Workhorse, Canton, Cardiff cycle cafe review

What is it about bike repair shops and coffee? 

You don’t pop to a cobbler for a cortado, a mechanic for a macchiato, or a horologist for a hot chocolate.

But, there are bike repair cafes up and down the UK. I guess it must be because there’s a big overlap between people who love cycling and snaffling artisanal coffee.

So, it makes perfect sense that Workhorse on Cardiff’s Cowbridge Road East grinds both coffee beans and cycle gears. The front of their building serves as a small café whilst the back operates as a cycle repair workshop. 

Workhorse has been open for two years but it’s only in the last few months that they’ve started serving freshly baked bagels. It certainly seems to be a winning formula, as they were down to their last few bagels when we visited between Christmas and New Year. 

On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Workhorse sells a pleasingly compact menu of filled bagels alongside a few rotating seasonal specials. Mainstays include the BuLliTt with bacon, rocket, tomato and roast garlic mayo as well as the Cinelli Hash with sweet potato hash and chimichurri rojo. If you happen to visit on a Monday to Thursday and there are any bagels left, then they’re served toasted with more basic toppings.  

I’ve got a hell of a lot of time for a good homemade bagel but there are barely any available in Cardiff. The only other place I’ve had one is the Bagel Place in Cardiff University Student’s Union.

But first, coffee and our friendly barista of ten years backed himself when it came to making a belting flat white (£3.60). He didn’t let me down. Made with Hundred House Bon Bon blend, it was a corker of a coffee with plenty of fruity notes. Mrs G also really enjoyed her long black (£3.20). 

Onto the sandwiches and we ordered one classic and one more creative flavour combination. Weirdly the menu offers prices for full sandwiches (£8.50), open half sandwiches (£7.50) and open full sandwiches (£14.50). I can’t really see many people ordering an open full sandwich when a closed one costs six quid less.   

Crucially, I thought the bread component of both bagels was bang on, with a light chew and soft fresh crumb. Bagels are at their most disappointing when they’re simply a bread roll with a hole in the middle. 

A Bagel + Locks sandwich (£8.50) was crammed with plenty of smoked salmon alongside sweet tomatoes, caper-flecked cream cheese and red onion. It was a very well executed classic. 

A Paneer Roubaix (£8.50) was equally memorable. This whopper of a sandwich was packed with thin slices of creamy, caramelised paneer, a good drizzle of sweet and fiery hot honey, the zing of lime pickle, slices of tomato and a handful of peppery rocket. 

Based on the strength of the sandwiches, I decided to give a sweet treat a run for its money. From a choice between a salted caramel cookie and slice of birthday cake (£4), I was recommended the latter. 

Topped with addictively good coffee and vanilla buttercream icing and a menagerie of sprinkles, it was tasty but let down by a slightly dry sponge. 

We really enjoyed our lunch at Workhorse and they’ve definitely found a winning formula of bagels and coffee that sets them apart from other places in the city. I’m no cyclist but Workhorse most definitely deserve a “chapeau” for their efforts.

The Details:

Address - Workhorse, 364 Cowbridge Road East, Canton, Cardiff CF5 1HE
Web - https://www.workhorsebikes.co.uk/
Telephone - 029 2297 1173

Oriel's Modern Meat Shop, Pontcanna sandwich shop review

A good sandwich is one of life’s greatest pleasures. 

The interplay of contrasting textures, flavours, and temperatures all stuffed inside top-drawer bread make it the perfect handheld meal. 

However, just because a sandwich looks the business doesn’t mean it tastes the business. 

So many 'Grammable sandwiches cram in far too much filling, throwing the ratio of bread to filling out whack. And don’t get me started on buns and loaves that haven’t been engineered properly to contain their filling. 

Oriel’s Modern Meat in Pontcanna, a sandwich shop, pie purveyor, roast dinner rustler and meatmonger, certainly know what they’re doing when it comes to making a tasty sandwich. 

Owned by the same team as the excellent Oriel Jones butcher in Canton and run by the friendly Helen, they opened their doors on the former site of Cegin Oriel earlier this year. 

Mainstays on their menu include breakfast buns, carvery subs, ginormous sausage rolls, and a selection of cook at home meat and condiments. 

