Cardiff’s New Belgian Beer and Board Game Bar

Cardiff is about to welcome a brand-new hangout in Duke Street Arcade as Bran, a Belgian beer and board game bar inspired by the Mabinogion, gets ready to open. Created by the team behind The Dead Canary and Nighthawks, Bran mixes Welsh mythology with Belgian flavour and a whole lot of playfulness.

The bar will serve 100 Belgian beers, 300 board games, a menu of hotdogs, Belgian waffles, frites, milkshakes and bar snacks – including the chance to roll a real D20 to win a free snack. They’ve teamed up with Rules of Play to offer quick, easy-to-learn “grab and go” games, alongside bigger strategy titles, dice games and TV-inspired favourites like The Traitors.

Spread across two floors, Bran’s basement is dedicated entirely to gaming, complete with table hire, special imported “tinker box” gaming tables and a private game room for groups who want to tackle a long campaign. Upstairs, the bar area is designed for casual drinks, quick games and Belgian beer discovery.

The interior pays tribute to Welsh folklore, with walls decorated in striking artwork inspired by characters from the Mabinogion – a nod to Bran the Blessed, the venue’s namesake.

Open 12pm until midnight, Bran is shaping up to be one of Cardiff’s most distinctive new venues: part game café, part beer hall, and fully committed to good times.