‘I had no idea gnocchi could taste this good!’ Dirty Gnocchi at Cardiff Market

I was always a bit ‘meh’ about gnocchi, it had always seemed a bit bland and stodgy. And then about two years ago I discovered Dirty Gnocchi at Cardiff Market and, oh wow, they totally changed my mind on this dish.

Turns out, if it’s cooked well, with a crispy outside and soft inner, and loaded with flavoursome toppings, it’s amazing!

Dirty Gnocchi’s stall on the lower level of the indoor market has now become one of my go-to food choices if I’m in the city centre and need a quick bite to eat.

For £9-£10, you can get a bowl filled with fried gnocchi and loaded with a choice of toppings, with the current menu including beef shin ragu, parmesan fried chicken with blue cheese, or mushroom ragu with Italian cheese (I had mine vegan). It’s so much better than a supermarket meal deal and great to support the local independent food scene too.

Aside from the obvious gnocchi, Dirty Gnocchi is also famous on the local street food scene for its cheese wheel pasta – fresh egg tagliatelle pasta in a creamy alfredo sauce, infused on the giant cheese wheel, again with a choice of toppings. They don’t have a vegan version, understandably, so I’ve never tried it, but friends have told me it’s amazing.

Cardiff Market is home to a number of street food vendors

If you didn’t already know, Cardiff Market, in he heart of the city centre, is home to loads of delicious street food vendors, both on the ground floor and first level. Highlights include Bao Selecta (Taiwanese-style fluffy steamed buns with various fillings and dressings); Pierogi (traditional Polish dumplings); The Bearded Taco (fusion Mexican tacos); and Ffwrnais pizza. I’ve tried all of these over the years and can confirm in all cases, I would absolutely go back for more.

Check the websites or social media channels of individual street food vendors for opening hours as well as where else you can find them (some also have stalls at Ffos Caerphili and Newport Market, and others take part in events such as Forest Feastival and Street Food Circus).

Dirty Gnocchi at Cardiff Market is great if you’re looking for ‘proper’ food on the go rather or if you’re in a group where everyone has different tastes, you can each choose from the different vendors. Seating can be limited inside the market. I took mine outside – it is street food, after all!

Dirty Gnocchi, Ground Floor, Cardiff Market, 5-7 St Mary’s Street (or access from the Hayes), Cardiff. Check them out on Instagram here.