I am pleased to make Gourmet Burger Kitchen my first review on my trip to Cardiff, my latest of…read morecities visited, in the capital of Wales this time, and I hope this place sets the tone for the rest of my stay here as it was a relatively good experience I had here. GBK have 53 stores in the United Kingdom, and as I recall they have 3 stores in Cardiff, the capital of Wales alone, this branch is classed as "The Cardiff Library" branch for some reason and is apart of the St David's mall, and is right next to Wangyama and Carluccio's, rival restaurant chains specializing in different cuisine, being asian fusion and Italian respectively. My server here seemed pretty friendly, and got me sat down quite quick, and made sure I had visited GBK before so I knew the essentials such as ordering at the bar and the cool loyalty scheme with there app which gives you free sides, milkshakes and burgers, for visiting, for example every other visit you get an award, if you visit 3 different branches you get a free burger, if you try all 6 milkshakes, you get a free one, so that is pretty cool. This GBK was quite nice, and cool inside however it was smaller than my local branch in Spinningfields in Manchester, it just seemed nicer with a cooler vibe, due to its location and decoration in Cardiff. I decided to order a Gluten Free Cheese and Bacon burger, with Applewood cheese with some skin on chips, using my free loyalty code on this occasion having ranked up two previous visits on my loyalty card at my local Spinningfields store, and of course I tried a milkshake, working my way up there offer were you try them all for a free one. I was served at the bar by Conor, he seemed pretty friendly, and I did ask him for a few recommendations such as the best cheese, and the best milkshake, and what Applewood Cheese like, and decided to order a banana milkshake and the Applewood Cheese based on his reccomendation. As always, the milkshake taken a while to come and taken much longer than my friend's San Maguel, as well as being priced more expensive than his San Miguel at £4.30, however it did taste fresh and it was very nice, and I did also enjoy it, as I did previously with there lime flavor at their Spinningfields branch, although this wasn't my favorite milkshake at GBK, having preferred the Lime, I still was pleased with the drink and enjoyed it. Moving onto my burger, this also was quite nice however it was abit to overfilled to what I expected, even with some sort of habenero jam and relish, which sadly wasn't very nice, it was the typical gluten free bun GBK use from a bakery in the north of England, which was good to see, and my burger was quite nice, minus the lettuce which it was stuffed with, and it just tasted and even felt hard and low quality, and the habenero jam or relish gave it a horrible taste too and worsened the burger sadly, and I had to scrape this off. My chips were average, they were very hot however the portion just seemed a little small, and it definitley wasn't the best chips I have had from a GBK branch, I regret to report. Overall, this place is quite cool and I am pleased that they helped get my Cardiff trip off with a bang, but sadly I can't help but feel this place has only done enough for a solid three star rating in what is actually a landmark for me being my 300th review which awarded three stars, making three only the second rating I have awarded over 300 times to joining two stars in that case, however don't be confused I am giving this branch of GBK a well deserved three.

Well this isn't no Macdonalds that's for sure. You can actually see the fresh ingredients that go…read moreinto the burgers and taste lots of lots of different flavours. I like having the option of choosing whatever ingredients you want in a burger! I have eaten the most amazing burgers in the world in New Zealand so had very high expectations of GBK, sadly though these burgers are never quite as amazing as they sound on paper and I don't feel they justify the price tag. Luckily they have lots of offers and vouchers so everyone can have a try for cheaper. I'm quite happy they sell New Zealand beer too to wash down my burger, while my boyfriend is a massive fan of the Oreo milkshakes! I like this restaurant more than the Cardiff Bay one, its bigger and feels less plastic and clinical. I say give it ago, just maybe don't expect the best burger of your life.

This smart local café is located on Whitchurch Road, a little off the beaten student trail, and as…read morea result it's a very relaxing place to have a cup of coffee or some lunch. If students discovered the extremely reasonable prices here, however, I'm sure they'd soon be making a regular detour, because this place offers amazing value - especially considering how nicely the place has been put together. The food's good, too, making it even more of a bargain - and always served with a genuine smile. There's a garden terrace if you'd like to sit outside, or for a picnic elsewhere they will put together lunchboxes! People living or working around the Whitchurch Road area of Heath are lucky to have this as their local cafe - let's hope the people behind Mayo start a mini-chain around Cardiff soon! Look out for the clean, black exterior with contemporary chrome lettering, and you're there.

