Blake & Brew

Blake & Brew Coffee Shop on Whitchurch Road, Cardiff

Don’t forget… Fridays & Saturdays are pastry days from Astrid's Petite Cuisine in Blake & Brew 🤟
25/06/2026

Don’t forget… Fridays & Saturdays are pastry days from Astrid's Petite Cuisine in Blake & Brew 🤟

Did you know…Blake & Brew has an entry to a hidden gallery. We don’t shout about it a lot but is situated right next do...
24/06/2026

Did you know…

Blake & Brew has an entry to a hidden gallery. We don’t shout about it a lot but is situated right next door, and you’re welcome to sit here whilst enjoying your coffee.

The gallery features many well known Welsh artists and prints.

The first show was put on in 1999, curated by gallery owner Neil Confrey, and holds relation to his professional career as a mental health lawyer.

The gallery often stays relatively cool, so come and enjoy the space if you need to get out of the heat.

Keeping it simple. Good coffee from great roasters. Cakes from Nicola Lawrence and pastry from Astrid's Petite Cuisine o...
18/06/2026

Keeping it simple.

Good coffee from great roasters.

Cakes from Nicola Lawrence and pastry from Astrid's Petite Cuisine on Fridays and Saturdays.

Great milk from Daisy Bank Dairy 🌼

And of course… You guys.

Open Tuesday - Saturday 8am - 3pm.

PS. A lot of this retail shelf disappeared today but a fresh batch from Round Hill Roastery arrived today, Radical Roasters™ is on the way, and classic Brazil coming up from James Gourmet Coffee Roasters

Good morning all. Here as usual 8am - 3pm Tuesday to Saturday serving tasty coffee from rotating roasters, comforting ca...
11/06/2026

Good morning all.

Here as usual 8am - 3pm Tuesday to Saturday serving tasty coffee from rotating roasters, comforting cakes from Nicola Lawrence and delicious pastry in a Friday and Saturday from Astrid's Petite Cuisine

I’ve just put in a new coffee from North Star Coffee Roasters into the hopper, it’s a touch fresh but that doesn’t seem to be causing any issues - a fruit forward washed Colombian, but nothing ‘crazy’. Think sweet red apples and blackcurrant jam. Delicious smashable fruity espresso, and simply morish in milk.

On filter I still have the Burundi, Gitwe Hill from Square Mile Coffee Roasters - it’s been interesting watch the flavours change through resting, and also how delicious they are once the cup has cooled a little.

An update on other things. Still on quote stage of getting our small 🚽 problem fixed - as it’s a bigger job than hoped as mentioned to many of you in the shop. Something that needs to be done right. We’ll get there eventually.

It’s generally very lush vibes all around still. Quiet afternoons recently so if you need a space to work and chill feel free to pop along. Laptops welcome too.

Catch you soon 🤟

Afternoon All. I have good and bad news. Had a lush mini holiday last week out Tenby way. It’s definitely helped to rese...
01/06/2026

Afternoon All. I have good and bad news.

Had a lush mini holiday last week out Tenby way. It’s definitely helped to reset the system after previous failed attempts - despite getting a hefty car bill smack in the middle of it 😑

We camped, sat on the beach, popped to Folly Farm and both learned how to fly a kite. Saw plenty of washed up jelly fish and even managed to find some great coffee and food.

As you may or may not know, I was hoping to get a few bits done at the shop whilst I was away, but unfortunately the timing hasn’t worked out.

I’m due to have someone visit first thing tomorrow to make another attempt at diagnosing an issue we’ve had with the drains - and hopefully line up when they can be repaired.

For this reason I’m going to open later tomorrow at around 9:30/10am (my apologies to the school crew) - as I don’t think it will be appropriate to be open whilst having the survey done.

To add - like many other businesses, I’ll need to be updating menus and pricing due to different factors. As always I’m trying to make this as fair as possible. I don’t do this to make money - I do this to make a living and look after my family - and you all help us achieve that; so thank you as always.

I’ll try to do my best to keep you all posted if anything changes in the coming weeks regarding opening hours whilst we get this all sorted.

Catch you soon 🤟

A quick reminder. I’ll be closed for this half term holiday. I’m taking the little’un off camping tomorrow for a few day...
25/05/2026

A quick reminder.

I’ll be closed for this half term holiday. I’m taking the little’un off camping tomorrow for a few days to try and get some rest. Something we both love.

We’ll be making sure to try and take it easy whilst we’re there…. Easy… 5 Year old… We’ll see 😂 There will probably be lots of ice cream.

I hope you all enjoy this lovely weather we’ve got. Look after yourselves and make the most of it.

I’ll be back from the 2nd June, but also keep you posted if any work going on effects service (if we get it booked it)

Catch you soon 🤟

Evening all, I hope you’re well? It’s been a strange week or so; I’m not gunna lie. Saturday gone saw me essentially sto...
19/05/2026

Evening all, I hope you’re well?

