One of the busiest and most popular streets

No matter where you’re living in Cardiff, you’ll pay a visit to Queen Street frequently throughout your university life. One of the busiest and most popular streets in the city centre, this post will highlight some of the best areas for a shopping spree, a bite to eat or some fun with friends. 

Where to Shop 

If you’re in need of any kind of shop on Queen Street, look no further than St David’s Shopping Centre. The largest shopping centre in the city, St David’s boasts 70 different stores providing anything you could need, from clothing and jewellery to stationary and home décor. If you need anything on Queen Street, St David’s is probably the best place to go! 

As well as St David’s, Queen Street also offers the smaller Queen’s Arcade shopping centre. Home to 40 more shops, it offers more independent and small businesses than its larger competitor. Whether you want to see the local crafts and artwork offered by Cardiff Creative or browse the clothing of Cardiff-based brand Over Seas Apparel, Queen’s Arcade is definitely worth a look if you’d like to support the talents of some of the smaller businesses offered in the city centre. 

If you don’t want to look further than the high street, there are still plenty of stores on Queen Street for you to browse. Big names like Lush and Wilko line the street as you walk past, so make sure you look around for any of your favourite stores that might catch your eye! 

Where to Eat 

Being such a busy street in the city centre, it’s also inevitable that there are plenty of places on Queen Street where you can sit down and have some food if you’re hungry on your travels. If you’re in the mood for a larger meal, the food court in St David’s contains a variety of restaurants offering a range of cuisines, including popular choices such as Nando’s and Zizzi’s. It’s definitely the top pick! 

If fast food is more to your taste, Queen Street still has plenty to offer! Newly opened Jolibee is at the top of the street, serving classic chicken wings, burgers and tenders as well as less conventional options like rice bowls and spaghetti. This comes at a slightly higher price point than the average fast food restaurant, however – if you’re looking for something cheap and easy, there’s also a McDonald’s at the bottom of the street serving it’s classic menu. 

For a smaller bite to eat, the street is also lined with cafes where you can stop for a coffee, a sandwich or a delicious cake. While there are plenty to choose from, my personal favourite is McSims Pastizzeria, which also has a location in the Student Union. Not only is it cheap, but the coffee and pastries on offer are delicious and perfect for a pick-me-up during your day! 

Although you can’t sit in this venue to eat, another favourite of mine on Queen Street is the Cornish Bakehouse. They do delicious cakes and pastries at a very reasonable price, so definitely visit them if you’re a bakery lover too! 

Things to Do 

Whilst Queen Street may not contain as many exciting activities as other areas of the city centre, you can still find fun things to do here alone or with friends. In the middle of the street is a large carousel which is beautiful to look at, particularly in the evening when it is well-lit. The operators accept both cash and card payments if you’re in the mood for a spin, so it’s also a great activity to do with friends if you’re having a day out in city centre! 

Another important attraction of Queen Street are the street performers which regularly frequent the area, particularly on weekends and at busy times in the middle of the day. There are a variety of different acts which could perform, from musicians to performers such as tightrope walkers! If you’re walking through the street at a busy time, definitely listen out for some music to figure out where they are! 

Although not quite on the main street, you can also find a Premier cinema on the outskirts of Queen Street. This sells incredibly cheap tickets (only £3 for students!) to the most popular films in the cinemas right now, giving you the perfect setting for a movie night with friends or flatmates. 

Having learnt the best places to shop, eat and have fun, you’ll now be able to make the most of your day in the city if you find yourself wandering down Queen Street. Enjoy Cardiff!