An ambitious neighbourhood bar and bistro called Sonder opens in Cardiff on Easter Monday, in the venue on Canton’s Llandaff Road that operated as a cafe called Outpost until this month.
The new restaurant is the brainchild of Jake Lewis, until recently executive chef of Pasture steakhouses in Cardiff, Bristol and Birmingham, with top Welsh bartender Alex Mills looking after the drinks. Originally from England, Jake trained under Brett Graham at The Ledbury in Notting Hill before moving to Cardiff as the youngest head chef for Jamie’s Italian.
He said: “At Sonder I want to create a restaurant where food is exciting, approachable – but most importantly delicious. A place where people can come for dinner without overthinking it. It will be about great ingredients, great atmosphere, and a sense of belonging – and as a Canton local myself, a space for the community to enjoy, from day to night.”
The name is taken from John Koenig’s The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, a dictionary of made-up words for emotions that we all feel but don’t have the words to express. Sonder is defined as ‘the realization that each random passer-by is living a life as vivid and complex as your own’.
Jake explained, “For me, being ‘sonder’ means you value the individual journey everyone around you has been on, and that concept is everything this restaurant stands for. It’s about recognising and valuing each person’s journey – our guests, of course, but also the team. I want Sonder to be a space where individuality is celebrated, whether that’s creating something special behind the bar, a server connecting with a guest, or one of the chefs sharing a dish inspired by their travels.“
Key dishes from the opening menu include flat iron steak frites served with Jake’s signature ‘Café de Canton butter’ that has been smoked and whipped with Welsh leeks, dried Pembrokeshire laver seaweed and Penderyn whisky; and a Welsh lamb sharing platter containing chops, loin and kofta-stuffed peppers.
Alex brings a wealth of experience from his eight years at Cardiff’s multi-award-winning Lab 22 and his recent role as head of bars at the Celtic Manor Resort. His cocktail menu at Sonder includes eight signature serves (six with non-alcoholic alternatives), including a Bloody Mary made with black garlic vodka and a house-made roasted tomato juice; a Mimosa with freshly squeezed orange juice and an oleo made with the skins; and a Picante with Tequila, hot honey, cucumber and lime. The wine list will include six reds and six whites, along with Champagne available by the glass.
Alex said, “We’ve created a cocktail menu that reflects the spirit of the restaurant – approachable, yet full of surprises, where the focus is on quality, creativity, and making each sip memorable.”