It’s been a strange week or so; I’m not gunna lie.

Saturday gone saw me essentially stopping service whilst trying to give someone in need a helping a hand. A situation many people would usher on to someone else but that just didn’t feel right in the moment. A big thank you to the customers who helped, especially our relatively new local Jess and their dog who helped me out so I could continue service whilst we waited for some further aid.

The plumbing issue looks to be more complicated than hoped, and it is still being investigated; but we’re on it. Safe to say it may take a little longer and further call outs, but the shop is still open and functioning (mostly).

I’ve just put a new coffee from in the hopper at end of play today. It’s a bit fresh but initial impressions are that it’s gunna be tasty and crowd pleasing. A coffee from Baixadão, Brazil. Notes of orange, chocolate torte and almond.

are still in the hopper in the form of batch filter after finishing their espresso today. An easy drinking washed Colombian from Caucu. Think apricot, vanilla and cranberry.

Lastly to note, like Ron here I’m going to take a bit of a break next week. I’ll be closing for half term. It’s something I’m feeling weird about as I don’t want to close again so soon after Easter - but as you may have seen in previous posts it’s been a tough start to the year - physically, mentally and everything in between - I’m just not firing on all cylinders right now so I think it’s for the best.

Hopefully this will line up with getting things in the shop sorted and everything will be back on form for the summer.

If I don’t see you before then, enjoy the sun that’s hopefully coming. I’ll be doing my best to do so too.

🤟

Evening all. Hope you’re all doing well? Just a quick update - I have delicious coffee from in the hopper at the moment...
13/05/2026

Evening all. Hope you’re all doing well?

Just a quick update - I have delicious coffee from in the hopper at the moment and retail on the shelves. Currently serving a Natural Ugandan, Karambi. Think dark chocolate that kicks through milk, with sweet pecan notes and zesty orange.

On batch filter I’ve got a washed Rwanda from the Mbare family washing station. Notes of blackcurrant, lychee and grapefruit.

Two great coffees that truly hit the spot.

On a different note. If you’ve visited the shop recently you’ll know I’m working on trying to fix a plumbing issue - which is still going on.

Not immediately - this may create a need to close temporarily in the not too distant future whilst getting it sorted. I’ll keep you posted on that.

However I’ve generally been feeling positive and had great vibes in the shop recently. Lots of new customers coming to say hello (apparently I’m tik tok famous?) - and just good chats all around.

In the words of - We’ve got this… still 🙃

Catch you soon 🤟

I’m here pouring tasty coffee as usual. Tuesday to Saturday 8am - 3pm provide cakes from Tuesdays. on a Friday and Sat...
24/04/2026

I’m here pouring tasty coffee as usual.

Tuesday to Saturday 8am - 3pm

provide cakes from Tuesdays.
on a Friday and Saturday.

The last of in the hopper today before goes in on espresso.

on the retail shelves and on filter.

Catch you soon 🤟

I thought I’d remind myself and you guys one of the reasons I do this. I have my up days, and I have my down. Recently I...
22/04/2026

I thought I’d remind myself and you guys one of the reasons I do this.

I have my up days, and I have my down. Recently I’ve been struggling physically and mentally without really knowing what’s going on but I’m pushing through trying to repeat the processes I know should work to get things back on track. Exercise - diet - sleep. You name it.

The one thing that keeps me consistent is routine, and staying in control of what I can.

This is the same to be said about coffee. You repeat the same process, and the result SHOULD be as it was before with the best possible outcome.

There are many things that can get in the way of this. Grinders don’t always perform as they should, settings on machines can be off. Water quality might have changed.

Whatever gets thrown at me, I do my best to repeat the process, adjust and fix whatever might be going wrong to get the best outcome possible.

I got triggered in a coffee shop at the weekend. They had a ‘better’ grinder. Same model but it measures the coffee for you. They were hitting 18g shots perfectly each time. Their coffee machine was the newest and latest version. The coffee itself was from a reputable roaster.

I then watched what the barista did. They didn’t care. They hadn’t been trained. There was a missing link.

They didn’t clean out the portafilter (where the coffee goes), they didn’t distribute the coffee, they tamped with so little force that they might as well hadn’t, they pulled 12-17 second shots and proceeded to slide the sad looking drink over without any positive customer interaction. They didn’t seem to care.

Sometimes caring too much can cause problems, high anxiety without results - caring too little will give you negative results - and caring just enough will give you something repeatable you can improve on every time you try.

That is all. It’s been a while since I’ve had one of those rambles 🙃

Catch you soon 🤟

Address

Ground Floor 142 Whitchurch Road
Cardiff
CF143NA

Opening Hours

Tuesday 8am - 3pm
Wednesday 8am - 3pm
Thursday 8am - 3pm
Friday 8am - 3pm
Saturday 8am - 3pm

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