Cafes in the South Wales Valleys

We have our fair share of Italian restaurants. But we scoop the pool when it comes to Italian cafés – or should that be Welsh-Italian cafés?

Let us explain. Over 100 years ago many Italian immigrants, mainly from the Bardi area of the Apennine Mountains, settled in The Valleys. And what did they do? They did what Italians do best and opened cafés and ice cream parlours.

Many of these family-run businesses, with names like Bracchi’s, Servini’s, Conti’s, Carpanini’s, Bassini’s and – inevitably – Mario’s survive to this day. In fact, no self-respecting Valleys town makes do without one (or three) of them. They are a much-loved local feature of our urban landscape, and continue to do a thriving business. So for all those trendy city-goers out there who thought that cappuccino was invented by Starbucks, we have a little secret for you – we’ve been drinking great coffee in The Valleys for well over a century. Not to mention eating the proper Italian ice cream.

Please click for a list of Cafes in the Welsh Valleys.