While it’s all too easy to pop into one of the umpteen Starbucks or Maccy Ds while you’re out, about and hungry this summer, Dan Edwards is on a mission to persuade you otherwise. Here are five indie food places to fill up this summer in Wales instead.
EARTHA
Eartha is one of the staples of the restaurant scene on Cardiff’s City Road, so we’ll be very sad when it shuts its doors for the last time on Sat 9 July. Eartha’s main culinary event is a rotating menu of incredibly creative vegan small plates, but it also boasts a shop selling locally made goods and a wide selection of plants. Be sure to head down before it’s gone forever!
Info: here
TOKYO NIGHTS
If travelling this summer is still a scary thought, there are plenty of ways to try new cuisines without even leaving Wales. Tokyo Nights brings Japanese street food to Swansea and Cardiff with a range of yakitori, katsu curry, gyoza and many more traditional dishes, transporting you to the food stalls of Setagaya without needing a passport.
Info: here
HELLENIC EATERY
If your global food interests skew a little more Mediterranean, check out the Hellenic Eatery on Crwys Road, Cardiff. As the name explains, here they specialize in Greek food, with grilling the name of the game. Their traditionally grilled chicken, pork and vegetables are spectacular, and the light and bright selection of sides, salads and sauces match the summer weather perfectly.
Info: here
CALABRISELLA
The brainchild of three Italian schoolmates who moved to Cardiff in 2004 to learn English and loved it so much they decided to stay. Calibrisella’s Canton branch is still the flagship, serving Italian standards like fresh pasta dishes and espresso, but check out the Cathays one for its pizza oven shipped directly from Italy, and its gelateria just down the road from the first location for dessert.
Info: here
STOL COFFEE
Lastly, if you find yourself in Penarth enjoying the seaside sun, keep an eye out for Stol Coffee’s trademark cargo bike. Every day, Peter, owner/barista/driver, brews fresh drip filter coffee, bakes a batch of homemade plant-based cookies and sets out with the goal of making connections within the local community. He’s always up for a chat, too.
Info: here
words DAN EDWARDS for BUZZ CULTURE
APPLICATIONS for spring term 22 are now Closed: If you’re 18-30, live in Wales, and want to get ahead in the creative and cultural industries, express your interest for autumn term.