I really wish that Café Bar Mayo stayed open a little later than it does. It's the kind of place…read moreI'd like to go to in the early evenings instead of just during the day. It's got a great garden out the back, and being a smoker it has provided me with a peaceful retreat on more than one occasion. But this is not the only reason I rate this place so highly. The interior is well decked out in a modern style, and is always clean and inviting no matter how busy they get. I'm also a big fan of the great food that they make, which is surprisingly well priced for what you get, and so somewhat inevitably it gets pretty busy on a regular basis. I've made mention of the fact that I use 'plants in the window' of takeaways as a bench mark of whether they are worth trying or not... a system that has never failed me yet. Now, whilst Café Bar Mayo is certainly not a takeaway in the most rudimentary sense of the word, (although they do take out lunch boxes), I'm more than willing to extend my theory to cover this place... they have plenty of plants in the window, and their food is very more-ish!

This is a shop inside the historic Cardiff Market. An old Victorian building that offers products…read moreand services from local traders. This is pretty much a greasy spoon café for those on the go. They do good breakfast rolls, bacon sarnies, as well as hot dogs and various other food items you can hold in one hand. It's really cheap, as well. You're only going to part with a couple of quid to get yourself a cooked breakfast in a roll. Not too shabby. This food stand is at the entrance to the Cardiff Market that's at St. Mary's Street, so not the most popular end, I would venture. I find it's a good place to grab a snack before browsing one of my favourite places in the city - Cardiff Market.

Hayes Island Snack Bar kind of does what it says on the tin…read more This pedestrianised 'square' has long been a popular central spot for meeting up, and the snack bar at its heart seems to do very well out of this. It has a great location, but it's not the classiest of joints - and certainly isn't a place to go for a healthy bite to eat (think breakfast baguettes and carvery sandwiches rather than light salads). The smell of cooking meat never fails to attract passers-by, though - and before you know it on a fine day the seating under the trees is packed out with people tucking into overloaded bacon sandwiches and cheap cups of tea. Its popularity endures despite its proximity to the old Victorian underground toilets, which waft up a vague scent of cleaning products, and the resident pigeons, notorious for their accurate aim, perched in the trees above - you have been warned!

The setting is lovely. With trees shading you in summer and protecting you from wind and rain for…read morethe rest of the year. With the bustling shops all around, and the new St David's hopping Centre breathing new life into this end of town, this really is a pleasant little square in the centre of it all. Why, oh why, then, do we have such a dingy little snack bar situated right slap bang in the middle of it? Serving hot drinks and burgers and such, this is less a snack bar than a roadside burger van. I always wander past wishing that there was some other food on offer there. Because the seats in The Hayes all belong to them, so going to get sushi and bringing it to enjoy out in the sun is a bit of a no-no. They also don't tend to keep their area all that clean and tidy, perhaps relying on the council to do their cleaning services for them. This means that quite often there can be a build up of rubbish and chips, attracting seagulls and pigeons galore. I just get the overriding impression that this corner of Cardiff has seen better days.

(4.5 stars) Could see myself eating these burgers all the time, with a side of fries of course…read more Went with the spicy uncle Pedro because I love spicy food and it seemed so different from other burgers. It was, and it was super tasty, but wasn't as spicy as I had hoped. The fries were super crispy and went great with the house bbq sauce.

To encourage you to (momentarily) banish your calorie counters and trendy fitness bands let me…read moreintroduce you to The Grazing Shed. The place you'll find the BEST Burgers in Cardiff (well, at least I think so). Tucked away on Barrack Lane (near the rear exit of St David's 2) The Grazing Shed is the home of Super Tidy Burgers. They use only locally sourced ingredients and freshly baked bread delivered daily by their artisan baker. They even make all their own sauces! Whenever I visit I always have the Spicy Uncle Pedro: Spicy Avocado Mash, Chunky Mayan Salsa, Jalapeño Infused Sour Cream and Chorizo and of course the obligatory fries and bottomless drink which you can add to your meal for just £3! Additional Bonuses: The staff are very friendly. They stock craft beers and even have a sun facing beer garden! What's more their burgers are so delish they'll have you questioning HOW DO THEY DO IT!?

