SONDER bar & bistro will officially open its doors in the heart of Canton-Pontcanna on Bank Holiday Monday (21st April). The new neighbourhood restaurant – headed up by Chef Jake Lewis – will offer a seamless transition from casual daytime dining to long, relaxed evenings of dinner and drinks.
A friendly Neighbourhood Bar & Bistro by Jake Lewis
At the helm of SONDER is Chef Jake, formerly Executive Chef at Pasture restaurants in Cardiff, Bristol and Birmingham. Here, Jake brings his passion for approachable yet exciting cuisine to his first solo venture.
Located on Llandaff Road, SONDER’s April Bistro menu (served noon onwards, Wednesday to Monday) will feature dishes such as Pizza Fritta with Carbonara Sauce; Wild Mushroom French Toast; a Toma-Pork Chop with Caramel rhubarb (for two); and his Aubergine ‘Parm’ with Smoked Mozzarella & Tomato Jam; and a Flat Iron Steak Frites served with his signature Café de Canton Butter that has been smoked and whipped with Welsh leeks, dried Pembrokeshire laver seaweed and Penderyn Whisky.
Jake’s April Brunch menu (served on Friday, Saturday and Sunday’s only) will include Breakfast Sandwichesserved in Sesame Pancake Buns, and large plates like Shakshuka with Cumin & Tomato Sauce, Avocado and Flatbread or Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops with Potato Rosti and Eggs.
Showcasing Chef Jake’s commitment to offering quality, flavour and value, SONDER’s menu will lean heavily on local and high-quality suppliers – Oriel Jones Butchers (an award-winning, fourth-generation farm-to-fork business in Canton, known for sustainable and ethical farming practices); Fine Wines Direct (fiercely independent importers of specialist wines, based on Penarth Road); and Wing Fish (providing a selection of wild-caught Cornish seafood, ensuring freshness and sustainability).
Enhancing the dining experience, Alex Mills has joined the team at SONDER. Alex – who has previously won Best Bartender in the Top 50 Cocktail Bars in the UK (2018) – brings a wealth of experience from his eight years at Cardiff’s multi-award-winning Lab 22, and his recent role as Head of Bars at the Celtic Manor Resort.
At SONDER, his cocktail menu will include eight signature serves (six with non-alcoholic alternatives), including a Bloody Mary made with black garlic vodka and a house-made roasted tomato juice; a Mimosa with freshly squeezed orange juice and an oleo made with the skins; and a Picante with Tequila, hot honey, cucumber and lime. The wine list will include six reds and six whites – along with Champagne available by the glass.
Alex said, “I’m thrilled to be joining the SONDER team; we’ve created a cocktail menu that reflects the spirit of the restaurant – approachable, yet full of surprises, where the focus is on quality, creativity, and making each sip memorable.”
#StaySonder
The restaurant’s name – SONDER – is inspired by a term from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows; a dictionary of made-up words for emotions that we all feel but don’t have the words to express. Sonder is defined as ‘the realization that each random passer-by is living a life as vivid and complex as your own’.
Jake explained, “For me, being ‘sonder’ means you value the individual journey everyone around you has been on, and that concept is everything this restaurant stands for. It’s about recognising and valuing each person’s journey—our guests, of course, but also the team. I want SONDER to be a space where individuality is celebrated, whether that’s creating something special behind the bar, a server connecting with a guest, or one of the chefs sharing a dish inspired by their travels.
And as someone who lives just around the corner, it means a lot to be opening my first restaurant here in Canton. I can’t wait to open the doors and welcome everyone in.”
SONDER’s opening hours will be as follows:
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM (lunch & dinner)
- Friday, Saturday: 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM (brunch, lunch & dinner)
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (brunch & lunch)
