On Tuesday, my partner and I headed into York for breakfast at The Ivy. After a relaxed walk in the sunshine, we arrived right as the doors opened at 8:30am and, for a short while at least, had the entire restaurant to ourselves.
The opportunity to have a quiet, unhurried start to our Tuesday was a real luxury.
We had been invited to try the breakfast set menu, which offers a curated selection of dishes and hot drinks for £14.95. This is offered across Ivy locations from opening to 11:30am Monday to Friday, and from opening to 11am on Saturday and Sunday.
As we sat down, we were offered still or sparkling water and given menus to peruse. To drink, I opted for a hot chocolate (with cream of course) – perhaps not the most conventional breakfast choice, but rich, comforting, and a great way to start the morning. My partner went for a flat white, which was well-made and exactly what you’d hope for. Whilst I am not a coffee lover, I very much appreciated the pretty latte
art.
As we sipped our hot drinks, we chose our meals. Our attentive waiter gave us just enough time to review the menu, and to pop to the washroom. The space was clean, well decorated and was beautifully perfumed!
For food, I chose avocado and roasted tomatoes on caraway toast, topped with pomegranate, sesame, toasted seeds and coriander. It was fresh, vibrant, and nicely balanced – the sweetness of the pomegranate working particularly well against the savoury base. My partner had the pancakes with berries and cream, which looked as good as they tasted: indulgent without being too heavy, and full of flavour. The addition of warm berry coulis was an extra special touch.
We both commented on how pretty the dishes were – a feast for our eyes as well as our stomachs. However, the deep bowl, and deep sided plate that the dishes were served on made eating a little tricky.
Going out for breakfast is a rare occurrence for us. And breakfast at The Ivy was a lovely experience of the first meal of the day – a relaxed ambience without sacrificing high standards.
The combination of a calm atmosphere (lovely music and pretty décor), attentive service, and well-executed dishes made it a very special interlude in our busy lives.
I’d be very happy indeed to experience breakfast at The Ivy again, and would recommend this opportunity to anyone, whatever your day holds in store.
Photography by Gemma Bridge.
