Escaping to Brøds
The perfect way to escape your problems is by visiting a cafe and eating away your troubles. I currently find myself buried under piles of revision at the moment, and in need of an excuse to avoid it. The two seem to marry together seamlessly at the best time of year, giving me the perfect opportunity to visit another one of Cardiffs best cafes and try their best treats.
Previously, having been tied to lectures and an umbrella due to Cardiffs temperamental weather, I have never stepped into the turf of Pontcanna. Neither has the 30 minute trek seemed attractive to me.
However…
I had read about the award winning Brøds in Waitrose’s magazine (call me old I don’t care- I love it), and knew that I had to take the leap into untouched territory to try their Danish buns. And to be honest, I am glad there is that 30 minute walk between me and the bakery, because if there wasn’t, I probably wouldn’t have any more money left.
Not only is their window display of baked goods highly aesthetic, but highly addictive. I spent a good 5 minutes just admiring the selection and debating what to choose. They range from sweet to savoury, whole bread loaves to singular pastries, chocolate to cinnamon. They have it all!
Whilst not the biggest of places I’ve visited, there was plenty of space to sit, and with their outdoor seating, there seems to be ample opportunity to soak up the sun and enjoy a good bun. Moreover the staff are absolutely lovely, and the place was kept nice and clean (even when the screaming baby came in). Bonus- they’re dog friendly so there is a good chance you can pet a dog and soothe that home-sickness in the pit of your belly.
But you know what else could soothe that pain? Food. And a proper Danish cinnamon roll.
The fact they’re a Danish bakery should be factored into your expectations of the buns. They aren’t the pillow soft, sticky, cream cheese oozing treats you find at any other cafe. First, they have a pretzel/bagel like consistency on the outside- more chewy than you’d expect. And you’ll only get a swirl of icing- which I personally prefer. I went for the æbel snegl, which in lay terms is a Swedish cinnamon roll with apple sauce in the centre. And oh boy is that middle good! I definitely was surprised eating the treat- and wasn’t expecting what I got.
But hey! I’ve never had a Danish bun before! It’s quite plain of me to assume our anglicised/ Americanised cinnamon buns were the standard. And retrospectively, I think I prefer their styles since it doesn’t spike my sugar and leave me crashing down in the next half an hour.
I also got a good pot of tea, with my own personal mini milk jug – which was absolutely adorable. A little pricy in total but a four cup pot of tea does make the price less outrageous. And combined with the fact that the food is award winning, I’m not too shocked at the bill. But with this in mind- I would take this cafe as a place to visit as a treat, and probably not your weekly trip out. But they do have a take away service, so if you’re looking for something to enjoy for a picnic in Bute- it might just be the perfect spot.
It definitely was not a bad way to spend a morning, whittling away the time before I had to return to work. I will definitely be adding it to my list of places to revisit, and might even make it my post exam pit stop.
Price: 4/5
Food and Drink: 5/5
Location: 2/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere: 5/5
Words by Ellen Hollingshurst (@a_bakingmess)
Reminiscing Memories in a cafe
This cafe review has been very special for me. I went on an exchange program in Sixth Form with a Danish school. Sounds very rogue, I’ll give you that. But, it gave me a chance to learn about hygge – a Danish concept that describes being comfy and content. I also learnt about fika, which is the Scandinvian term for afternoon tea typically involving coffee and cake. And Brød takes me right back to the streets of Copenhagen.
Featured in Olive’s February Issue, Brød is it’s own Cardiff chain with 4 locations;
Pontcanna – the OG;
Penarth – the middle child;
the East Cardiff Hatch – the runaway;
and Cardiff Bay – the baby.
My favourite treats from Brød are either the Spandauer, a sweet custard Danish or the Kanel Snegl, a cinnamon bun, although the savoury options are really good too. I reccomend the Mad Brød – a bacon, brie and chilli jam foccacia. I’ve made myself a promise of when I’m rich and famous and have a house in Pontcanna I’ll buy my bread from Brød. Although you better be quick, my late afternoon trips have often turned out with less choice than I’d like. Don’t let yourself graduate without at least one trip.
Price: 4/5
Food & Drink: 5/5
Location: 3/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere: 5/5
Words by Poppy Adams (@_poppyelizabeth)
For more information, please visit Brøds instagram (@thedanishbakery) and their website.