Was this a Bruce Forsyth Tribute Cafe?
Located just outside the city centre and a couple of minutes’ walk from the Principality Stadium, the Good Game Café is situated on Tudor Street, which is currently being renovated and given a new facelift by the council, meaning that the sparkling new signage acted as a beacon to us, teasing of games….and awesome food.
When You've had a few beers the toilet always seems a long way away!
The set-up inside is surprisingly spacious and yet cosy; with gaming-related artwork adorning the walls and music being played at a really well-chosen volume – loud enough to add ambience – but quiet enough so as to not be distracting to gamers, of both the board and video type. There’s also a funky doodle wall, where you can grab a marker and get involved in the artwork yourself. Greeting you upon entry is a large mural of Rayman and Sonic, we felt very much at home.
As we had our very young son in tow, it wasn’t really the time for us to get stuck into some gaming for hours on end, so instead, we grabbed lunch and a couple of drinks whilst having a casual goosey.
The menu was surprisingly saucy, with a selection of burgers that were calling my name as well as toasties, sides, hot drinks and milkshakes - all at respectable prices. We had the Double D’s spicy burger with fries, a strawberry milkshake and some beers to wash it all down, afterwards.
Milkshake VS Sonic......FIGHT!
I was impressed with every aspect of the meal; the burger was tasty and served in a raunchy pretzel bun and the fries were hand-seasoned and tossed in a bowl, making them flavoursome. The milkshake was also made with blended ice cream and frozen strawberries, which the three of us dug into.
I was expecting the sort of food that ‘fills a hole’, acting as a cheap and cheerful way of keeping gamers fed as they played, but no – the food is all high quality and freshly made, making it a very cool place to grab a bite to eat – which I fully intend to do. Nine choices of burgers – including a vegan option – isn’t something I’d expect at a gaming cafe, very cool stuff.
If only my front room wallpaper looked like this
As we ate, I chatted with one of the owners, who is perhaps one of the most pleasant, genuine, and amiable people that I’ve had the fortune to meet. He explained the history of the café, how his business partner is more focused on the video gaming and technical side of things, and talked about a recent, successful open day for members of the industry before showing us the selection of consoles and board games that are available for customers.
At the front of the café, there are some tables for board gaming – a wide selection of which are available (I saw you X-COM!), but customers are also welcome to bring their own – and to the left of this is a large screen with some consoles underneath, as well as tables lining the sidewall with mounted screens and Nintendo Switches on each table, a really cool touch.
The owner also mentioned that they had GameCube controller adapters for Smash Bros tournaments. As you walk further into the building, the kitchen/bar area is on your left and beyond this is the storage area for board games, as well as further sofas and seating for other consoles. Finally, there is a door at the rear that leads to a few gaming PC setups with some ambient lighting and a toilet for customers.
All Day I Dream About Pink Panther
We haven’t yet attended one, but if you follow the Good Game Cafe on Twitter, you’ll see that they often hold various tournaments and dedicated events, so follow them to keep up to speed!
As I munched away, chatting, and sipping my Mango IPA, it dawned on me that I was having a really, really good time – and if it was under a different circumstance (I didn’t have a baby with me), I could very easily have just stayed there all day, sipping beers and pottering around the stations.
The clear passion of the staff, the mood of the place and the general ambience are extremely welcoming. I’ve already begun to plan future board game sessions there and fully intend to swing by with my fiancée for some drinks, food, and gaming action this weekend.
A liquid diet is the correct diet
If you live in Cardiff - or are visiting - I’d recommend Good Game Café whether you are after a gaming session, a place to chill out with like-minded folks, or a bite to eat. They have all the bases covered and a great selection of consumables, I have my eye firmly on the Reuben sandwich for my next visit!
A huge thanks to the Good Game Café for their hospitality, and also for creating such a great place for gamers in the city.
Open to all, pushchair/wheelchair accessible and a friendly atmosphere? Count. Me. In. A huge thumbs-up from us at GF!
This reminds me of a Mario Power Up Mushroom
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