I'm never quite sure what to make of this place. It seems to sell a little bit of everything, but…read morenot ever quite enough of something to give it a more pronounced purpose - if that makes any sense at all? Do you remember the old local post offices, where they sold sweets and books and stationary, and everything else besides to keep business ticking over while their main seller was a 15p stamp? This is kind of like that, in the respect that they have lots of entirely useful gubbins, and lots of, who guessed it, entirely useless gubbins too. And now they're selling ice cream too... this is the kind of place where you'll unexpectedly find exactly what you were looking for, nothing at all, or some fond distant childhood memory of sweets and sunshine. It's a very old fashioned shop, but has charm in bucket loads.

As you can probably tell from the reviews of my fellow yelpers A B Snell & Son is a really little…read moreindividual place, which I can't quite believe still exists in this day and age. It's not exactly a big store, but I'm never entirely sure what I'll find when I visit here; they really do sell a random variety of items. Tanya mentioned that it's rather hard to define this shops actual purpose, I completely agree with her view on this and am rather uncertain how to define this place myself. Whilst I can't really put my finger on it I do believe that they are at least trying to stock items, for those visiting the local area. In addition to local books and guides concerning Penarth and Cardiff (a must for any tourist), they also sell outdoor games such as a baseball bat and ball, and typical seaside items such as fishing nets and buckets and spades. Unfortunately due to the temperamental British weather I do wonder how popular these items really are. Finally I must note that I wasn't exactly impressed by the stationary selection. Yes it is extensive, however the stationary available is all rather basic and if you're after anything whish is a little pretty or unique this is not the place to go.

Great staff - when they know something, they really know it, and even better - when they don't,…read morethey admit it! It's so refreshing to talk to salesmen that treat you like a human being, and that act like human beings themselves. I never feel like I'm being ridiculous when I ask about strange art supplies, even when I probably am, and whilst it's not always possible to fill those odd requests, I never feel stupid for making them. The selection on offer is enormous and wide-ranging, and pretty good for it's cost - I never feel like I'm being sold the cheap stuff at bargain prices, it's all at a quality that matches the asking price.

A good place to go for all your basic stationary needs. They sell your usual pens, envelopes,…read morepaper, diaries, rubbers etc... Be warned though, most of the items here are pretty basic, if you fancy a cute, or quirky notebook, I'd recommend heading over to Paperchase instead. Another thing to watch out for is that this store can be a bit pricey in comparison to places like Staples, and your local supermarket. Where Pen and Paper excels however, is in its art materials. If you're studying art in school, University, or even if you're a professional, this is definitely the place to go. The supplies are all of the best quality, and what's more the staff really know their product, and can advise you on what would suit your particular need (which you really wouldn't get at the large chain stores). Perhaps a little randomly, Pen and Paper also has a fantastic selection of jigsaws! Now personally I'm not particularly in to jigsaws, but if they are your thing, you'll just love this store!

Not sure there is a call for it, but card shops have gone upmarket. Thought's is well lit and…read moredesigned to be a lot more spacious for a much more pleasant shopping experience. Staff are very friendly here and doesn't make you feel your being harassed if your stopped by an employee. Less cards means higher prices. But the quality and class of them do exceed other card chains. I sound like a special occasions card connoisseur here, but if your looking to impress and want quality that you feel a loved one deserves then you could do worse than have a look here.

I'm not sure if this is really the right way to put this, but this place feels rather too trendy to…read morebe a card shop. The interior is rather modern, upscale, and dare I say minimalist (very unusual for a gift card store). There is plenty of space between the long aisles, so even on the busiest of days you have no fear of being squished. The card selection itself is good, but nothing in particular caught my eye (if you want an extensive selection head to Clinton Cards). There is an entire aisle devoted to Me to You Bears, which I imagine must be a dream to any collectors! They also have a selection of photo frames which weren't particularly to my taste but may make nice gifts. If in need of a card or gift it's worth checking out Thoughts for yourself.

