High-profile Cardiff chefs Tommy Heaney (right in photo) and Dave Killick have teamed up to launch a ‘nose-to-tail’ restaurant with Italian influences in the leafy central district of Pontcanna. The new venture, Ember, is directly opposite Tommy’s flagship, Heaneys.
Originally from Crumlin near Belfast, Tommy made his reputation at the Great House in Bridgend before opening Heaneys in 2018, followed by oyster and wine bar Uisce next door. Dave is former head chef at gastropub Heathcock in nearby Llandaff – which like Heaneys is highly rated in the 2024 Harden’s guide.
Ember has a long, slim interior dominated by a central bar, with contemporary furniture and fittings and a pared-down aesthetic. Tommy’s tongue-in-cheek description of the food as “anything but Italian” alludes to a menu featuring hand-rolled pasta, house-made charcuterie and seasonal game dishes, with produce and ingredients sourced primarily from the Welsh countryside and much of the butchery conducted in-house.
He said ahead of this month’s launch: “We’re thrilled to be opening Ember in the heart of Pontcanna; this community has been an incredible home for Uisce and Heaneys, and the excitement we’ve had around Ember already has been amazing. We are excited to bring something different to the area – with Dave’s creativity and our shared passion for exceptional, seasonal food. We just wanted to provide another fun place to dine in the area.”
Dave added: “Ember will be offering a regularly changing seasonal menu, so we’ve been working hard on the first one ready for opening and can’t wait for people to come and find out what we’re all about. The menu is still being tweaked, but example dishes that may make the final cut include a roasted, hand-dived XL Orkney scallop with crispy pig’s head; hand-made linguine with Penclawdd cockles, anchovy and chilli; and braised British veal shank with saffron risotto – hopefully a little taste of what’s to come.”
Tuva Villa, head sommelier at Heaneys and Uisce, has assembled a wine list from across Europe, while Tommy has developed a range of house cocktails to complement the classics.
