Sunday 7 June 2015

to Bill's, Coney Street, York

The weather in the UK this week has FINALLY started feeling like Summer and what better way to kick start the sunny season by having a spot of brunch with an old friend?!

Back in my hometown of York it seems as though every other shop is a restaurant, cafe, bar or pub and the city is lucky enough to be home to some fabulous independent eateries. These local businesses are usually my restaurants of choice however this morning I ventured to Bill's. a chain originating from East Sussex, to sample their brunch menu and have a catch up.

The first thing that strikes you when walking into Bill's is the decor. Every crevice of the restaurant is filled with decorative hat stands, bottles and produce from Bill's own shop.


Industrial pipes crawl across the ceiling whilst decadent chandeliers and lamps hang from their joints. The entire interior exudes a vibrant energy as flashes of coloured labels and quirky bottles line the shelving and yet, as opposed to feeling busy the place simply feels cosy.


Brunch is served at Bill's until 12 noon and the menu really does have a selection for everybody. Lovers of eggs will be in heaven as eggs benedict, florentine and royale grace the menu alongside classics such as scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. There is also, of course, the standard full English breakfast and vegetarian counterpart as well as healthier options of granola and the not so virtuous all american pancakes!


The acoustic sounds of James Bay and Ray LaMontagne floated around the restaurant as a friendly waitress took our drinks order. Half tempted to be healthy I asked what was in the 'Bill's Green Juice' and was informed it is a concoction of spinach, apple, banana and grape amongst other fruits. Naturally I then opted for the chocolate brownie milkshake which came complete with whipped cream and flake...did someone say dessert for breakfast?!



My strong willed friend did a better job on the health front than me and ordered the watermelon, peach and raspberry juice. It arrived bright pink and garnished with a humongous piece of watermelon. She said it was delicious and I must admit even I was tempted by the attractive colour and sweet flavour.


It wasn't long before our food order was taken and alongside our breakfasts I also ordered a bread basket. As well as serving food, Bill's also produces its own juices, condiments, preserves and nibbles all available to purchase in the restaurant. Ordering the bread basket was a great way to try before you buy as our waitress brought over a selection of Bill's own jams to accompany the croissants in the basket.


The basket arrived full to the brim with toast, croissants and pain au chocolates as well as a generous amount of butter. Silly as it sounds, I really appreciated having a good amount of butter as the number of times I have had to ask for more butter when having breakfast out is unbelievable- brownie points from me on that front!


Our breakfast came next and again, I had ordered the not so healthy buttermilk pancakes complete with maple syrup, blueberries, strawberries and streaky bacon. It took me right back to my trip to Miami! 


I kidded myself that I was being healthy with the fruit and enjoyed the combination of sweet syrup and salty bacon...


My partner in crime for the day chose the complete opposite of me and was swept away by the sight of another diner's smoked salmon. Although my photograph doesn't do it justice, her plate was piled high with scrambled egg and a generous serving of smoked salmon and we both agreed we would have to come back to try other dishes as our first brunch had been so tasty.


As we finished our brunch I noticed a bar in the corner- I will definitely have to come back for dinner one evening as the A La Carte menu looked amazing and the cocktail list is calling me!


On warm days like today the front of the restaurant opens up like a french door allowing a breeze in and diners to feel as though they are sat outside. I can't wait to come back here for a cocktail and to watch the world go by!

All of the Bill's products are on display in the entrance to Bill's making it difficult to leave without being tempted into a purchase!


All in all we had a lovely brunch at Bill's. Both the food and service were really high quality and our breakfasts were SO tasty! My only downside would be the price of the drinks. For me personally, £4-£5 for a standard sized glass of milkshake or juice is pretty steep and perhaps these are more like London prices that I am not used to in my little city! That said, we chose to have these drinks as opposed to juices or soft drinks and therefore I can't really complain as I would go back to Bill's in a heartbeat!

I hope you're enjoying the start of Summer as much as me!

What's your favourite breakfast? Do you ever go for brunch?

G x




No comments:

Post a Comment