A new wine bar offering artisan, small batch and out-of-the ordinary wines will open on the corner of Castle Arcade and Castle Street on Friday 2 September.
Nighthawks wine bar is the creation of the team behind speakeasy cocktail bar The Dead Canary and taco bar La Pantera. The team of self-confessed ‘wine obsessives’ are opening the new bar with a mission to bring great wines to the widest possible audience.
With table service, expert staff will be on hand to help people choose from the list of ten to twelve wines, including champagne, all served by the glass. Nighthawks will be buying from all over the world, including a selection of natural wines, but keeping orders of each wine limited so that there’s always something new to try.
Alongside the wine will be a simple cocktail list, with a focus on cocktails made with sparkling wines, local craft beers and a small plates menu designed for pairing with the wines.
The venue is on the corner of the historic Castle Arcade with views over the Castle at the front and an area for outdoor seating within the Arcade. It will open from midday to midnight, and the shop’s former cellar space is also being converted for customers to use in the evenings or as an event space.
Nighthawks has been created by co-founders David Adams and Rob Clark. David explained:
“Rob and I have both worked in hospitality for over a decade – Rob as a chef and me as a bartender – but we both have a passion for great wine and champagne. With Nighthawks we’re bringing together our experience from in the kitchen and behind the bar to create a venue that’s not stuffy or intimidating, somewhere that’s down to earth where everyone feels welcome.
“So we’re keeping everything really simple – a stripped back list of only a dozen or so wines that we’ll keep changing up – and really great staff who’ll always offer you the chance to try any of the wines and help you find something you’ll love.
“We’re taking that simplicity through to our menu too – things that go really well with wine like cheese plates and cure meats – and if you’re with us during the day, we’ll always have great coffee and we’re aiming to offer the best Bloody Mary in Cardiff!”
Owen Cahill, partner at EJ Hales, acting on behalf of landlord Mansford LLP, added:
“It’s great to see the innovation that there is in Cardiff’s hospitality sector, and for the team from two of our most successful independent businesses to be expanding with this new venture. Congratulations to Rob and David on the creation of a really exciting new concept and we can’t wait to support their opening later this month.
“We are thrilled to be welcoming another new business to the historic Castle Arcade. We continue to see a strong pipeline of businesses wanting to locate in the Castle Quarter Arcades and to the planned new Castle Quarter Courtyard development.”
Nighthawks will officially open at 47-49 Castle Arcades on Friday 2 September. The bar will be open every day from midday to midnight.
