Forest Tea Room is currently rated 8th in the Coffee and Tea category on Trip Advisor for Cardiff.
Wales Online recently published the list of top 10 coffee shops in Cardiff, as rated by Trip Advisor users. Forest Tea Room has 57 reviews with 49 people rating it “excellent”. A recent reviewer stated, “This is a great place to have a hot drink and a bite to eat! Cakes are to die for and so wonderful to be able to sit in a cafe with your dog! Such a beautiful setting!”
You can access the tea room from Heol-Y-Fforest, a short distance up from the entrance to Castell Coch, or there are signs in the forest you can follow.
The tea room opened just over a year ago and recently celebrated its first birthday.
Recently visited here. Lovely cafe in beautiful setting with pottery and painting for children or adults. Staff are friendly and very welcoming. Totally recommend a visit.
Before the Countryside Centre and before the wooden building itself, there was a stone, lime washed cottage which was the tied home of the Head Woodsman to the Marquis of Bute at Castell Coch. The cottage was last occupied in 1955. The Forestry Commission took it over as a storage facility then demolished in 1968. They then built the present wooden structure on the site which is now the Forest Tea Room.
One little reminder of what used to be there is the yellow brick coal house and flight of steps (disused) on the left as you walk from the car park. That is all that remains of Forest Cottage today.
I certainly will be when the evenings are light enough. I can get some hills in on the ride home from work, maybe stop for a coffee & cake on the way! 😉
Was this the old “Countryside Centre”, almost opposite the old quarry entrance?
Yes it was. Now a popular stop if you’re in the forest.