Much has changed in the Cardiff food scene over the last 18 months or so — but the food scene in the capital remains as impressive and diverse as ever.

Several new restaurants have raised the standard, though the established businesses continue to shine as brightly as ever.

The cooking is beautifully diverse, with everything from from tapas to Turkish, sushi to small plates and vegan to barbecue. And there's plenty of top Welsh cooking too. You can eat in a prison, a classroom or a neighbourhood Italian.

From shawarma to maki rolls and arancini to Welsh rarebit burgers, these are our picks of the best restaurants in Cardiff in 2019.

The restaurants are listed in no particular order.

1. Heaneys

(Image: Heaney's/Instagram)

Heaneys opened at the end of 2018 in a spot that's been renowned for housing some of Cardiff's best restaurants, including Le Gallois and Arbennig. Heaneys, though, is arguably the best yet.

Owner and chef Tommy Heaney became known around the UK after appearing on Great British Menu and anyone who walks past his floor-to-ceiling glass-fronted place can see the busy, buzzing atmosphere inside.

And the food is superb, a menu of small plates that can be enjoyed as tapas or served as a 10-course tasting menu (though the dishes are still shared). Think cod with cauliflower, cider beure noisette and herring roe, or dry-aged Welsh sirloin with miso and kimchi. It's a fantastic range of dishes and intense flavours being served at what is now arguably Cardiff's best restaurant. He also runs Uisce next door, a wine bar also selling cracking food.

Sample dish: Monkfish, leeks, tartar Hollandaise, tempura mussels

www.heaneyscardiff.co.uk

2. Sushi Life

(Image: Sushi Life)

About a year ago, Sushi Life sprang from what seemed like nowhere to be rated the top restaurant in Cardiff on TripAdvisor.

The 1980s-style red-brick building you'll find it in couldn't be further away from the colourful makis, California rolls, ramens, curries and rice dishes you'll find on the plates inside.

'Hell in the Kitchen' rolls come filled with prawn tempura, cucumber and avocado, topped with tuna, Japanese mayonnaise and sriracha sauce, while spicy tuna rolls combine tuna (obviously), avocado, cucumber, sesame seeds, that mayo, chilli powder and chives. Wow.

Sample dish: Happy Together maki rolls: prawn tempura, avocado, cucumber, topped with mango and strawberries

www.sushilife.co.uk

3. Nook

Nook has only been open a couple of weeks but has jumped comfortably straight into this list. It's a small, super-friendly place serving small plates and natural wines at good prices. You can read our review here.

The menu features sharing dishes like burrata with fermented chilli, lemon, olive oil and dukkah or crispy enoki (a thin, Japanese mushroom) with runner beans, miso and sesame. The wines are available by the glass or the bottle, and you can even buy the bottles to take away.

Sample dish: Mutton and aubergine arancini with tomato and caper ketchup

www.facebook.com/nookcdf

4. The Heathcock

(Image: Mark Lewis)

The Heathcock is another relatively new restaurant spoiling the people of west Cardiff for choice, opened by the people behind its Bib Gourmand-carrying sister restaurant Hare and Hounds near Cowbridge.

The Heathcock was an inviting place when it was run as a humble Llandaff pub - but it's doubly so now. There's still a homely bar just through the front door where you can sip a well-kept pint, as many locals do. But it's in the restaurant the other side of the bar where the food really impresses (the head chef is the former sous chef at the Hare and Hounds).

Sit in the simply-decorated dining room and eat starters like red mullet, samphire, cockles and anchovy butter followed by mains like roast Torgelly Farm lamb, barley, turnip and celeriac. On Sunday, spend an afternoon going through the enormous steak and ale pie or whole lamb shoulder (both for sharing).

Sample dish: Rare roast hanger steak, green peppercorn sauce, watercress and Pommes Anna.

heathcockcardiff.com

5. Saray

(Image: Saray)

If you want authentic Turkish cuisine you must try Saray. But be prepared to book a table — the restaurant is full most evenings.

You get given a free selection of starters with fresh bread and chilli and garlic dips. Don't eat too much of this as you won't have space for any of the mains, which include classics like lamb shish, lamb ribs and chicken kofte.

