The Botanist is a botanical-themed bar and restaurant in Cardiff, and this guide explains its two locations, menus, drinks, events, and booking options.
The Botanist is a UK bar and restaurant brand known for plant-inspired food, botanical cocktails, craft beer, live music, and distinctive interior design. In Cardiff, it operates two venues: The Botanist Cardiff Central on Church Street and The Botanist Cardiff Bay at Mermaid Quay. Both venues serve food and drinks throughout the day and evening, making them suitable for lunch, after-work drinks, weekend brunch, celebrations, and casual meals.
For visitors to Cardiff, The Botanist offers a convenient choice because its city-centre and Cardiff Bay locations suit different plans. The Church Street venue is close to the main shopping area, while the Mermaid Quay venue sits beside Cardiff Bay and offers an outdoor terrace with views across the water. Menus, opening hours, live-music schedules, and booking arrangements can change, so check the latest information for your chosen location before visiting.
What Is The Botanist?
The Botanist is a bar and restaurant concept built around botanical ingredients, seasonal produce, creative cocktails, and a relaxed social atmosphere. The brand was founded in 2012 in North West England and has since expanded to locations across the UK. Its menus emphasise vegetables, fruit, herbs, and spices, alongside familiar pub and restaurant dishes.
The Botanist is best known for its botanical cocktails, hanging kebabs, rotisserie-inspired dishes, and deli-style sharing food. It also serves craft beer, ale, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks. The décor typically includes plants, floral details, and a garden-like feel, which gives the venues a recognisable identity.
In Cardiff, The Botanist is a popular option for people who want more than a standard pub meal. It works well for a leisurely lunch, a drink before an event, a date night, a family meal, or a group celebration. The combination of food, cocktails, music, and outdoor space makes it flexible across different times of day.
The Botanist Cardiff Locations
The Botanist has two Cardiff venues, and choosing between them depends on whether you prefer the city centre or Cardiff Bay. The Botanist Cardiff Central is on Church Street, while The Botanist Cardiff Bay is at Mermaid Quay. Both are bar and restaurant venues, but their surroundings and outdoor spaces create different experiences.
The Botanist Cardiff Central is set across two floors and includes a large roof garden with festoon lights and a fire pit. Its Church Street location places it close to Cardiff’s main shopping streets, bars, and attractions. This makes it a convenient choice for shoppers, theatre-goers, and people meeting friends in the city centre.
The Botanist Cardiff Bay is also set across two floors and has an outdoor terrace with views over Cardiff Bay. Located at Mermaid Quay, it is particularly appealing for visitors exploring the waterfront, attending events in the Bay, or looking for a scenic place to eat and drink. The Bay location can be especially enjoyable in warmer weather.
| Venue | Address | Setting | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Botanist Cardiff Central | Church Street, Cardiff CF10 1BG | Two floors with a roof garden and fire pit | Shopping trips, city-centre evenings, and groups |
| The Botanist Cardiff Bay | Mermaid Quay, Cardiff CF10 5BZ | Waterfront venue with an outdoor terrace | Cardiff Bay visits, views, and relaxed meals |
The Botanist Menu and Drinks
The Botanist menu is designed around fresh, colourful ingredients, with an emphasis on vegetables, fruit, herbs, and spices. The food offer includes small plates, mains, hanging kebabs, rotisserie-inspired dishes, burgers, salads, and desserts. The brand also offers vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, although availability can vary by location and menu update.
One of the venue’s signature dishes is the hanging kebab, served suspended above chips or vegetables. This presentation has become closely associated with The Botanist and is a popular choice for groups looking for something a little different from standard pub food. Other familiar options include British classics, sharing plates, and seasonal dishes.
Drinks are central to The Botanist experience. The cocktail list is botanical in style and includes both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. Guests can also choose from craft beer, ale, wine, spirits, and soft drinks. Happy Hour is advertised on weekdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., with promotional prices for selected classic cocktails, pints, and wine or fizz.
- Botanical cocktails: The drinks menu is inspired by plants, herbs, fruit, and seasonal flavours.
- Food: Expect small plates, mains, hanging kebabs, rotisserie-inspired dishes, and desserts.
- Sharing plates: Small plates and deli-inspired dishes suit groups and informal meals.