Out of the four sandwiches I’ve tried, Oriel’s Marry Me chicken focaccia, which is based is based on the viral TikTok dish of the same name, came out on top. When it was taken off the menu briefly during the summer there was a public outcry, and it was the first dish to sell out at their recent Sticky Fingers kitchen takeover. I can see why - it’s an addictive melange of naughtiness. 

Crisp crumbed chicken pieces were bathed in a proposal-inducing combination of cream, garlic, chilli, sun blush tomato and parmesan. Topped with even more parmesan and a few leaves of spinach, it was all crammed into a soft and squidgy focaccia. On the side was a well-sized pile of impeccably crisp and well salted fries. For a tenner you get a hell of a lot of bang for your buck.

A hella good breakfast bun (£8.50, served until 12pm) was a close second in the rankings. A sturdy yet soft crumbed challah roll was filled with a slab of 24 hour bacon, which was essentially ridiculously tender slow-cooked pork belly, a runny-yolked fried egg and an ooze of American cheese. A good squeeze of brown sauce provided vital cut through. 

The final filling, a golden wedge of hash brown, was impeccably crisp with a soft textured interior. I removed it from the bun as otherwise there's no way I would have been able to get the sandwich into my gob. 

Oriel’s sausage rolls (£5) are always a banker too. A monster of chorizo sausage roll was all meat killer and no breadcrumb filler. Encased in golden, flaky pastry, at the bottom of the well-seasoned sausage meat sat nuggets of paprika-spiced chorizo.

A spicy BBQ chicken melt (£8.50) was a corker of a special over the summer. A soft toasted sub was overflowing with tender chicken in a sweet and savoury BBQ sauce and topped with molten spicy cheddar. Once again, a handful of Spinach leaves gave the merest illusion of healthiness.

I also enjoyed guzzling their steak sandwich (£10), another menu mainstay, in the sunshine of Pontcanna Fields. 

More of that house-made soft crumbed focaccia was stuffed with well-flavoured steak slices and crisp salty fries dressed with creamy peppercorn sauce. A few of the steak slices were a touch chewy in places and so perhaps would have benefited from being cut slightly smaller and I would have loved some more of that peppercorn sauce to dunk my chips in. 

Oriel’s Modern Meat Shop serves just the kind of comfort food that I crave on a weekly basis. Fortunately, it’s a ten-minute walk from my work so I’m going to work my way through everything on their menu… or I might just order their Marry Me chicken sandwich on repeat. 

The details:

Address - Oriel's Modern Meat 221 Cathedral Road, Pontcanna, Cardiff CF11 9PP

Web - https://www.instagram.com/orielsmodernmeat

The Olive Kitchen, Martock, Somerset cafe review

Located in a tent at the back of a rather chichi looking industrial estate in the Somerset village of Martock, the Olive Kitchen is no ordinary workers’ caff. 

Serving a lunchtime menu of Middle Eastern inspired salads, sandwiches and grills as well as classic breakfast dishes, the Olive Kitchen utilises fresh produce from its kitchen garden as well as meat sourced direct from a local farm. 

To drink, I had an excellent iced americano and a very good Clear Head alcohol free beer from Bristol Beer Factory whilst a friend enjoyed a rather pretty raspberry concoction. 

On the food front, Mrs G was a fan of soft laffa bread wrap (£14) stuffed with a flavour-packed combination of halloumi, sweet potato fritters, gooseberry relish, yoghurt and fresh salad. 

I had the Merguez smash burger (£18), which saw a pair of big-spiced lamb and beef patties stuffed into a soft bun with crispy onion rings, garlic mayo, and pickled jalapenos. Accompanied by crisp fries and well-mayonnaised red cabbage slaw, it was a very tasty burger.

But, the standout was the Olive Kitchen mezze platter (£19), which was a real sight to behold. A kaleidoscope of colours, the well-sized platter was laden with halloumi fries, leek and feta croquettes, sweet potato fritters, broad bean hummus, roasted carrots, spicy rice, and spiced pear chutney amongst other things. It’s fair to say that I was rather envious. 

One mate supplemented their platter with excellent sticky pork belly skewers (+£5) and the other with good Mansaf chicken (+£4).

