Rhiwbina doesn’t exactly have a reputation for being one of Cardiff’s liveliest suburbs.
Well at least it never did when Mrs G grew up around there.
Until fairly recently, the Juboraj and Deri Inn were about as exciting as it got when it came to places to eat and drink.
But, over the last few years there’s been a string of exciting independent hospitality openings.
First, the Rhiwbina Tap opened in 2021, followed by Mesen in 2023, and a branch of Pettigrew Bakery in 2025.
And just last month, the long-awaited Pane Olio finally opened its doors.
This Italian restaurant and delicatessen is owned by chef David Thomas, a Rhiwbina native with an impressive CV to his name. He initially trained under Stephen Terry at the Hardwick before working in top kitchens in Tuscany for eight years. Returning to Cardiff during the pandemic, David then cooked at the brilliant Casanova for five years before finally striking out on his own.
By day, Pane Olio’s deli serves freshly baked bread, cold cuts, and pantry items whilst the next-door restaurant offers a set lunch menu with three courses for less than thirty quid.
When we visited on a Wednesday evening, the outside terrace was humming with people enjoying aperitivi. The classy dining room, which is less pile-it-high pizza pasta joint and more classy Tuscan trattoria, quickly filled to capacity.
Pane Olio’s compact focuses on a tight selection of antipasti, primi and secondi. Dishes include panzanella (£10), fresh taglioni pasta with king prawns and chilli (£21) and sirloin steak with rocket and parmesan (£30).
On the booze front, a red-focused all Italian list, includes a few well-priced house wines by the glass. Fruity Fiano (£7 for a medium glass), super gluggable Chianti (£7), and prosecco (£7.50) all very much did the job.
Airy crumbed focaccia and toasty crusted sourdough (£5.50) were accompanied by a bowl of grassy olive oil.
A golden arancino (£7), which was sat on a pool of fruity and creamy tomato and mascarpone sauce, was the standout of the starters. Beneath its hyper crisp exterior was a layer of courgette-flecked and mint-scented rice surrounding a core of compellingly molten cheese. Classy yet hearty, it was a sign of things to come.
Caponata (£8) saw soft aubergines and crunchy celery bound together with a palate enlivening sweet and sour tomato sauce. Nuggets of crumbly ricotta cheese and toasted almonds provided flavour and texture contrast.
I can’t see mortadella (£9) on a menu and not order it. Here, the thin slices of luxury Billy Bear sausage were nicely flecked with pistachios. Each mouthful transported me back to last year’s guzzling trip to Bologna.
Wild mushroom risotto (£18) was a decadent bit of comfort food with a bang on texture that balanced intense umami and funky mushroom flavours with luxurious cream and cheese notes. I suspect a background kick of booze might have added even more complexity.
Coarse and meaty sausage ragu (£18) was accompanied by al dente trottole pasta and a generous dusting of fresh parmesan. It was very tasty but less memorable than the risotto.
A lot of care had gone into a side salad (£5) too – mini cucumbers, baby plum tomatoes, thinly sliced shallots and an interesting mix of leaves all had plenty of flavour, were properly dressed and precisely plated.
Just the two desserts were on offer on our visit during our meal as they’d run out of panna cotta.
Thankfully, there was no shortage of tiramisu (£9). Light yet decadent, it was very good indeed. A big dollop had just the right ratio of coffee-soaked sponge, mascarpone cream, and bitter cocoa.
A ramekin of rich and thick chocolate mousse (£9) dusted with crushed hazelnuts hit the spot too.
We had a lovely meal at Pane Olio and their classy yet big flavoured Italian cooking is another welcome addition to Rhiwbina's restaurant scene. This North Cardiff suburb has most definitely found its groove when it comes to independent hospitality.
The Details:
Address - Pane Olio, 2B Heol y Deri, Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6HF
Web - https://paneolio.co.uk/
Web - https://paneolio.co.uk/