After that (if you're still physically able to) save yourself for the complimentary baklava, which is made in the kitchen and served with Turkish tea.

They also serve a variety of fresh fruit smoothies and juices and during Ramadan they serve lentil soup with the fresh bread and dips for people who are breaking their fast.

Sample Dish: Mixed grill: chicken shish, lamb shish, lamb kofte and chicken kofte

www.sarayturkishcuisine.co.uk

6. Salkaara

2018 was a vintage year for restaurant openings in Cardiff. Here's another restaurant rated among the best in the city after just a year doing business. It's also another that made the number one spot on TripAdvisor.

Chef Santhosk Nair says the majority of the dishes have a south Indian influence because that is where his roots are. There's an emphasis on seafood (starters include an ocean platter and beach crab, while mains include fish curry and sea bass).

It may be a little more expensive than your average Indian restaurant but the friendly staff, wonderful flavours and sensational naan breads (they deserve special mention) mean you won't feel out of pocket.

Sample dish: Nadan Chicken Curry: curry with coconut milk, tomatoes and Kerala-style spices

www.salkaara.co.uk

7. Bwydiful

(Image: Bwydiful)

Bwydiful had been a regular on the pop-up and food festival scene in Wales since 2015 before it opened its first permanent restaurant opposite Victoria Park, on a short little stretch that's now doing a lot to boost the number of great places to eat in the city.

There's draught beer from Crafty Devil down the road and bottles from Wye Valley but obviously the food is where it's at. Their best-selling burger, the Caws Caws, comes dripping in Welsh rarebit and barbecue sauce and the deep-fried halloumi and hash brown bites are so moreish.

The staff are friendly (one of the co-owners will often be taking your order) and the dining room is light and comfy — no better place to nail a hefty burger. Be warned: you'll need a walk in the park after this.

Sample dish: The Hawaiian burger, topped with maple-cured bacon and cinnamon-coated pineapple.

bwydiful.co.uk

8. Blue Honey Night Cafe

(Image: Blue Honey Night Cafe)

If you've not visited this night-time cafe — which is transformed in the evenings from the permanent greasy spoon that's there during the daytime — you're missing out on inventive and delicious fast food that's a world away from McDonald's or Burger King.

Its modest but tasty menu features their regular Bao Tuesdays with fluffy Korean buns filled with slow-roasted pork belly or cumin-cooked pulled lamb. There's Korean fried chicken and double-cooked sticky beef amongst other delights that will make you go "wow". Blue Honey have also taken over the former Milgi site in Roath, serving a fuller menu from midday onwards.

Sample dish: Korean buns filled with slow-roasted pork belly

www.instagram.com/bluehoneynightcafe

9. The Classroom

(Image: The Classroom)

This remarkable restaurant is staffed by those honing their culinary and service skills at Cardiff and Vale College. And it's based in the floor-to-ceiling glass dining room on the top floor of the college’s city centre campus. The menus change with the season and bread is freshly baked each day in the in-house bakery.

Sample dish: Crispy belly pork, confit pork cheek, celeriac and five spice puree, Cavelo nero, calvados jus

www.theclassroom.wales

10. Casanova

(Image: Casanova)

You've got to love a restaurant where, when your favourite dish is taken off the menu, the staff respond with: "Life is full of disappointments."

And you've got to love it even more when they knock you up the dish anyway.

It's this sort of Italian attitude to life and food that puts Casanova right up there with the best Italian restaurants in the city. It's also recommended in the Michelin Guide. You'll find ingredients on the menu that still aren't that well-known outside Italy, like the delicious nduja.

Sample dish: Tuscan style roast pork served with tender flat green beans stewed with tomato and oregano

www.casanovacardiff.co.uk

(Image: Curado)

Curado was opened in 2016 by the people behind Ultracomida, which are hugely popular Spanish restaurants and delis in Aberystwyth and Narberth. The bustling city centre restaurant serves fantastic tapas (think smoked carpaccio of cod or artichoke wrapped in serrano ham) accompanied by good wine. The deli downstairs is a great place to pick up snacks like honey-coated nuts.