The Olive Kitchen’s other main attraction is a very impressive looking display of cakes, tarts and bakes.

With a big dinner in store, I shared a slice of raspberry and vanilla sponge. It was just as well, because it was massive. Light and soft of crumb, the tart raspberries balanced well with the sweet vanilla icing. It was an excellent sponge.

A warm piece of pecan pie topped with a dollop of vanilla ice cream also got the thumbs up. 

We had a delicious lunch at the Olive Kitchen. With its flavour-packed Middle Eastern inspired dishes, delicious bakes and friendly service, it’s a charming place for a casual lunch.

The Details:

Address - The Olive Kitchen, Stoke Road, Martock TA12 6RR

Web - https://www.olivekitchensomerset.uk/

Telephone - 07380 732437

Nefis Cafe, Cathays, Cardiff Turkish breakfast review

Ever since Cardiff Turkish breakfast trailblazers Longa opened their doors back in 2019, more and more cafes across the city have started to serve a similar offering.

As the saying goes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

One spot dishing out a similar menu is Nefis Café on Cathays’ Crwys Road, whose strapline is a “Taste of Istanbul”.

Located on the former site of Stagg Coffee, Nefis’ expansive outdoor seating area and eclectic inside space make it a comfy spot for all of Wales’ climactic extremes.

On the menu are traditional Turkish breakfast dishes like menemen and sucuk with eggs, baked goods such as simit bagels and borek, and house specials like manti dumplings and hummus with slow cooked lamb.

However, it was the Nefis Turkish breakfast that caught my eye. For £12 you can choose a main from a selection of five dishes, accompanied by a selection of eight sides, bread and Turkish tea. On paper it’s extremely good value – unusually, even more so than the version for two people that costs £25.

Despite Nefis being pretty busy on a weekday lunchtime, my order arrived quickly. And what a looker it was with its ornate centrepiece surrounded by a bevy of treats.

The main event, kavurma and eggs saw scrambled eggs flecked with pieces of intensely flavoured and tender slow-cooked lamb scattered with palate warming chilli flakes.

A little light on seasoning, it really kicked up a gear when it combined with a smear of fragrant and spicy cemen, a harissa-esque red pepper paste that featured as one of the accompaniments.

A generous basket of soft-crumbed Turkish bread was an essential mop for the eggs and selection of sides. I intended to only eat half the basket, but my carb-grabbing reflex got the better of me and before I knew it I’d devoured the final piece.

Out of the eight sides, grilled halloumi and a puck of tangy cream cheese were the highlights. Sweet honey with a dollop of clotted cream was also lovely slathered over the bread to make a mini dessert.

The only real dud was a tepid hot dog in a bland tomatoey sauce. A dollop of jam was decent but light on fruit intensity.

A large glass of fragrant and sweet Turkish tea was a delicious drink.

When I’d just about polished everything off, a complimentary piece of crisp and sugar-soaked baklava arrived to bring a sweet conclusion to my meal.

I really enjoyed my Turkish breakfast at Nefis. Whilst it doesn’t quite hit the same highs as Longa’s version, it’s really excellent value for £12 all in. If you’re in the market for a Middle Eastern breakfast in Cardiff, then it’s well worth checking out.

The Details:

Address - Nefis Cafe, 83 Crwys Rd, Cardiff CF24 4NF

Web - https://nefiscardiff.co.uk/

Telephone - 020 3342 1106

Fluffy Fluffy, Cardiff soufflé pancake cafe review

There are two things that put me off visiting a new hospitality opening quicker than you can say "undisclosed freebie":

a) Places that hand out free meals to every influencer under the sun - I know, I get it, social media eyeballs drive footfall. But I like to follow my own agenda and not someone else’s.

b) Places with massive queues – as far as I’m concerned, almost no food businesses are worth queueing for when there are plenty of good places where you can sit down immediately. 

So, despite the fact that I’ve been keen to try Japanese soufflé pancakes for many years, there was no way that I was going to stand outside Fluffy Fluffy in the bitter cold for an hour and a half in the weeks after they opened in October 2024. Especially after I’d been advised to run don’t walk down there by numerous people who’d walked straight in and had a free meal.

