Saturday 6 March 2021

Vegetarian Food Studio and Calabrisella Gelateria, Cardiff reviews


It’s been a very long time since my only visit to the Vegetarian Food Studio in Grangetown. Back in 2013 I was a little underwhelmed by a thali which featured fried goods lacking in crispness.

In the intervening years I’ve only heard good things about this multi-award winning vegetarian restaurant. So, it was time for a revisit.


With an extensive menu focusing on Gujarati food they also serve a range of Southern Indian and Indo-Chinese dishes. Whilst you can order via the usual delivery platforms, it’s much cheaper to purchase direct.

A thin masala dosa (£5.95), which had lost most of its crispness on its journey, was stuffed with a comforting mustard seed flecked potato curry. Its accompaniments elevated it no end; creamy coconut chutney and warming lentil sambhar with a good chilli hit.


A pair of behemothic vegetable samosas (£3) were golden, crisp and full of flavour. Filled with a meaty vegetarian mince studded with peas and sweetcorn, they were accompanied by sweet, tangy and spicy tamarind chutney.


Ringan no-oro (£6.95) tasted of time well spent on the hob. Soft roasted aubergine and thoroughly well caramelised onions and garlic were bathed in a multilayered sauce - sweet, savoury and spicy in equal measure.


Chilli paneer (£6.50) had clearly had a much briefer dalliance with the saucepan - the golden, slightly chewy cubes of paneer were coated in a sweet, spicy and sour Indo-Chinese sauce mingled with crunchy onions and peppers.


I really enjoyed my Vegetarian Food Studio revisit. A few of the dishes were a bit greasy but I was impressed by their big flavoured vegetarian food. I won’t leave it so long until my next order.

The Details:

Vegetarian Food Studio
Address - 115-117 Penarth Rd, Cardiff CF11 6JU
Telephone - 029 2023 8222

Calabrisella Gelateria, Canton


To go alongside their excellent pair of pizzerias in Canton and Cathays, Calabrisella have recently opened a gelateria on Cowbridge Road East.

I've heard that people queued down the street to get hold of a scoop of their traditional Italian gelato on the first sunny Saturday of the year. We of course visited for a mid-morning snack so were able to beat the rush. 


I've been trying to track down a brioche con gelato since a trip to Bologna around ten years ago. Calabrisella's version was worth the wait. A soft, rich and sweet brioche bun (£5.50) was stuffed with their super smooth and milky gelato; we had excellent pistachio and Ferrero Rocher flavours. 


Alongside their gelato, Calabrisella's fridges and freezers are filled with lush looking ice cream cakes and desserts. I spotted some cannoli on the counter waiting to be filled. If they're anything as good as the ones they sell at Calabrisella Cathays, you'll be in for a treat. Uber crisp pastry shells are loaded with a creamy and tangy sweetened ricotta filling. 


The Details:

Calabrisella Gelateria
Address - 187 Cowbridge Rd East, Cardiff CF11 9AJ
Telephone - 029 2280 1081

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