After almost a year and a half of living in Cardiff, I finally made it to Thomas in Pontcanna, and I honestly don’t know what took me so long. I went along with my good friend and fellow food blogger Kacie, and while it was my first visit, I can already tell it won’t be my last.
Thomas is owned and run by chef Tom Simmons, a name most Cardiff foodies will already know well. He’s Welsh himself, and works closely with local farmers and suppliers to keep his menus rooted in fresh, seasonal produce. He spent time running a restaurant in London before deciding to come home, which, selfishly, I’m now very glad about.
It’s also fair to say the accolades speak for themselves. Thomas won the AA Welsh Restaurant of the Year for two years running (2024 and 2025), was named Best Restaurant in Wales in 2026. It’s also in the Good Food Guide’s UK Top 100 Local Restaurants for 2026.
The Drinks
While I waited for Kacie to arrive, I started with a non-alcoholic French 75, which was tart and crispy, and a nice way to ease into the evening. Once we sat down to eat, I switched to an Argentinian Malbec rosé to accompany my meal, a welcome break from the sea of Provence rosé that seems to dominate every menu across the UK right now.
Sharing plates and starters
I arrived hungry and so, in true Gingey Bites style, ordered two dishes to start. The taramasalata from the sharing plates was incredible. Honestly, I nearly asked for a spoon to scrape out every last bit. It was salty and smooth, with little bursts of briny flavour from the salmon eggs and a freshness from the herbs scattered on top. Genuinely one of the best versions I’ve had.
My second dish (from the starters menu) was warm smoked salmon, which followed the same winning formula: those perfect little salmon eggs again, this time paired with lightly pickled cucumber and a butter sauce. It was simple, well balanced and elegant. I have no notes.
Kacie had the mushroom croquettes which she’d had on a previous visit and kindly let me try one. The truffle mayo and parmesan just made it a gooey moreish mouthful. A must order for next time.
Main courses
Despite us being mid-heatwave, I went with the lamb cannon with crispy lamb belly, potato rosti and tomato fondue. When I see lamb belly, I have to order it! It came in the form of a little croquette and it was delicious, I could have eaten another 10! The lamb itself was cooked perfectly pink, properly rested, and had just the right amount of char and fat on it too. Finally, the tomato fondue underneath tied the whole plate together beautifully despite it being the element on the plate I was least excited for.
On the side, I ordered the glazed carrots, which turned out to be a surprise highlight. I think there was some kind of miso butter involved, and they were far tastier than a carrot side dish has any right to be. I let Kacie try a couple and wolfed the rest to myself.
Kacie opted for most of the raw menu, which arrived tapas style and she enjoyed it all. Perfect really for such a hot week and a nice addition to a brasserie menu. You can see her thoughts on the food in this instagram post. Take a look and give her a follow for Welsh recipes and food and drink recommendations.
We obviously also shared some chips – but not any old chips. ‘Tom’s chips’ are like mini Pommes Anna. Layers of crispy potato with garlic and parmesan. Say no more.
You know me, never really opt for a pudding being a savoury creature at heart. However, Kacie had the Perl Wen toasted waffle with sherry caramel and she thoroughly enjoyed it. Funnily enough, I might have had this given its mix of sweet and salty flavours. We have some Perl Wen in the fridge right now so perhaps I’ll try and recreate the magic!
Why did we go when we did?
Part of the reason we chose to visit when we did is that Thomas has been refreshingly honest lately about the changes happening behind the scenes. They’ve shifted from a more traditional fine dining approach to this brasserie model. They reworked the menu to keep the same quality but at a more inclusive price tag in a bid to get more people through the doors and ultimately, keep the business sustainable. From what I could see, it seems to be paying off because the restaurant was properly busy on the night we went, a good sign for a spot that’s clearly working hard to find its footing again!
For people who do have more disposable income and want the fine dining experience, Lofft, upstairs offers 12 seat, chef-led counter dining experience. I’d love to try that at some point.
The bill
Dinner came to £88 per head. For the quality of food, the drinks and the level of service, I’d say that’s worth every penny. It’s perhaps still a touch pricey for a casual midweek dinner, but it’s an easy recommendation for a special occasion or a proper treat night out and more affordable than Thomas used to be when it was full-on fine dining.
Thomas has clearly put thought into this new chapter, and based on last night, it’s paying off. If you haven’t been in a while, or ever, it might be time to book a table.
