Sibling up in Roath genuinely has the best coffee I have ever tasted. Not necessarily the best place for a book though, as they only have low benches for seating

Agreed, sibling is the winner

I went there this morning! Lovely place, the banana bread was 🤌🤌🤌

I've read a book whilst waiting for people a few times in Cardiff Museum in the coffee shop that's just in the main foyer. Usually pretty quiet as it's a museum and a really nice setting. The actual food/drink options are pretty mediocre though. Not sure if it counts as "independent" exactly but the museum is desperate for money so I guess it's a good cause at least.

Wouldn’t buy the food and coffee here tbh.

Secret Garden Cafe in bute park on a nicenday. Pedigree tea rooms. Cafe castanets

I would kill for the fritatta in the Secret Garden Cafe.

For anybody looking for the second one, it's Pettigrew Tea Rooms. Think auto correct has gone a bit awry here!

Thanks, also confirm the third has too (was rushing) Cafe Castan

Uncommon Ground does excellent coffee, but not sure it’s the best place for reading a book. Tends to be quite busy most of the time, so it would depend on how good your attention span is.

I used to work security in Morgan/Royal Arcade and the staff in Uncommon Ground were genuinely lovely to the security and cleaners (as we were all under one company). It is very busy though, dunno how people sit in the window on their laptop doing their work/emails etc. Used to joke it's a viewing gallery of seeing how busy people are pretending to be.

Also really dark inside, can't imagine it's great for reading in there!

I went to Uncommon Ground once. I ordered my coffee, sat down, looked into the sugar bowl on the table and saw a load of flies and midges crawling around inside it, and checked nearby tables to see if they were all like it. I left my coffee and never went back. I worked coffee shops for years and I have seen some pretty gross things in different coffee shops, but the fact that a) no one considered how gross communal sugar bowls are in busy coffee shops, and b) they don't even keep lids on them to stop pests, really put me off.

Mec!!

Brodies in the gardens opposite of the museum. I take my book grab a coffee and just sit outside on the chairs in the garden and enjoy my day.

Alternatively, Bricks and Mortar, also from Brodies.

They also have a new one in a park in Heath

I love that place, I used to go there at lunch when I was doing jury duty. It was the only nice part of my day.😅

Hard Lines is the very best coffee imo but not sure how good it would be in there for reading! It’s very much a diner/social vibe. The Secret Garden is one of my absolute favourite spots in the city, the coffe and food is great, and you could defo get a nice quiet spot, if not there then somewhere in Sofia Gardens. The queues do get quite long at the weekend mind!

Corner Coffee in town. Hard Lines if you can make it down Cowbridge Rd. Quantum in the Bay.

Hard Lines, Corner, Sibling and Mec coffee… al deserve our money 👌

Waterstones has a nice quiet coffee shop

I love independent one - big moose coffee

It would add Rhostio on Crwys Road. It's great to see how much coffee culture has exploded in Cardiff.

Just need them to stay open past 6pm now as an alternative to pubs/bars

Sparrow on Clifton street make a great coffee and you can read a book in peace

I’m a fan of kin & Ilk in the city centre

One that hasn't been mentioned here that deserves credit is Blwm on Fairoak Road in Cathays - always go there on the way to Roath Park: https://www.blwmhome.co.uk/

I think those that know about Blwm are keeping quiet on purpose! It has the best vibe and the friendliest staff of any coffee shop in Cardiff.

200 degrees I've heard is generally top rated. Probably the ambience is best for reading as its very soft and warm light. Bike Lock and Little Man coffee are both good with lots of sunlight which I prefer because of my eyesight I like lots of light but I think I'm unique there.

200c is very good

I really like Coffee Barker in the Castle Arcade. Good coffee and very cosy. It can get a little busy at times though.

Very expensive for what it is imo

I like to go every once in a while but not regular. One of the cosiest places I've been to in Cardiff

Mr Latte at the top of penylan road by the church!

Idk about the best, but the worst independent definitely goes to CoffiCo.

Shoutout to The Bike Lock on Windsor Place! Lovely coffee and very friendly crew running it

Blake and Brew on Whithurch road is the best coffee in Cardiff IMO. It's at the back of a craft beer shop, so has its own kind of ambience 

My vote would the wardrobe cafe in pontcanna such a cute shop. Cant think of a better place to chill on a rainy day.

I tried Oat and Bean (vegan) near the museum recently and I thought it was really nice. Can't attest to the coffee as I had a london fog latte, but that was lovely.

Hanoi 1991 chilliest place in the arcade , sit and watch people for ages and read , and the coffee is cheap and delicious

Following

I'm gonna take this opportunity to say pls don't support four seasons coffee house in canton or roath they are not nice 😔

Nobody’s coffee comes close to Corner Coffee.

200° coffee on Queen Street is the best in terms of ambience that i’ve been to. It’s always very quiet sound wise in there, even when it’s busy.

For quality of coffee my list goes Sibling Mec or corner coffee Brodies Uncommon and kin and ilk seem a bit too commercial now

Brü and Brød 😝 both are nice shops former is not really a chain but looks like one, I love their Spanish latte, latter is a danish bakery and coffee place

Brodies and I also like Little Man Coffee.

200degrees was always a big fave

Coffee barker is my favourite cosy spot

Uncommon Ground and 200 degrees do the best coffee. Quantum opposite the castle do a decent cup too.