# Cardiff coffee bar/cafe recommendations



## editor (Sep 4, 2011)

We visited A Shot In The Dark on City Road a few weeks ago and found it to be a rather good cafe (see feature here: http://www.urban75.org/blog/a-shot-in-the-dark-coffee-bar-cardiff/ ). Anyone else been?

And how about some recommendations for other good independent coffee places in Cardiff?


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## pepper78 (Sep 4, 2011)

I absolutely love shot. There's a real shortage of this sort of civilised place in cardiff. Love that you can pop in for a coffee till late , makes a change from the usual alcohol only variety that's offered elsewhere at that time of night.  The Pot on Crwys road is a lovely place too. They serve great breakfasts but sadly they close quite early in the evening I think.


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## JKaranka (Sep 5, 2011)

I like Garlands in one of the arcades, a bit of a quiet retreat from the busy city centre. Coffee #1 in Albany Rd tends to have a good atmosphere for a chain. Used to go sometimes to write my thesis to A Shot late at night with a coffee or glass of wine.


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## Riklet (Sep 6, 2011)

Would definitely second *Thé *Pot, not _The_ Pot  *pedant* is a reet nice little cafe, although its not that cheap, well, might seem more if you live in London... is garlands that place with the big glass windows thats all wooden, and is right next to the little second hand book shop with the bernard black-esque dude running it?

never went to a shot in the dark, for some weird reason, been meaning to for years, hopefully at some point soon...


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## Gromit (Sep 6, 2011)

JKaranka said:


> I like Garlands in one of the arcades, a bit of a quiet retreat from the busy city centre. Coffee #1 in Albany Rd tends to have a good atmosphere for a chain. Used to go sometimes to write my thesis to A Shot late at night with a coffee or glass of wine.



Garlands isn't as good since the guy who started it sold it (about 4 years ago). Still pretty decent though.


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## danny la rouge (Sep 6, 2011)




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## la ressistance (Sep 6, 2011)

the garlands breakfast is crap.


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## poisondwarf (Sep 6, 2011)

Brava in Pontcanna is rather nice and most definitely civilised. Also doggy friendly and provide a bowl of water-they also get their coffee from an independent roaster in nearby Ross-on Wye.


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## JKaranka (Sep 6, 2011)

I rarely eat in Garlands. They have free coffee refils!


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## editor (Sep 6, 2011)

The coffee's not exactly world class, of course, but I still have a soft spot for Hayes Island snack bar.

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http://www.urban75.org/photos/wales/hayes-island.html


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## Gavin Bl (Sep 8, 2011)

Bullterrier upstairs in the market - cheap and cheerful, plenty of it. laver bread brekkie is zinging fresh from the fish stall downstairs. Big mug of tea, sorted...


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## nogojones (Sep 9, 2011)

Milgi's up the other end of city road ain't bad, their alcohol is a bit pricy though


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## Silurian (Sep 9, 2011)

Its a bit out of the way, but the best café is the one on Trade Street.

http://www.tradestreetcafe.com/


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## Threshers_Flail (Sep 9, 2011)

> The coffee's not exactly world class, of course, but I still have a soft spot for Hayes Island snack bar.



Always used to smell of piss round there which was offputting. Another shout for Coffee#1, the two of them did the rare feat of beating Starbucks at their own game, forcing their store on albany rd to close. Not bad. Always spot a minor Welsh celeb in there two which can be fun trying to guess who they are.


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## la ressistance (Sep 10, 2011)

editor said:


> The coffee's not exactly world class, of course, but I still have a soft spot for Hayes Island snack bar.



hate that place. never understood why, but i always hated that place since being a nipper. still hate it now and i've never bought anything from there.

hate it.


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## zog (Sep 10, 2011)

Threshers_Flail said:


> . Another shout for Coffee#1, the two of them did the rare feat of beating Starbucks at their own game, forcing their store on albany rd to close. Not bad. Always spot a minor Welsh celeb in there two which can be fun trying to guess who they are.



its really fucking expensive for a coffee in there. Tried once, never going back.


