A new store selling hand-mixed ice cream with over 40 flavours to choose from is set to replace a Cardiff bar. Signs have appeared in the former Brew Monster tap house in Cardiff Bay's Mermaid Quay for Llanfaes Dairy, promising "awesome ice cream coming soon".
The site has been vacant for some time in Mermaid Quay, but the business still operates another Cardiff bar on the city's High Street. The signage advertising the new Llanfaes Dairy were reportedly put up over the weekend.
Based on the outskirts of Brecon, where you can see the ice cream making process in their working laboratory, the dairy now produces in excess of 100 flavours. Options include Lotus Biscoff, pistachio, white chocolate, Baileys, Lindt Lindor and strawberry cheesecake, as well as more unique and seasonal flavours like avocado and lime, chilli chocolate, Welsh cake and mince pie.
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The ice-cream shop also has a range of dairy free and vegan flavours to choose from. The Cardiff venue is set to be even bigger, with 48 flavours to choose from. Like their Brecon venue the ice cream will be made fresh on site, with a viewing window for passersby to see the process.
The dairy has been producing hand-made artisan ice cream using a small batch process since 1997, with Dean Cole, partner in the business, saying that family is at its heart. He said: "Mum and dad (Eirlys and Paul Cole) started producing ice cream under the name 'Llanfaes Dairy' which was the name of my grandads' dairy that operated the milk round for Brecon and surrounding areas for over 30 years (1959-1990). 25 years on, myself and my sister are also very much at the heart of the business and all of the staff feel like our extended family."
The business says it is committed to using locally sourced fruit, milk, and cream as well as importing ingredients from "one of Italy's top flavour houses" to create a blend of Welsh ice cream with an Italian flair. It is hoped that the new site will open in May or June this year, just in time for the warmer weather.
The parlour hand mixes the ingredients used to make the ice cream at their Brecon site and makes small batches to "create the best tasting ice cream possible". The ice cream parlour also sells waffles and brownies topped with a scoop of ice cream, sundaes, and an extensive choice of milkshakes.
A brand new dessert menu will be launched at the new site, and will include some of the business's current classics. A new pastry selection, exclusive to Cardiff, will also be launched, which customers will be able to enjoy alongside a freshly ground Italian espresso.
"We can’t wait to be a part of the Cardiff community," Dean said. "It has long been a dream of mine to open up a second outlet in the capital, with a vision to recreate what we have achieved with our Brecon store over the last 25 years. The shop in Mermaid Quay will carry a similar theme to our Brecon parlour with family still very much being the driving force behind our new venture.
"We will have 48 flavours on display (including a vegan range made using oat milk) which are all freshly made daily at the parlour. Visitors will also be able to watch our gelato making process in our production lab from inside the parlour and the street through large viewing windows.
"We want to create a vibrant and relaxing environment for our customers, the decor will be very industrial chic with a large central feature in the seating area, inspired to bring a touch of the Mediterranean indoors. There will also be plenty of outdoor seating for those sunny days."
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