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!

Brilliant tea room specialising in loads of different teas. Very friendly and helpful staff and…read morerelaxed atmosphere. Also does great cakes and very nice breakfasts (but don't expect a big fry up). Well worth a visit.

Unfortunately, the one thing that I always remember about this place is that they forgot my…read moremarshmallows. I paid extra for marshmallows, and when my hot chocolate came it was without the little mountain of tiny marshmallows I was expecting. I was still fairly new to Cardiff at the time, and a little shy, so I sat quietly and hoped that perhaps they had sunk to the bottom and I'd find them as I started drinking. Sadly, however, no marshmallows were to be found, and then it was too late to do anything about it. This aside, Waterloo Gardens Teahouse is a lovely little shop, in the quiet area of Penylan with a nice selection of drinks and cakes, and comfy sofas. The coffee is fair-trade, there is a wide variety of tea, and they change the art on the walls regularly, exhibiting a different artist each month, which is a nice touch. Just make sure they give you the marshmallows you're paying for.

Tea and Cake do things the traditional way. For a start they brew loose leaf tea in the cafe…read moreinstead of using tea bags... this is always a good sign. Even though I'm a smoker, my taste buds are pretty sensitive. I can taste impurities in the water used to make tea, and I can also taste the paper if a tea bag is used. So, this is my kind of place, and sadly a lot rarer these days. Being a family business, there's the attention to detail that you'd expect; the service is great, the homemade food is a cut above the rest, and the cake... ah the cake... well, the cake is out of this world! And there's gluten free, veggie and vegan options... that's consideration for you! The gift shop and traditional sweet shop is a bit like taking a trip down memory lane... when I was a little girl they used to sell sweets in jars all lined up on shelves, one after the other... just like they do here. Lovely! Check out the traditional Victorian style toys, with wonderful wind-up mechanisms... marvelous!

Well where to start? As someone with a very sweet tooth, and who is rather partial to old-fashioned…read moreconfections, I unsurprisingly fell in love with this place, the moment I set foot in it! In addition to sweets from a bygone age this shop also sells handmade chocolates (though not nearly enough in my opinion), and I would particularly recommend the white chocolate and hazelnut butterflies which are truly divine A small café has recently opened at the back of the store, where you can have handmade paninis, sandwiches, toasties or even one of their fabulous cakes. I really like the black and floral wallpaper in the café and the pink fairy lights, which come across as trendy rather than tacky. If you're trying to be good or are not in the mood for food, there is also a small card and gift selection. They sell some very witty tea coasters and magnets (think naughty 1950s housewives), and even the jewellery has a confectionary theme (I absolutely love the iced ring biscuit and cupcake necklaces). Though the selection here is small, the cards available are incredibly unique and in a word, fabulous! My favourites were definitely the ones which spoofed popular fairytales. There is certainly a lot going on in this place, but rather than detract, this just adds to the cool, quirky nature of this sweet store, come café, come gift shop, which is without a doubt worth a visit!

I have a distinct soft spot for this shop. As a lover of hot drinks and the whole idea of taking…read moretime to relax and be indulgent for five minutes, this is a treasure trove. Not only do they sell tea and coffee, but a vast and exciting supply of instant teas (my favourite), hot chocolates, teapots and crockery, chocolate, and everything you could possibly need to produce any of the said drinks at home. The coffee is ground just for you, although you may need to do the research on your preferred grind before you go in, because some of the staff are unsure, and it's not really something you're able to take back later. This is Whittard's only actual retail outlet in Wales (bar a discount store in Bridgend), so is worth a look for anyone who is not familiar with their products.

I may of mentioned before but I cannot live without tea and cannot be awake without coffee. Good…read morething that Whittard specialises in both. There is a great range of both in store as well as mugs, accessories etc. I get my stronger than Arnie coffee from here that puts hairs on your chest. I've never tasted anything quite like it. Prices reflect the speciality of the store unfortunately, but I real don't care when I feel like a God after 'suppin' on my man coffee.

Now, I certainly won't say that this shop alone is worth the trip to Cowbridge, but I will…read morecertainly imply it heavily. This is a charming little shop tucked away off the main road passing through the town, so you might not immediately see it. It's easy to find though, and is very near the main parking zone. The staff in Cocoa & Co are very lovely, and clearly take a pride in their products. They have a good range of handmade chocolates and gifts, but the thing that really makes this shop something special, are the sugar-covered almonds. In all different colours, jars of them fill a wall. These are my favourite of sweets, so I was very, very excited when I first found them. But they're great for wedding favours, and Cocoa & Co specialise in making these up, if you're so inclined.