Sample dish: Loin of Duroc pig cured with paprika and olive oil

curadobar.com

(Image: Milkwood)

Milkwood arrived on the scene in 2017 and the neighbourhood restaurant in Pontcanna has established itself among the finest in Cardiff. Think sewin with leeks, brown shrimp, cucumber and laverbread, or spring lamb cutlets, rolled belly, salsa and aubergine.

It's run by the team who founded Potted Pig and Porro (both of which are also on this list so there's a clear pedigree).

Sample dish: Spiced quail, hummus, pastilla, tomato and pomegranate salad

milkwoodcardiff.com

13. Le Monde

(Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)

Back in the hands of the family who originally opened it in the 1980s (you can read that story here) Le Monde is a top choice for steak and seafood, employing the traditional brasserie style of display and pick-your-cut.

Its decor and location makes you feel like you're tucked away from the hubbub of St Mary Street and the steaks are beautiful, as are their homemade chips. Have the crevettes from the fish counter and you won't be sorry.

Sample dish: Grilled fillets of chicken with a spicy coconut and pimento salsa

le-monde-restaurant.co.uk

14. The Brass Beetle

(Image: Brass Beetle)

Pizza and cocktails may be a common site at many Cardiff restaurants, but The Brass Beetle caters for the gluten-free and vegan pizza lovers and have been doing so since they opened two years ago.

Their pizza toppings are combos that make you do a double-take. Think kimchi, spring onions, fried egg and sesame seed.

Sample dish: Italisn anchovy pizza with capers, anchovy, rocket, tartar sauce and mozzarella

www.thebrassbeetle.co.uk

(Image: Asador 44)

Asador has made a big impression since opening in what was Greenwood and Brown, next to the City Arms. Asador has its Spanish wood-fired parrilla grill at its heart - and the food coming off it is superb. There's delicacy and finesse on show in the starters but the stars of the show - the enormous steaks - are sensational.

Sample dish: 500g Entrecote, served rare and sliced

asador44.co.uk

16. I Giardini di Sorrento

(Image: I Giardini di Sorrento)

This enormously popular restaurant on City Road has a fine reputation for indulgent, classically Italian food (and atmosphere) inspired by the Sorrento region of southern Italy.

Sample dish: Venison ragu, cooked with garlic, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes

www.i-giardini.com

17. Anatoni's

(Image: Anatoni's)

Anatoni's has become a Roath institution in a relatively short time. Originally set up in June 2012 in Lakeside, Anatoni’s was the first traditional Neapolitan pizzeria in the city.

Now on Wellfield Road, a huge pizza oven in the window tells you where the focus is at in this restaurant. But it's not just pizza and you'll find Italian classics like lasagne on the list too.

Sample dish: Santa Anna pizza: nduja, ricotta and basil

facebook.com/pg/anatonispizzeria

18. 29 Park Place

(Image: Knife and Fork Food)

In a lovely spot between Cardiff's civic centre and the residential streets of Cathays, the restaurant is bright and airy and the standard of food is high. Start with an ox cheek Scotch egg with rarebit dip before pan-roast cod with pearl barley risotto, spinach and cockles. Delicious!

Sample dish: Giant scallop, cauliflower purée, pancetta sand, sorrel

knifeandforkfood.co.uk/twentynine

19. Bully's

(Image: Bully's)

Bully's is one of the city's finest restaurants, has been for years, and is a past winner of the AA Restaurant of the Year for Wales. The menu concentrates on simple ingredients cooked well and the wine list is a well-chosen selection of affordable French wines.

Sample dish: Rump of lamb, rosemary and garlic fondant potato, braised gem, roasted onions, lamb sauce

bullysrestaurant.co.uk

20. Sen BBQ

It may look like a takeaway or a late night kebab shop, but there's so much more to this restaurant.

There are a whole load of starters at this authentic Turkish restaurant, with sujuk (Turkish sausage) served on a plate with mushrooms a popular dish. There's a snug seating area in the back — if you can get the right view watch the people coming in after a few drinks and realising with their first bite that they're not eating a standard kebab.

PS After you've finished your food, don't forget to stay for a free cup of Turkish tea, perfect for digestion.

