A review of the newly refurbished Ty Mawr Pub, Lisvane

*Ty Mawr kindly invited us along to the press night. I've not been paid for this review & all words are 100% my own

On the mountainside, overlooking Cardiff, with the Severen Estuary in the distance sits the beautiful Ty Mawr Pub. Having been closed recently for refurbishment, it reopened just before Christmas, looking and feeling more wonderful than ever. 

I had been long overdue a child-free evening out with my mum, so I organised childcare for the kids and she and I set off to see what the new menu was all about. On arrival, the pub had a lovely festive atmosphere and the staff were very welcoming, taking us to our seats near the warm wood fire. 

The Ty Mawr has a very impressive drinks selection, not only do they have an array of cask ale and beers but also a variety of wines, gin, whiskey, cocktails and mocktails to try out.  As it must have been at least 5yrs since my mum and I have had an evening out without the kids, we started the night with a small glass of Prosecco, as I was driving this was my only alcoholic drink of the evening but a perfect one.

The food menu, along with the whole of the pub has had a refresh and offers a mixture of pub classics with some more modern and contemporary dishes. For starters, I went with the Breaded Garlic Mushrooms with chive aioli. I love breaded mushrooms but they can be hard to get right, in the past, I've had a few hit-and-miss versions while eating out as they can easily be overcooked and become dry but these were lovely and moist and had just the right amount of garlic.

While waiting for our main courses I was keen to explore their drinks menu more although being the designated driver I opted for one of their mocktails,  Just Peachy, a refreshing blend of white peach, ginger beer and fresh mint, while my mother had a classic G&T. 

When it came to the main course, firstly there is plenty of choice for both vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters alike and the menu is clearly labelled, they also have an NGCI (non-gluten) menu available. After a little bit of back and forth, as I was very tempted by their feel-good salads, I decided to order the Veggie burger in a fresh brioche bun with melted cheddar cheese, roasted peppers and crispy onions with seasoned fries and slaw. Again veggie burgers can be a tricky one to get right but this was delicious and very filling as they don't hold back on the proportions of the main courses. 

My mother went for the Goat's Cheese Lasagne, another great vegetarian option and the flavour combinations were just perfect (yes I had a taste) this is definitely something I would order on another visit. 

By this point, both my mother and I were feeling rather full but didn't want to leave without sampling a dish from the dessert menu. While both the melting chocolate dome and espresso martini tiramisu sounded amazing we went for a traditional Apple & Pear Crumble which was lovely on a cold winter's night, especially topped with warm custard. 

Overall there was a lovely family-friendly atmosphere and the interior of the pub is as beautiful and the exterior, with cosy little nooks and roaring fires. The staff are also attentive while not making you feel rushed in any way. They also have a children's menu and is a very family-friendly pub. The location on the mountainside makes this place that little bit extra special and I'm sure we will be back again, especially in summer to soak up the views across the countryside and city.