**Cardiff’s Beloved Brodie’s Coffee Co Set to Breathe New Life Into Iconic Pettigrew Tearooms**
A prominent fixture of Cardiff’s independent coffee scene, Brodie’s Coffee Co, has announced plans to revitalise one of the city’s most cherished venues—the historic Pettigrew Tearooms. Nestled at the West Lodge of Bute Park, this Grade II-listed building has been known for more than a decade as a destination for afternoon teas, comforting breakfasts and lunches, and, notably, its warm and welcoming staff.
After 13 years of service, the original Pettigrew Tearooms will be closing its doors. In a move welcomed by many loyal locals, the existing tearoom team will unite with Brodie’s as part of a smooth transition. This handover marks both a continuation of the legacy and the beginning of an exciting new chapter for one of Cardiff’s most recognisable park landmarks.
Brodie’s Coffee Co was founded in 2013 by partners Ian and Danni Brodie, after they returned from travelling across New Zealand and Australia. Inspired by the superior coffee culture they encountered abroad, the couple, each now 39, resolved to share their passion for exceptional coffee back home. What started as a quirky campervan café has since blossomed into three thriving permanent locations across the city.
Ian Brodie expressed his enthusiasm for the new venture, saying, “We’re really excited to have the opportunity to breathe new life into an iconic Cardiff building and to welcome the dedicated tearooms team as we embark on this next stage.” He highlighted their aspiration to open doors by summer, allowing Cardiff residents and visitors to enjoy both the beautiful outdoor setting and a dramatically refreshed interior—come rain or shine.
Importantly, Brodie’s will retain much of the character and community feel for which Pettigrew Tearooms is known, at least in the early stages. However, with their own style and a fully-equipped kitchen at their disposal, Ian and Danni hope to expand the food and drink offering in the future, building on the skills and traditions that the existing staff bring with them.
The takeover comes at a time when the city’s independent food and drink sector is evolving rapidly, with passionate entrepreneurs finding creative ways to honour the past while exploring new trends. Ian’s recent social media announcement to the company’s 8,000 Instagram followers captured the sense of “serendipity” around this transition. The convergence of the tearoom’s closure after more than a decade and Brodie’s own search for new opportunities “just felt right”, he explained.
During the interim period before relaunch, Pettigrew Tearooms will continue to serve customers as usual. In the background, the Brodie’s team will be busy “Brodifying” the interiors—updating the bar and seating areas whilst preserving historical nods to the building’s storied past. Ian was clear, however, that the process is far from over: “There are still a lot of things outside our control. But we have BIG plans for the space and can’t wait to get started.”
David Le Masurier, owner of Pettigrew’s broader family of bakeries around Cardiff, posted a heartfelt message to customers in early April. He reflected fondly on how, since opening in 2012, the tearooms had aimed to offer a “special experience and destination” that drew people from across and beyond the city. He paid tribute to the passionate, creative, and independent spirit that shaped Pettigrew’s identity, enabling it to support jobs and serve the community in Bute Park.
For those not wanting to say goodbye to Pettigrew’s culinary treats, the bakery’s branches—including Victoria Park, Roath Garage, Castle Arcade, and soon Rhiwbina—will continue to serve their much-loved range. Meanwhile, Brodie’s Coffee Co are expected to unveil further details about their own tearoom offering in the coming months, ensuring that the essence of hospitality remains alive at West Lodge.
The cultural and social life of Cardiff’s parks owes much to spaces like the Pettigrew Tearooms. As one chapter closes and another begins under the guidance of Brodie’s Coffee Co, the city’s coffee lovers—and the wider public—wait with anticipation to see how tradition and innovation will blend in this much-loved corner of Bute Park.