You will find Cocoa & Co down a quaint little mews off the High Street at the top end of Cowbridge…read more You can get there by turning right after Arthur John Hardware. (I had lived in Cowbridge for six months before I discovered this beautiful little mews!) Being a chocoholic this is my kind of shop, and although expensive, the treats that they have on offer are our of this world... so, essentially well worth the extra dollar! Although i have never indulged in anything but the handmade chocs, they also sell a pretty broad assortment of other sweets, that are bought in from other cottage industries and small manufacturers. The interior of the shop is like something you would expect to find in a period film about the Victorian era... it has that other-worldly charm going on about it! A real delight!

The good, old-fashioned bakery is one of the many lovely independent shops lining Cowbridge High…read moreStreet. It has a proper local feel to it, with a warm welcome from the friendly staff, and this along with the quality bread and cakes makes it very popular. As you'd expect, it sells a wide variety of range of loaves, pastries, pasties, cakes, and sandwiches, and has space to sit down and eat there, within their conservatory cafe area or the walled outside terrace. A great little spot for lunch during a shopping trip to Cowbridge.

A traditional long established bakery with a wide range of bread, cakes, and pastries for sale…read more Aside from purchasing items you can also choose to eat them on the premises themselves, either in the tea room, the sunny conservatory or like us outside in the walled courtyard area. After a busy afternoon shopping, it was lovely to sit down with a drink and a cake in the sunshine. My friend is on a diet so was pleased that they offer low fat options and chose a slice of the skinny banana and raisin loaf, which had less than 5% fat! The prices at the bakery were very reasonable and the staff very friendly. It really is the ideal place for a quick cup of coffee in the middle of a shopping trip. We were there on a weekday afternoon and had no problems finding a seat outside, however at weekends I have sometimes chosen to go elsewhere as it's been so busy.

Incredibly picturesque from the outside, and upon entering I really wasn't disappointed. They sell…read morea wide range of high quality items for the home, and also have a good selection of gifts available. My only slight complaint is that there was a rather odd smell when I was in there (rather worrying as there is a café upstairs). However don't le this you off, this is a lovely little shop and really helped make me fall in love with the incredibly quaint and unusual Lantrisant.

Think of an old fashioned shop; with old, brown, oak wood, nicely polished…read more.. Ornaments; expensive watches, china, vases, paintings, a grandfather clock or two, jewellery, furniture and some stairs slap bang in the middle of it all leading up to a second floor, where there is a... a tiny, busy little cafe all springing and is full of wonderful life and joy. Down stairs you can hear the chattering of female voices; the old baby or toddler crying, plates, knives, forks, and cutlery cluttering together, and sometimes the odd smashing sound of china, but that is extremely rare. A small cafe that is very popular; making it very busy regularly, depending on the time of year perhaps. It is a quaint and neat building and cafe and I have enjoyed going there every so often. It is out of the back and beyond almost, but there are some other shops and places to visit around there. The food prices are brilliant and I always enjoy having crisps with every yummy sandwich order and the delicious creamy cakes. The staff are very happy and smiley people and they welcome you to their hubby hole, that is very cosy indeed.

This is a great little cafe that seems to be the Millennium Centre's secret…read more If all the other cafes in the centre are full then pop to this one (its left as you go through the doors) as everyone seems to gravitate to the cafes to the right of the ticket sales desk. They have a lovely range of gorgeous looking cakes, a slice of which are bound to be your daily calorie allowance and the hot white chocolate is lip smackingly good. The only 2 negatives I have about this place is that the service seems to be a little slow (good job they rarely get busy) and they charge through the both nostrils for internet access - £5 for an hour or £10 for a day. So if there is nobody in the queue and you're not going here to surf then this is a good place to come.

I stopped here for a late breakfast as I walked around the Cardiff Bay. The location is very…read moreconvenient to all the activities in the bay and has a nice view of the ferris wheel and the old Bute building. My scone met my expectations; nothing I would go out of my way to get again, but still good. Not being from the UK, I was thrilled to finally have a scone as an excuse to have some clotted cream! I also purchased a flapjack to take away. When I ate it later, it was good and may be the standard for Wales; I tried my first one in Northern Ireland a couple of months ago and fell in love...this one was not as good as that one. Not to discourage you from getting one...just acknowledging that there are MANY different versions of flapjacks and this one was not my favorite.