- Live music: The Botanist promotes live music, particularly at weekends.
The Botanist Cardiff Central
The Botanist Cardiff Central is located on Church Street in the heart of Cardiff. Its central position makes it easy to combine with shopping, sightseeing, theatre visits, or an evening in the city. The venue is set across two floors and includes a roof garden, which provides an outdoor option for drinks and dining.
The roof garden is one of the venue’s distinguishing features. With festoon lights and a fire pit, it creates an outdoor setting that can work in different seasons. This makes The Botanist Cardiff Central suitable for both summer evenings and cooler-weather visits, although outdoor availability may depend on weather and capacity.
The Cardiff Central venue’s published opening hours are Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. These hours make it flexible for lunch, early evening drinks, dinner, and later weekend socialising. Always confirm current hours before travelling, especially around public holidays.
For visitors arriving by train, the city-centre location is practical. Cardiff Central railway station is within walking distance, and the venue is also close to bus routes and city-centre car parks. This makes The Botanist Cardiff Central a convenient meeting point for groups arriving from different parts of Wales or beyond.
The Botanist Cardiff Bay
The Botanist Cardiff Bay is located at Mermaid Quay, one of Cardiff’s most popular waterfront destinations. The venue is set across two floors and includes an outdoor terrace with views across the Bay. This makes it a strong choice for visitors who want food and drinks alongside a scenic walk or a visit to the waterfront.
Cardiff Bay offers a different atmosphere from the city centre. It is popular for riverside walks, attractions, events, and relaxed weekend outings. The Botanist Cardiff Bay fits well into this setting, particularly for lunch, early evening drinks, or a meal before or after exploring the area.
The Bay venue’s published opening hours are Monday to Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight, and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. These hours can change for seasonal events, private bookings, or operational reasons, so check before travelling.
The Bay location is especially suitable for visitors who want a scenic setting. Whether you are visiting Mermaid Quay, walking around the Bay, or attending an event nearby, The Botanist offers a convenient place to stop for food and drinks. Its terrace can be particularly popular during warmer months and weekends.
Booking, Timing and Practical Tips
Booking The Botanist is advisable for weekend evenings, large groups, celebrations, and popular event nights. The Cardiff Central venue offers online booking, while walk-ins may be possible depending on availability. For a roof-garden table, a Bay-view terrace table, or a group celebration, booking ahead gives you the best chance of securing the space you want.
Timing matters. Weekday lunchtimes and early evenings are usually quieter, while Friday and Saturday evenings are busier. The Botanist also promotes weekend brunch until 2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, with standard and bottomless options. Happy Hour runs on weekdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., which may appeal to after-work groups.
Accessibility and dietary needs should be checked before visiting. The Botanist offers vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options on many menus, but ingredients and preparation can change. Guests with allergies, mobility requirements, or specific seating needs should confirm arrangements with the relevant Cardiff venue before booking.
Before visiting The Botanist
- Choose between Cardiff Central and Cardiff Bay based on your plans.
- Check current opening hours and live-music listings.
- Book ahead for weekends, groups, celebrations, or terrace seating.
- Review the menu for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergy information.
- Consider Happy Hour or weekend brunch if you want a specific offer.
- Confirm accessibility and seating requirements before arriving.
The Botanist Summary
The Botanist is a botanical-themed bar and restaurant with two Cardiff locations: Cardiff Central on Church Street and Cardiff Bay at Mermaid Quay. It is known for botanical cocktails, seasonal food, hanging kebabs, craft beer, live music, and distinctive outdoor spaces. The city-centre venue has a roof garden and fire pit, while the Bay venue offers a terrace with views across Cardiff Bay.
The Botanist suits many occasions, from weekday lunch and after-work drinks to weekend brunch, dinner, and group celebrations. Happy Hour is advertised on weekdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and weekend brunch is available until 2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Before visiting, check the latest menus, opening hours, live-music schedule, and booking availability for your chosen Cardiff location.
Choose Cardiff Central for shopping and city-centre nightlife, or Cardiff Bay for waterfront views and a more scenic setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
These answers cover common questions about The Botanist in Cardiff.
This guide to The Botanist helps visitors and locals compare its Cardiff Central and Cardiff Bay venues, menus, drinks, events, and booking options.
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