Sample dish:Mixed shawarma with rice or chips and fresh salad

https://www.facebook.com/Sen-BBQ

21. Calabrisella

(Image: Calabrisella)

Practically next door to Sen and open 14 hours a day, you'll find people sitting outside Calabrisella on Cowbridge Road East for a morning espresso or an evening glass of wine. And plenty of them will be Italian. People flock here for the magnificent pizzas - but there's more to it than that. The Calabrian owners have given it the feel of a genuine Italian bar/pizzeria... and there might even be a bit of karaoke upstairs on a Friday night.

Sample dish: Italian meatballs

www.calabrisellacardiff.com

22. Oz Urfa

(Image: Rob Browne)

Oz Urfa was forced to close a few years ago after the Turkish chef had his visa refused. It was a popular restaurant on City Road run by Faruk Yavuzel and his brother and business partner.

It won the Taste of Wales Best World Cuisine Restaurant award in 2016 but was forced to close the same year after Faruk was threatened with a £20,000 fine if he continued working due to an issue with his visa. But after finally getting his visa, they reopened their restaurant on North Road, where it's as popular as ever.

facebook.com/pages/Oz-Urfa

23. Chai Street

(Image: Chai Street)

Indian food with a difference, Chai Street serves up street food that dances with flavour. The thalis come with curry (fish, chicken or lamb), chutney, lentils, potato, naan and poppadom, so you get so many different flavours in one dish. The original branch is in Canton.

Sample dish: Chai Special thali: One starter, one chicken dish, one lamb dish, one vegetarian dish, Dal, Raita, pickles, mini poppadoms, rice and naan bread

chaistreet.com

24. Anna Loka

Still Cardiff's best vegan restaurant, it opened up declaring itself the city's first 100% vegan restaurant, run by a Hare Krishna monk. 'Anna' means food, health or earth and 'Loka' means world. It's immensely popular with its fans, who nibble on starters like padron peppers and blended broad beans with lemon and mint.

Sample dish: Aubergine fillet stuffed with turmeric buckwheat, cherry tomatoes and kale crisps

www.anna-loka.com

25. Da Mara

(Image: Da Mara)

Classic Italian done really well in a two-storey restaurant, where there are always fantastic specials on top of the usual menu. It's wildly popular so you'll have to plan ahead to get in.

Sample dish: Spaghetti with garlic, olive oil, chilli, fresh parsley and grated bottarga

www.damaracardiff.co.uk

26. The Potted Pig

(Image: Potted Pig)

Located in a former bank vault, The Potted Pig focuses on good cooking and good gin. The Michelin Guide was impressed by its "robust, tasty dishes".

There are decent vegetarian and fish options, but as the name suggests, it's carnivores who'll really be in their element here. There's a great evening atmosphere, a changing seasonal menu — and the show-stopping whole suckling pig.

Sample dish: Honey glazed duck breast, spiced dumpling, carrot puree and pak choi

thepottedpig.com

27. Purple Poppadom

(Image: Purple Poppadom)

It’s a world away from the traditional curry house, with one of Cardiff's best chefs in the kitchen. Anand George changed Indian cooking in the city forever with tasting menus and inventive desserts like garam masala crème brulée.

Sample dish: Tiffin sea bass: Pan seared sea bass served on a bed of curry leaf infused mashed potato; in a raw mango, ginger and coconut sauce with beetroot pachadi

purplepoppadom.com

28. Steak of the Art

(Image: Steak of the Art)

A unique dining space, on Churchill Way in the city centre, steak is (obviously) the focus here - and it's good. Sit in colourful circular booths upstairs looking down through metal walkways to the floor below and tuck into a well-cooked ribeye, with cracking chips.

Sample dish: Ribeye steak 400g £23

steakoftheart.co.uk

29. The Dough Thrower

(Image: The Dough Thrower)

It feels like you're never more than a few feet away from amazing pizza in Cardiff. But that doesn't mean one of the more recent additions, Dough Thrower opposite Victoria Park , is anything but very welcome. Geraint Thomas and George North chose it as the place to tuck in after the Tour de France cyclist celebrated his Cardiff homecoming. Don't forget the dough balls!

