Key Points
- The HYS Food Hall is due to launch in the heart of Cardiff city centre towards the end of 2026.
- The food hall will be located in the High Street Arcade, accessible from both the arcade and St Mary Street.
- It will be developed by Loft Co., which also brought you Newport Market, Goodsheds, and Swansea Albert Hall.
- According to the current plans, HYS will comprise 14 independent kitchens, three bars, and 650 seats on two levels.
- Currently, six traders are signed up, which include Pizza Boyz, Sharkbite Burgers, Rock and Scallop, Bab Haus Mex, Fire & Flank, and Moo Cheesecake.
- Along with the restaurant units, there will be dedicated space for events and private hires for meetings, celebrations, workshops, corporate events, and networking.
- In the words of Loft Co., the objective of HYS Food Hall is to support independents, drive footfall, and complement Cardiff’s growing hospitality, leisure, and cultural offering.
- More trader announcements, event information, and details about private hire spaces are to follow over the next few weeks.
- The opening date will be announced officially.
Cardiff (Wales Times) November 13, 2026 — A new food hall is preparing to open in uk/local/cardiff/">Cardiff city centre, with its operators positioning it as a destination for independent food businesses, events and local enterprise.
As reported by Visit Cardiff, HYS Food Hall is expected to open towards the end of 2026 within the historic High Street Arcade, part of Cardiff’s Castle Quarter. The venue will have access from both the arcade and St Mary Street, placing it in an established central shopping and leisure area.
The project is being brought forward by Loft Co, a developer that describes HYS as its latest food hall development. According to Visit Cardiff, the company has previously developed Newport Market, Goodsheds and Swansea Albert Hall, projects that brought independent businesses together in shared destinations.
HYS Food Hall is intended to combine food, drink, business and events. The venue is planned to feature 14 independent kitchens alongside bars, flexible event spaces and private-hire facilities.
Which traders have been announced?
Six independent food businesses have so far been publicly confirmed for HYS Food Hall, although the operator says more traders will be announced before opening.
| Trader | Food offer | Reported details |
|---|---|---|
| Pizza Boyz | Pizza | The family-run South Wales pizza business was announced as the first trader for HYS. |
| Sharkbite Burgers | Smash burgers and loaded fries | The award-winning burger business, founded by Mark Williams, known as Sharky, and his partner Tash, is among the first confirmed traders. |
| Rock and Scallop | Seafood | The street-food business, founded by Mathew Williams during lockdown, is known for seafood platters, boils and fresh ingredients. |
| Bab Haus Mex | Mexican food | The business is listed among the traders announced for the food hall. |
| Fire & Flank | Steak | The award-winning steak establishment was announced as one of two newer additions to the line-up. |
| Moo Cheesecake | Cheesecake | Wales’ pioneering self-serve cheesecake shop will bring its self-serve format to Cardiff. |
As reported by WalesOnline, Sharkbite Burgers and Pizza Boyz were among the first traders announced for the development. WalesOnline reported that Sharkbite had previously won Business of the Year at the Cwmbran Community Council Community Awards and was a finalist for Burger Bar of the Year at the 2026 Food Awards Wales.
WalesOnline also reported that Rock and Scallop was founded by Mathew Williams during lockdown and already operates stalls in Swansea and Newport. The business is known for seafood boils containing ingredients including king prawns, mussels, scallops, corn and potatoes.
In a later announcement, WalesOnline reported that Fire & Flank and Moo Cheesecake had joined the roster. The report said Moo Cheesecake would retain its self-serve format in Cardiff, offering an experience that helped establish the brand in the Rhondda.
How large will the venue be?
HYS Food Hall is planned across two floors and is expected to accommodate around 650 visitors.
According to WalesOnline, the venue will include 14 independent kitchens and three bars. The publication described the concept as a place for food, drinks and social interaction, bringing a range of independent food businesses under one roof.
Visit Cardiff said the food hall would provide “multiple reasons” for people to visit, with the operator arguing that the combination of kitchens, bars, events and private hire could help generate consistent customer traffic for traders.
What event facilities will be available?
Beyond food and drink, HYS is planned to include versatile event and private-hire spaces.
Visit Cardiff reported that these spaces could be used for small business meetings, team gatherings, birthdays, special occasions and larger corporate functions. The venue is also intended to host networking, private dining and celebrations.
The event spaces are expected to be available to local businesses, creatives and organisations for their own activities, workshops and gatherings. Visit Cardiff said the approach was intended to support not only resident traders but also the wider local business and creative community.
How will it support Cardiff’s economy?
Loft Co says HYS is designed to encourage footfall, support local entrepreneurship and add to Cardiff’s hospitality, leisure and cultural offering.
The development is located within the historic High Street Arcade, an area the operator describes as an established part of the city centre. According to Visit Cardiff, the project aims to bring new energy to that location while providing a platform for independent businesses.
Visit Cardiff reported that HYS is intended to give local talent a place to operate in the heart of the city. The announcement described the food hall as being about “opening doors for independent businesses, creating opportunities for growth and giving local talent a place to shine”.
Loft Co’s managing director, Simon Baston, commented on the project in comments reported by WalesOnline. As reported by WalesOnline, Baston expressed pride in launching Cardiff’s largest food hall in a prominent location and said Cardiff was one of the UK’s growing core cities.
When will HYS Food Hall open?
HYS Food Hall is expected to open towards the end of 2026, although an official opening date has not been confirmed.
Visit Cardiff said preparations were under way and that further trader announcements, event details and private-hire information would be shared in the coming weeks.
WalesOnline similarly reported that the venue was aiming for a late-2026 opening, with additional announcements expected before launch.
Background of the development
HYS Food Hall forms part of Loft Co’s redevelopment of the Castle Quarter Arcade, a Grade II-listed part of Cardiff’s historic city centre.
Loft Co’s own project page describes HYS as its largest food hall project. The company’s earlier plans referred to 12 independent street-food traders, concept restaurants, flexible event spaces and a dedicated wedding and private-event venue.
The project was first publicly outlined in early 2025. Business News Wales reported in February 2025 that Loft Co and Mansford had announced plans for Cardiff’s first food hall in the Castle Quarter Arcades, with an expected opening in late 2025.
The opening timetable subsequently moved to late 2026. WalesOnline reported in November 2026 that the venue was still preparing to open towards the end of that year.
Loft Co has previously said its regeneration projects have created more than 500 long-term jobs and supported more than 100 independent businesses. Business News Wales reported that the company was also delivering Platform Food Hall in Cardiff Bay alongside HYS.
Prediction: What it could mean for Cardiff
For independent food traders, HYS could provide a central, high-footfall location with shared infrastructure, including kitchens, bars, seating and event facilities. The presence of 14 kitchens and three bars may allow smaller businesses to reach customers without carrying the full cost of operating a standalone city-centre restaurant.
For Cardiff residents and visitors, the venue could add another central destination for dining, socialising and events. Its location in the High Street Arcade may also direct more footfall into the Castle Quarter, an area with historic arcade buildings and established retail and leisure activity.
For local businesses and creatives, the event spaces could create opportunities for meetings, workshops, pop-ups and private functions. If the venue attracts regular visitors, those spaces may become a further source of demand for nearby suppliers, performers, organisers and hospitality workers.
The main uncertainty remains the opening date and the final trader line-up. Further announcements from Loft Co are expected before launch, and the venue’s long-term impact on Cardiff’s independent business scene will depend on visitor demand, trader performance and the successful operation of its event programme.
