It comes after the chef crowdfunded £40,000 towards the project after taking on the former Arbennig restaurant site in the Pontcanna area of the Welsh capital.
The 50-cover space has been redesigned with a new bar area, offering standing room for 30 and seating for eight.
Menu options range from bar snacks to small plates, a suggested sharing tasting menu and a weekly Sunday Roast. Dishes will change regularly depending on the seasons and availability of produce.
“I wanted [the restaurant] to be the kind of place where I would go to eat; not fine-dining, not stuffy, but somewhere where anyone could come and grab a drink and just eat tasty food,” says Heaney.
“We were blown away by the support we received via the Kickstarter campaign and more recently, the support the locals have given us by coming to the pop-up. I’m really proud to be able to say we are doing this without the help of outside investors, but the Kickstarter gave us that massive push that we needed to get the ball rolling.”
Heaney left his eponymous restaurant at The Great House in Laleston to focus on the new opening.
The chef will also be appearing on BBC Two’s Great British Menu from 1 October, representing Northern Ireland.