You get lots for your money here, and there's even a pretty good selection of cards that aren't too…read moresaccharin. Mostly I give this little shop four stars for having a small selection of Thorntons goodies on site. Perfect for a last minute mothers day gift when you can't be bothered/don't have time to head into Cardiff town. (Though equally as good for when you just get the urge to eat a box of chocs and nothing but Thorntons will do)

This is a great card shop there is a wide variety of cards for all occasions and it's very cheap…read more They also have a small selection of gifts for weddings etc. As you enter the shop you see a big stand in front of you saying 5 cards for a pound I think it so very cheap. Behind the counter they have a selection of Thornton's chocolates for sale these always make great gifts as the chocolate is such good quality. I find the price for the chocolates really good I think there slightly cheaper then most places. The shop is well laid out with the cards in there categories the shop is fairly easy to move around in and the staff are friendly. This shop is definitely one of the best and cheapest card shops.

I word of recommendation about going in to Hobbycraft. Please don't go in if you don't know what…read moreyou want to buy beforehand. You need a plan of attack. Head straight to the help desk and then to where they send you with blinkers on. Hobbycraft is a massive warehouse of, well, everything that you could possibly need to any hobby ever. Their problem is certainly not being able to supply us with our needs, but rather, they over supply. You stand in the middle of this store and want to scream: Argh! I know I should be using all these creativity to make something, but I don't know what! It's all on overload. That being said, I know people who live in these stores. And yes, their houses are full to bursting with ribbons and gibbons and squibbons and such, but they're always prepared and kinda nifty with a needle. So, in short. Get in. Get out. Or pay the price. Dun dun duuun.

So this Hobbycraft gives you two floors of everything arty you can think of from standard drawing…read morematerials, to specialist model making materials, framing equipment, soft furnishing stuff and lots, lots more. It is a bit of a maze and they really don't make it easy for you to navigate this store. Apart from one sign by the stairs, they is no signage through the shop and that really annoys me. They obviously want to tempt you to buy other stuff but its so frustrating when your just after something specific. I spend a good 5 minutes walking around the upstairs with no sign of any staff members to help guide me. Eventually I found the section I was after but I was disappointed by how expensive everything was. I took myself to the checkout to pay and the checkout staff were busy chatting so I was barely acknowledged. Good selection but i'd rather get what I need online for cheaper.

My first Welsh treat! I was in Wales for a short amount of time. Nonetheless, I was so excited to…read moretry as much Welsh food as I can. First stop - Fabulous Welshcakes. From just walking pass this store, I was instantly pulled in by the sweet smell of freshly made welsh cakes. Initially, my brain instantly thought "Oh these look like mini pancakes - which I love!". After speaking more with the team, they were more similar to a scone. I got their traditional one. It was warm, soft and subtly sweet - so scrumptious! I will say, the dough is thick, much so like a scone. However, not as hard as scone at all, which I was pleased with. Please note - the welshcake I had was FRESH, literally right off the grill. I'm not sure what the texture is like pre packed or if it's been sitting out. All in all, great experience all around - cute shop, nice staff and luscious treats!

This yummy snack was super tasty. I had no idea what they were, but they smelled awesome and the…read morestore had a line long. Welsh Cakes, is a classic griddle-cooked cake that has a texture similar to a scone. Incredible!

I bought 2 cards here for a christening and they were big ones and the cost was under £2 - very…read morecheap and a good range of other cards along with other 'Tat' that you might be persuaded to buy if your life depended on it - like pink boa's, pink cowboy hats and 'presents' for teacher - bless them! Hint for children - and parents forget the tat and buy a decent bottle of Gin and I am sure your little darling will do great next year!

Argh! Another Card Factory!!!…read more I'm not a massive fan of card shops in general, I think they're impersonal, garish and tacky. If I want to tell someone I love them, I'll bake them a cake instead of getting them a naff card they'll just keep in a drawer unil they throw it away in a couple of years. Okay, now the bitter rant's over, I'll admit that as card shops go, this is a decent one. The prices are good (more like what I'd want to pay for a piece of paper), instead of ridiculously overpriced. But the Card Factory is taking over the world. Independent suppliers really don't have a hope in hell, which is sad.

