The much anticipated and dreaded Saint Valentine’s day is once again on the horizon. Whether you’re spending it alone or with your significant other, look no further, for Emma Harris has assembled the ultimate list of Cardiffian alternatives for Tue 14 Feb – without a Care Bear in sight.
- Be A Snaffling Pig at The Cambrian Tap
If you’re yet to visit this delightful craft beer establishment, we suggest you march yourself there for Valentine’s Day. With 18 draught taps, speciality pork pies, and the delicious Snaffling Pig pork scratchings, you’re guaranteed to experience less eye-gazing and more uncontrollable scoffing. We think you’ll agree there’s nothing sexier. We’ve also heard a rumour that a special edition Valentine’s scotch egg may even be on the cards…
The Cambrian Tap, 51 St Mary St, Cardiff. Info: 029 2064 4952 / www.sabrain.com
- Go Forth and Eat Pie
Sometimes when you need a pick-me-up in a city full of shop windows emblazoned with hearts and teddy bears, you can’t go wrong with a big plate of pie, mash, and gravy. Team that with a side of pigs in blankets and a beer or two, and you’re surely on to a winner. Go one further and attempt the #TowerofPower, a double-pie combination that will most certainly make that heart of yours beat faster.
Pieminister, 35 St Mary Street, Cardiff. Info: 029 2000 4155 / www.pieminister.co.uk
- Eat Cake and Drink Gin!
Forget tea and cake, head over to Laguna Kitchen And Bar this Valentine’s for an afternoon tea with a teapot of gin. Need to drown your sorrows? Prefer your romance on a sugar trip? A wondrous selection of cakes all washed down with lashings of gin is the answer. It’s certainly a more attractive option than a bottle of Lambrini and a Greggs iced bun.
Laguna Kitchen And Bar, Park Plaza Hotel, Greyfriars Road, Cardiff. Admission: £21.95. Info: 029 2011 1103 / www.lagunakitchenandbar.com
- Be Nice and Share in Nine Yards
If you’re not familiar with this Italian deli, patisserie and prosecco bar, then we insist you make yourself so. Offering a three-course sharing menu for Valentine’s Day, we recommend this as a clever choice for those who fancy a meal out but without the pomp. Expect generous portions and comfortable surroundings with a side of prosecco; and forget your knife and fork!
Nine Yards, St Mary Street, Cardiff. Info: www.facebook.com/NineYardsCardiff
- Choose Your Own Tune at The Smoke Haus
Fancy a break from romantic lyrics? Had enough of the gentle sound of a harp? Head to the Smoke Haus for an evening of delicious American-inspired BBQ with the added bonus of controlling the playlist. The Smoke Haus offers customers the option of joining their wi-fi and signing in with a social media account or email address in order to hit the ‘Click Control Music’ button. Is it the soothing sounds of Drowning Pool or the soundtrack to Silent Hill that gets you in the mood?
The Smoke Haus, Mary Ann St, Cardiff. Info: www.thesmokehaus.co.uk