Mowlana Persian Restaurant in Cardiff

Right around the corner for our stay in Cardiff, we found this restaurant via Google Maps. It was a fantastic surprise. The interior was quiet, beautiful and had an excellent atmosphere. The staff was very friendly, personable and professional. We sampled a lot: hummus with pita bread, lamb, stew, chicken, beef, dolmeh (grape leaf wraps, I believe), doogh (a yogurt drink), mango drink and a Persian-made tea. The portions were very large and everything was delicious. We left with a very positive opinion of the restaurant; one of our best dining experiences in Cardiff.

Outstanding taste, it is a bit expensive but you get what you pay for. Great service and atmosphere, would love to come back. A couple of things for owner, Rice were broken and not very long, there were little yellow Saffron rice on top. Secondly Mirza Ghasemi was not smoky enough, taste was great though

Friendly and warm welcome, delicious foods, great moments!

Amazing food and great staff, fantastic for groups.

If you like Persian food or want to try, then this is the place to go in Cardiff. The lamb mince melts in your mouth. Great find on a quiet street with a few parking spots. I loved how they served the grilled meat on a silver platter like in the middle east.

Excellent unknown gem, very reasonable exquisite food... The best rice we have ever eaten. Friendly service with lovely authentic decorations...

Went for lunch on Sunday - great food, friendly service & great value for money

Excellent and delicious food as well as beautiful environment and friendly staff

The food is delicious Staff were kind and friendly, the service was perfect. Definitely recommend

‏Nice atmosphere, friendly people, good food; the momtaz tastes delicious. The owner is hospitable and tries his best to keep you happy if you have any complaints You are free to bring your own beverage which is nice

We have been going to mowlana for many years and it is family favourite! visited again this evening and the food was beautiful, so tasty, flavoursome and fresh! The waitress was so helpful and attentive! Highly recommend this place, you will not be disappointed

We ordred ghorme sabzi,kobideh ,dooghand baklava .they were all fresh and yummy .wautresses were friendly ,decor was trdetinal.will defintly recommed .

I had high expectations of this place after reading some of the reviews but was underwhelmed to put it mildly. We should have seen the warning signs when we realised we were the only ones in there at 7pm on a Saturday. To be fair, the waitress was very sweet but that’s probably the only good thing I can say. Food was bland with a really unpleasant smell - certainly not aromatic! The meat eaters of the group said it was dry and there wasn’t a lot of it. Will not be returning and do not recommend!

Absolutely stunning fresh food. Been wanting to find a Persian restaurant for a while, so glad we discovered this little gem. Bonus, as it’s bring your own booze so extremely affordable and complimentary tea to finish 🥰

The staff are lovely. Family run business. Complimentary tea was perfect.

You can't go wrong here. The food is very authentic. The menu has all the great classics and everything I tried (stews, kebabs, starters, desserts) was delicious. The kind and friendly staff is the added value. A true gem.

Delicious food at a good price! The owner is very friendly too

Delicious food and friendly staff.

Delicious,authentic food, amazing service, and very friendly staff. 10/10 Would definitely recommend.

Had a lovely time there, highly recommend. Great food, very reasonable prices and friendly staff. Thank you!

Lovely food, fast service and friendly staff.

Good food ,good service .i will go back again.i had lamb shank and kashk badmjan .both were tasty.highly recommended.

I went to Mowlana with a large group of friends, 40+, and we were exceptionally well cared for. The food was delicious and well-priced. This is not my first visit to Mowlana, and I'll be there plenty more. The staff, as well as the owners, Rami and Soheil, are great hosts and very kind people.

I had a positive experience at the restaurant with a friendly owner, generous portions and really good customer service. The Kashe Bademjan and Koobideh were delicious highlights, and the veggie options added to the overall satisfaction. Worth a visit for a pleasant dining experience.

Very good! My friend recommended me to go there and we have dinner together, I love lamb🤓

We went to this restaurant with 48 members of the students of Middlesex University and enjoyed their wonderful food very much. The behavior of the staff was excellent and the taste of the food was unique.

Delicious food, friendly staff, with great service. Would definitely recommend!

Really great local Persian restaurant! Food was delicious and plentiful, we had the mixed grill platter and the babaganoush / fried aubergine dip with pita. Service was outstanding, they’re all really kind. I would definitely come back here.

Really nice food - and quite different despite likeness to Indian or Mediterranean food. Spices are milder. Great service, too

Excellent quality food, the lamb and chicken were incredibly tasty. Definitely going to head back for more!

Food and services were FANTASTIC

Food and Services were FANTASTIC 👌 We went to Mowlana as a family and we really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere 👍

Amazingly cooked to perfection Koobideh and very warm and friendly staff. I could not fault the chef or restaurant. I recommend the platter for a group and definitely the koobideh! Best Iranian food in Cardiff! I will come again!

