The leafy suburb once 'dying a death' that has just been named one of Wales' best
It was named as one of the best place to live in Wales but what exactly is all the fuss about?
One of the seven best places to live in Wales in 2025 is Rhiwbina in Cardiff according to The Times - and if you visit this leafy northern suburb of the capital you’re likely to find many residents and business owners who definitely agree and are happy to tell you so too.
Arguably one of the easiest and insightful ways to gauge an area’s popularity is by looking at its average property price and just based on this simple data, Rhiwbina reveals it's definitely a hot spot.
According to Rightmove, using Land Registry data, the area had an overall average house price of £367,938 over the last year compared to the Welsh national average of £233,914 and the Cardiff average of £295,647 - so what’s all the fuss about? What makes one contended resident say - ‘move here, you won’t regret it’? For more property stories sent to your inbox twice a week sign up to the property newsletter here.
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Bradley James, director at local estate agent Chambers, sums up the joy of calling Rhiwbina home, saying: “The area’s mix of charming period properties, green spaces, and independent shops appeals to those looking for a balanced, village-style lifestyle without compromising on amenities and with great transport links to the city centre too.”
One of the unique features of the suburb is its garden village status. Nicola Wicks, sales manager at estate agent Northwood explains: “The Rhiwbina Garden Village is one of the most distinctive and sought-after parts of the area. Designed in the early 20th century, it features picturesque tree-lined streets with characterful homes that boast period charm and a peaceful setting.
“The architecture, inspired by the garden city movement, promotes a sense of space and community, making it a particularly attractive choice for buyers. The Garden Village is now a conservation area and many of the homes are Grade II Cadw listed.”
But an area packed with pretty properties and open spaces does not make it special on its own - it’s the people and the ambience of an area that takes it to the higher level of ‘best place to live in 2025’.
Once a separate village but absorbed by Cardiff as it expanded northwards, the area has managed to not just preserve its ‘village vibe’ but to continue to develop it too. Visiting the cafes, restaurants and shops are maybe the best places to get a feel for an area’s community and ambience and there is a unique offering of independent business to enjoy when you visit Rhiwbina.
The family and community-based ethos that is a strong theme running through the suburb, like the pretty brook that meanders along one of the main roads, and is perfectly illustrated by 34-year-old Rachel John, owner of The Flower Lodge.
Rachel grew up in Rhiwbina and used to regularly walk past The Flower Lodge florists and knew the owner, so snapped it up when it became available including two exceptional staff, Bev and Charlotte, who are at the core of the business.
But Rachel also used to work in Snails deli and cafe next door, which is where she met her husband. He is a potter whose work is available to buy inside The Flower Lodge and who regularly helps to package the shop’s stunning floral bouquets for customers and then her dad, who is also a lifelong ‘Rhiwbina-ite’, delivers them in his red mini - everyone mucks in.
The florist has been going since 1972 and is deeply embedded into the community which Rachel thinks is at the heart of its continued success. She says: “A lot of the shops have got really loyal customers, and we’re lucky that they are aware of what it takes to run a small business and how much we rely on the local people to shop locally. I feel our local customers look after us, which is fantastic. Rhiwbina is definitely a special place.”
One of the oldest businesses in the village that hasn’t just survived but thrived, and in doing so has helped to uplift Rhiwbina’s high street offering over the years, is Snails Deli and Cafe.
Over 18 years ago local resident Fran Sykes parked her future as an art teacher to buy the old butcher’s on Beulah Road wanting to establish a ‘foodie’ business with her husband, but with three small children an evening restaurant business was not an option, so Snails Deli was born.
Fran says: “When we first arrived Rhiwbina was dying a death, so it was a real gamble. After a year of the deli we took over the old post office next door a year later for the cafe. I remember going into that post office with my grandmother when I was a little girl and I still have the first premium bonds she bought me from there.
“Over the years Rhiwbina has got a lot busier, a lot more businesses have joined the village, which is fantastic - it’s got brighter, more colourful, even more friendly. Lots of people have said we revived the village at the start - I’m not sure about that, but we do believe we had a huge part to play.”
The café has now expanded as a venue for evening events such as drink and draw and live music sessions, but the couple have never earned to expand Snails into a multi-location brand, preferring to keep Rhiwbina and its community connection at its core.
Fran says: “We know 90% of our customers’ names and we know what sandwich they like, what type of coffee they have and how they like it. We even have people who come in and make their own coffee.
“Some regulars have their own mug hanging up waiting for them and we’ve got two more people who serve themselves - they get their own cakes and just write down what they’ve had - we joke the more we know you, the less service you get!”
Another established business on Rhiwbina’s high street that has developed over the years and become a unique offering in the village is The Secret Shed.
In 2015 owner John Chichester visited the site next to the Baptist church that was just a slab of tarmac, garage and overgrown garden, but he could instantly see the vision of what it could become - a small garden centre whose hanging baskets dripping in beautiful blooms are now legendary in the area, and a business selling and installing outdoor garden buildings.
John says: “I am responsible for every screw and nail that has gone into making this business, it’s part of me now, I love the place.” In 2018, when the opportunity to expand the business into the shop next door, John created The Secret Shed café that joins the garden centre at the back and offers a bonus and unique experience - enjoying delicious food in one of John’s sheds and rooms in the back garden as an option to the main indoor café.
The family behind The Secret Shed are another example of business owners embedded into the community. John says: “My wife is Rhiwbina born and bred, her dad lives just up the road and he’s also the president of the sports and social club.
“It’s a vibrant place but what makes it a special place is the people, it’s a lovely community, there are very few places that have a real sense of community that we have here. We are smaller, more tight-knit than other areas, so everyone knows each other. We feel embedded in the community, we are only this little business but we have 18 local members of staff - I think the most of any business in the village.”
