A modern, sophisticated little bar which keeps its cool in the heart of the busy city.

The Venue
Opened in March of this year, 10 Feet Tall is a smart, contemporary bar in the centre of the city. It may be petite and narrow but it nevertheless packs in a lot of style. There are a couple of tables on the small patio outside and indoors there are a few tables at the front and a long, wood panel bar with a marble effect top on the left. Past the bar, towards the back, the floor is covered with patterned tiles and there’s a small cosy area with a very low white ceiling, subduded lighting, a fireplace stacked with logs and a mantelpiece piled with plants and candles.

Part of its character is due to the conflicting textures - there’s a stone wall on one side and a wood panelled wall at the back. The furniture is also mix'n'match with high-backed wooden chairs, low-slung armchairs and funky, chunky brown couches and this mish mash fits perfectly with the ambient background music. It's no surprise the place was designed by Lee Broom, the man behind the interior of another of Cardiff's leading style bars, Buffalo.

The People
Although it's central, this small bar is still being discovered, so the clientele keeps redefining itself, but for now it's mainly twenty and thirty-something guys and gals who pride themselves on being in the know and muso types who drift in from the attached live music venue next door.

The Food and Drink
You can pick and choose from an excellent range of bottled beers including Black Sheep, Erdinger, the unusual Lapland brew Lapin Kulta, Cruzcampo, Tiger, Singha, Chinese beer Tsingtao and Japanese lager Ichiban, as well as Gaymers and Westons Organic Cider.

On tap there’s Leffe, Stella, Hoegaarden, Becks and Guinness. Cocktails are big here and there are just over a dozen or so on the list including a Bramble, Mojito, Raspberry Martini and Strawberry Collins priced at £5.50 each. Surprisingly the wine list isn’t that strong, but it, along with the cocktail list, is set to expand. The food consists of upmarket sandwiches, salads and snacks, as well as more hearty options such as a marlin fillet in sesame on a bed of slow roasted vegetables for £10.95.

The Last Word
If you'll excuse the pun, 10 Feet Tall raises the bar by offering up a bite size taste of unpretentious, understated style that's already making a big impact.