I'm a big coffee drinker - and when I started working in Cardiff , the first places I became familiar with were the cafes and coffee shops.

You might be thinking, why should I listen to this guy about coffee? And that's fair enough because, no, I've never been a barista or even roasted my own beans.

But I do have a passion for coffee - and not in the same way that some people profess their love for it - as they're waiting in the queue at Starbucks for a cup of warm, sugary milk to give them their "caffeine fix".

No. I'm that annoying person who buys a coffee and then sees if they sell bags to take away to try at home.

My cupboards are filled with various grinders and brewing devices - from a humble cafetiere and V60 dripper to a cold brew jug and mokapot - as well as a small library of coffee-related books.

Some might call it a problem.

Anyway, being a capital, there are plenty of coffee shops in Cardiff. Both chains and indies. Focusing solely on the independent shops, these are the places I've found to be the best.

1. Uncommon Ground

A high quality operation on Cardiff's coffee scene, you'll be hard pressed to find a better flat white in the capital.

Uncommon Ground roasts its own coffee, at their nearby roastery in , ensuring the freshest available coffee.

They also sell their fresh coffee, as whole bean or pre-ground bags, so customers can enjoy it at home.

Where: Royal Arcade, Cardiff


2. Hard Lines

Hard Lines in Cardiff Market

Formerly Outpost, Hard Lines serves a great espresso, gorgeous silky smooth flat whites, and pour-overs made to perfection.

They weigh out the beans for each cup produced, ensuring the perfect extraction and a quality cup of coffee.

Some of Hard Lines own coffee

Along with guest coffees, Hard Lines rotates what they have on a monthly or two-monthly basis as well as selling their house-roasted blends.

Where: Cardiff Market, Cardiff

3. Corner Coffee

After opening in August 2017, Corner Coffee has proved popular with locals and it's easy to see why.

They've got an range of coffee on offer, from The Missing Bean and also have a range of alternative milks to choose from.

You can get coffee here in the form of filter from a V60 along with a number of espresso-based drinks and great-tasting sandwiches and snacks.

All the staff here really know their stuff and are happy to answer any coffee-related questions you might have.

Where: High Street, Cardiff

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4. The Plan

With a head barista who made the finals of the UK Barista Championship in 2010, you know you've found a winner.

The coffee at The Plan is taken seriously, crafted perfectly by people who really know what they're doing.

They use in-season beans, which are freshly roasted by top UK artisan micro-roasters, and most of their coffees are lighter roasts which help promote the natural flavours of the bean.

Along with their espresso-based drinks, they also serve house filter and French press coffees, with the house filter offering a particularly bright taste.

Where: Morgan Arcade, Cardiff

5. Lufkin Coffee

Now, personally I've only ever had a bag of beans to take home but if I can grind and brew this coffee to a decent standard, I'm sure the experts behind the counter can do a much better job.

They've got a brew bar set up, complete with pour-over filters and the Lufkin blends I've tried lend themselves well to this brew method.

The Nicaraguan blend I brewed at home (using a V60 dripper) had a smooth, easy-drinking texture, with a slightly sweet lingering taste.

Where: 183a Kings Road, Cardiff

6. Quantum Coffee Roasters

Two of the best beverages I've tried at Quantum both come from two very different brew methods.

The first was a flat white made with their medium-roast house espresso. With beans roasted on site, the house blend is a rich-tasting coffee and their flat whites have a perfectly smooth finish.

Next up was a cold-brew coffee (not to be confused with an iced coffee).

A brew method that has become popular over the last few summers, Quantum doesn't disappoint.

It's a method that sees ground beans steeped in cold water overnight (or at least for 12 hours) and served over ice. This allows the extraction of coffee to happen far more slowly than it would from an espresso machine, preventing any overly bitter or acidic tastes.

Plus they served it in a scientific beaker, which is a unique touch.

Where: Bute Street, Cardiff Bay

7. 200 Degrees

A nitro coffee from 200 Degrees

From flat whites to cortados and even a brew bar - there's loads of choice at 200 Degrees.

And they even use beans roasted and blended by the company.

While a few places now have started doing a cold brew as the weather gets warmer these guys were one of the first bring nitro cold brews to Cardiff.

Not only do they sell a range of quality drinks and good food downstairs, but the coffee shop also has a training school upstairs, helping to create the next wave of knowledgeable baristas.

Where: Queen Street


8. Waterloo Tea

Despite being known for their tea, of which they serve a lot, Waterloo Tea also make a great coffee.

Along with all of their espresso-based drinks, they also offer V60 pour over coffees.

Offering a choice of three filter coffees - a Kenyan blend, Nicaraguan blend and a Colombian blend - the staff here clearly know their stuff.

It's another venue in Cardiff that weighs out its beans before grinding. The fact so many places do this is a testament to the quality of Cardiff's coffee scene and the resulting brew produces a complex cup, with fruity notes and a nutty, slightly chocolatey undertone.

Where: Wyndham Arcade, Cardiff

9. Gourmet coffee

Nestled in Cardiff's central train station, Gourmet might be a commuter hotspot but it doesn't mean the quality of coffee suffers.

They use speciality beans that make the whole station smell of fresh coffee each morning, and have had multi-award winning baristas on-site for since they opened in 2016.

They also sell a range of flapjacks that go perfectly with their coffee on a morning commute.

Where: Cardiff Central Railway Station