10 Cardiff Eats On A Budget: Where To Eat For Less Than £20

Going out for food is without doubt one of my favourite hobbies. People often say to me “How do you afford to eat out so much?”and “Isn't it so expensive to go out for food so much?” but eating out doesn’t always have to be expensive. There are loads of places, in the centre of Cardiff, that offer amazing food, for a cheap price.

Below are some of my favourite places that I have eaten at recently and would highly recommend visiting if you want delicious food but don’t want to break the bank.

Revolution

After going to Revolution (Revs) multiple times for nights out, I was sceptical when I heard that their food was good. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw their large menu, with lots of tempting things to choose from. With 2-for-1 on mains and cocktails, from Sunday to Friday until 10pm, it only cost me about £15, for a main, dessert and a cocktail! Absolute bargain if you ask me! It took me quite a while to decide what to have but I ended up going for the ‘parmesan chicken’ and upgrading the ordinary fries to parmesan and pesto fries. I absolutely love cheese, in particular, parmesan, so this was perfect for me. And it was heavenly. I would 100% recommend. Although I was really full, I obviously had to try a dessert, and was easily swayed by the ‘cookie dough s’more’ which was stunning...but slightly too sickly – I only managed to eat half of it. However, if you’ve got a sweet tooth, then I would definitely urge you to try it, but maybe share it with a friend.

Smoke Haus

I’d wanted to try Smoke Haus for quite a while as I had heard a lot about it. I couldn’t decide what to have (shock) so went for the BBQ pit plate duo and had the BBQ chicken and the half rack of ribs. It was delicious. For only £15.95 for the two meats, chips and coleslaw, you can’t go wrong if you ask me. I also upgraded my fries to cheese fries, and wow. They were a solid 10/10. However, I haven’t been that full in a long time and struggled to walk after.

BBK

No, not GBK, but Cathays’ own BBK. Standing for Bagel and Burger Kitchen, I was unsure how good it would be, but I saw their advertisement for the £5 lunch deal and thought I would give it a whirl. Between 12-3pm, you can get a burger, chips, and a can of drink for just £5. An absolute bargain (cheap as chips!) and delicious too. Their chocolate-bar milkshakes are definitely worth a try too - absolutely divine. Just a short walk from Cardiff city centre, and perfect for Cardiff Uni students living in Cathays. I will definitely be going back at some point in the near future.

Falafel Corner

Newly opened, on the corner of Capitol shopping centre, is Falafel Corner. I decided to give this a try as it always looks fairly busy, with the queue often spiralling out the door, so assumed it must be pretty good. For just £4.95 I got the Lebanese wrap, and you can choose from their salad bar which fillings you have. I had the beetroot hummus, falafel (obviously) and pretty much all of their salad options (chickpeas, cabbage, couscous, tabbouleh etc). It was absolutely huge. Not normally like me, but I struggled to finish it, and saved half of it and had it later in the day – it was too good to waste. Definitely the finest falafel I’ve ever eaten.

Mowgli’s

I absolutely love an Indian, who doesn’t? However, I am quite faithful to my Indian restaurant back at home, so since being at University, I haven’t actually gone out for an Indian or had an Indian takeaway. It had been a while and I was starting to get withdrawal symptoms. A lot of my friends had mentioned how nice Mowgli’s was, on Crwys Road, so I thought it would make sense to give it a try. Sharing is caring when it comes to an Indian, so me and my friend ordered a main dish each and quite a few sides between us. Although we had loads of food and couldn’t finish it all, it was such good value, and only came to about £15 per person.

Chapel 1877

A typical Sunday is not a Sunday without a roast dinner if you ask me. For those looking for fine-dining without paying a hefty price, Chapel 1877, is the place to go. A converted chapel in Cardiff city centre, they serve Sunday lunch between 12pm-5pm and offer one course for £14, two courses for £17 or three courses for only £20! We’d seen a few roasts been served and they looked like quite big portions, so we thought it was best to stick to two courses. The beef was cooked to perfection, with crispy roast potatoes (my favourite) and plenty of fresh veg. The dessert…was definitely one of the best desserts I have ever had – without a doubt. A chocolate torte, chocolate brownie and chocolate ice cream (chocolate overload!). If you’re a chocolate lover like myself, I would strongly urge you to try this!

Cosy Club

I’d heard a lot about Cosy Club and a lot of my friends were shocked that I’d never actually been there. I’m a big brunch lover, and so when I saw their hefty brunch menu it’s safe to say I was excited. I went for the ‘Cosy Eggs’ with smoked salmon, and although the portion could’ve been bigger, it was delightful.

The Alchemist

Recently opened this Summer, on St Mary Street, is the Alchemist, a fancy-looking bar and restaurant. Known for its Insta-worthy cocktails, I was definitely up for a visit. I had the deep fried mac and cheese bites to start, which were amazing. If you like mac and cheese you will definitely love these. If you're a burger-lover like me (who isn't?!), I would strongly recommend the buttermilk chicken burger, with added halloumi and avocado. It’s massive, and is sure to blow you away!

Irie Shack

I adore Caribbean food, and so when I saw Irie Shack, the Caribbean restaurant in Cathays, I was eager to give it a try. The menu looked delicious, with lots of traditional dishes available to choose from. Sadly, I wasn’t actually that hungry, so decided to get the coconut chicken wrap, thinking that this wouldn’t be as big as some of the other options. I was wrong – the generous portion and the delicious aromatic flavour left me full to the brim. I will definitely be going back another day to try one of their famous one-pots.

The Woodville

Last but not least, The Woodville, aka The Woody. Now, I’ve eaten in the Woody many times, and have always had great experiences, but recently, I am hearing more and more that it’s gone a bit downhill…not sure why, but I thought I would still include it as it is definitely a classic. The chicken melt burger, bao buns and ribs are all delicious. But my real favourite, is 'Tray 3'. Not for the faint-hearted, and definitely to be shared with others, the £12.45 sharing platter contains chicken wings, cheesy garlic bread, breaded mushrooms, onion rings, southern-fried chicken goujons, loaded nachos, a beef burger, and skinny fries. As I said, not for the faint-hearted, but a must-try if you've got a big appetite.