The Pen & Wig

Located on a quiet street, a few nlocks from City Hall. Quiet inside too. Traditional pub look and feel. Nice beer garden out back. Selection of cask, taps and bottles. Pub menu available. £3 pint specials during my visit!

Located pretty much round the back on my student union, this pub is a great choice and much better than the common nearby student drinking spots such as The Taf or The Blackweir.

The atmosphere is very pleasant, quiet, which goes nicely with the stone floor and wooden walls, covered with various old photos of Cardiff as well as a massive collection of old pump clips that serves testament to the ever changing range of ales. Comfy seats and sofas in the wall for larger groups.

The staff could be friendlier/more talkative, but they serve well and I was even allowed a more expensive beer (only 20p but the thought counts) when the one I chose ran dry, so bonus points for helpfulness.

The Pen & Wig serves a range of cask ales, served on 8 or so handpumps, and included when I last went in, the likes of local brewers Brains and Vale of Glamorgan, as well as prominent Welsh brewers Otley, and also some English ones from further afield such as Sharps and Fullers. Prices range from £2.50--£3 - much cheaper than somewhere like London (remember Cardiff is a capital city too)

The food is lovely, and very cheap if you go for the 2 main meals for £5.95 (choose from the "pub favourites" column) which is great considering each costs on its own around £5.50-£5.95. Nice big portions and lovely tasting.

Overall the Pen & Wig is a lovely place to spend a relaxing few hours away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Good beer, good food, good atmosphere - what more could you want?