It was a pleasant surprise to bump into a Paperchase store, while on the upper level of the St…read moreDavid's Mall in Cardiff, being quite a regular to my local branch in Manchester, which is one of there three flagship branches alongside London and Glasgow, Paperchase are more of a high-end store with stores even in the USA, expanding from the UK as well as big name and high end department stores such as Selfridges and House of Fraser. This branch did seem much smaller, and not as nice as the branch I am used to in Manchester, with three large floors but still it did have some good stuff in and basic essentials, such as a nice selection of lever arches on a good offer, which has been three for two for a while now, as well as a decent selection of both pens and cards. This store didn't seem to stock as much London Tube gear as other stores do, which is a shame as in a way it is letting down the people of Cardiff, to what Paperchase is really like in other cities, and it is sad to see them getting this treatment, with Cardiff of course being the capital of Wales and in the top ten largest cities in the whole of the United Kingdom. The staff didn't seem too welcoming or friendly, this store basically is more of a card shop rather than being a stationary mecca, which I normally associate with Paperchase, so sadly I feel this branch has only done enough to earn two stars.

Most Paperchase shops are pretty much the same in terms of stock, so if you've been to one you have…read morea pretty good grasp of what all the others have on offer. This is a fairly large store, long and thin, with plenty of good cards on sale as well as all the usual patterned notepads, pens, pencils, pencil cases, tins and other accessories that I find hard to resist buying. I last visited this branch because I'd bought a birthday card which I found didn't have an envelope inside the sealed up plastic packet it was in. I went back - receipt and card in hand - to see if I could get the matching envelope, but they didn't have the same card and the assistant couldn't find an alternative envelope to fit the card. I ended up just buying a different, new card instead! Although she was very pleasant, I did think I should have been offered a refund because the she had actually said that the envelope ought to have been inside the plastic packet! So, despite loving this shop, it has to lose a star because I ended up shelling out double just for a birthday card!

Cardiff Central Market is a real gem in the heart of the city. The Victorian building itself is…read morebeautiful, full of character with its glass roof and traditional ironwork. Inside, there's a fantastic mix of vendors... fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, and fish other food traders, vintage clothing, books, unique gifts and much more. It has such a lively, local atmosphere and you can really feel the history while wandering around. There are plenty of food options too! Prices are reasonable, the everyone was friendly! Great experience!

If you find yourself in Cardiff, I'd recommend visiting the market (also known as Central Market)!…read moreIt's been around since the 1700s, and in the same Victorian-style building - with a big glass roof - for over 100 years. There's *a lot* to look at and take in, so heads-up if you're a person that gets overstimulated by noise (because that's what the market is: organized chaos of vendors selling anything and everything from coffee to clothing to walking sticks to fish). We enjoyed a bunch of food that we brought to the low, bar-style seating on the first floor, including... Tukka Tuk (5) - first floor, 219 - 223: Indian street food by a multi-award winning chef. And, yeah, believe the hype. This was one of the best things we ate in Wales (and it was vegan!). We did the Build A Bowl and chose 1) half pilav rice and half plain chips topped with 2) coconut dal and 3) cauli kemp. It was rich, creamy, and an absolute explosion of flavor! I regret sharing this with my partner, so - PRO TIP - get your own. Pierogi (4) - first floor, 213 - 217: Polish pierogis. These fresh dumplings prepared daily using their family's special recipe are DELICIOUS. We tried the vegan ones, which at the time were roasted buckwheat with onion and mushroom sauce. So, so good. There's usually five-ish flavors to choose from, and I think they come in two portions (small with four pierogies; large with seven pierogies). Cardiff Bakestones (4) - ground floor, 161 - 165: Known for their Welsh cakes (which are kind of like a scone or a biscuit; softer and slightly sweet, they're baked round with a crinkly edge. Cardiff Bakestones has LOTS of different flavors (like salted caramel, nutella, lemon curd, chocolate chip, etc.) and also vegan and gluten-free options. Definitely get a couple more than you think you're gonna want, because *trust me* you're going to want another right after the one you've just eaten!