However, on a Sunday morning in March at 10.30am, after the hype had subsided, Fluffy Fluffy’s minimalist and modern dining space was pretty much deserted.

With twelve branches across the UK, and three more openings planned soon, Fluffy Fluffy originally opened in Canada in 2018 before expanding across the world. Their menu features a range of desserts and savouries, including cheesecakes and croffles, which seem to be a cross between a waffle and a croissant.

But, I was here for one thing, to try Fluffy Fluffy’s soufflé pancakes. Made with whipped egg whites, they’re known for their light and fluffy texture. There are a variety of flavours on offer, including tiramisu, crème brûlée and Oreo.

Fluffy Fluffy’s pancakes are cooked fresh, and they take around 20 minutes to prepare. Fortunately, a batch had just been taken off the griddle as we arrived. So, our order arrived at the table within a few minutes of sitting down.

Both our sets of pancakes certainly lived up to their billing – beautifully light and airy with toasty brown tops and bottoms, I think they’re an upgrade on the American pancake.

The Signature (£8.70) was the clear winner. Topped with thick vanilla-scented whipped cream, strawberries, blueberries and banana slices, it was light, fresh and not too sweet. I could easily have eaten two platefuls.

In contrast, the Biscoff (£9) was exactly how I expected. Drizzled with Biscoff spread and scattered with biscuit crumbs, it was spicy, toasty and seriously sugary. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, then this’ll be right up your street, but it was a little bit much even for me.

We were in and out from Fluffy Fluffy within twenty minutes and I was very impressed. I’d definitely recommend a visit... that is of course on the condition that you don’t have to queue.

The details:

Address - Fluffy Fluffy, 109 Queen St, Cardiff CF10 2BH

Web - https://fluffyfluffy.co.uk/menu/

Heathcock Bakery and Deli, Llandaff, Cardiff review

I’ve always got an eye out for a good deal.

It’s one of the upsides of paying for your own meals rather than reviewing freebies. It’s a lot trickier to judge the value for money of something when you haven’t paid for it with your own hard-earned cash.

So, it’s one of the reasons why I can’t stop talking about Bar 44’s bargainous set menu, which offers three dishes and a drink for £20. Oh look, there I did it again.

Another good value menu which recently caught my attention is the Heathcock Bakery’s meal deal, which offers a sandwich or a toastie, a coffee and a sweet treat for £10 between 8am and 4pm seven days a week.

Located on Llandaff High Street, the Heathcock Bakery and Deli is run by the same team behind the brilliant Heathcock pub. As well as serving freshly baked goods, cooked breakfasts, sandwiches and salads, there’s an excellent range of produce on offer from Welsh and further afield producers like Caws Teifi, Cacklebean and Rockfish.

On both my lunchtime visits, I ordered the £10 meal deal and service was super quick - I received my food within around five minutes of ordering.

A very good flat white, made with Hard Lines coffee, had no hint of any unpleasant bitterness whilst an iced americano ticked all the right boxes.

A BLT sandwich was as good an example as you’ll find in Cardiff. The thick sliced, soft crumbed sourdough was a fine vehicle for two rashers of top notch thick sliced bacon, perky lettuce and tomato and excellent yellow-hued silky homemade mayonnaise.

A toasted sandwich was made with more of that lovely sourdough, this time grilled to a golden crisp and filled with a generous ooze of tangy melted cheese and thick slices of baked ham. A minor quibble, but it wasn’t made with the air-dried Carmarthen ham that was advertised on the menu.

Onto the sweet stuff, and a chocolate brownie was light and gooey all the way to the edges with a good chocolate intensity and a topping of a mix of white, dark and milk chocolate buttons.

A jam doughnut was a shade darker than I’d have liked and could have been a bit more squidgy, but it had a fresh crumb and a filling of proper thick jam. On my return visit, the doughnuts on display were a better colour. 

For the quality of the food and drink on offer, the Heathcock Bakery’s £10 meal deal is cracking value. If like me, you’ve got your eye out for a good deal, then it’s a Cardiff café which should definitely be on your hit list.  

The Details:

Address - Heathcock Bakery and Deli, 48 High Street, Llandaff, Cardiff CF5 2DZ
Web - https://www.instagram.com/heathcockbakery/