One of the best Halal Persian restaurants in Cardiff, definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to try out Persian food! The Koobideh was soft and succulent. The atmosphere of the restaurant took us back in time. They have an ornate ancient Persian style seating bed.

Went to Mowlana's for the first time recently after having walked past it quite a bit. The staff were very welcoming and accommodating of a big group of people. Ordered a selection of veggie starters - the aubergine dip (kashk-o-badenjan) is amazing - which were great. Some of the best dolmeh in Cardiff! Had the ghorme sabzi (kidney bean and spinach stew) for main, which was decent and reasonably priced. Only criticism would be there's a limited selection of veggie mains, but what they do have is great and would definitely recommend Mowlana's.

It was absolutely amazing 👏 😍 🙌

Great food/portion and great price. Must try

Beautiful food in a beautiful place x

lovely food in a quite and clean space!

The food is very nice, generous portions for good prices are given and all the staff are very welcoming. I would very much recommend this restaurant

Great food especially the koobideh (grilled minced lamb)! Great service. Nice atmosphere, suitable for family.

Exceptional. I arrived just on closing time on a rainy night and the owners, 2 brothers, opened up the restaurant and cooked me fresh, delicious vegetarian food. You should make an effort to go here, the food and hospitality are genuinely at a level that will restore your faith in mankind.

Ordered the meat platter and sea bass along with an assorted starters. Generous portions .The lamb was good and the fish was succulent. Definitely would recommend.

What an amazing restaurant. I went with four friends, my wife and my two boys. All the food was fantastic! The place is so welcoming and is spotless. Service is super friendly. I recommend the sea bass, platter for 4 and as many starters as you can fit in (portions are very generous)! Can’t wait to go back!!!

Very amazing food, great prices, friendly staff, very nice environment. Overall a great experience for any kind of occasion.

I went with four friends, my wife and my two young boys. We all had a really great night. Amazing restaurant. Friendly service and beautiful setting. The food was perfect. From the delicious starters to the tender meat. I particularly enjoyed the lamb chops, but everyone was excellent! Will definitely go again! Please give the lovely restaurant a visit - you definitely won’t be disappointed!

The service is 10/10. The complimentary tea given. The food is nice my sisters loved it. Thank you

Very nice Arab food. Not spicy, filling.

A really lovely meal. Great service Good sized portions and really appreciated the doggy bag Looking forward to going back

Great food never fails to deliver consistent high quality food

Mow Lana’s is always great. Lovely place, delicious food, generous portions and friendly service.

Fantastic place to eat. Great food and a great atmosphere

Amazing and gorgeous food. The place has a great atmosphere and friendly staff. I can't believe how reasonable it is too. Please visit - you'll love it!

Absolutely delicious food, lovely surroundings and first rate staff. I can't recommend this place high enough.

Lovely food taste and service really enjoy it.

Great food, big portions, full of flavour, lovely staff

Great food, generous portions, full of flavour, reasonably priced, lovely staff, would definitely recommend if visiting Cardiff

My family and I had a lovely time at Mowlana. The food was tremendous, with the best hummus we've ever had, and delicious almond cake. Rami, Soheil and the team are lovely people and do a great job hosting and cooking. We'll be back and recommend it to friends.

Anyone who loves mediterranean food this is a must try place. Persian halal food restaurant run by Ramis and his family. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with pure mediterranean vide all over. Ramis and the team were very welcoming from the moment we walked through the door. We ordered mix grill for 2 and WOW is one word to describe. Mince lamb was melting in your mouth, chicken pieces were really juicy and flavourful and finally lamb chops were thick juicy and soft. Seriously one of the best mix grill I have ever had. Rice was fluffy and with a touch of butter it changed to something that you can eat on its own. We also ordered lemon and mint juice which was freshly made and very refreshing with our food. Being Muslim and during prayer time they were very accommodating, setting up a little place at the back for us to be able to pray which we really appreciated. This is a child friendly restaurant and the guys serving were very nice towards our children. Food was outstanding, very fresh, full of flavour, customer service was brilliant and absolute must try. Ramis and the team thank you for a lovely time and we will be back for sure.

Best Persian restaurant in Cardiff. Food consistently large portions very well cooked with an amazing flavour. Superb customer service and a lovely decor. Best Arabic North African restaurant in Cardiff. The kebab meals are mouth watering that's why you keep going back

A beautiful place for a meal! Authentic, fresh Persian food (and I should know married to an Iranian) with a lovely atmosphere, great prices and friendly staff. Cannot recommend this place enough!

A beautiful place for a meal! Authentic, fresh Persian food (and I should know married to an Iranian) with a lovely atmosphere, great prices and friendly staff. Cannot recommend this place enough!

