The delights of Cardiff Bay might be right around the corner, but Butetown boasts some hidden gems of its own.
Whether you're looking for speciality coffee, mouth-watering desserts, a first-rate Sunday roast, or even some guided meditation, Butetown's food and leisure scene are just as diverse as its community.
In no particular order, we've rounded up the 10 best independent businesses in the area you might like to visit.
Read more: 21 fascinating old photos of Butetown that transport you back 60 years
Quantum Coffee Roasters
Opening in Cardiff Bay back in 2015 on the edge of Butetown, Quantum Coffee took much of its inspiration from the coffee culture of Greece, where owners Dimitris and Katia grew up.
There's a truly incredible range of house-roasted blends available from Quantum, sourced from a range of far-flung locations including Malawi, Burundi, Ethiopia and Guatemala, all of which you can find at their coffee house on Bute Street and also on their website.
Where: 58 Bute Street
The Classroom
Located on the fifth floor of Cardiff and Vale’s £45m building on Dumballs Road, The Classroom offers stunning views across the city and Cardiff Bay.
True to its name, those cooking and serving your food at the restaurant are students learning their trade as hospitality and catering students.
But don't be put off - the food brims with top-notch sophistication. Serving modern European cuisine, The Classroom's winter a la carte menu includes fancy offerings like salt cured beef brisket, pan fried sewin, and rhubarb meringue tart.
You can read what we thought of the food here.
Where: CAVC City Centre Campus, Dumballs Road
Roscoe's BBQ Grill
Roscoe's BBQ Grill may have a humble exterior, but don't be fooled.
Last year, it made it to the top 10 of the British Kebab Awards and from the overwhelmingly positive reviews on Just Eat it's clear why.
One reviewer in 2022 who gave it five stars called it "a gem of a place" and praised its "brilliant quality, flavour, freshness and quantity".
Check out its menu for yourself, which includes kebabs, gourmet burgers and wraps.
Where: 18 West Bute Street
Culley's Kitchen & Bar
If you're looking to treat yourself to a mixture of classic dining and modern classics then look no further than Culley's Kitchen & Bar.
Culley's, which has received 4.5 stars on Trip Advisor, is praised by reviewers for their "well presented" and "extraordinary" food, including Sunday lunches and bottomless brunches.
Situated in The Coal Exchange Hotel, a Grade II listed building full of fascinating history, the restaurant and bar also features live music making it an extremely unique and quirky place for your dinner date.
Where: At the Coal Exchange Hotel in Mt Stuart Square
BisGottis Desserts
The latest addition to Butetown's food scene, this new dessert shop offers everything from fluffy pancakes to gooey freak shakes.
Having opened on February 7, current prices on the menu range from £2 for two scoops of gelato, to their most expensive item: £7.99 for 12 doughnuts with toppings.
The brains behind the venture are 22-year-old Mohammad Rahman and his brother Ajwad. Baking has run in their family for years and this inspired them to set up BisGottis. You can read more about their story, as well as our review of the desserts, here.
BisGottis is open from 6pm until 11pm for eat-in, with takeaway until 1am. It is available on UberEats, Deliveroo, and JustEat.
Where : 14 West Bute Street
Carlos' Pizza
Another Just Eat favourite, Carlos Pizza is rated 5.5/6 stars by almost 1000 reviewers.
It doesn't just offer pizza and calzones, but also burgers, wraps and kebabs.
One reviewer in September last year dubbed it "the best takeaway I've found in Cardiff so far", adding that "the pizza is delicious".
Where: 20 West Bute Stret
Espresso Lab
Espresso Lab on James Street boasts an enticing variety of goods on its menu - including coffees, milkshakes, smoothies, salad boxes, toasties and sandwiches.
In fact, it's menu is so enticing that Oscar-winning American actor Forest Whitaker paid a visit to the indie cafe while filming his Netflix movie Havoc.
In January, the coffee shop announced on its Instagram page that it's looking for a breakfast/brunch chef to expand its menu - so keep your eyes peeled for some tasty new additions.
Where: 20 James Street
Mischief's Cafe bar
With 42 reviews on Tripadvisor affording it a 4.5/5 star rating overall, it's clear Mischief's cafe bar is a favourite with both newcomers and regulars.
Many reviewers have singled out the pub for its "stunning Sunday roast", with one calling it "one of the the best Sunday roast dinners I've had for a long time". It's also a vibrant entertainment venue, equipped with a stage, dance floor and rooftop garden.
The bar's side wall was the site for the iconic My City My Shirt mural, which sadly got painted over to make way for a Macdonald's advert. The subsequent outrage prompted the fast food giant to make a U-turn and let the mural to be repainted.
Where: 36 James Street
T ŷ Krishna Cymru
T ŷ Krishna Cymru is a spiritual wellness centre that is based on "5000 year old Sanskrit Bhakti yoga and Ayurveda texts".
According to its website, the centre currently hosts "accessible drop-in yoga, meditation and lifestyle events suitable for all, as well as in depth courses for those ready to take the next step."
Events include a "Krishna Festival" every Sunday, which features music, philosophy, and plant-based food.
The centre's building is currently undergoing a revamp, which will see it refurbished and extended, so it can provided "world-class facilities" for yoga and meditation.
Where: 4 Dock Chambers, Bute Street
Academy @ Platform
Academy Coffee is a family-owned business that specialises not only in coffee but beer and cocktails, too.
It has a number of locations in South Wales, including Academy Espresso Bar in Barry, rooftop cocktail bar Academy 297, and drive-thru Academy Junction - all in Barry - and Academy at Training Ground in Penarth.
Their latest venture will be a coffee and cocktail bar in Newport Market in March.
Academy @ Platform saw the disused Grade-II listed Cardiff Bay railway station building renovated into 23 office units and renamed 'Platform'.
Meanwhile, the coffee shop moved into the grounds, right next to the refurbished building.
At the beginning of Febuary, the business announced it would be offering customers a bottomless brunch every Sunday.
Where: Old Cardiff Bay train station, at junction of Lloyd George Avenue and Hemingway Road
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