Coffee#1 Cardiff Friary in Cardiff

After an afternoon in Cardiff, this place was our go to stop off for a quick refreshment before going back to the car and home. How things have declined of late. The only dairy and gluten free item for my wife was an unappetising, feeble flapjacky sort of thing measureing in at about a quarter of an inch thick. Ok, they still do the hot chocolate made with oat milk or soya for my wife, and I'm pretty well catered for with a good selection of coffees and cakes, but I mean....big deal, I can go anywhere for those. She can't. They used to have a reasonably good selection of items for people with food intolerances, even the sandwiches, but it's as if, now, they just can't be bothered. A pity. We are going to try that new place in Queen Street that cater for ALL dietary needs. Let's see how we get on. Coffee #1, you've lost the plot and two loyal customers. Well, you'll be pleased to know that in the 3 years since my last scathing review, my wife and I went back purely out of desperation. Things have not improved.

Cozy place for having morning coffee. Barista make time to ask how you doing.. Vegan Berry Croissant made my morning.

Excellent coffee. Nice atmosphere. Recomendable.

Fantastic service and very friendly staff. Unfortunately the restroom needs some attention, loose toilet seat and push button flush was missing.

Really nice coffee shop with great cake and coffee

Just next to Hilton Hotel, whose coffee isn't very good, so Coffee#1 was a great step out to decent coffee served in a wonderful room with lots of seats.

Good service and food well worth a visit

Always consistently a good cup of coffee. The food offering is not great. It needs updating. Some of the best things like the forest fruit cheesecake is no longer on the menu. The decor is looking tired. I used to come here far more often and take advantage of loyalty scheme but there is a lot of competition now and Coffee # are in danger of getting left behind.

Needed an early morning coffee but no where was open and this place had decent reviews. I ordered a flat white, the coffee was over extracted resulting in a burnt and bitter taste. The milk wasn't textured correctly and steam wand was left in the milk jug for too long causing the milk to be bubbly and boiling hot - the milk should be a light silky foam and drinking temperature once poured into the cup. Staff were nice but I wouldn't recommend coming here as they produce bad generic chain coffee, it lacks the pride and experience that baristas have at independent espresso bars.

Great, reasonably priced Americano, good, quick service, a delicious flapjack, pleasant background music and comfortable chairs. Couldn’t ask for more, happy to be back. Recommended.

A prime example of a soulless chain cafe. Everything was ok. There was nothing to complain. But there wasn't anything special either. If you are hungry and need something quick, this is a place for you. If you are looking for experience, go elsewhere.

We came here with my two children (2 and 4) the staff were amazing with them! Staff are so friendly, made mini chocolate milkshakes for the kids with marshmallows, which was a big hit! The coffee is really good here with a variety of cakes and food available. Staff are really helpful, she made sure to insist we sit down with kids and brought all our stuff over for us. Visited here a few times with various groups and always had fantastic service and lovely coffee.

A nice coffee shop in the city centre of Cardiff. A great variety of snacks and drinks in a cozy atmosphere ☕️😊👍

Great place. Works from morning to evening. I have been visiting since morning. Always fresh cakes and great coffee. Very tasty. Friendly staff that does not impose.

Lovely breakfast here, beautiful

Probably the best coffee in Cardiff

A good morning in the cardiff comming all the way from london and this coffee makes me feel as i was comming from the bus and it takes 4 hours and i was soo sleepy because of leaving my home in the morning 5:00 am

Very quick and efficient..freindly ..lovely place to have a coffee and chat

The usual Coffee#1 experience. V happy

I always go here when in Cardiff, reasonable prices, good food and service. They always do me a fantastic brownie warmed up with cream 😋. The service is always excellent.

Omg the service I received today was outstanding! Friendly, chatty and made me feel so welcome and comfortable! Tried the new millionaire shortbread hot chocolate and it was DELICIOUS!! Thank you so much to the lady working there who recommended it to me - was a perfect treat to add to my Lush facial I had just recieved! You are an incredible human being! The world needs more people like you ❤️

Excellent tea and cake, Friendly staff.

This was our 2nd visit. The coffee is very very good. The atmosphere is lovely. Staff are brilliant. The only downside was that our toasties were a bit cold.

