Cardiff restaurant added to Michelin Guide in major boost for city’s fine dining scene

Amelia Jones

A Pontcanna restaurant has been added to the Michelin Guide in a major boost for Cardiff’s growing fine dining scene.

The 12-seat restaurant is the latest project of Welsh chef Tom Simmons, who has become one of the most recognisable names in Wales’ culinary scene.

Simmons, who grew up in Wales, has built his career around showcasing Welsh produce and ingredients, developing a style of cooking that combines modern techniques with influences from his Welsh upbringing and time spent working in some of the UK’s leading kitchens.

His Pontcanna restaurant has since evolved into two distinct but connected dining experiences – Lofft and Thomas by Tom Simmons. The Lofft officially opened on Saturday, February 14, 2026.

While the brasserie offers a more relaxed side of the operation, Lofft takes things in a completely different direction with an intimate fine-dining experience centred around a ten-course tasting menu.

The chef’s table experience allows diners to get closer to the kitchen, watching the team prepare and serve each course while experiencing Simmons’ take on contemporary Welsh cuisine.

The MICHELIN Guide recognition marks another milestone for Simmons, whose career has included working in Michelin-starred kitchens before returning to Wales to establish his own restaurants.

His cooking has consistently placed Welsh produce at the heart of the dining experience, with seasonal ingredients and local influences featuring heavily across his menus.

Lofft’s addition to the MICHELIN Guide also adds to Cardiff’s growing reputation as a destination for ambitious and contemporary dining.

The city has seen its food scene develop considerably in recent years, with chefs and restaurants increasingly putting Welsh ingredients and cooking on the national stage.

For Simmons, the recognition represents another step in the evolution of his Pontcanna operation, with Lofft offering a more intimate and immersive expression of his cooking.

You can find out more about the restaurant here.

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