Sample dish: Los Pollos pizza: Tomato, chicken, mozzarella, edam and spinach

thedoughthrower.com

30. Bar 44

(Image: Bar 44 Cardiff)

Just around the corner from Asador 44, another entry on this list which they also own, you'll find Bar 44. The tapas dishes are packed with flavour and they do a mean Sunday roast too. Choose three or four dishes each from the tapas menu (the 18-hour braised lamb neck fillet is amazing) and dig in!

Sample dish: Galician beef, caramelised onion, watercress & manchego

www.bar44.co.uk/cardiff

31. Chapel 1877 Restaurant And Bar

(Image: Chapel 1877)

Chapel 1877's cooking has seen it become a mainstay in the Good Food Guide. Set over three floors in the Gothic surroundings of a renovated chapel, there's nowhere else quite like it in the city. It has the standard a la carte menu and a good Sunday roast.

Sample dish: Pan-fried Anglesey sea bass fillet, roasted new potatoes, wild mushrooms, samphire, salsa verde

chapel1877.com

32. Riverside Cantonese

Riverside Cantonese has been going strong for over 40 years, making it one of the oldest restaurants in South Wales. It's a Cardiff institution - but it has moved to a new spot near the Cardiff City Stadium and built a kitchen designed to allow you to see how it’s done. They say their Hong Kong-trained chefs keep up with trends but they don’t forget the centuries-old traditional Cantonese recipes. The service is quick and friendly and the food delicious.

Sample dish: Sliced Pork with aubergines in black bean sauce

riversidecantonese.com

33. Ponnuswamy

(Image: Ponnuswamy)

Ponnuswamy is a south Indian restaurant, where you'll find spice-packed curries but also dishes you won't find in your standard Indian restaurants, like dosai (think pancakes of rice and lentil) and oothappam (the thicker version).

Sample dish: Chicken Chettinadu: Chicken simmered in 18 fresh spices and sauteed with gravy

ponnuswamy.co.uk

34. Shaam Nights

(Image: Shaam Nights)

Expect an exciting dining experience in beautiful surroundings unlike any other at this restaurant which serves authentic Syrian cuisine. Don't overdo it on the delicious mezze starters or you'll be stuffed!

Sample dish: Chicken shawarma wrap served with garlic sauce and pickles

shaamnights.com

35. The Pot

(Image: The Pot)

The original The Pot built its reputation on good food, hearty portions all in a relaxed environment. This newer version on Whitchurch Road is a small independent bistro serving tasty homemade food, and good coffee and wine. The French-style brasserie serves breakfast, lunch and an evening menu.

Sample dish: Ox cheek Bourguignon: Slow-cooked ox cheek with bacon, mushrooms and pomme purée

thepotbistrot.com

36. Cafe Citta

(Image: Cafe Citta)

Cafe Citta is now so popular you have to book well in advance. When you manage to get a table you'll be delighted with the Italian food (the pizzas are fantastic) in this tiny, atmospheric and buzzy restaurant.

Sample dish: Linguine Citta: Sunblushed tomatoes, ricotta cheese, cream, roasted pine nuts, chilli and rocket

cafecitta.has.restaurant

37. The Hellenic Eatery

This family-run business delivers a truly Greek experience, from the decor and ambiance to the food and the Greek dancing. They source seasonal produce from Greece and top it up with Welsh produce to marry familiar and foreign flavours.

Sample dish: Gyros 'Merida': Gyros meat served with tomatoes, onions, tzatziki sauce, chips and a pitta bread

thehelleniceatery.co.uk

38. La Cuina

(Image: La Cuina)

You'll hear Catalan spoken among the staff at this family-run restaurant and deli - and you'll definitely find a slice of Catalonia on your plate. There's a tempting array of main dishes straight from north-eastern Spain, but that would mean missing out on tapas classics like sobrassada, mojama and butiffara negra.

Sample dish: Secreto Ibérico: Seared ibérico pork served with creamed potato and caramelised onion with cinnamon, £16.50

lacuina.co.uk

39. Mezza Luna

(Image: Mezza Luna)

Step inside this family-run Lebanese and Moroccan restaurant to be transported to the Middle East.

They serve a wide selection of Lebanese mezze dishes and grills, as well as Moroccan tagines, and diners can also indulge in a selection of desserts and speciality teas typical for both regions.