Fantastic food, fantastic atmosphere, good quality and excellent staff. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.

I went to mowlana with my wife for dinner.Amazing food,good customer service nice atmosphere.we will definitely go again.

Visited this restaurant by recommendation.absolutely happy with the food and service.we tried kobideh and shishlik dishes.both were tasty and fresh .highly recommend

As always delicious food at more than fair prices - amazingly good value. No alcohol licence but people can bring their own. The menu offers both familiar middle eastern type food and more specialized traditional Persian food. Very friendly and attentive staff.

Whilst in Cardiff for work I went here with my Iranian friend. The food was fantastic and according to my friend very authentic. We sat in the raised carpeted area which added to the whole experience. Would visit again.

Espectacular. Comida deliciosa que no debe envidiar a los manajares de Isfahan o Shiraz (hablo por experiencia). Muy recomendable. Servicio encomiable. Acogedor en un día de lluvia.

Lovely decor, bright. Attentive friendly staff. Tasty food and very decent portions. Will definitely visit again.

Wonderful atmosphere and lovely staff. Delicious food with big protions at a really good price. Highly recommended.

What an amazing place! We have walked past this restaurant many times and decided to try it out today, and wondered why we haven't been there before. Wonderful atmosphere, delightful staff and the best food and value for money in Cardiff. Large portion of beautifully...

Food is brilliant and so is service. Complimentary tea too 😍 Thanks team for the nice welcome and great atmosphere

delicious food 👍🏼👍🏼 magnificent

A truly splendid family-run restaurant conveniently situated just off the A4161 Newport Road. Prompt and efficient service, and excellent well-priced meals. Our party was looked after very well, and we will certainly visit again when we are next in Cardiff. Remember to take your own...

Very definitely Five Star. Seven of us for supper. A real pleasure to dine there. Professional and excellent hosts, very informative about their cooking which was excellent. Subtle differences to Turkish and Lebanese cuisine which we liked. Do make sure that you leave room for...

The owner was so lovely!!! Out off this part of Cardiff it's really your best bet. The food is delicious, fresh, special mention for the so so so good baklava.

Really great food, excellent value for money and BYO. Had a lovely meal and service was attentive. Portion sizes generous.

Great food and service. Everyone working there is super welcoming and friendly. Enjoyed our time there. Highly recommend Mowlana restaurant.

I was desperate need of charging my phone and multiple places have rejected my request. Until I found this gem of a restaurant with I guess the owner who allowed me not only to charge my phone. Despite my work appearance they allowed me to...

Best service, unique taste ,highly recommended for Persian food.👌👌👌 Food: 5/5 | Service: 5

The atmosphere was calm and beautiful, the quality of the food and the service was outstanding!!

The food was AMAZING!!! The atmosphere was so calm and classic. I rate it 10/10 🤤🤤 Best Persian restaurant in the Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿.

So glad they have now reopened, a must go spot, amazing food and lovely staff. We ordered the mast-o-Khiar dip to go with our main course montaz (chicken breast and lamb mince) as well as some bread. It was all cooked perfectly as always. Never...

Really good customer service and great food.

Generous portions,lovely atmosphere. Although ,it took a bit long to have the food , it worth it. Highly recommend.

Delicious food and very friendly staff, we’ll definitely be coming back

I'm in an unfortunate predicament where I've found a wonderful restaurant, but will be leaving Cardiff by the end of the week. The service was magnificent - our waitress gave our party the right amount of attention to feel like we always had service on...

Authentic Persian food, tasty and delicious. Definitely recommend it

Amazing persian food and service. Thank you its like having food made by your family.

The food had a great quantity and was delicious. The spot and sitting was calm and nice. The service was great.

First time at Mowlana and was blown away by the quality of food along with generous portions. Excellent service, very kind and attentive. Sea bass and mixed grill were delicious. Highly recommend and we would eat here again when visiting Cardiff!

Very good food. Very friendly staff.

Very friendly service, lots of food, authentic, good atmosphere - music, couches nice with big groups

Really good food and good value for money!

Lovely evening! Thank you! Food was incredible. Such big portions as well.

Amazing!! The food is so good and the place is beautiful:)

An amazing experience! Brilliant food, lovely staff, good value, and overall such good vibes!

Found this nice Persian restaurant on my way back from Cardiff to Bath and went there to order “Koobide” for takeaway. Felt like home when the owner offered me a cup of tea while my food was getting prepared, exactly the same vibe like Iran. Really enjoyed the food, will definitely try it again when I come to Cardiff.

We have known this restaurant for many years pre Covid and we always liked going there for the atmosphere and the excellent Persian food. We went yesterday for the first time after Covid. It’s still beautifully decorated, friendly welcoming staff, amazing food and service. This...

Fantastic food and wonderful service. Well worth a visit