Six Nations Cardiff food guide

Heading to Principality Stadium for a fixture? Plan ahead and beat the match-day scrum with our pick of the best places to bag a bite to eat on the big day.

The Potted Pig

Even notoriously difficult-to-please restaurant critic Jay Rayner liked this wonderful French-Welsh restaurant on Cardiff’s High Street, which is within a Leigh Halfpenny penalty-kick of the Principality Stadium. Undoubtedly one of Cardiff’s finest restaurants, the Potted Pig is housed in an old bank vault but won’t cost a fortune. If there is a group of six or more of you, try the whole suckling pig.
thepottedpig.com

Casanova

Casanova’s proximity to the national stadium is unbeatable, but this restaurant also boasts outstanding Italian food. We’re not talking the usual clichés here – Casanova, which is in the Michelin Guide and the Good Food Guide, surprises with obscure Italian dishes like the spicy, spreadable pork sausage nduja. Like the Potted Pig, it’s also great value with two courses for £14 at lunch (the Tuscan style roast pork served with tender flat green beans stewed with tomato and oregano comes highly recommended).
casanovacardiff.co.uk

Madeira

This city-centre Portuguese restaurant has been around for years and is an international day favourite, largely due to its hearty peasant food. Family-run, Madeira offers outstanding service and there is a huge range of traditional dishes ranging from pasta to excellent seafood (we recommend the swordfish) and steaks (try the Bife Algarve, which is strips of fillet steak cooked in wine, garlic and a demi-glace sauce).
madeirarestaurante.co.uk

Le Monde

This brasserie across the road from the stadium is where all my rugby-writing colleagues assemble before matches – and if it’s good enough for the gentlemen of the press, believe me it’s worth the effort. Its grill and steaks are good but the star turn is the seafood counter and the gorgeous wine list. It’s also open until 2am

Dorothy’s

Braving the pedestrianised delights of Chip Shop Alley – aka Chippy Lane – for a poke of chips with curry sauce (or if you deviate from the norm, cheese sauce or gravy) is a rite of passage for any visitor to Cardiff, and of all the shops Dorothy’s is the best (with next door neighbours Tony’s a close second). Dorothy’s is the oldest chippy on the lane and serves marvellous fish n chips and Clark’s pies until 2am. Grad a takeaway or come in and take a table to sample the late-night food of champions.