Qamariyah: The Cardiff Restaurant Serving Authentic Yemeni Food
Cardiff’s food scene is always moving, and just when you think you’ve tried it all, something unexpected appears. Qamariyah isn’t tucked away on a quiet street or off the beaten path, it’s right there in plain sight, but somehow it completely escaped our radar. Inside, it serves some of the most authentic Yemeni food in the city, and it feels just like stepping into a little slice of Yemen in the heart of Cardiff.
Lamb mandi (Right), Lamb Fahsa (Left) from Qamariyah at 2 Four Elms Rd, Cardiff CF24 1LE
We’re on a bit of a mission at the moment to spotlight the places doing something genuinely different that people might not have heard of yet. Qamariyah, located on 2 Four Elms Road is exactly that kind of place. And after our first visit, it’s safe to say this is a restaurant more people need to know about.
The name Qamariyah itself carries a piece of Yemeni heritage. 27 year old owner Ahmed Al‑Mliki explained that a qamariyah is a traditional style of stained-glass window found in historic homes across Yemen (colourful, arched glass panels that filter sunlight into warm, patterned light). It’s a fitting name for a restaurant built around the idea of bringing something authentic from Yemen into Cardiff.
Anyone familiar with the area will know just how busy and noisy it can be, so walking into Qamariyah feels almost surreal. It’s like stepping into a little slice of paradise. The interior is thoughtfully decorated, and extremely calming. And for those looking for a more authentic experience, there’s even a Yemeni-style seating option.
Ahmed, who had previously worked in logistics before launching the restaurant, said the idea came from wanting to fill a gap.
“There are lots of Yemeni restaurants around, but it is very hard to find authentic Yemeni food,”
“We provide more than just lamb mandi or chicken mandi.”
And that became clear the moment we looked at the menu.
For many people, Yemeni cuisine is synonymous with mandi, the slow-cooked rice and meat dish known for its smoky, spiced flavour. But Qamariyah’s menu goes far beyond that. You’ll find stews like fahsa, traditional breads like mulawah, breakfast dishes including liver and foul, and desserts that feel completely new if you’ve never explored Yemeni food before.
Watch our TikTok at Qamariyah!
The beautiful decor at Qamariyah at 2 Four Elms Rd, Cardiff CF24 1LE
The goal, Ahmed says, is simple. Bring authentic flavours to Cardiff.
“These foods give you an authentic taste of Yemen,” he explains.
We visited on a damp Cardiff evening and left incredibly full.
First up was the lamb mandi (£12.99), one of Yemen’s most well-known dishes, and for good reason. The lamb arrived steaming hot, sitting on a generous bed of rice. The meat fell apart effortlessly and the rice was packed with smoky, spiced flavour. If you’re worried Yemeni food might be too spicy, don’t be. The dishes we tried were full of flavour and warming spices, but nothing that overwhelmed the palate. Yemeni cooking tends to focus more on aromatic spices like cardamom, cumin, cinnamon and turmeric, creating rich, layered flavours rather than intense heat. It’s the kind of dish that feels so comforting and homely, it’s such a simple dish on the surface, but when done right it’s so flavoursome.
Then came the mulawah bread (£2.99), which honestly surprised us with its size. It was HUGE. The bread arrived warm and flaky, perfect for sharing whilst tearing apart and dipping, which brings us to the fahsa (£11). If you’ve never heard of fahsa, you are missing out. It’s a rich, hearty stew, packed full of tender shredded lamb, and this came loaded with so much flavour. Herb-heavy, deeply savoury, and designed to be scooped up with the delicious mulawah bread, it’s exactly the sort of dish that makes you slow down and enjoy the meal.
Alongside it we tried two sahawiq sauces (£1 each), a Yemeni chilli salsa-style sauce that adds brightness and heat and adds the perfect contrast to the richer dishes. The freshness cuts through the richness of the stew perfectly.
Mixed fresh juice at Qamariyah
Drinks-wise, we went for the lemon mint juice (£4.50) and a mixed fresh juice (£5.50), both refreshing and ideal with the spices in the food.
One thing we didn’t quite plan very well was the table. We’d unknowingly picked the smallest table in the restaurant. At the time it felt very cosy, and perfect for a quick dinner. But as the food started arriving, it quickly became clear we may have slightly underestimated how much we’d ordered. First came the lamb mandi, then the huge mulawah bread, then the fahsa, the sauces, the drinks, and suddenly the table looked like a full Yemeni feast. Plates were shuffled around and glasses were carefully moved. It became part of the fun though. There’s something very satisfying about a table so full of food you have to make space just to tear another piece of bread.
And then came dessert.
To be honest, the areeka (£8) was something completely new to us, a Yemeni dessert made from crumbled bread mixed with honey, dates and cream. But we can’t recommend it enough. It was sweet, rich and really comforting. A great finish to an already incredible meal.
We also had two Adeni milk teas (£2 each), a spiced Yemeni tea that was warm, slightly sweet and incredibly comforting. The flavour reminded us a little of chai, thanks to similar spices like cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, but with its own distinctive character. It was the perfect way to slow things down at the end of the meal.
Something that stood out almost immediately was the portion sizes. Everything that arrived at the table felt generous, from the mountain of rice with the mandi to the enormous mulawah bread. For the amount of food we ordered, the prices all felt very reasonable. If we had paid the bill ourselves, the full total would have come to £50.48. Split between two people, that works out at just £25.24 each for a huge amount of food, fresh juices, dessert and tea. For the portion sizes and the quality of what we ate, that felt incredibly reasonable. You could easily share less and spend even less, but even ordering generously like we did, it still felt like very good value for money.
Something else worth mentioning is the incredible hospitality. This wasn’t a pre-arranged review or invited meal, we turned up as regular customers. But after we’d finished eating, Ahmed insisted we didn’t pay and refused to let us settle the bill. If we had paid, we wouldn’t have been mad about the price at all. The food, portions and overall experience would have felt well worth the money. And honestly, t’s also the sort of thing that wins customers for life.
For Ahmed, though, Qamariyah is only just getting started.
“I would love to eventually expand and share authentic Yemeni food with more people,”
If the food we tried is anything to go by, that ambition feels well placed. Cardiff may be the starting point, but it’s easy to imagine Qamariyah becoming something much larger soon.
For now, though, Cardiff gets to enjoy it first.
It also feels more important than ever to support local places like this. Last year we saw so many independent businesses across Cardiff close their doors, and it’s a reminder of how tough the hospitality world can be. That’s a big part of why we want to shine a light on restaurants like Qamariyah. These are the places that give the city its character. If you know any others, we’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
Qamariyah has definitely gained two regulars in us, and it’s somewhere we’ll happily keep recommending.
You can find Qamariyah at 2 Four Elms Rd, Cardiff CF24 1LE,
Watch our TikTok at Qamariyah!
