Breakfast, brunch, elevenses, what ever you call it , it is a great meal. So many options and so many places in Cardiff to eat. On a busy cardiff city centre Saturday morning I headed to town with a few places in mind. Me and Simran had narrowed it down to Coffee Barker or Barkers Tea House. Under the same chain, but situated under different arcades. I had the idea if one was busy we just shuffle to the other. This was the case and we first went to Coffee Barker and had to shuffle over to Barkers Tea House as the one was full.
We were warmly welcomed when we arrived and asked if we would like to sit indoors or outside. We opted for inside as it looked so cosy. We were seated in these amazing armchair and sat snug in them for the entirety. I'm not sure if this is a change since covid, but it is now table service. I think I prefer this as the staff were so friendly and welcoming. Any questions we had they were that happy to help.
The place I just loved the decor it was very vintage and eclectic. The beautiful oak counters, to the vintage writing it was very cosy. The lights, the chairs, tiles, plants, signage and accessories the decor just went so well. While there I used the toilet and it was amazing. The look was very industrial but so welcoming. The Belfast sink with the amazing smelling soap and hand cream. If you go do have a look even if it's to sort your hair in the 1920 style mirrors.
I had preivously followed the links on Instagram for both places, which links you to the same website. The menu stated for Barkers Coffee made it seem like it was the same for both. We had already got an idea in our heads of what we wanted but now had a whole new menu to explore.
The menu consisted of a mixture of sweet and savoury options. I had a sweet tooth so was going to go for the sweetest option possible. For this the pancakes seemed the best option. With a few diffent toppings I had to narrow it down. I opted for the strawberry, banana and maple syrup. The pancakes costing £9.99 and also they are vegan .
When they come out the first thing I noticed was the pretty plate it came on. The second was the mini pot that the maple syrup came in, these added touches were so pretty. The banana and strawberry ratio was great to the size of the pancakes. When I cut them into mini bite size bits, the stack held perfectly. The maple syrup absorbed right into the pancakes making them so sweet. The serving was the right amount to fill me but not leave me feeling bloated. I would definitely be getting these again, even venturing out and have the option with bacon.
Simran opted for the eggs benidict(£10.99), that came presented in a melamine bowl. It came with a side salad as well as a slice of bacon. The eggs balanced well on the breakfast muffins. There were lashing of hollandaise and when she cut into the egg the yolk was runny. Ther was no a crumb left on the dish and she defiantly enjoyed it.
For the drinks we both opted for a tea(£3.99), the menu was very extensive. All teas come as tea leafs in a very nice black pot. These are heavy so do be warned when lifting. The milk came , but as Simran discovered you have to pour it a certain way. Luckily I like lashing of milk so poured loads in.
I also wanted a cold drink so opted for a berry smoothie(£5.49). I did not know it was going to be as big as it was so had to pace myself. It was very fruity and filling. There are other options so ask and staff are happy to let you know.
In total we stayed for around 2hrs to enjoy our drinks and food. Once we had finished our food our plates were with us most of the time, but it was a busy day for staff. We did not feel rushed to leave at all which I liked a lot. I'm sure we will be returning in the near future to the Barkers chain.
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