Coffee#1

Cute place and really nice staff. If you don’t want to go a chain like Starbucks, go here for a nice coffee and croissant.

We live in a time of Twitter, a technological era where updates no longer occur biannually through something as time-​consuming as the post. Oh no. This is a period where is all happens now. So, in the day of the digital age, the-​what-​exactly-​are-​you-​doing-​at-​this-​moment movement, I shall be doing as many reviews as possible in situ. Just don’t expect me to do it in 140 characters or fewer…
I’m currently sitting in Coffee #1 on Wellfield Road. I like to think of myself as a girl of the twenty-​first-​century world. I can stroll into any café I choose and order a double skinny latte with a shot of amaretto with confidence. If I so choose.
Today, however, I just wanted to get out the house, sit down and write a couple of previews or maybe another application form if the mood took. I had envisioned a sofa, a table, a plug socket and a quiet corner. In this vision, the drink I had chosen in order to get this privilege slowly went cold by my side, an unfortunate victim in my drive to keep my chair as long as possible.
So, I left my Italian at home, and opted for a standard predictable white coffee. But then the chaos kicked in.
‘Would you like filter or latte?‘
Ok, a little unexpected but this was manageable. Filter please.
‘Small or large?‘
Err, ‘large please’. I was getting good at this. I felt like a likeable politician at Question Time, charming the life out of David Dimbleby.
‘Medium or Strong?‘
Coffee. Just coffee. The calm politician vanished and I stuttered like a Conservative trying to warmly acknowledge Thatcher. Just pour me coffee and I’ll make my decisions later, after I’ve had the necessary caffeine.
‘Are you more about taste or caffeine?‘
Well, anyone sighting the flabbergasted wreck that was now glancing at the choices in blind alarm would have been able to prescribe me some of the more serious option. Instead, I just muttered something irrelevant about 9 o’clock starts. I think I handled it though. I just had to collect my drink from the end of the counter.
‘Hot or cold milk?‘
Life-​affirming decisions aside, though, this is a gorgeous place to kill an hour. Soothing music, a selection of local magazines and a book crossing point. The staff are polite, the décor tasteful and, as my exchange will indicate, there is certainly an attention to detail. The place could benefit from wifi though, and a few more chill-​out tracks on the loop.
Anyway, thanks go to my barista. The medium roast with refrigerated milk was divine.
URBAN CHALLENGE: Say ‘yes’ to every question

If I wanted to open up a coffee shop I would call it Costra Starbocks hoping to capture the short sighted market because you have to have an advantage on your side to be successful in the coffee business. It is a very crowded market.
Coffee #1’s advantage is that they are very good at what they do. They have 2 shops in Cardiff both of them are very pleasant to sit in and both take their coffee very seriously. Ok granted their interior has been inspired somewhat by most other coffee shops which is both a blessing and a curse but there is a more personal feel in this shop than other chains.
So the coffee is good, the place is welcoming and the chicken panini I had wasn’t too shabby either. Why wouldn’t you visit?

This is a splendid little café. It looks quite small, and is nestled between a Spar and a Boots. There are usually people happily chatting in the window. Inside is pleasantly decorated, with some amazing quotes painted around the walls, from the likes of Dylan Thomas and Oscar Wilde.
There is also an outside seating area on the roof, which is a nice place to separate yourself a little from the hustle and bustle of a busy shopping day.
But where this café surpasses all others, is in these three important points: 1) They serve fantastic, well crafted coffees that taste so rich you want to marry it. 2) The staff are bright and witty. 3) They sell absolutely delicious welshcakes for 50p a pop!

Hurrah for the ubiquitous Coffee #1! This Cardiff born chain is really something that the city has to celebrate! It really is a credit to the place, and has been hugely successful. There are now oodles of the Coffee #1 branded coffee shops all over the place, and not just here… they are in Bristol and elsewhere too.
Although not the first Coffee #1 outlet, (the original is up by the railway station in the centre of town), this is one of the first, and remains much loved by the people of Roath. It’s funny, there are some similarities between Coffee #1 and the Lounges, which originated in Bristol, but have diversified into Cardiff and beyond. They seem to crop up in similar places, and so it’s hardly surprising that the Juno Lounge is across the street.
It’s all good clean healthy competition!

A great place to come for a drink or snack, whether you want to chill out, read a book, catch up with friends, or even do some work, the variety of people in this place never ceases to amaze me.
The food and drink on offer is all good, I particularly love their smoothies and sandwiches (the bread is covered in sesame seeds), and what’s even better is that they support local farmers in the developing world (so no ethical worries whilst you eat).
I also really like the décor which certainly seems to have literary theme to it. There are big leather library chairs, deep low mahogany tables and quotes from famous writers such as T.S. Elliott and Dylan Thomas cover the wall.
Following on from this literary theme, Coffee 1 also has a selection of books available upstairs, so they really don’t mind if you’re there to stay.
I couldn’t recommend this place more, and it makes a great alternative to Starbucks, which let’s be honest is pretty samey. Oh and in summer time be sure to check out the garden at the rear of the premises.

Consistently Fantastic coffee at coffee no. 1. Froth on the cappuccino is thick and delicious. Starbucks, café Nero etc just don’tt compare. This one on wellfield rd is also a really nice and comfortable environment, with a great conservatory at the back.