Cardiff

ARMLESS DRAGON
97 Wyeverne Rd, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4BG
Tel: 029 2038 2357, web: www.armlessdragon.co.uk
Hidden gem of a restaurant, 10 minutes’ walk from the city centre, offering the very best in contemporary Welsh cuisine. ‘People should go to Cardiff just to eat here,’ said Time Out. The bilingual staff pride themselves in sourcing the best, most local and, wherever possible, organic produce to complement each season. Choose from a menu stuffed with local produce: fillet or sirloin of Welsh black beef with mushrooms, roast tomatoes and gratin potatoes; best end of Brecon lamb with a faggot, lamb & rosemary cake and spring greens; Bara Brith bread & butter pudding. Closed all day Sun, Mon and Sat lunch (open for rugby internationals).

FOXHUNTER
Nantyderry, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, NP7 9DN
Tel. 01873 881101, web: www.thefoxhunter.com
A little outside Cardiff, admittedly, but well worth the short trek. Matt Tebbutt may have been born in High Wycombe but his family moved to Wales when he was just six months old, so he counts as an honorary Welshman. Best known for his appearances on BBC’s ‘Great British Menu’, he returned to Wales after garnering kitchen experience at Leiths School of Food and Wine. His ‘Matt Tebbutt Cooks Country’ was published just before Christmas, and he and wife Lisa have transformed the Foxhunter pub at Nantyderry into an acclaimed restaurant, winning AA Restaurant of the Year for Wales in 2004. Matt offers the best modern British cooking, with daily changing menus featuring local, organic ingredients and recipes that remain true to the flavours of fresh, seasonal ingredients.

LE GALLOIS Y CYMRO
6-10 Romilly Crescent, Canton, Cardiff, CF11 9NR
Tel: 029 2034 1264, web: www.legallois-ycymro.com
Family-run restaurant which has received exceptional reviews in both the national and international press, situated about five minutes from the city centre. Open from 9am for breakfasts, tapas and light bites, through to full a la carte dinner. Cardiff-born chef Padrig Jones heads the kitchen team, and his sister Elen and French husband Francis Dupuy run the restaurant floor. Welsh, French and English are spoken by all the family. Winner of numerous awards including AA Restaurant of the Year, Wales and two AA rosettes, the Good Food Guide’s Newcomer of the Year, Wales, plus a silver medal in the Wales Food and Drink Awards 2002. The restaurant has been voted Best in Wales by readers of the Western Mail and, in February 2004, Le Gallois was again voted the best restaurant in Wales by readers of The Observer. Good Sunday lunch. Closed Sun eve and all day Mon.

ORGANIC ZONE
11 Charles St, Cardiff, CF10 2GA
Tel: 029 2038 3886
This lovely little city centre cafe was regional winner in the UKTV Food Heroes awards for 2006. Also simply referred to as Ozone. The sourcing of local Welsh produce is of paramount importance: everything is purchased from registered organic farmers and growers. Eggs, dairy products and meat feature in a selection of food available from 8.30am. For lunch they offer a choice of soup, salads, and made-to-order sandwiches. Good selection of both vegetarian and vegan food, too.

RAGLANS RESTAURANT
Copthorne Hotel Cardiff, Copthorne Way, Culverhouse Cross, Cardiff, CF5 6DH
Tel: 029 2059 9100, web: www.millenniumhotels.co.uk/copthornecardiff
One of Cardiff’s best-kept secrets, the quietly stylish Raglans Restaurant enjoys a glorious lakeside setting. Michelin-starred chef Daniel James heads up the team at this double-AA-rosette restaurant at the Copthorne Hotel (handy for Cardiff Airport and not far from Cardiff city centre). Dishes include the likes of roasted beef medallion with artichoke ragout, girolles and borlotti beans. The modern European-influenced menus change frequently, led by the availability of local, high-quality, seasonal produce (even the bread is baked on site). With the three-course table d’hote dinner menu kicking off at £25 (and a la carte mains from around £13), it’s surprisingly affordable, too.

TRADE STREET CAFE
Trade St, Cardiff, CF10 5DT
Tel: 029 2022 8666, web: www.tradestreetcafe.com
Popular Cardiff haunt that opened just a couple of years ago, but within months of its debut was declared Sandwich Bar of the year in the South Wales Echo Food & Drink Awards 2007. Owned by ACT, Wales’ leading independent work-based learning provider, and all profits are reinvested in the business. The emphasis is on freshly made, proper food: braised lamb, shepherd’s pie, butternut squash risotto, etc. Run by Sarah Gillow, formerly of Glasgow’s Michelin-starred restaurant Nairns. All meals are freshly prepared on site using local produce and ingredients wherever possible. Fruit and veg are bought at the local market, lamb comes straight from the Hughes farm in Anglesey and other meat comes from Cardiff butcher DJ Driscoll & Sons. Drop in for the famous, seriously good Trade Street breakfast.

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