Cardiff’s food and drink offering is playing a central part in the A Very Cardiff Christmas campaign, delivered by FOR Cardiff in partnership with Visit Cardiff.
The campaign aims to showcase the best of the city’s retail, hospitality and culture and position the Welsh capital as a leading UK festive destination.
Amy Holmes runs Nighthawks wine bar in Castle Arcade and recently opened Brân in Duke Street Arcade.
She said:
“The range of small independent businesses in the arcades create an ambience which is unique to anywhere else. Nighthawks has been here in the arcades for just over three years now, and we love being part of the community here – so choosing Duke Street Arcade for Brân, our new concept, was a no brainer.”
Carolyn Brownell, Executive Director at FOR Cardiff, said:
“Cardiff boasts a great food and drink offering all year ‘round, but what we’re seeing now is the whole city centre coming together as one big festive neighborhood – from the arcades and the central market to our independents and big-name restaurants. At Christmas, you can wander from an indie café to a Michelin-recommended meal, pick up something delicious in the market and finish with cocktails in the arcades, all within a few minutes’ walk. It’s that mix of atmosphere, quality and walkability that really sets Cardiff apart as a food city – especially at this time of year.”
FOR Cardiff’s Christmas campaign follows their City of Arcades 2025 campaign, which marked 70 years since Cardiff became the capital of Wales with 70 days of events across the city centre.
The autumn-long campaign brought together hundreds of local businesses through five themed fortnights celebrating food, discovery, arts, history and wellbeing.