Great value for money. Really good quality ingredients and very tasty sandwiches, the staff were…read morefriendly and really helpful as it was my first time here.

Quaint little sandwich shop in the centre of Cardiff, serving wholesome take-away meals to suit all…read moretastes. The menu changes daily and offers a wide variety of chicken (anything and everything from a mild honey mustard to the HOT HOT HOT Bomber's own recipe scotch bonnet/ghost chilli Perkbomb) and pork options, and occasionally lamb, falafel or home-made fish fingers. The sandwiches come as small boys (a small soft or crusty roll) or big boys (a bap the size of your face!); alternatively they offer salad boxes or jacket potatoes if you don't quite fancy a sandwich. If you'd prefer something light, there's almost always a fantastic soup (I had carrot and coriander today), but if you're feeling famished I dare you to take on the atomic bomb which is a combination of any three meats and all the salad you like! Its location means that it's perfect for those working in Cardiff city centre (or the Bay) as well as those indulging in a bit of shopping, although I regularly travel out of my way to treat myself to a cheeky sandwich. If you've got time on your hands, I'd also suggest taking a seat and having some tea or coffee and a slice of cake. Having recently been awarded 5 out of 5 on the Food Hygiene Rating, it is safe to say that Bomber's cannot be beaten on quality, cleanliness or service; as well as doing a fantastic job of supporting local businesses by sourcing local produce.

I had to visit Dorothy's after several locals recommended it, claiming "the best fish & chips in…read moreCardiff." It is located on what is known as Chippy Lane, where there are countless take-aways lining the street. The fish was HUGE and served lava hot. Loved the mushy peas - I could seriously eat mushy peas every day. Chips needed a bit of salt and vinegar (or ketchup... yes, I am from the US) but they were nice and crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. The portion size was insane, more than enough to share. I would love to return to Cardiff and compare to the rival chippy. Until then, I do recommend Dorothy's if you are in the mood for fish & chips while in Cardiff :)

All of the locals said to go to Dorothy's. Why not, I live in Kansas and it's fitting to see where…read moreshe ended up after that tornado. But I digress. Fish N chips were huge! They serve a massive amount of chips. The cod was crispy and not greasy. They staff were nice, it was low key, and they even gave me some mushy peas to try. It was the perfect spot to fuel up before the brew pubs.

Like Woody's, Donnelley's is a café up on the balcony of Cardiff's Victorian indoor market. They…read moredon't sell as amazing coffee, but they do sell fried breakfast. Yum. Before 11am for just £3.30 you can get a rasher of bacon, two sausages, one egg, a hash brown, toast, bread and beans OR tomatoes AND a cup of tea or coffee. Nice one Doris. After 11am they get mean. You have to pay for your tea or coffee but get the rest for £3.30. Take note students, sometimes there are reasons to get up before Hollyoaks. Other house specials include burgers, things with chips, things on toast, a choice of soups, and toasted teacakes. The menu is pretty massive actually, so you've plenty to choose from, and prices won't break the bank.

This is a café in the upper balcony area of the historic Cardiff Market. An old Victorian building…read morethat remains a good source of produce from local traders. As you enter the market you will be greeted by the same smell of fresh fish that has filled my childhood memories of this place. There is little more that needs to be said about Donnelly's other than they give free digestive biscuits with a tea or coffee. Free digestive biscuits! Those are my three favourite consecutive words. As well as this they do some decent greasy spoon grub for the shopping-weary and hungry alike. The staff are exceptionally friendly and will make sure you feel welcome at this little café. I find it's good to take a tea break in an environment a little different from the coffee lounges that have started to appear on every street corner of the city centre. A break from another kind of break, if you like. Or not. Please yourself.