The Albany Road Brunch Spot That’s Well Worth the Hype
Brunch in Cardiff can start to feel a bit samey after a while, not in a bad way, just in the sense that you begin to recognise the same sort of dishes and the same formula turning up again and again. Casablanca on Albany Road felt different.
The Brunch Feast For Two At Casablanca
Recently relocated from City Road to 112 Albany Road, this Moroccan and Lebanese restaurant feels like a fresh addition to Cardiff’s brunch scene, not just in location, but in spirit. As we first walked in, it was clear this was somewhere that had been built with a real sense of identity.
Brunch can so often be reduced to two extremes. On one side, it is all grease and excess, the kind of plate that leaves you full but not especially excited. On the other, it is all polished health food, beautifully presented but slightly airless, as though it has been designed more for a photograph than for actual enjoyment. Casablanca lands somewhere far more interesting.
The new space on Albany Road is stunning. It feels inviting and thoughtfully put together, with a Mediterranean ease that settles over you the moment you arrive. When we visited, the sun was shining and it happened to be the hottest day of the year so far. The front windows were open, and for a moment Cardiff itself seemed to soften at the edges. The whole place took on a kind of glow, and the atmosphere felt less like a restaurant in the city and more like a pocket of somewhere sunnier, somewhere slower, somewhere you would happily linger for hours.
That feeling is clearly not an accident. We spoke with co-founder Zak, who showed us photos of the unit before the team transformed it, and the difference is remarkable. What they have created at Casablanca is not simply a refurb or a rebrand. It is a proper reinvention of the space. The decor is beautiful, but it never feels overdone. Instead, it complements the service and the general rhythm of the place. It feels considered rather than staged.
Bespoke Cutlery made for Casablanca
One of the most striking details is the cutlery, which Zak told us had been specially purchased from Morocco and bespoke made for Casablanca. It is exactly the kind of detail that could be missed in passing, but once you know, it makes perfect sense. The whole experience feels rooted in care, and those smaller touches help build a sense of place that is hard to fake. It is not just a restaurant serving Moroccan-inspired food. It feels like a place that understands the value of atmosphere, texture and detail.
That said, the food is still absolutely the main event.
We were invited down to try the brunch, but everything here is based on our honest experience. We ordered the Casablanca brunch feast for two, priced at £28, and it is just excellent. Inspired by the breakfast tables of Beirut and Marrakech, it arrives as a generous sharing spread that feels abundant without being overwhelming. There are jams, honey and cream, tahini and date molasses, hummus, labneh, falafel, sujuk, marinated olives, a cheese board and freshly baked Moroccan bread. It is one of those dishes that immediately makes a table feel full in the best possible way, both visually and in terms of variety. There is colour, contrast and a real sense of generosity to it all.
Then you get to choose one breakfast dish to share, which for us was the Casablanca shakshuka, which on it’s own is priced at £12. If the brunch feast sets the tone, the shakshuka seals it. super fresh and deeply flavourful, it arrives steaming and ever so comforting, with eggs baked into a tomato, pepper, potato and roasted aubergine stew, lifted by garlic and Moroccan spices. It is the sort of dish that makes you slow down a little, because every spoonful gives you something slightly different. It is hearty, yes, but never too heavy. That balance is exactly what makes the brunch here so appealing.
We also tried the msemen with Nutella, priced at £8.50, the zaatar flatbread at £6, and the cheese fatayer at £7. The msemen was a particular highlight, with its warm, folded layers and soft, comforting texture. The zaatar flatbread had that lovely savoury edge that keeps you going back for another bite, while the cheese fatayer brought a golden, rich finish to the table. Everything tasted fresh, generous and properly made, which sounds simple, but in practice is what makes an experience that much more memorable.
