Café 19thirteen

Another great experience at this fantastic Italian restaurant in Cardiff

Food was alright a bit disappointed with the ravioli because it taste like a gravy. Staff was amazing

Lovely, authentic Italian restaurant with a charming and comfortable atmosphere. The service was excellent, as was the food. I would highly recommend it.

Thank you to all the staff. The service was fantastic and the food...stunning. If you're looking for a quality Italian restaurant, this place is a must!

Nestled in the heart of the city, Giardini di Sorrento offers an authentic taste of Italy that transports you straight to the sun-kissed coasts of the Amalfi. My recent visit to this charming eatery was nothing short of delightful, from the welcoming atmosphere to the superb cuisine that left a lasting impression. The evening began with high expectations, and Giardini di Sorrento exceeded them at every turn. The ambiance was warm and inviting, reminiscent of a traditional Italian trattoria. Soft lighting, Italian music, rustic decor, and the gentle hum of conversation created a cosy yet vibrant setting—perfect for an evening of indulgence. I opted for the Crab Linguine (Specials board) a dish that was as visually stunning as it was delicious. The linguine was perfectly al dente, coated in a rich and flavourful tomato-based sauce that complemented the succulent crab meat. Each bite was a harmonious blend of sweet, tender crab and the fresh, vibrant flavours of the Mediterranean. It’s a dish that exemplifies the chef’s dedication to authentic Italian cuisine. Those dining with me enjoyed the Bolognese and the Lamb Ragu—both traditional dishes executed with precision and flair. The Bolognese was a masterclass in simplicity, featuring a slow-cooked meat sauce that was hearty and deeply satisfying. The Lamb Ragu, on the other hand, was a revelation. The lamb was tender and flavourful, simmered to perfection in a robust sauce that clung to every piece of pasta, creating a dish that was both comforting and luxurious. To round off the meal, I indulged in the Tiramisu, a classic Italian dessert that did not disappoint. The layers of espresso-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone, and cocoa were balanced just right—rich but not overwhelming, with a lightness that made it the perfect end to the evening. They even added a birthday card with a £10 voucher for my partner, just exemplary. Giardini di Sorrento is more than just a restaurant; it’s an experience. The combination of authentic dishes, a lovely atmosphere, and superb execution makes it a must-visit for anyone craving a true taste of Italy. Whether you’re a fan of seafood, meat, or classic pasta, this gem of a restaurant has something to satisfy every palate. Highly recommended

Absolutely delightful. Authentic Italian cuisine, superb atmosphere, fantastic staff and wonderful food. Love your work, thank you

Excellent service with amazing food. Recommend either the specials board or from the menu. Recommended.

I mentioned on booking and arrival it was a birthday meal which was slightly ignored

Absolutely great experience. Great food, great service. Nothing but positive feedback from all members of our party. 5 stars.

Food and service once we were seated was outstanding - but the “welcome” we got from the woman downstairs was nothing short of rude. I would have left there and then, but we were on a tight time line.

Every time we eat here the food and service is fantastic, second to none. Thank you for a lovely meal.

Lovely evening meal, both had pizza and thoroughly enjoyed it.

We usually love it here but the menu has changed and we were disappointed by the lack of vegetarian choices.

Lovely food,lovely atmosphere.. great night. I would highly recommend a visit whether you ve been before or not.

Great food etc. 2nd time and will come again. ,,

Amazing Italian, gorgeous food, great atmosphere and an all round fantastic restaurant!

Lovely staff and location. Food was absolute huge servings. Steak was amazing

Amazing risotto, wine, cheesecake, atmosphere and service. Totally recommend this place.

The meals including dessert for us both were excellent .Besr tiramisu ever! Lovely thoughtful service.

Service was excellent. Food was great. Had a lovely evening.

Amazing food, great staff and service. Would definitely go back.

We all enjoyed our food and wine. Although I was shocked to see the price of a lobster dish on the specials board. I was charged £39 and there was very little lobster in the dish . It would be good to have shown the prices on the specials board prior to ordering, but perhaps I should have asked first

Very good authentic Italian food. Excellent service and you certainly won’t go home hungry they feed you like nonna

Nice environment, friendly staff, authentic meal, we enjoyed every single dish we tried. We will definitely go back in the future.

