FOOD & DRINK SNAPSHOTS OF CARDIFF’S FOOD SCENE
DEJA BREW
What a team at the Taff’s Well Inn
KIN + ILK specialty coffee shop has opened a permanent site in St David’s after their pop-up went so well. It went so well, in fact, that what was meant to be a twomonth temporary Christmas stint in 2018 turned into a month-by-month extension all the way up until lockdown. They’re back with a caffeinated bang now, and there’s a gorgeous refurb to top it off. “Our latest fit-out at KIN + ILK St David’s was the result of a collaboration with some great local tradesmen and brands,” says Haydn Darke, director. “The design was conceived in house and is based around the minimal Scandi interior design that we all know and love. We collaborated with Will Sampson, our go-to carpenter; Cardiff Granite for our quartz bar; and John & Jane branding and design agency for their Grid 45 Exhibition and awesome graphic design work. We move quickly, work started on 10 August and we opened on the 22nd.” For more: www.kinandilk.com
COMMUNITY SPIRIT
KIN + ILK looking brewtiful
In the most wholesome of twists, The Taff’s Well Inn unexpectedly became a charitable community hub for the majority of this year, and it’s now back in business. The pub became a focal point for locals following extensive flooding in the area earlier this year, as Marsha Ward, who bought the inn with her husband last year, explains, “The floods hit in February and the community was devastated. We decided to do all we could to help. My 16-year-old son was rescuing families from their homes and bringing them to the pub; we became a community centre for food, clothes, warmth and solace. “The floods subsided, and we started trading normally again but then Covid hit. Again, we decided to help the community and delivered food to those who were selfisolating or shielding, as well as offering an afternoon tea delivery service to cheer customers up. “Now, we have a new chef, a new menu and a new colour on the walls, and we’re really excited to welcome one and all.” For more: www.thetaffswellinn.com
WATER YOU LIKE A drive-in Halloween horror film fest is on the way
THRIVING DRIVE-IN Some positive news from the independent events and hospitality sector: Cardiff’s Street Food Cinema drive-in is extending its run into September and October. After a successful month of screenings, Street Food Cinema, Cardiff’s first dedicated drive-in movie and street-food experience, is set to continue. For October, the team is planning a Halloween horror film festival, featuring classics such as Scream, Cape Fear, Ghostbusters and The Exorcist.
50 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
“Our concept combines drive-in cinema with a local independent street food offering,” says founder Matt The Hat Lawton. “We’ve had a great run so far, almost every showing was a complete sell-out. After a spring and summer of having to cancel events, it’s been great to be able to get back out and give customers a taste of what they’ve missed. We’ve been able to offer an event that’s naturally socially distant but doesn’t feel like it’s compromised by safety measures. Everyone stays in their cars, and food and drinks are delivered to your window.” The drive-in site is at Splott Market, and a ticket for one car costs £30. For more: www.streetfoodcinema.co.uk
Cardiff businesses have joined a bottle-refilling campaign to tackle the rise in plastic pollution. Coordinated by City to Sea and funded by the Welsh Government, Refill works by connecting people looking for drinking water with Refill Stations via a free app. Participating cafés, bars, restaurants, banks, galleries, museums and other businesses simply sign up to the app and put a sticker in their window alerting passers-by that they’re welcome to come on in and fill up their bottle. The app has been downloaded over 300,000 times and there are now almost 30,000 Refill Stations across the UK. In Cardiff, consumers can refill at over 280 different venues, including Kin+Ilk, Lufkin Coffee and Ripple Living; the message is loud and clear: Cardiff businesses Cardiff venues are are backing refills. making a splash For more: www.citytosea.org.uk