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## ddraig (Sep 11, 2011)

danny la rouge said:


>


 
 where the fuck is that?


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## ddraig (Sep 11, 2011)

dont do coffee so cqnt help much1

aaargh fuckin french keyboqrd


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## ddraig (Sep 11, 2011)

Waterloo tea place! Not sure if they do coffee mind!


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## pigtails (Sep 11, 2011)

ddraig said:


> Waterloo tea place! Not sure if they do coffee mind!


They do coffee
I love it there, but it is a bit expensive.
Also love Tea and Cake on Welfield Rd and Cafe Serrano on Albany Rd.


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## danny la rouge (Sep 12, 2011)

ddraig said:


> where the fuck is that?


Glasgow.  But I was making a reference to the making of Dr Who.


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## editor (Sep 12, 2011)

danny la rouge said:


> Glasgow. But I was making a reference to the making of Dr Who.


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## danny la rouge (Sep 12, 2011)

Which is made in Cardiff.  It was banter.


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## editor (Sep 12, 2011)

danny la rouge said:


> Which is made in Cardiff. It was banter.


It's a thread asking for recommendations for *Cardiff cafes*. Posting up a random, uncaptioned photo from an entirely different city is not exactly useful, so the  was well earned.


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## danny la rouge (Sep 12, 2011)

The moratorium on humour is noted.


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## la ressistance (Sep 12, 2011)

i thought it was an interesting pic. the rest of this thread has been quite dull and that pic provided an uplift.


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## editor (Sep 12, 2011)

la ressistance said:


> i thought it was an interesting pic. the rest of this thread has been quite dull and that pic provided an uplift.


Yeah thanks for that. Really helpful.

Anyway, back on topic, what's happened to the old Europa Cafe (opp the Castle)  these days?


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## la ressistance (Sep 12, 2011)

no probs.


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## editor (Sep 12, 2011)

la ressistance said:


> no probs.


Got any Cardiff cafe recommendations?


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## la ressistance (Sep 12, 2011)

editor said:


> Got any Cardiff cafe recommendations?



the pot cafe is great.
cafe brava of course.
cafe aroma does some great burritos.
i'd give ramones a miss and pop to the place across the road. much better breakfast imo.


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## Gromit (Sep 14, 2011)

la ressistance said:


> the pot cafe is great.
> cafe brava of course.
> cafe aroma does some great burritos.
> i'd give ramones a miss and pop to the place across the road. much better breakfast imo.



Yer a wrongun. Ramones is legendary. Massive brecky in double quick time.


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## ddraig (Sep 14, 2011)

IT's fucking RAMONS not bloody Ramones  
not a great coffee bar but sort of does its job as a caff

just found this, weird
*Opening Time At Ramon's Breakfast Bar*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEeAyjxBz_4


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## teqniq (Sep 15, 2011)

The Imperial cafe in Splott is ace. Something like a restaurant familliad, serves all kinds of meals rather than just greasy spoon stuff. Which is not surprising really as the proprietors are from Madeira. Doesn't do proper coffee alas.


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## ddraig (Sep 15, 2011)

do they do beer in there still?


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## teqniq (Sep 15, 2011)

Yes, I believe they do though I've never had one in there, just noticed the bottles etc behind the counter.


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## pepper78 (Sep 16, 2011)

Always had a soft spot for the Imperial, great way to start a Saturday before a Wales match. It took a bit of a slating in the food hygiene ratings though which has put me off a little.


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## la ressistance (Sep 16, 2011)

Gromit said:


> Yer a wrongun. Ramones is legendary. Massive brecky in double quick time.


massive RANK brekie when ya numbers called.


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## teqniq (Sep 17, 2011)

la ressistance said:


> massive RANK brekie when ya numbers called.


Hmm yes this is a problem I have found with them. Lots of brekkie, seriously swimming in grease. So much so that I've been unable to finish it.

and that's the veggie brekkie btw - not that I'm a vegetarian but I will often go for the veggie option in cafes


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