Great staff and great I thought the food was amazing. It is a little on the expensive side but was happy to pay as the food was delicious and the staff were great , I will be returning

Never disappointed and a definite favourite for me and my partner. We requested an off menu pasta that they used to serve after showing a photo of it and they came out with it. 10/10 I will be back soon.

First visit and will be back - food was very nice - portions very generous - nice atmosphere

Fantastic lunch great food and drink. Highly recommended owner super friendly

The owner was so friendly and helpful with our food order. We felt very relaxed and the food was lovely. We started with calamari which was a generous, tasty portion. My husband had Linguine and prawns for his main which had big juicy prawns and I had crab linguine which was in a rich tomato sauce with loads of crab meat. The food and service were great and I definitely recommend.

Amazing food and service. Absolutely love this place and will continue to come back over and over!

Great authentic Italian food and friendly staff. Would def recommend 🇮🇹

One of the best Italian restaurants in Cardiff. Friendly, family run restaurant. Delicious food with lots of choice.

Amazing service and food as always. Will definitely be back!

Friendly service and welcome, nice food and at a good price

The waitress was nice unfortunately the food wasn't quite as good. The garlic bread was soggy. The prawn pasta was lovely but the Ragu was drowned in meat and the pasta was almost crunchy. Maybe different meals next time may change our minds :)

Very authentic Italian. Great service, wonderful food. A very very pleasant experience. Thank you all

We were a group of seven celebrating a birthday and we all enjoyed it. Everyone agreed that the food was good. Gluten free options were perhaps a bit limited but not bad. Service was prompt and cheerful. It's not a 'plush' restaurant but has a pleasant atmosphere, slightly noisy as it's busy and crowded, but not overly so. Not very cheap, but I guess nowhere worth going to is these days.

Love this place, Massimo is a lovely man and host. I had the sea bass, vegetables and potato's and my husband had the seafood linguine. Nice wine, this is the best Italian restaurant in Cardiff. Looking forward to our next visit.

Lovely visit. Very attentive Staff. We had A lovely time.

Excellent authentic food. Great service. Good wine. Thanks. We will return.

Great restaurant. Took a group of 13 and service was incredible, food fantastic. Highlight was the arancini! And every pudding on the menu

Authentic top-quality Italian cooking, cheerful and welcoming and personal service, what more could one wish for?

Very enjoyable food, service and atmosphere. We always eat here when visiting Cardiff. Starter portions perfectly adequate for sharing to leave room for main course.

Fab venue food excellent … can’t wait for next visit

It was our first visit to you. The food was absolutely amazing, as was the service there. The tiramisu portion was extremely generous and the best one I have ever had! Thank you so much!

Exquisite food, 100% recommend. I had the pizza Siciliana, my wife had the pasta Siciliana.

Superb! Great food, excellent authentic customer service. Will be back!

Gentleman was great as was the blonde waitress. Other waitress had BO 🙈. Food was nice but not wow. Ambience / atmosphere was good 👍

As a first timer at this restauarant I found all the food was presented well and tasted flavoursome. The only criticism that I have is that the specials board didn't show any prices, even though my partner and I both made our choices from the board, it would have been nice to know how much we were going to be charged before we ordered. The service was faultless and the staff were friendly and attentive. Would definitely go back.

The food was very flavourful but the starter portion was so big it was very difficult to finish the main afterwards which was also very rich. The service wasn’t good, the waiting staff seemed very disinterested and it took ages to get anyone’s attention to get the bill even though they weren’t serving anyone else. Then we were charged £8 on top of already expensive prices for as a ‘service charge’. Which seemed a bit unfair given the poor level of service. Hopefully it went to the chef as the food was good if a bit overly rich. It would have perhaps worked better if the starters were slightly smaller (and cheaper). The music was also very cliched and repetitive, and there was so much noise it wasn’t a very relaxing atmosphere. I think the personal experience and interaction with the staff was so poor considering the high price of the food, we are not likely to return soon.