Cardiff restaurants and cafes

Yep, construction underway, opening date of the 14th December apparently.

It's ok I guess, would have preferred a Pret or something but good to see that area put to use.

The old Rosie's bar by the entrance has been vacant for years, no one seems to want to take it on.

Maybe Five Guys will increase interest in the unit though.

I don't know how busy The Red Dragon centre is these days but a bar wouldn't really work there as most people arrive there by car. I doubt it's on the Mermaid Quay circuit for many people.

Yeah I agree a bar wouldn't really work, but a decent cafe/restaurant would I think.

It's usually fairly quiet in the day, but busy in the evenings and on weekends. Its very busy now having just walked through it but it is half term atm.

Hokkei are looking to open a second outlet at the two empty units in Barrack Lane. There is an application for change of use for units 4 and 5. This will mean that all of the units apart from Rapture Hairdressers and the art gallery will be food or drink based.

That reflects what seems to be happening at the moment in the city centre. Lots of places to eat are opening in former retail units including inside SD2. It also follows a BBC news item that suggests that chains are currently queuing up for suitable premises in Cardiff (up to 60 according to one estate agent). Can anyone think of what chains these might be? Presumably some might be looking to double up, like Cote have recently, but hopefully some new and exciting ones are looking to come this way as well. I'd like to see Belgo come to Cardiff - if only for the lovely beers.

Anyone know whats going in the long time vacant unit on the corner next to Magic Wrap down in the Bay? There are signs of it being fitted up but no idea what for.

Irie Shack (the Caribbean place opening on St Mary Street) are also opening in the bay... in the former White Hart pub on James Street. Scaffolding and banners have appeared in the last few days.

Bit of an update from down the Bay:
Greggs is shortly to open in the vacant unit next to GBK, hoardings are up and builders on site.
Top Gun seems to have closed down, strange as it always seemed busy.
The former Mimosa/Punk Panda/Quayside Café unit on the corner has also closed down (again). Might drop a line to Pret a Manger to let them know

Strange re: Top Gun. It is always busy at lunch time. Maybe it struggles in the evenings?

The Quayside Cafe looked a bit rubbish to be honest so whilst it snuffed it surprisingly quickly, its not surprising it snuffed it. But I agree, its quite a same to admit it'd do better as a chain. The people going to the bay are quite a different demographic to those who are helping boost Cardiff's more quirky independent bar (and eatery) scene in the centre and in Roath and Cowbridge.

I noticed Top gun had closed a few weeks ago, seemingly due to an upgrade/issue with machines, but they never reopened. I think they were charging a premium for fish and chips, and with a nicer choice of restaurants down the bay were too expensive for a casual visitor (same as Harry Ramsden) and only being a fish and chip shop to those looking for a decent meal. Punk Panda/cafe as i said before was styled completely wrong for bay visitors and off putting from the outside.

I don't think Top Gun were charging premium prices at all - it was less than Harry Ramsdens were charing for their takeaway quite a few years ago, and comparable to their prices in Whitchurch for instance.

Maybe there just wasn't much of a local market to cover the evening trade. Combined with the lack of 'visitor' sales in the winter, they were probably only really able to capitalise on a healthy lunch-time weekday trade.