Good coffee, convenient location, dog friendly, and plenty of space for the kids to play

Stopped for a mint hot chocolate. Staff were really friendly and it was really relaxed.

For a person who likes the coffee flavour without its bitterness, having the option of a light roast makes a huge difference. The breakfast wrap and the ham & cheese toastie were also good. The staff was super friendly and helpful, would give more stars if I could.

I absolutely love this place, and when working in Cardiff I always have my breaks here. The customer service is exceptional and especially the kindness shown by employee Annamarie is always a special touch to any visit. The food and drinks are always incredible and always lovingly prepared. Overall a very cute, quiet little coffee shop with lots of character.

They serve coffee. It’s coffee. In a cup. With frothy milk. I had some free water too and used the unisex toilet which was clean but needs the toilet seat fixing. The bucket chairs have seen better days. The one I sat on was old, knackered and had broken springs. A bit like me really.

Great little cafe serving a variety of cakes and light snacks.

Absolutely amazing coffee, one of the best I ever had, spectacular lemon cheesecake and awesome atmosphere in cafe. Would absolute recommend to anyone and definite my go-to place every time I'm in Cardiff!

Absolutely delicious coffee, lots of vegan options, a lovely chill atmosphere and dog friendly!

Nice drinks, cosy atmosphere, not too crowded even during weekend and friendly staff

This is less of a bitch than it is a warning. A few days ago on July 4th my dad went in to grab coffee before heading to join us at the train. When he got there the employee was talking about how the people before them had left all the ingredients out. It was early morning, so the last shift must have been the night before. My dad figured they would not use those ingredients and got coffee anyway. 30 minutes after taking a few sips of my mocha I was in the train restroom getting violently sick, and this continued for the entire hour and a half train ride. We were travelling to my university graduation. Needless to say it was extremely disappointing to spend what was supposed to be an exciting, long awaited day being stuck in the toilet or ready to run to one whilst being stuck in a cramped auditorium trying to take get my diploma. If something seems off, don’t order. I’ll leave it at that.

Lovely friendly staff Coffee was great Toilets were clean and tidy.

Lovely coffee shop a little out of the way so it's a good spot to work peacefully. Really lovely staff.

We stopped here before a long cycle event looking for breakfast. Although the coffee shop hadn’t opened yet, Anna-Maria was so kind and opened early for us. She was really lovely and friendly. Lovely coffee, lovely place, thank you very much!

One of the best coffee chain options in Cardiff, Coffee #1 regularly makes a much better coffee than the other big name coffee chains. With a host of wonderful, and friendly staff, this is a regular haunt for a craft group I am part of. We like to buy multiple drinks, and various food items across a span of several hours on a weekend morning, and the staff in this branch have always allowed us to stay for as long as we like. You can spend hours in here chatting with friends or family - take note though, that the WiFi is unreliable. This can be good for promoting conversation, but does make for a tricky location to work on a laptop from. Overall, whilst there are independent coffee shops whose coffee I prefer, this branch of Coffee #1 always delivers when there's a big group of us with differing drink preferences. Big shout out to the lovely staff, with the manager (I think, though I don't know her name) being a particularly friendly and lovely person. Thank you Coffee #1!

Food was lovely. Service, however, was so slow and seemed understaffed.

Great coffee, knowledgeable friendly staff

I am a regular visitor to this coffee#1. Coffee is always excellent and the staff are always friendly and efficient. I just wish the owners would spend some money on their door that has not worked properly for ages and their worn out furniture

Brilliant coffee and food, quick service and very helpful. Actually the best coffees I've had so far, much better than costa and starbucks.

