave reviews on TripAdvisor. It’s right by Cardiff Central Railway Station in St. Mary Street, Cardiff CF10 1GD, Wales Tel: +44 800 568 8520 This is a Best Western hotel.

5.  Radisson Blu Hotel, Meridian Gate Bute Terrace, Cardiff CF10  2FL, Wales 029 2010 1467

Best accommodation in Cardiff Bay

6. The St David’s Hotel is the one with the ‘sails’ on the roof on the waterfront on the Bay. The St. David’s Hotel
Havannah Street, Cardiff CF10 5SD, Wales 0844 854 2910

7. Jolyon’s Boutique Hotel,5 Bute Crescent, Cardiff CF10 5AN, Wales. The smallest hotel in this list. One reviewer writes: “Loved Jolyon’s hotel, booked a further two nights last minute and as a result had to hop rooms, stayed in 3 different rooms – so you can take my word that the rooms have a consistently high quality.”

Best hotels just outside Cardiff

8. New House Country Hotel Cardiff, Thornhill Road, Cardiff CF14 9UA, Wales. This is a few miles out of town on the old Caerphilly Mountain road, but the countryside location and spectacular views over the city – especially at night – might be just what you’re looking for if you’re in Cardiff for a romantic getaway. A great place to stay on BonfireNight: 5 November. One of the best hotels in Cardiff’s surroundings.

9.  Village Hotel Cardiff, Hotel Cardiff Hotel Cardiff 29 Pendwyallt Road | Coryton, Cardiff CF14 7EF, Wales This is at the Coryton Roundabout, just north of Whitchurch, north Cardiff. Nice pool.

10.  Copthorne Hotel Cardiff-Caerdydd, Culverhouse Cross Copthorne Way, Cardiff CF5 6DH, Wales 028 2003 2223. This is beneath the Wenvoe radio mast in Cunlverhouse Cross. It’s near an out-of-town shopping centre with an M&S, Tesco and TKMax. Quite an old hotel but the rooms are quite big.

Which are the best hotels in Cardiff?
Which are the best hotels in Cardiff?