A behind-the-scenes tour of Tiny Rebel’s brewery in Rogerstone starts with the guide pointing at a pile of stainless steel containers in the corner of a room and saying: “That’s the brewing kit that Gareth Williams and Bradley Cummings used to homebrew.”
I’ve tried (and failed) at homebrewing. Gareth and Bradley grew a business from that battered brew kettle into a multi-million pound operation selling beers across the UK and exporting to over 20 countries.
As you walk into Coffi Kitoko’s new cafe on Mamhilad Park Estate, there’s a large blown-up black and white image on the wall showing where it all began. The stunning photo is of their original coffee trailer pod parked up in Gwent Square on a soggy day. The photographer captured their brand name perfectly reflected in a puddle.
The pod arrived in Cwmbran in March 2023. Fast-forward two and half years, and the founders, Michael Davies and Denis O’Malley, have opened their second shop- with the first being on The Mall in the town centre.
I went to Mamhilad last Saturday at around 11.45am with my dog, Maeve, and my wife Alison.
An extended menu
A few days before they opened in September, Michael told me: “We’re extending the menu here, we’ve got a much bigger kitchen here. It’s going to be hot food on the menu.”
It was busy. We bagged the only available table. The menu covers salad bowls, pancakes, jacket potatoes, focaccia, paninis, breakfasts, brunch, muffins, granola, and lots of tasty things (mushrooms, spinach, chorizo etc) on sourdough.
Alison went for the tikka coronation chicken focaccia (£7.95) and I opted for poached eggs on sourdough (£6.95). Maeve went for little bits of bread that I tore off my food and slipped under the table.
The presentation was spot on. I’m no Instagrammer, but it’s food that makes you want to sneak your camera out to snap a pic.
The taste was spot on. As I ordered, I imagined what the perfect poached eggs would look like – and they were soon in front of me. The sourdough (I think made by Abergavenny’s Angel Bakery) soaked in the scrummy yolk was something else. I bet the chef would make a bangin’ dippy egg and soldiers.
I slowed down on sharing bread with Maeve as I needed to leave enough to mop my plate clean.
Treat for the weekend
It was a lovely, relaxing hour or so in the bright, airy cafe. A nice treat for the weekend. My wife happily scrolled on her phone, and I read my entire Saturday paper from front to back, so that was a bonus. Perfect.
My only regret was spending too long looking at the menu on our table. I didn’t spot the specials on the blackboard above the bar. The loaded roasties with chicken, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce caught my eye five minutes too late.
Mamhilad Park Estate is like a self-sufficient little town in itself. Offices and units are spread around open grass areas- with lots of free parking. A press release from the estate’s owners earlier this year said that over 150 businesses and organisations are based on the 140-acre park.
Coffi Kitoko Mamhilad opening hours
Food is served at Coffi Kitoko in Mamhilad from Monday to Friday (8.30am to 2.15pm) and Saturdays from 9am to 3pm.