‘With Love From’ explores Cardiff’s food and drink scene and celebrates local businesses

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Podcasts
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From devilishly good craft beer to deliciously crumbly cheddar cheese, South Wales boasts no shortage of refreshing drink or appetising food, reveals Alt Cardiff’s With Love From podcast

To celebrate the city’s local food and drink scene, Alt Cardiff’s With Love From podcast visits four independent businesses and shares some food for thought on their findings.

From the traditional to the unusual, the team each buys an item of food or drink from a business of their choice, before exchanging their items with one another and sharing a review. 

Home to a variety of restaurants, cafes, bars and breweries, Wales’ cosmopolitan capital city offers a range of cuisines, catering to many cultures and tastes. 


In a bid to inspire listeners to eat like locals and explore the wide range of local businesses in Cardiff, the With Love From podcast team explain the history of their chosen food and the fascinating background of the manufacturer.

The tea-time favourite welsh cake

Starting with Castle Arcade’s charming bakery, Fabulous Welsh Cakes, Jess Downey, 22, discusses the history of her purchase – the tea-time favourite welsh cake. 

“The history of the welsh cake runs back to a time when Wales was known as the largest producer of coal,” explains Jess.

“Coal miner’s wives would prepare welsh cakes as their husbands worked in the mines, typically serving them with afternoon tea,” she adds.

Cheddar cheese from the city’s staple deli

Moving onto Cardiff’s much-loved continental delicatessen, Wally’s, Annie Wheatland-Clinch, 22, shed light on the story behind her cuisine of choice, Y-Fenni cheese. 

Hailing from Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, the creamy cheddar cheese blended with mustard seeds and ale was described by Jack Cousins, 24, as having a “crumbly texture” and “a strong kick” with an enjoyable sweet aftertaste of cinnamon. 


Established in 1981, Wally’s Deli is a family-run business specialising in international gourmet food. It has been a staple in the city for three generations.

Devilishly good craft ale

With Wales having a proud history of brewing, it’s no surprise that Cardiff is spoilt for choice when it comes to craft beer. 

Produced in the heart of the city, Crafty Devil is an independent local brewery known for its quality beverages and creative branding.

Jess, who tried the fruity and light ‘hipshaker’ beer, said the drink was a success. 

“It’s as much a piece of art as it is a fantastic local beer,” Jack adds. “They’ve made every effort to create products well-loved by Cardiffians.”

The bakery bringing Portuguese pastries to Cardiff

Nata & Co is a bakery based in Mermaid Quay bringing Portuguese traditions and treats to Cardiff Bay.

Elle Redman, 24, explained the bakery is most famous for their pastel de nata which is a delicacy dating back over 300 years.

“They’re best enjoyed with a cappuccino or espresso,” Elle remarked. “Many locals use their coffee spoons to scoop out the custard inside,” she said.

Recalling the Nutella-filled pastel de nata, Annie described the recipe as “Melt in the mouth – absolutely gorgeous!”