Wales’ speciality coffee scene is booming, with a flurry of fresh coffee shops and roasteries popping up across the country. Kathryn Lewis, editor of the new Indy Coffee Guide Wales, shares five new venues deserving of a spot on your hit list!
Shire Coffee at Hwyl, Llanelli
In February 2023, the team behind Llanelli’s roaming coffee shop took over the town’s esteemed brunch spot, and Shire Coffee at Hwyl was born. The Shire van continues to pitch up at Sandy Water Park from Thursday to Saturday, but for a more formal fix fans can now also get it at the cafe in town. At both venues, there’s a house blend from Coaltown alongside guest roasts from Ue, Round Hill and Skylark, showcasing the diversity of the speciality scene.
Info: here
Crafty Smuggler Coffee Roastery & Cafe, Swansea
From a tiny coffee shop housed in a former garage, the Crafty Smuggler baristas brew super‑fresh coffee using beans from their roastery across town. Play it safe (but smart) by opting for house espresso The Full Barrel, a smooth blend of El Salvadorian, Ethiopian and Colombian beans. It yields notes of cocoa and nuts when paired with milk, and hints of orange when served black.
Info: here
Yellow Chair Coffee, Cardiff
Thanks to its new in-house brew bar, gymgoers don’t have to settle for a vending machine pick‑me-up at Cardiff’s ION Strength and Conditioning Gym. You don’t have to be a gym bunny to visit either; it’s open to all from 6am, making it particularly popular with local commuters needing an early fix. Speciality beans come courtesy of local roastery Hard Lines and are crafted into top‑notch espresso drinks via the La Marzocco machine.
Info: here
Welsh Coffee Community Coffee Shop, Ogmore-By-Sea
The Welsh Coffee Co. (WCC) crew have been roasting in this corner of South Wales since 2011, but this venue within Ogmore village’s futuristic community hall (the metal‑clad entrance looks like something from a spaceship) is their first foray into the coffee shop wing of the speciality industry. It’s a fantastic spot for adventurers taking a break from the trail, with its sprawling sea views and comfy furniture fashioned from ocean plastic and spent coffee grounds.
Info: here
HMY, Carmarthen
Part coffee house, part custom artwork and clothing brand, HMY is where founder Hammy Darbyshire’s interests in colour, coffee and community collide. After running their custom painting company for several years, in 2023 Hammy and the team moved the operation to roomier digs so they could expand the business and throw a coffee element into the mix. Now customers can ogle the kaleidoscopic custom boots, shoes and jerseys (they specialise in all things two‑wheeled) in the coffee house while sipping a single-origin flat white.
Info: here
Discover more speciality coffee venues with the new Indy Coffee Guide Wales. Buzz readers get 20% off until Thurs 29 Feb with code: BUZZ20. RRP £9.99.
Order here.
words KATHRYN LEWIS