By Portia Jones

Copyright walesonline

It came as no surprise that my former stomping ground, Canton, made Time Out’s list of the UK’s coolest neighbourhoods. Third place, just behind Camberwell and Digbeth. I assume it only missed the number one spot because no one from London can bear not to be top dog. The publication writes, “For years, Canton was seen as a funnel for football fans heading to the nearby Cardiff City Stadium, but now it’s a thriving neighbourhood. “Reached via a 30-minute walk from the city centre, it’s home to a selection of shops and cafes which are well worth the amble out of town; Chapter Arts Centre offers everything from indie flicks and vogue balls to top-class cocktails, while Hard Lines Coffee and Ffloc boast exquisite lunch offerings. Then there’s Corp Market , a defunct pub refashioned into a brilliantly eclectic traders market which is also home to Head Above The Waves , a non-profit skatewear boutique and mental health support hub.” For those unfamiliar, the diverse neighbourhood of Canton was once seen as a less desirable Cardiff burb’ you passed through on your way to Ninian Park, ideally with a sausage roll in hand and low expectations for the scoreline. These days, house prices are soaring as the middle class moves in. For non-residents, it’s where you go when you tire of Pontcanna for matcha lattes, breakfast burritos, and ‘Anti Bad Vibes Room Sprays’. I’m not kidding. I say this with experience as my mother’s side of the family hails from there, while my father is from a 13-strong Ely clan, possibly making me a super Cardiffian hybrid. I was even born there, Cowbridge Road, thank you very much, when a £17 brunch wasn’t a thing and a pickled egg from the chippy was the height of sophistication. Back then, Canton was a solid working-class place where mams did the ‘big shop’ for the week and dads offered match analysis to no one in particular outside the smoke-filled pub. Cowbridge Road itself was also a retail rollercoaster. You could buy Hoover bags, pick’n’mix from Woollies, and three leeks for a pound, all without crossing the street or spending over a tenner. Tuck-In Cafe did a decent fry-up that cost less than your oat milk coffee. Franklin’s Bakery lived on the corner of Gray Street for nearly a century. So did Pope’s Photography, which captured every wedding, christening, and regrettable fringe from Ely to Llandaff. Most of that’s gone now. Woolworths sadly died in 2009 and reincarnated as a charity shop, naturally. Franklin’s folded. Pope’s went dark. But somehow, the local cobbler is still there and did a marvellous job on my worn-out heels. It appears these shoes were not made for walking. The new wave has officially arrived and brought sourdough in place of the old guard. Hard Lines Coffee, one of my favourite spots, looks like a retro greasy spoon dressed by Instagram. Corp Market has taken over the old school Corporation pub and turned it into a multiplex of indie fever dreams: craft beer, ethical earrings, natural wine, oat milk, locally sourced coffee beans, etc. It’s also home to Head Above The Waves , a non-profit skatewear boutique and mental health support hub where you can buy trucker caps and slogan tees. Beloved Cardiff Chapter Arts Centre has long been at the centre of Cardiff’s cultural cache. Established by artists in 1971 to celebrate experimentation and radical thought, it’s been a catalyst for creativity and critical thinking ever since. This red brick retro beauty houses an independent cinema, cafe bar, performance space, and community classes and is a vital community space for Canton. Here, you can have a smoked bacon bap, attend a creative writing session, and see an indie film all in one day. Tidy. The food scene has exploded here, too. Award-winning Purple Poppadom is now an institution, serving classic curries and innovative plates. The former Barclays Bank has recently been transformed into the latest location of the award-winning Haystack cafe, known for its Instagrammable pancake stacks and bougie breakfasts served in frying pans. Of course. A short stroll away is Floc, where you can order single-origin coffee and the best iron-grilled cheese sandwiches in the city. Burger Boyz has become a popular spot for a banging burger. Launched by schoolmates Marcin Sadlos and Jack Phillips back in 2021, the entrepreneurial duo bought a food truck and took over the kitchen at The Red Lion pub in Port Talbot. They then secured a spot at Newport Market and opened a restaurant in Port Talbot . Since then, Burger Boyz