Bacareto
Cardiff, Glamorgan
This artist-run Venetian bar and restaurant in the heart of Cardiff is as idiosyncratic as it is charming. Dark terrazzo-tiled floors, white wall tiles and artfully distressed original features evoke an air of retro cool and we loved everything about it – from the seemingly thrown-together interior to the generous, inventive and often free-form take on Venetian food, ranging from cicchetti to not-so-small plates. The ground floor sports a long bar, plus yellow booths for dining, while upstairs a long, warmly lit room is furnished with reclaimed wood and metal furniture; there's a small roof terrace too. The expansive cicchetti menu, built on breads from the excellent Riverside Sourdough bakery, runs from classic salami, mozzarella and olive through to creative plant-based options such as chickpea pâté with seaweed and banana blossom, or a simple but enormously satisfying mountain of sweet, caramelised onion. While meat and fish appear on the menu, vegan and vegetarian options take up the lion’s share. There’s also a retro wholefood vibe to items such as mushroom barley risotto or a huge bowl of cauliflower soup topped with a riot of croûtons, broccoli florets and walnuts. These are big, rustic dishes designed for sharing (a typical non-veggie option might be spaghetti with cockles, garlic, chilli and parsley). Fresh, seasonal ingredients are very much the stars of the show, as exemplified by an autumn dessert of plum and apple galette, combining a gorgeously crisp crust with perfectly caramelised fruit and a sparkling slick of fragrant orange syrup. A decent selection of Italian wines is matched by a very respectable beer menu.
Dining Information:
Separate bar, Counter seating, Wheelchair access, Family friendly, Dog friendly, Credit card required
13 Church Street, Cardiff, Glamorgan CF10 1BG