UPDATE: I'm giving it 5 stars now, it has been more consistent. And that cinnamon roll is to die for :'( I just ordered it early in the morning and it was oh so delicious The good: Very delicious cinnamon roll (A must-try). Good coffee. The bad: Unreliable if you are ordering for delivery. Got my order wrong two times in a row. First order, missing a sandwich. Second order, they replaced everything except the cup of coffee. You should call and ask me about the replacements. It helps a lot to communicate with your customers. I know the store may be busy but a phone call really wouldn't take more than a minute. Next time please cancel the order altogether if you don't have the items and it's too much trouble to call me. Would be much better

Perfect place for a coffee and chill 🥰

Staff are very welcoming and friendly

Pleasant hour here. Nice and warm as snowing outside. Nice coffee

Fell in love with the coffee here years ago, everytime I see the coffee #1 sign I have go inside and have a coffee, lovely coffee and treats,will always come here, i highly recommend the caramel machaitto

Best coffee chain, great atmosphere, small coffee shop feel in a large shop. Reasonable prices, friendly helpful staff.

Nice place, awful coffee, pleasant staff

We go yhrre while in town shopping 3 timed a week.

Lovely place, marvellous service and very tasty breakfast

Went there yesterday. The coffee, chai, hot white chocolate and cakes were lovely. And the staff was smiling, ever so welcoming , and happy to welcome our dog as well. The café itself is clean, cosy and welcoming, whether you are a family, students meeting up to work on a project or tourists with a pooch! Highly recommended.

Great little coffee place with friendly efficient staff. Only criticism is it seems over reliant on sweet sugary items rather than savoury stuff. Still not much savoury stuff. Update Feb 2023. More savoury food now available such as toasties and paninis. Much better selection than before.

My friends and I stopped at Coffee #1 for a quick coffee after a drive from Devon. When I went to pay I noticed at the till a sign that said "free hugs here". I thought that was wonderful and the barista serving us said that it was from her colleague, Ana Maria, who arrived at the till seconds later. We had a hug and my friends and I had a giggle about it. I commented what a lovely and caring gesture that was, specially in current times. We got chatting with Ana Maria, who was an a absolute credit to Coffee #1. To make our visit even better, the coffee was really nice, not too bitter, not too weak, just perfect, and their Welsh cakes were really yummy. Thank you, it was a fantastic start to our girly weekend away.

Dog friendly, and a great welcome from the awesome staff.

Such a lovely team and great coffee.

Yummy! 😋 Very impressed with the vegan cream aswell!

Woman serving is very happy all of the time and the coffee is divine. 5 stars for this place. The bonus stamp game is great

Service has improved. Well done. Very well maintained and the lady in the morning is very knowledgeable and customer oriented. I give this place blessings and approval

Lovely, homey, relaxed atmosphere. Right at the back of the Café they have a wall of book shelves and a Christmas tree towards the front of the café. They also housed a number of different table configurations, so whether you want to sit at a workstation with a power outlet for your laptop or at a cosy table with a couch, you will be catered for. The food is delicious, and they do offer both vegan and regular dishes. As well as a selection of non dairy milk alternatives for an extra 40p. The staff are warm welcoming and you can create your WiFi account on the cloud which is offered by Sky.

Fabulous cafe such lovely friendly staff. Gave the place a nice happy and relaxing atmosphere

Lovely spot to stop for a quick coffee and a muffin or a hot chocolate and a treat...of the main street but worth it..Nice & cosy

Called in on a very busy Saturday but every one working there was calm and cheerful and as usual, very efficient. Great coffee and food.

The lady who took my order around 3pm on the 25th was pleasant enough, but when she was trying to plate up a slice of Christmas cake for me, she dropped it on the counter behind the computer. She picked it back up with the tongs and held it in the air, asking if if I’m happy to take that one. I thought she was joking at first, but when I told her I’d like a different slice, she set that one back on the tray to be served to another customer 🤦‍♀️ I’m pretty realistic about restaurants and cleanliness, having worked in the industry for years, and I don’t think I’m being unreasonable by thinking that wasn’t appropriate. The counter and cords behind the till are notoriously neglected and a cake that has been dropped there shouldn’t be served to customers. Hopefully, more training can be given to staff about food safety in the future.

Always enjoy coffee no 1 - nice coffee, good cakes, friendly staff, comfy chairs - what is not to like!

Best coffee around,staff were very friendly and helpful will call again 👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍

Nice decor and space, staff were nice too.

Love the atmosphere here! Great tasting coffee and a wise range of vegan options

Lovely cup of coffee in a comfy coffee shop 👍

General good service abit slow but nice relaxed atmosphere

Nice enough, a few more comfy chairs rather than hard wood/metal ones would go amiss

Good average coffee , better than the Starbucks/costa/Pret and friendly staff. Pastel de nata was delicious!

So nice this coffee 1, really nice interior, spacious with friendly staff.

Good sandwiches, coffee. Friendly staff.

Good coffee, lots of options, suitable alternatives for vegans. Service is always good and staff are super friendly. Definitely worth a visit.

Ich liebe diesen Coffeeshop. Der Cappucino ist sehr gut und Kuchen gibt es in grosser Auswahl und einer sehr guten Qualität.

Very good cup of coffee and very cool inside much needed this summer.

من افضل الكافيهات الطاولات متعددة الانواع فمنها ما هو مخصص للعمل

Great tasting cup of coffee. Very nicely done out inside and there's a very spacious feeling but also with a subtle cosiness

Always a great spot for a coffee, the staff are all friendly, the manager makes you feel welcome. They always make time for families and are great with kids, almost to the point where you forget they aren't your family. I would 10/10 recommend this place, my 2 year old daughter and my lass always love coming back here.

Great place. Very friendly staff and decent vegan breakfast. Good value too.

As I often visit Coffee #1 in Monmouth and enjoy the good service and fresh pastries, I decided to use their Cardiff Friary venue. What a mistake! The location is soulless and the almond croissant I bought was as stale as a week old loaf of bread. When I asked if it was fresh that morning, I was told by disinterested staff that it had been kept in the fridge overnight. It was awful. A good coffee shop should offer a warm atmosphere and fresh pastries that leave you wanting more. This place makes a motorway services seem good by comparison. Really bad

Clean, organised and friendly. Fair coffee. Good panini, great staff

It was a nice experience but coffee was a little bitter for me

The breakfast wrap is my new favourite and I also loved the caramel macchiato coffee.

Nice place different to other coffee shops which is great

Best coffee in town. First place we go before hitting the shops. Lovely comfy coffee shop

Amazing hot drinks and desserts, always consistent service and taste. They do the best cappacinos ☕️🍰🙂👍🏽

Nice friendly staff, welcoming atmosphere. Decent coffee and cakes 😊

A passable hot chocolate.a good espresso,and friendly staff

Friendly staff, great coffee and reasonably priced food. Good ambience but only one general use loo.

Always great coffee and friendly service. Coffee#1 in The Friary is the best coffee you can get in Cardiff city centre . Will call again.

Lovely friendly staff. Cakes and drinks great. Had the Apple and Cinnamon " tea" drink...lovely. have never seen/ tasted this anywhere else. Spotlessly clean.

No heating in winter, you just don't want to come back!!!

After a difficult morning, the friendly staff really made a difference to my day yesterday. I was feeling down and sad after an eventful day, but the positive and bubbly nature of one of the baristas reminded me to smile and really improved how I was feeling. Whilst I enjoyed my food and my tea too (the ham/cheese panini and the carrot cake was really tasty), it was the interaction with the barista that really made my day. To the barista with the red hair, thank you :)

Cracking coffee shop! Clean staff friendly good selection of coffee and bean, knife was reasonable will definitely go again.

The quality of food and drink is always excellent, with a great range of interesting hot and cold drinks. One of the few places in the area you can get a good filter coffee. Service is always exceptionally good, even on a busy Saturday morning.

Great service! Lovely hot coffee making it a great start to the day. Comfortable surroundings will be going back next week!

Nice enough coffee. Didn't have food but again a nice looking selection. Nothing remarkable but will be using again in the future

Fantastic service, great value, and a top breakfast and coffee! Very family friendly too. Me and my wife took our 3 year old twin boys here for breakfast whilst visiting the city for a couple of nights. So glad we did.There were kids toys and kids books readily available for the lads to play with whilst we waited. Superb value and tasty breakfast - porridge around £2.20, baby hot chocolate 90p! Much cheaper than the hotel breakfast on offer, that’s for sure! On top of that the staff simply couldn't do enough for us. Any family staying in the city shouldn’t hesitate to pop in here.

Great coffee, lovely place, friendly staff BUT there's never any loo roll!!