has opened a site right by Victoria Park in Canton, Cardiff. Here you’ll find a moreish selection of dry-aged Welsh beef smash burgers, loaded fries, and sides. You can read our review here . Down the road, Workhorse combines a final boss hipster level of bicycles, bagels, and brews. You can get your cargo bike fixed while you sip anaerobic natural microlot coffee. I have no idea what that is, but I’m sure it’s divine. One of my favourite haunts for a relaxed dinner in Canton is Calabrisella, a Cardiff institution that serves the best arancini you’ll ever eat. Their pizzas are also particularly excellent. Try the Dello chef pizza, loaded with mozzarella, gorgonzola, goat cheese, smoked scamorza, nduja, walnuts, honey, Calabrian spianata salami and Parmesan. Kimchi is a popular Korean dish. Here, you’ll find a menu of classic Korean fare and grill-your-own meat and veggies with built-in grills at each table. Cheerful Indian restaurant Mattancherry is inspired by the diverse and waterside area of Kochi, which gave the owners the idea to create a restaurant that celebrates its culinary and social history. Try the Mattancherry Special Thali, which includes two main dishes with a mini starter, potato, dal, rice, poppadum, pickle, raitha, salad, and bread. For a taste of Thailand, the Bangkok cafe has a decent selection of traditional dishes, such as zesty Pad Thai and Moo Yang. For Sunday lunch, I love the Lansdowne, a thriving community-focused boozer known for its tasty homemade food and great atmosphere. On Sundays, they also serve a great roast with lashings of gravy and a delicious selection of starters. You can expect traditional roast meats, as well as dishes like butternut and cashew roast, all served with proper Yorkshires, roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, proper gravy, and creamy cauliflower cheese. The area around Victoria Park has had its own little glow-up, morphing into one of Canton’s tastiest corners. Opposite the park, Pettigrew Bakeries continues to lure in early risers with the smell of freshly baked sourdough and flaky pastries. Their “real bread” ethos has made them a standout in Cardiff’s baked goods scene. Good luck leaving without a croissant (or three). Nearby indie hotspot Hiraeth Kitchen is an intimate neighbourhood restaurant serving a set-course ‘forever chaaging’ taster menu and catering to customers who fancy a “glass of wine and some picky bits.” Typical creative plates include Rainbow chard kimchi, Mushroom parfait, and Cheese doughnut. And then there’s Caws Canton, the new kid on the block from The Welsh Cheese Company. It’s part cheesemonger, part wine shop, and entirely dangerous for anyone with a weakness for either. There’s room for about twenty lucky patrons to sit in and sample curated cheese boards and wines by the glass. In a rapidly evolving food and drink scene, there are still several places I have to check out. New spots seem to pop up every month, each one adding a fresh twist to the neighbourhood’s ever-changing identity. Every time I think I’ve caught up, another swish cafe or restaurant opens its doors, and it feels like the neighbourhood changes a little bit more. And yet, for all the acai bowls and artisan candles, Canton still hasn’t lost its core. You can still buy fruit from a man who calls everyone “mate”, and get your keys cut in under five minutes by someone who’s definitely seen things. You can stroll through Viccy Park with a flat white or sit in historic Thompson’s Park and feed the ducks. While it’s tempting to imagine Canton as a suburban utopia, the neighbourhood still faces many ongoing challenges. Cowbridge Road East has been battling antisocial behaviour for years , with daily thefts, street drinking, drugs, and fighting cited by local traders on the road. In April this year, the road saw 123 crimes reported in just one month. Despite the negatives, it still feels like a piece of home to me, even though I migrated to another suburb. (In my defence, I’m not from generational wealth, so I’ve been priced out of Canton.) So yes, my beloved Canton’s had a serious glow-up. The brunches are photogenic, the pubs pour craft IPAs instead of pints of Brains, and the old working-class grit has been lightly dusted with oat milk foam. But scratch the surface, and the old Canton’s still there, humming with all my childhood memories. You can dress it up with natural wine and street food courts, but Canton remains stubbornly, beautifully local. And maybe that’s why it deserves to be on any list, cool or otherwise.