When everything landed on the table, we kind of just looked at each other for a second like, right, this is a lot in the best possible way. It had that proper “where do we even start?” feeling, which is always a good sign. There was so much variety on the table that it quickly turned into one of those meals where everyone is reaching across, trying a bit of everything, and not really sticking to any sort of plan. We’d definitely recommend going on an empty stomach for this one.
What we liked about it was that it never felt overthought or overly neat in a way that made it feel less enjoyable. It was generous, a little chaotic in the best way, and very easy to get into. You do not really sit there eating this kind of brunch in a rushed or clinical way. It naturally slows everything down, because there is so much to try and you end up just passing things around and taking your time with it. That made the whole thing feel a lot more relaxed and a lot more fun.
Yes, we were invited down to try it, but this is very much our honest experience, and that probably matters more than anything else. Some places come with a bit of expectation attached, but this one did not need much help from us to leave an impression. Once the food started coming out and the place got going, it was pretty clear that the experience spoke for itself. That is always the best outcome, because it means you are not having to force a reaction or dress anything up.
msemen with Nutella, priced at £8.50
Brunch can often be a noisy category. It is one of the most talked-about meal services in the city, but not every brunch spot is worth the noise. Casablanca absolutely is. What stands out most is how refreshing it feels to eat something so vibrant and full of flavour in a space that feels equally alive. There is colour in the food, warmth in the room and a kind of hospitality that makes you feel like you’re looked after by a friend rather than just a soulless transaction. At one point we realised we’d been there way longer than we planned, which kind of says it all really.
What made the visit work so well for us was that it felt like a proper experience, not just a meal we had to get through and then move on from. There was enough variety to keep it interesting, enough warmth in the space to make it comfortable, and enough personality in the food and service to make it feel memorable. It is the sort of place you leave already talking about what you would order next time, which is usually the clearest sign that it has done something right.
That warmth was perhaps the biggest surprise of all. Every single member of staff we met was positive, friendly and really chatty, and that created a real sense of ease. It is not uncommon for a place to have good food and good interiors. It is much rarer for every part of the experience to feel so aligned. Here, the staff seem genuinely proud of where they work, and that pride comes through in the atmosphere. It definitely makes a difference.
We ended up chatting with a customer from Morocco, who told us the food tasted authentic and gave him a taste of home. That moment said a lot. When a restaurant resonates with people in that way, it is usually because it is doing something right at a deeper level than just taste. It is about familiarity and the emotional pull of food that feels true to its roots. Casablanca seems to understand that well.
Another aspect that impressed us was seeing a glimpse of the kitchen area. It was like clockwork back there. With an authentic clay oven adding even more character to the operation. It is the kind of behind-the-scenes detail that reinforces what you already sense from the dining room. Nothing feels rushed or thrown together.
Casablanca is the kind of restaurant that reminds you why going out for brunch can still feel exciting when it is done well. It has the decor, the food, the service and the atmosphere, but more importantly, it has a sense of soul. It feels like a place with a point of view. A place that knows exactly what it wants to be, and is already becoming one of Cardiff’s more distinctive food spots because of it.
It’s not just us either, just take a look at a few reviews from previous visitors, which gives a good sense of how consistently well it’s been received:
“A hidden jewel in North Cardiff. Since we were staying close by, we happened to discover this restaurant on a corner in a quiet part of North Cardiff - and what a hidden jewel! The place is beautifully decorated, with lovely oriental music in the background and an exotic scent in the air, and we got a very warm welcome and an absolutely delicious dinner. An incredibly soft and juicy lamb tagine in a marvellously fruity sauce with apricots and plums, accompanied by scrumptious homemade tzatziki and baba ganoush. An unforgettable meal!”
“The setting is just as memorable as the food. Beautifully styled with authentic Moroccan décor, rich colours, and a cosy, intimate atmosphere that makes the whole experience feel special rather than just a meal.”
If you are looking for brunch that feels fresh, colourful and genuinely really tasty, this is one to add to the list. We left seriously impressed, and with no complaints whatsoever.
Check out our Casablanca video here:
