Wow!!! This place was very very delicious! The service was impeccable. I let the server chose my…read moredish for me because I couldn't decide, and I was not disappointed. What's great is they explain what pastas they have for the day and show you an example of each cut before the meal. I highly recommend a stop!

First time in Cardiff and came as a suggestion of a friend and i have to say it was A-mazing. I had…read morethe Bolognese and it was great I recommend it. My friend had the Minestrone and he was of the same opinion, the food is great. The service was very good. Portions very good too. And if you are wondering, i never give a perfect score because i dont believe perfection exists. But hands down and with my eyes closed i recommend this place. I will be back.

The North Star is a vast pub cum restaurant and music venue occupying a prominent position on North…read moreRoad in the Maindy / Gabalfa area of Cardiff. It is an incredibly inspiring and important addition to the cultural wealth of the city. Opened in October last year, it is already the home to a cosmopolitan mix of locals, business people and students, as well as regular visitors from all over the city and beyond. When you walk into The North Star you can appreciate why it has such a draw. The old Victorian mansion-sized building has been lovingly refurbished with impressive style. The modern look, embellished with antique flourishes and an eclectic use of period furniture, has been created by Tim Rice, one of Cardiff's most successful designers, leading The North Star to be shortlisted for 'The Best Bar and Restaurant Design Awards' within months of its unveiling. It also scooped up another accolade when it was voted the fifth best 'cheap eat' in the UK by The Guardian. There's more to say about The North Star than I've got space here on Yelp. It's a multi-faceted business that offers a lot, to many. Managed by a brother and sister team, with Alex taking care of front of house, and her brother conjuring up epicurean delights in the kitchen. The food, organic and locally sourced wherever possible, is extensive in range and all homemade from scratch, including the relishes, dough's and even the Yorkshire puds! Dishes are predominantly Italian, but the menu frequently includes Welsh favourites like cockles and lava bread, Monmouthshire lamb and potted pig. With deals like '2 for 1' operating from Monday to Friday, customers are visibly increasing on a weekly basis. Specialty dishes are changed regularly, usually prompted by the advice of their local butcher, J T Morgan, who tips them the wink about all the best seasonal cuts on offer. Established in 1861, J T Morgan Butchers have occupied a position of importance at the indoor market, in central Cardiff, for more years than anyone can remember. A family butchers that have moved with the times, they are presently one of the most recognized purveyors of free range and organic meat and poultry in South Wales. Not surprisingly, The North Star makes the most of a good thing. As well as fantastic Sunday lunches, boasting the most succulent roasts in town, they're also hosting BBQ's on Friday and Sundays over the warmer months. Live music is on offer most days of the week, kicking off on Wednesdays with the Open Mic Night hosted by Rowan Liggett, who is also Co-Director of The Miniature Music Press, a really well produced A5 music magazine and 'What's On', that you can pick up for free at a whole host of places around the city. The North Star also has a sister pub worth mentioning; The Vulcan in Cathays on Wyvern Road, another haunt of the ubiquitous Rowan Liggett, who runs the Open Mic nights here as well. Frequented mainly by students, this is a cool live music pub, also designed by Tim Rice, that is equally well worth checking out. www.theminiaturemusicpress.com/

So the North Star has recently undergone a big renovation which is probably why I got some discount…read morevouchers to go and test it out. Its in a bit of an odd place really and right on the middle of the student area which is why I guess I had never been tempted to go there sooner. Went for an early dinner, the food was nice but not outstanding. I liked the relaxed atmosphere of the place and all the comfy looking leather sofa's. It would be a lovely Sunday place hangout I think. Prices are probably aimed at the students so its fairly cheap and there seems to be lots of events going on. Just wish parking was easier round there.

La Trattoria Molisana is a family owned restaurant that serves pretty authentic Italian food, as…read morewell as a few more generic old favourites, like steaks etc. If I eat here I stick to the Italian menu, with a preference for the fresh fish dishes, as a steak house will make the steaks better (I like mine ultra-blue, which most restaurants don't manage to achieve unless they specialise in steaks, which ultimately leads to expensive errors, and one very disgruntled eater! I used to complain, but the evening was always spoilt regardless... now I just avoid the steak options on the menu unless I'm convinced that who I'm ordering them from can do them right... and I remain unconvinced that La Trattoria Molisana can!) It also concerns me that they serve Veal, which I always avoid wherever I am! La Trattoria Molisana are not the best Italian in Cardiff by any stretch of the imagination. But in its defence, there really is some seriously stiff competition, and you don't have to ever go too far to find it. The Dolce Vita on Wellfield Road is a good example. Anywhere else La Trattoria Molisana would be considered fairly good, but, being spoilt for choice in Cardiff, the upshot is that it can only be considered passable. The pizza is usually made well and the fresh fish is just that... fresh! Luckily La Trattoria seems to have a dedicated following as well as access to some great fish, (one of the benefits to being a coastal capital). These two things combined ensure that the stock rotation is quick, so the fish never sits around in the fridges for long. I recommend the trout or the sole. Sometimes I think they get a little too busy for their own good, and this is when problems occur. The kitchen can get overwhelmed and mistakes tend to creep in. But on the whole, I've been pretty happy with the food, and always appreciate the attentive service.

To be honest. I am…read moreAmazed to see that place don't have 5 stars reviews only !!! Make me think twice about people who reviews only when they are not happy My Partner Chris wools role me to there first time 2 months ago. And I loved it. I think it was the best Italian food I ever been to. Family owned. ( and they all so amazing ) They treat every client like he is special. The place is so well done. Clean. The service is so good. Quick. It's a great place for group as well. And the food ? The best. After every meal I also take a desert. Amazing. Amazing. We going there again this Saturday. And I am looking forward to that. My opinion. If you like Italian food. It's the best place in Cardiff.

I have been going to Pizzeria Villagio for years and never once have I been left disappointed. The…read moreservice is amazing and food is above par. The ambiance of the place makes you feel as though you were in the heart of Italy. Truly my favourite place to go for Italian food. 5 stars.

This family run Italian restaurant and Pizzeria is really worth a visit. I've been coming here for…read moreyears, and have not once left disappointed. The menu is full of very good traditional, Italian food, and boy are the pizzas good (I wish I knew the recipe). The portions are sizeable enough but it is very easy, and affordable to manage a three course meal, and maybe even coffee afterwards. The walls are covered with photos of old Italy, and really add to the general atmosphere of Villagio. The Villagio also offer takeaways, and what has particular impressed me is that this is not just limited to pizzas, but most of the food on the main menu as well. Taking all this into consideration, it should come as no surprise that people from all over Cardiff, flock to the Villagio, and you should too!

Good pizza, friendly service. Although there is a big sign on the outside saying "free meals for…read morekids under 10", we had to pay about 6 £ for each kids-meal.

Really good food. Really nice wine. Catered fantastically well for our family group of 15.read more

The atmoshpere in Positano is great - very warm and friendly and happy. The staff are great as is…read morethe service. The food is OK - the portions are big and the prices quite low but there tends to be an awful lot of 'red sauce' used in the pasta dishes. Still, you can get some really good offers on if you go in the afternoon and it's perfect for having a bite to eat and getting a little bit tipsy with your mate. It's right in the heart of the city (opposite the church by the old indoor market) and has been there since i can remember. I'm sure someone told me Pavaroti ate here once.

Great atmopsphere, staff are friendly, good prices, wide choice, delicious foodread more

Wonderful food and service. Great decor…read more The plain pasta with tomato spice sauce was excellent. My vegetarian daughter loved it. Everything we had was very very good and fresh.

My kids wanted Italian... I was apprehensive…read more. I was wrong.. It was very nice..13£ 2 course lunch... We had wine, calamari (wonderful) Mussels (wonderful), salmon (really wonderful), I had tortellini..good.. The apps of fishcakes and sausage and cabbage ..just awesome.. I would recommend

I took my Mum to G&Ls for dinner one night when I was visiting her on holiday…read more The food was very tasty and the staff were very friendly. We had a lovely meal and will be coming back again! Thank you G&L!!

Fully agree to the other comments. Great place to have a decent real Italian evening. Family run…read moreplace with good food, friendly and efficient service. Its loud and not chic but all in all a great evening if you dont want the usual steak/burger/fish menus that all of the other restaurants seem to have copied from each other in this town...

Absolutely wonderful in every aspect: initial greeting to a great red wine list at realistic costs…read more Our first visit to Wales and Cardiff and Yelp helped us find this hidden treasure. It is certainly well worth finding. An Italian restaurant with amazing Welch lamb dishes as well as Italian prepared fish and exquisitely prepared pasta. We truly loved this small cuisine. Very happy!

Excellent food and the staff were very friendly. Will definitely return the next time we visit…read moreCardiff.

Pontcanna is a trendy part of Cardiff and with it comes the predictable hype from the locals who…read morelike to rub it in to those who don''t live there ie. "Oh its so great to live in Pontcanna there are some wonderful family run cafes and bars only frequented by the locals thankfully". Pontcanna is a nice place to live but it i pricey and it does not have a monopoly on nice little family run cafes and restaurants. One of my best friends live near by and I have been in pretty much every bar and restaurant in this area and they are ok. I went to Cibo found the food ok but the attitude of the service staff was just about acceptable sometimes bordering on rude. I don't mean deliberately rude but it was as if I was only there by luck and my purpose was to give them money. If you go there I'm sure you will have food that is passable - if you think its exceptional then you need to eat out more.

Can anybody tell me if there is an historic connection between Cardiff and Italy? I'm caused to…read morewonder owing to the fact that Cardiff has some of the best Italian Restaurants in the world outside of this Southern European country. There's The North Star on North Road, Porto Due on St Mary Street, and Cibo on Pontcanna Street... all of which have something more than a bit special about them. The food at Cibo is exceptional. It would be my favourite Italian in Cardiff if it weren't for the fact that I have fallen in love with the wonderful interiors that you get at The North Star. It's not that Cibo is plain... far from it. It's lovely. It is tastefully furnished with a beautiful wooden bar and serving are that takes center stage. The garden is really sweet. It's entirely enclosed and intimate. But, when compared to the sheer scale and grandure there's ultimately no comparison between this place and The North Star. The food, I would say is n a par... but may be Cibo clinches it... it's a tough call...!?!