The Ottolenghi group has confirmed it has secured a site on City Road in Cardiff's Roath neighbourhood, marking the brand's first opening in Wales and the latest step in a considered regional expansion that has taken the group from its north London roots to Manchester, Edinburgh and now Cardiff.
The City Road site, a ground-floor unit of approximately 2,800 sq ft in a newly completed mixed-use development, will open in late summer 2026 as a deli-café format consistent with Ottolenghi's non-London regional model — counter service, an extensive range of vegetable-forward salads, baked goods, and a small selection of hot dishes at lunchtime, alongside a concise dinner menu operating Thursday to Saturday evenings.
The Roath neighbourhood, home to an eclectic mix of independent cafés, restaurants and food shops along City Road and its surrounding streets, was chosen after what the group describes as extensive research into Cardiff's food culture and its customer demographics. "Roath felt right immediately," a spokesperson told The Mise. "It has the energy and the curiosity that suits what we do. The residents there are exactly the kind of food-engaged community that makes our model work."
Yotam Ottolenghi's evolving business
The group founded by chef and food writer Yotam Ottolenghi has navigated the post-pandemic period more successfully than many of its contemporaries, in part because its deli-café format is less operationally complex than a full-service restaurant and in part because its cookbooks and media presence have maintained strong brand awareness independently of its restaurant footprint.
Its recent regional openings — Manchester in 2023, Edinburgh in 2024 — have both traded strongly, validating the group's belief that appetite for its offer exists well beyond London. Cardiff extends that thesis into a market that has seen significant investment in independent hospitality over the past five years, with the city's food scene increasingly drawing comparisons with Bristol's trajectory a decade ago.
Hiring and community engagement
The group has confirmed it will prioritise local hiring for the Cardiff site, with around 25 roles to be filled ahead of the opening. It is also in early discussions with Cardiff Metropolitan University's food science department about a potential supply chain partnership, consistent with its approach in other regional cities of building relationships with local producers and institutions.
A soft launch is expected in August, with the full opening — including the Thursday to Saturday dinner service — following in September.