More choices to meet, eat and drink morning, noon and night in the village include Coffi Lab, where friendly dogs are welcome too, Mesen that’s become legendary for serving delicious food cooked over an open charcoal fire, and take time to visit Rhiwbina Tap & Cellar to enjoy locally produced beer, quality wines and spirits from the Oxford Wine Company.
Juboraj is the popular local Indian restaurant on the main village street, or wander for a minute or two along the pavement to Gateway of India to pick up a takeaway to enjoy at home.
As well as a Parsons Bakery, a Co-op and charity shops, the village has a number of gift and homeware shops to easily tempt you to stay and browse during the daytime including children’s shop The Little People Store and even an art gallery and shop called Victoria Ferne Gallery.
When Claire Cooper wanted to open a homeware and gift shop in Cardiff there was only one location choice. She says: “Rhiwbina is unique in my view, we chose to set up Coopers Vintage in 2018 because of the mix of independent shops and lovely village and community vibe that is a rarity in a busy city - it’s exactly the type of place we like.”
Taking the ethos of becoming embedded into the community and having a sense of place, Coopers offers unique gifts and merchandise made in Wales, especially by small businesses and local people, which even includes a range of Rhiwbina products.
Claire says: “We make them ourselves or commission them to be made and include prints, coasters, mugs - items like that - and we find people really like that, including to buy for family members who are living away from Rhiwbina, they love the reminder.”
Maybe one perceived negative of people visiting the suburb as a destination is the lack of parking, with the nearby allocated parking spaces only allowing a one hour stay, but Claire is full of positivity for the opportunity that this gives visitors.
She explains: “For me it’s nice to park up a bit further out and then stroll into the village, through the streets, and spot things you might not have seen before, it’s nice. If Rhiwbina keeps maintaining independent shops I think that is the key for its continuing future and offering something a bit different. It has become and then will stay a destination.”
Just down the road from Coopers is another unique establishment called Shop Sero, a not-for-profit store aimed at reducing single use plastic where your own bottles, jars or any container to refill foods and non-food items and also shop the store’s ethical, sustainable, and local products.
Keep wandering and around the corner you’ll find Nest Vintage Living, a homeware and gift shop that has become a cornerstone of the village retail offering, building its loyal customer base and also appealing to visitors too, for over 14 years.
Manager Steph Swift, 38, from Aberdare, was delightfully surprised when she began running the shop a year ago .She explains: “Since starting work here I can see how popular Nest is within the community and how it is a massive part of Rhiwbina, not only for the shop but for the environment, people like to come in for a chat, you get to know the people of Rhiwbina and we also see lots of people coming in from other parts of south Wales, it’s becoming quite a destination to shop.
“We’ve seen new shops come into the area which have brought new customers with them. We’ve got an amazing high street with something for everybody and as a shopping destination, Rhiwbina is thriving so it just goes to show that people want to support local.”
Steph says being so embedded in the community and knowing their local customer base and listening to feedback has helped the business develop, including moving to a larger premises. She adds: “We know what our regular customers are looking for and Anna Knight, who owns the business, has got a brilliant eye for product and stock - she’s been in the village for such a long time she knows what the customers are looking for.”
Rhiwbina is a mix of people who have been lifelong residents, people who are returning after having spent some time living away and are desperate to get back ‘home to the village’ and people who recognise Rhiwbina is clearly a fantastic place to embed roots.
But the suburb is also increasingly attracting an influx of younger people who want easy access to the city centre but also a more relaxed way of life. Bradley David from Chambers estate agents says: “Rhiwbina’s property market is consistently in demand.
"Well-presented, competitively priced homes tend to sell relatively quickly, appealing to families, professionals, and down-sizers seeking a balanced, village-style lifestyle. Family homes and bungalows are particularly popular in Rhiwbina, especially the charming garden village properties that define the area’s character.”
John Jones and his girlfriend were looking to move out of the city centre to somewhere less hectic and noisy and yet still be an area full of life, and were instantly impressed by Rhiwbina.
John says: “After 18-plus months of renting here, we’re now buying our first property together just a few minutes down the road, as we were very reluctant to move away from Rhiwbina. I think the big thing for us is the village feel. You’re less than 15 minutes from the city centre but it feels like a completely different pace of life.”
John says there’s a very clear sense of community, where you can walk down the high street and get a wave from the business owners and people make time to stop and chat. He adds: “Rhiwbina residents also really care about their community and for quite a small area there’s always a lot of events and initiatives going on for all ages. It’s a very happy and peaceful place to live.”
John has many favourite places in the village but the top spots include Snails Deli. He says: “The food is delicious but it’s the staff who make it. Fran and her team are fab - they’ve always got a smile on their face.
“Big shout out to Rhys, owner of Mesen, for what he has created. Anyone who has eaten there knows how good the food is, but they also do great work in championing the Cardiff and Welsh food scene.”
For long-time local residents Rhian and Graeme Trottman, when the time came to move and establish roots for bringing up a family there was only one choice - to come back to Rhiwbina where Rhian grew up and can remember a very happy childhood living in the suburb.
She says: “I lived here until I was 18 and vividly remember the newspaper shop The Cabin where the chiropractor is now, where you could buy penny sweets, and I have fond memories of playing tennis at the club and attending Rhiwbina primary school.
“It’s had a massive change since then, with the opening of all the coffee shops and restaurants, and the local events such as the Christmas and summer festivals and there’s now much more of a community spirit - all of these factors are the reason we came back here to live.”
Husband Graeme adds: “The area is well served by a plethora of local amenities and choices for eating and meeting whilst still retaining all aspects of its garden village charm. I’d say to anyone, don’t hesitate to move here, it's a safe community and vibrant place to call home."
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