Sample dish: Kafta Tagine: Moroccan spiced meatballs cooked in a rich and mild-spiced tomato sauce with onions and peppers

mezzalunacardiff.co.uk

40. Laguna

(Image: Laguna)

Many hotel restaurants can fail to impress, but this one ticks all the boxes . Beautiful surroundings and fine, fresh and Welsh ingredients.

Sample dish: Roast British chicken breast, goat's cheese stuffing, Serrano ham

lagunakitchenandbar.com

41. Park House

(Image: Park House)

Park House has long had some of the most ambitious cooking in the city - and some of the most impressive surroundings (think champagne and oak panels).

Sample dish: Whole roasted monkfish, ras el honout, heritage carrots and local sea herbs

parkhouserestaurant.co.uk

42. Vegetarian Food Studio

(Image: Vegetarian Food Studio)

Don't be put off by the lack of meat, or you'll be seriously missing out. For authentic pan-Asian food, Vegetarian Food Studio is very hard to beat.

Vegetarion Food Studio has been around for a decade-and-a-half serving dishes predominately from the Gujarat region of India.

Sample dish: Rice and lentil pancake, filled with dry potato curry and crispy fried onions served with coconut chutney and sambar (red lentil soup)

vegetarianfoodstudio.co.uk

43. Porro

(Image: Porro)

Porro in Llandaff turns simple, seasonal ingredients into dishes dancing with Mediterranean flavours. The ox cheek pappardelle is divine.

Sample dish: King prawn risotto

porrocardiff.com

44. The Smoke House

(Image: The Smoke House)

Barbecue restaurants have gone from rare to everywhere in recent years, but this is among the best of the bunch. Smoky briskets, ribs, burgers and steaks straight out of the Deep South. Lipsmacking.

Sample dish: The Holy Trinity: Ribs, pulled pork and beef brisket with a buffalo wing thrown in for good measure

facebook.com/SmokeHouseWales

45. Elgano

(Image: Elgano)

Inside this Cathedral Road guesthouse there's a restaurant run by a team of Italians which has now established a strong reputation for excellent Italian cooking that's inventive, fresh and packed with flavour.

Sample dish: Pan-fried fillet of seabass cooked in a rich and fresh white wine and lemon sauce

www.elgano.co.uk

46. Mint and Mustard

(Image: Mint and Mustard)

The cooking is inspired by "the Keralan philosophy of fresh, light and healthy food" and the flavours are amazing. Mint and Mustard pioneered the new wave of Indian cuisine from the kitchens at Whitchurch Road.

Sample dish: Tiger prawns simmered in fennel,coconut and raw mango sauce

mintandmustard.com

47. The Clink Restaurant

One of the city's most famous restaurants, the meals are cooked and served by prisoners, so it's a must-visit on that basis alone. But you don't have to sacrifice quality for the unique setting — this is really good food.

Sample dish: Herb-crusted hake, gnocchi, wild mushroom and tarragon consommé

theclinkcharity.org

48. Troy

(Image: Troy)

The City Road grill offers Turkish, Kurdish, Greek and Mediterranean dishes.

They say all the meat and fish is sourced from local producers and it's on display for you to choose. Each dish is then prepared to order on a grill.

Sample dish: Troy Special: Grilled selection of kebabs including lamb beyti, lamb chops, quail, half skewer chicken shish & 2 joint wings

troymezebar.com

49. Mina

(Image: Mina)

Serving Lebanese food in Cardiff since 1990, Mina has long been getting rave reviews for its food. Start with a plate of cold mezze then move on to marinated lamb chop charcoal-grilled and served with rosemary and port sauce.

Sample dish: Shish Tawk: Cubes of chicken fillet marinated in garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and char-grilled

minarestaurant.co.uk

50. Chutney Roti

(Image: Chutney Roti)

Chutney Roti doesn't get the headlines of some of the other Indian restaurants on this list, but it is very highly thought of by those who eat there. You'll find the Indian dishes you're used to on the menu, but you'll also find some you might never have come across before (like battered Amritsari fish and deep fried aubergine cooked in peanut oil).

Sample dish: Chicken chum chum: Chicken breast, stuffed with coconut and poppy seed

www.chutneyroti.co.uk