Fresh’s Christmas foodie guide: Cardiff's best winter warmers

For foodies in Cardiff, Christmas is always one of the year’s highlights. The Welsh capital transforms into a winter wonderland full of festive treats come December. Stay tuned for the best of Cardiff’s winter warmers, from our favourite hot chocolate and mulled wine spots to the best Sunday roast in the city.

Picture it: you’ve just polished off your Nutella-covered crêpes and wiped away your squirty cream moustache after a killer Baileys hot chocolate. Now? It’s time to find a warm pub where you can buckle down the hatches and enjoy a delicious cut of beef, with roasties and a Yorkshire pudding.

 

Drum roll, please…announcing the awards for:

 

The best hot chocolate – Mrs Potts Chocolate House

Located on St Mary Street, Mrs Potts Chocolate House is just a seven-minute walk from the Verse apartments, serving up indulgence in every cup. Using only real flaked chocolate, its menu of hot chocolate specials includes the French Toast hot chocolate with spiced vanilla maple syrup, the Bonfire hot chocolate topped with pretzel sticks and a toasted marshmallow, and the Hot Honey number finished with a sugar rim. Pure chocolate heaven.
 

Honourable mentions go to:

• Choco Melt station
• Knoops
• Hotel Chocolat
• The Urban Chocolatier Cardiff Bay

Cardiff’s best roast dinner – The Pasture Restaurant

Enjoy crispy roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding alongside your choice of chateaubriand, tomahawk, sirloin, or fillet steak. Not a beef fan? Opt for the slow-cooked lamb shoulder or a classic fire-roasted chicken. While The Pasture is a meat lover’s dream, vegetarian alternatives are also available and the full à la carte menu is well worth exploring.

When the weather turns grey and drizzly, nothing brings warmth back into your life like a glistening Yorkshire pudding covered in beef dripping and gravy. Cardiff has so many incredible Sunday roast spots that choosing just one feels unfair, but if we had to, The Pasture takes the crown. The Pasture is just nine minutes from the Verse apartments on foot and serves Sunday lunch every week from 12–5 pm.

Honourable mentions go to:

• The Welsh House
• Silures
• Gaucho
• Pen and Wig

 

The best mulled wine – Tricycle Bar

Once December hits, the hunt for the best mulled wine begins anew. Most of Cardiff’s pubs, markets and bars offer their own take on this heart-warming Christmas staple.  However, for us, Tricycle Bar claims the top spot. You’ll find this charming pop-up all over Cardiff during the festive season (especially at the Christmas markets), serving up rich, aromatic mulled wine that keeps visitors coming back.

You can even book it for private events and gatherings. We can’t give you a permanent address, but follow Tricycle Bar on Instagram to find out where it'll pop up around town this December.

Honourable mentions go to:
• Celtic Country Wines (Cardiff Christmas Market)
• Sur La Piste Alpine Bar (Cardiff Winter Wonderland)

 

Cardiff Christmas markets and events

 

Cardiff Christmas Market

From the luxury handmade marshmallow flowers at Fleur de Bloom to Welsh honey and Celtic whisky stalls, the Cardiff Christmas Market is a foodie’s delight. Start with mulled drinks from Severn Cider or Celtic Country Wines before diving into a bubbling hot cheese pot at Snowdonia Cheese. Luckily, this market runs through most of December, so you can make several trips to sample all the fantastic flavours.

 

Festive Welsh Cake making – The Cardiff Townhouse

Join Rogue Welsh Cakes at The Cardiff Townhouse for a Festive Welsh Cake Making workshop. All you need to bring is an apron, your favourite chocolate bar and around 100g of your chosen dry ingredients. You’ll leave with 12–15 of your own festive-flavoured Welsh cakes and a newfound appreciation for the art of Welsh baking.

 

Cardiff Christmas Festival – Sophia Gardens

The Christmas holidays aren’t complete without a hot dog and a generous side of nachos. Outside the Spiegel Theatre in Sophia Gardens, the Cardiff Christmas Festival offers a cosy festive village with all the guilty pleasures you crave. Why not head down before a theatre show to grab a spiced cider or a Baileys hot chocolate? There are plenty of outdoor picnic tables and chairs, so whether it’s date night or you’re meeting friends, you’ll find a spot you can settle into.

 

Explore Cardiff’s food scene from our Verse apartments

Where you live should make everyday adventures easy. Located in the heart of Cardiff city centre, our Verse apartments are just a short walk from the city’s best eateries and festive hotspots. Discover the Verse amenities or book a viewing of one of our fully furnished apartments today.