Rooms at Penarth Marina

Inspired by a restaurant in Patagonia, this slick spot is a great place to while away the hours with a few drinks and accomplished small plates. The relaxed surroundings offer multiple areas to dine in, including on the terrace and at the kitchen counter bedecked with beautiful blue tiles. The menu ranges from snacks to the more substantial, with the unfussy approach resulting in simple, fresh-tasting dishes like a terrific take on Welsh rarebit. Add in the friendly service and you’ll leave with a smile on your face – just ensure you get here early as they don’t take bookings.

You get a good feeling about this intimate, personally run restaurant from the moment you arrive and are greeted by the chefs in the open kitchen. Go for the longer of the tasting menus and you won’t regret your decision, as local chef Tom and his team show a great understanding of flavour and balance across dishes founded upon the bountiful Welsh larder – from seaweed and seafood to Gower salt marsh lamb. The service is genial and unobtrusive, perfectly befitting of such an impressive operation.

Enter via the glass door between the shop fronts and head up to this bright, sleek Indian restaurant where flashes of purple ensure it lives up to its name. Abstract murals, exposed brick walls and blonde wood chairs complete the look. The interesting menu showcases recognisable dishes like lamb rogan josh, but it’s worth keeping an eye out for the chef's signature tiffin sea bass too. Throughout, the subtle spicing and quality produce ensure layer after layer of wonderful flavour comes through in each bite. Warm, welcoming service is the chutney on the poppadom, so to speak.

Set within an impressive, modish hotel, this elegant, brasserie-style spot boasts leather banquettes, attentive staff and a wide-ranging menu of British dishes. Smoked octopus would be a great way to start, while for main course Welsh beef is a real feature of the menu, whether it's steak and ale pie or Chateaubriand to share – and if you're celebrating a special occasion, consider the signature beef Wellington experience. If you've got a sweet tooth, finish with the tarte Tatin which is big enough to share... not that you'll want to.

Inside Parador 44, a boutique hotel offering a taste of Iberia in the Welsh capital, sits this dark and moody restaurant. It's divided into multiple wood-clad areas, with the best spots overlooking the asador grill or the glass-fronted wine cave. The menu has a focus on cooking over fire, with the likes of squid, celeriac and rump steak getting the charcoal treatment – whichever you choose, ensure you start with the boquerones with yuzu dressing. The wine list is almost exclusively Spanish, with fascinating choices from some little-known producers.

There’s a welcome brightness to this neighbourhood restaurant in one of Cardiff’s foodie suburbs. The simple décor includes light-wood furnishings and a white-topped counter, ensuring a clean, uncluttered feel. The cooking has a similarly straightforward ethos, looking fairly pared-back on the plate, but packing a punch in its flavours. Seasonal British ingredients and a notable Italian influence guide the menu, leading to daily made focaccia and a choice of pasta dishes – such as spaghetti topped with lovely red mullet.

Within the Pontcanna Laundry development in one of the city’s most food-loving suburbs, this fun and friendly restaurant could easily become a neighbourhood go-to. Faux-industrial touches decorate the room along with fridges bursting with ageing prime meats. You can therefore expect to find steaks and homemade sausages on the regularly changing menu, alongside other ingredient-led dishes such as giant Atlantic king prawns with a smooth shellfish bisque. Be sure to order the profiteroles with a Cointreau-laced chocolate and caramel sauce to finish.