Diners' Choice: Best Ambience restaurants in Cardiff City & County

OpenTable

Updated 05 November 2026

Looking for restaurants with the best ambience in Cardiff City & County? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

The Crispy Duck

4.8

4.8 (437)

£26 to £40

Chinese

South Wales

About the restaurant

The Crispy Duck is an award winning pan-asian restaurant offering an upmarket dining experience combining flavours from across Asia. Set in the heart of the city, The Crispy Duck has been a local favourite since its launch in 2011. Inspired by the melting pot of cultures across Asia, The Crispy Duck draws from comforting Malaysian family classics like Beef Rendang to beautifully handcrafted Japanese Sushi.

Sourcing our ingredients as close to home as possible and using authentic wok-fired and charcoal roasting techniques helps our dishes capture the flavours and aromas of authentic Asian cooking. Vibrant colours, crisp and fresh flavours underpin the philosophy of our cooking. Set in an elegant but simple dining room equipped with a fully stocked bar, we invite you to sample our range of Asian beers and extensive wine selection. An independent family-run business since our inception, The Crispy Duck offers a welcoming and inventive new take on pan-asian cuisine.

Top review

Rosemary

Dined 5 days ago

Friendly staff and very attentive. Excellent food really tastey. Would recommend the Buddha bowl.

Villaggio Lakeside

4.8

4.8 (767)

£25 and under

Italian

South Wales

About the restaurant

The spirit of Villaggio's can be traced back to our traditional roots in Campobasso, a humble town filled with beautiful people in Southern Italy. Pizzeria Villaggio has been run by the Palladino family since opening in 1986. Borrowing our grandparent’s secret recipes and adopting their love of good authentic food, combined with the Italian values of creating a great family atmosphere for all age groups, has contributed to our success and longevity. We have a dedicated & friendly team who are passionate about using high-quality ingredients to produce delicious Italian food.

Top review

collette

Dined 5 days ago

Great food and attentive service!!!

The Brook Bistro

4.8

4.8 (1254)

£25 and under

Modern European

South Wales

About the restaurant

Join us in our beautiful award winning restaurant or outdoor rear garden terrace and you will always receive a warm welcome with great service and delicious food.

Top review

Dined 6 days ago

Absolutely wonderful find so will defo be going back very soon.

The Ivy Asia, Cardiff

4.4

4.4 (4243)

£25 and under

Asian

South Wales

About the restaurant

Bringing bold Asian-inspired flavours to The Hayes, The Ivy Asia Cardiff is a vibrant dining destination in the centre of the Welsh capital, close to St David’s, Cardiff Castle and Cardiff Market. Designed for lunch, dinner, cocktails and celebrations, this Cardiff restaurant combines dramatic interiors with a lively atmosphere and food made for sharing. The menu journeys across Asia with sushi and sashimi, colourful small plates, larger dishes and contemporary favourites, alongside vegetarian and plant-based options. Show-stopping cocktails and entertainment bring extra energy as day turns to night, while counter and bar dining offer different ways to experience the restaurant. Whether you’re shopping in Cardiff city centre, meeting friends for lunch, celebrating something special or planning dinner and cocktails, The Ivy Asia Cardiff offers a glamorous escape filled with flavour, colour and theatre.

Top review

Michelle

Dined 3 days ago

Excellent customer service ide and food was outstanding

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Crispy Duck Spring Rolls

Silures at Holm House

4.7

4.7 (176)

£26 to £40

Modern European

South Wales

About the restaurant

Silures is expanding from its Roath location to Holm House in Penarth. Whilst firmly rooted in Wales, benefiting from the abundance of local produce available, the menu is inspired by the broadness and endless possibilities of Modern European cuisine.

The A La Carte and Set Menus are available Wednesday-Saturday, with Sunday Roast showcasing on the weekends. The bar and terrace are bustling and non-stop spaces, open to all and featuring a range of crafted cocktails, draught beer and bespoke bar snacks.

Born in Penarth, Silures at Holm House is an integral part of the community not only by creating an accessible but premium offering, but by championing environmental sustainability, local supply lines and ethical practices.

