Last Sunday my husband and my dad were competing in the Cardiff Half Marathon so on the Saturday night we decided to go for an Italian to get them both stocked up on carbohydrates. We usually go to Cibos on Pontanna St but unfortunately the last time we went there we were a little disappointed. So we thought we’d try something new and go to La Lupa in Canton, Cardiff. 

The Venue

La Lupa doesn’t look like anything special on their rather poor website or from the outside and it is not in the most trendy part of Cardiff but it is definitely a hidden gem. It is very typically Italian with the checked table cloths and the rustic surroundings, a very warm and cosy feel to it.We went on a Saturday night and it was 95% full which was nice, there’s nothing worse than an empty restaurant.

The Food

The menu was different from your standard Italian menu with not a spag bol or a lasagna in site. However the food that they did have on offer was orginal with something for everyone. Using the excuse that the men needed feeding up we all had 3 courses (what we had a hard day supporting to do). All three courses were deliciaous, with good presentation and generous portions.

The Service

This is debatable. The service was a little on the slow side although consistently slow. The staff were by no means unattentive, I just felt that it was just their way of doing things. The slow service was more then made up for by the very friendly staff. Most of the staff were Italian which was nice and were happy to explain the menu and recommend their specials. There was a definite personal feeling and the kind of place that you know that they will remember you the next time you go.

The Price

The prices of the meals were average. Going on the surroundings you would not be expecting to pay a lot but when the food arrived you wouldn’t mind paying more. The starters were around £4 the mains around £9 (more for things such as steak)

The Verdict

I will definitely be going back to La Lupa, good food and nice staff are quite hard to come by these days.

Score = 7/10