Cardiff diners have two interesting new options for 2026 following the Christmas launch of natural wine bar and restaurant Ogof in Canton and next week’s relaunch by chef Tom Simmons (pictured) of his Pontcanna flagship Thomas as a more relaxed brasserie.
Ogof has taken over the former site of Poca and La Cuina on King’s Road and is the first permanent venue from chef Alex Vines, who has made his name in Cardiff with his ‘Vines’ pop-up after a decade working in top London kitchens including 40 Maltby Street and Rochelle Canteen.
He is joined by Siôn Iorwerth, a Carmarthenshire-born wine specialist whose experience includes running one of Vancouver’s first natural wine bars. The venue also operates as a bottle shop, selling bottles that can be refilled from the ‘wall of wine’ and re-sealed.
Siôn encouraged locals to drop in an “see what Ogof is all about… We’ve had fun along the way, decorating the space, fine-tuning the menus, meeting with suppliers and changing up the restaurant’s layout to make it flow as we want it to.”
Meanwhile, the new Thomas the Brasserie marks what Pembrokeshire-born Tom describes as a natural evolution of the restaurant he first launched in 2020, after operating for three years near London Bridge.
He says: “We are so proud of what we have achieved at Thomas, but we feel ready for a new chapter. This is a reinvention that directly addresses what diners are looking for: good, honest food without the high prices.
“Our goal at The Brasserie is to make exceptional food accessible to the local community, without ever sacrificing standards. With fixed-day specials like fish and chips on a Friday and a classic Sunday roast, the idea is that people can come and enjoy great food any day of the week, either for a celebration or just because.”
The relaunch does not spell the end of ‘fine dining’ at the venue. On February 14 Tom will open an intimate chef’s-table dining experience called Loft, upstairs at The Brasserie, where customers will be able to watch dishes being crafted by executive chef Tom Peters on Wednesdays and Thursdays for lunch and Fridays and Saturdays for lunch and dinner.
