New indie openings, glowing national recognition, and the atmospheric arcades put the welsh capital at the tip for food lovers
This December, the Welsh capital is making a compelling case as one of the UK’s most exciting festive food and drink destinations – with its mix of independent venues, exciting chains, historic arcades and dazzling festive displays combining into a uniquely Cardiff experience.
Angela Hui – the food & travel writer who recently wrote about Cardiff’s food scene for Condé Nast Traveller – thinks the city’s mix of quality restaurants, artisanal cafés and buzzy bars is an irresistible draw for food lovers this holiday season. She said, “I love Cardiff – but especially during the festive period when it really comes alive. Over the years, the maze of independent boutiques, cafes, shops, markets, bars and restaurants in the city centre has really evolved into a unique eating and drinking destination. There’s something for everyone, and it’s enchanting when you wander up and down the different arcades, peering into each shop, taking in the stunning architecture, and enjoying a glass and a bite of something delicious whilst watching the world go by; it’s truly special.”
Victorian & Edwardian Arcades: Cardiff’s Evolving Indie Food & Drink Quarter
At this time of year, Cardiff’s famous Victorian and Edwardian Arcades turn into a twinkling backdrop for some of the city’s most interesting indie food and drink ventures – an offering which has been further strengthened by a flurry of recent new openings:
• Brân – a Belgian beer and board game bar at the mouth of Duke Street Arcade, opposite Cardiff Castle, offering around 80+ Belgian beers (including plenty of low and no-alcohol options), alongside a relaxed, playful atmosphere; from the same team as Castle arcade favourite Nighthawks.
• Lowkey – a stylish ‘low-key’ cocktail bar from award-winning bartender Alex Taylor, tucked inside the Grade II-listed Duke Street Arcade. The bar focuses on calm, curated cocktails, seasonal menus and low-booze options, providing a sophisticated alternative to the usual festive chaos.
• Barkers Tavern – a new ‘classic boozer, elevated’ in Castle Arcade, from the team behind long-standing arcade favourite Barkers. The pub brings together vintage interiors, live jazz and one of Cardiff’s largest whisky selections (around 140 bottles from around the world) creating a cosy, grown-up refuge from the Christmas crowds above.
Together with existing arcade favourites like Parallel, the New York Deli and Waterloo Tea these venues are turning the arcades into a de-facto indie food and drink quarter, where at Christmas, visitors can wander under fairy lights, dipping in and out of bars, cafés and restaurants just a few steps from the main shopping streets.
Amy Holmes runs Nighthawks wine bar in Castle Arcade and recently opened Brân in Duke Street Arcade – just in time for the Christmas rush. She explained, “The range of small independent businesses in the arcades create an ambience which is unique to anywhere else. Nighthawks has been here in the arcades for just over three years now, and we love being part of the community here – so choosing Duke Street Arcade for Brân, our new concept, was a no brainer.”
Cardiff Market: A City Centre Street Food Gem
Alongside the arcades, Cardiff’s central indoor market has been quietly reinventing itself over the last couple of years, too. A new wave of street-food favourites like Ffwrnes, Pierogi, Tukka Tuk, Bao Selecta and Dirty Gnocchi – serving everything from Neapolitan pizza and Polish dumplings to Keralan curries, bao buns and cheese-wheel pasta – means that the Victorian hall now feels as much like a foodie must-visit as a place to pick up your weekly fruit & veg shop.
At the same time late-night ‘Foodie Night Market’ events have opened the building up after dark with DJs and special menus, cementing its reputation as one of the best places in Cardiff to graze your way around a variety of independents in one go. And this Christmas, the outside of the market has been dressed to impress for the festive season , with FOR Cardiff’s new projections shining brightly above the city’s shoppers.
On The High Street: Big Names & Exciting Chains
Beyond the arcades and the market, Cardiff city centre’s restaurant scene runs the full spectrum from destination independents to glossy big-name chains, all within a few minutes’ walk of each other. For example, award-winning, fire-obsessed indie steakhouse Pasture, has become a serious draw for carnivores, with its open charcoal grills, dry-ageing cabinets and a menu built around pasture-raised beef from farms in Wales and the South West; a couple of streets away on Quay Street, Asador 44 brings a Spanish grill-house feel to the city centre, cooking Galician-style steaks, whole legs of Welsh lamb and seafood over a wood-fired parrilla; for all-day dining with a glam edge there’s The Ivy Cardiff, on The Hayes at St David’s Dewi Sant, serving everything from breakfast and afternoon tea to cocktails and Sunday roasts in its foliage-filled dining room; and this month, Bosco Pizzeria – the much-loved, Bristol-born Italian restaurant group known for its Neapolitan-style pizzas and 100% Italian wine list – has opened its first Welsh site on High Street.
A Very Cardiff Christmas for food & drink lovers
Cardiff’s incredible festive food & drink offering forms a central part of the A Very Cardiff Christmas campaign, delivered by FOR Cardiff in partnership with Visit Cardiff, which aims to showcase the best of the city’s retail, hospitality and culture and position the Welsh capital as a leading UK festive destination.
Carolyn Brownell, Executive Director at FOR Cardiff, said: “Cardiff boasts a great food & drink offering all year ‘round, but what we’re seeing now is the whole city centre coming together as one big festive neighborhood – from the arcades and the central market to our independents and big-name restaurants. At Christmas, you can wander from an indie café to a Michelin-recommended meal, pick up something delicious in the market and finish with cocktails in the arcades, all within a few minutes’ walk. It’s that mix of atmosphere, quality and walkability that really sets Cardiff apart as a food city – especially at this time of year.”
A Year of Celebration for Cardiff
FOR Cardiff’s Christmas campaign follows hot on the heels of their successful City of Arcades 2025 campaign, which marked 70 years since Cardiff became the capital of Wales with 70 days of events across the city centre.
The autumn-long campaign brought together hundreds of local businesses through five themed fortnights celebrating food, discovery, arts, history and wellbeing, reinforcing FOR Cardiff’s year-round commitment to supporting the city’s retail and hospitality sectors.