Top review

Gareth

Dined 5 days ago

Service was brilliant the food was perfectly done we had the 1kg coute de boeuf sharing steak truffle chunky chips with the confit roscoff onion highly recommended 👌

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Experience

Afternoon Tea at Silures

4.8

4.8 (1145)

£25 and under

Japanese

South Wales

About the restaurant

Yakitori1 is a fresh take on traditional Japanese food. Inspired by Japan’s fast-paced restaurants and communal nature, we set out to bring the fresh, vibrant flavours of Japan to all.

Simple goodness
We create simple, delicious food in a place where all are welcome.

Proud to be local
We hero local ingredients and fresh produce.

Made for sharing
We believe in the power of food to bring people together.

Top review

Sara

Dined 5 days ago

Brilliant again - fantastic lunch. Great menu choices. Interesting drinks. Lovely service

Pizzeria Villaggio

4.7

4.7 (1122)

£25 and under

Pizzeria

South Wales

About the restaurant

The spirit of Pizzeria Villaggio can be traced back to our traditional roots in Campobasso. A humble town filled with beautiful people in Southern Italy. Pizzeria Villaggio has been run by the Palladino family for the past 35 years. Borrowing our grandparent's recipes and adopting their love of good simple food combined with the Italian/Welsh values of creating a great family atmosphere, for all age groups has attributed to our success and longevity. In our pizzeria, there is a great range of carefully selected pizza and pasta dishes. We also run a daily specials menu that uses the finest, locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.

Top review

Geoffrey

Dined 5 days ago

I have bveen visiting this excellent restaurant since the altew 1980s and it still remains my favourite one ! You always gewt a friendly welcome, the staff are very attentive and helpful. The food as far as I am concerned is the best - I just wish I lived closer and I could visit more often - on this occasion I had the tagliatelle carbonara - it was stunning, so very enjoyable !!! I highly recommend you visit, you will not be disappointed I am sure 😀😀

Gaucho Cardiff

4.5

4.5 (1038)

£26 to £40

Steakhouse

South Wales

About the restaurant

At Gaucho Cardiff, every detail is crafted to enchant. The venue effortlessly blends sleek industrial design with cultural sophistication, creating an atmosphere of sultry glamour that’s both inviting and unforgettable. Whether you’re here for a business lunch, an afternoon cocktail, or an indulgent dinner, the setting elevates every moment.

Top review

Jenna

Dined 3 days ago

Lovely evening for my daughters birthday. Service was fantastic and food delicious. Prices are on the higher end but worth it for a special occasion

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4.3

4.3 (15305)

£25 and under

British

South Wales

About the restaurant

The restaurant is situated across two floors with a large bar prominent on both floors, and beautiful private dining room on the first floor.

Top review

Daniel

Dined on 3 Nov 2026

We went for the Elton John experience it was fantastic! Great food and even better service :) thank you Meg for looking after us!

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Popular dish

Chocolate Mousse

Popular dish

Ivy Signature Chocolate Bombe

Popular dish

Minute Steak

Pho Cardiff

4.6

4.6 (621)

£25 and under

Vietnamese

South Wales

About the restaurant

Pho Cardiff is a healthy Vietnamese restaurant with loads of vegan and gluten free options. We specialise in pho, the Vietnamese noodle soup, and also serve delicious curries, rice dishes, wok-fried noodles and healthy salads, too. We also have loads of starters that are perfect for sharing with friends and family. Over a third of our menu is vegan, and nearly all of it is gluten-free, so we are a great destination for people who follow those particular diets. We are accredited by Coeliac UK. Aside from our lovely food we offer a brilliant range of healthy juices, as well as delicious wine and beer, and a fantastic cocktail menu too. If you're unable to dine-in, you can click & collect your order, or find us on Deliveroo. We look forward to welcoming you!

Top review

Kelly

Dined on 24 Oct 2026

Delicious food and top quality service thank you.

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Explore Diners' Choice best of Cardiff City & County