York’s best breakfasts 2016 – Where to go for the perfect start to the day

We asked you to nominate York’s best breakfasts of 2016 – and you didn’t let us down.

You came back with a host of recommendations, encompassing everything type of brekkie, from healthy starts to the traditional full English.

Here are your favourites, updated after our original post in February with some more of your suggestions. Your special spot missing? Drop us a line or post a comment.

Barbakan Cafe and Restaurant

The Barbakan is a small family run restaurant located on Walmgate. Victoria Jack said “Barbakan eggs benedict… none in York can beat it. Believe me, I have looked.”

It also serves full English, Dutch pancakes and Duck Rumor (a variation of baked duck eggs)

Bicis y Mas

The bike shop and café rolled into one serves up vegetarian and vegan food, starting with delicious breakfasts. “It’s so nice to have a vegetarian breakfast that isn’t just a full English with the bacon taken off,” said Deborah on Twitter. “Also great coffee!” adds Fiona Brook.

Found on Walmgate it turns into spot for some after-work R&R.

Bistro Guy

Bistro Guy received many plaudits. Natalia Krawczak said it’s “amazing, freshly cooked with local ingredients. Great toast made with proper bread. Ask for their home made chutney as well, it is absolutely delicious!”

The full breakfast includes local sausages, dry-cured bacon, black pudding, sautéed field mushrooms and a free range egg.

Other options include poached eggs on toast and American pancakes.

It caters for everyone (even the dog) and has that wonderful tea garden bordering the city walls in the warmer weather.

Brew And Brownie

Brew and Brownie is the place where you can get a beautiful pancake stack!

As well as the bacon and blueberry pancakes, it also serves local organic granola with fruit & yogurt, porridge with a choice of toppings, and Carvetti coffee from the Lake District.

Recommended many times on our Facebook page and Laura Ovenden provided us with this mouth-watering picture.

Café 68

This independent café serves an “excellent veggie breakfast and great coffee” says Fiona Coleman, contrasting with the “maximum price, minimum taste” of some of the national chains.

“The staff at Cafe 68 are helpful and there’s a good atmosphere,” Fiona adds.

Copper Kettle

Nestled in Hub Court, just inside Walmgate Bar, the Copper Kettle Café is perhaps the most traditional eaterie on our list.

Known for its friendly and welcoming staff it is recommended as a “great place for a no-nonsense full English with your choice of tea or coffee included” by Jason California Archuleta on our Facebook page.

Filmore and Union

A tasty breakfast doesn’t need to be heavy on the calories. Filmore And Union on Petergate specialise in healthy, tasty food, and have a breakfast menu full of different options.

As well as the Filmore skinny English breakfast, it serves up the likes of egg white omelette and sugar-free baked beans and smoked chickpeas in tomato sauce on toasted rye bread.

And Andy Wilcock says here you’ll find “the best scrambled eggs you will ever taste!”

Mairs Delicatessan

After we first published this list, several readers got in touch to say we had committed a crime of omission by leaving out Mairs Delicatessan in Heworth.

They included Adam Nellis, who emailed us to sing the praises of this popular spot and prolific Tweeter.

“They are a fantastic, locally-run deli,” Adam wrote, “and they make some truly innovative breakfasts and sandwiches.”

Mannion & Co

Mannion & Co is an artisan deli, bistro and bakery with food fashioned from fine local ingredients.

It describes itself as a European fuse of Italian and French cuisine which offers beautiful cakes, breads – and breakfasts of course, as proved by the many votes on Facebook for this family-run favourite.

no8 Bistro

Formerly Café No 8, the Gillygate bistro was nominated by reader Raymond Chalmers after it was missing from our first poll.

That brought a lot of love from other no8 diners so we had to include it in our update. And, Raymond tells us, since his first recommendation “they’ve added bubble and squeak”.

The Perky Peacock

There are two Perky Peacocks, one on Gillygate, and the other inside a circular tower next to Lendal Bridge, which is particularly atmospheric.

Both come highly recommended for their breakfasts. “The best poached eggs and bacon in York” says Nikki May. And the coffee received many a thumbs up too.

Pig And Pastry

Another favourite, with lots of nominations. “LOVE their scrambled egg & chorizo,” said the people behind the No 21 Guest House on Twitter, and Sue added “My kids love the waffles.”

Located on Bishy Road, The Pig And Pastry is a cosy café that serves some great homemade food, including lots of cakes.

There’s something for everyone on the menu, which is written on a blackboard on the wall, and lunch specials that change every day.

Teddy Bear Tearooms

A fantastic endorsement by Zoe Holborn says it all: “I can highly recommend the Teddy Bear Shop, with the tea room upstairs.

“Their breakfast is amazing!”

Walmgate Ale House

Although the name suggests its evening role as a pub and bistro, the Walmgate Ale House is a great place to visit at the other end of the day.

Darren Hendley votes for the “scrambled eggs on toast with bacon”. But there’s plenty more on the menu including smoked salmon & Yorkshire bacon, and Yorkshire farm free range egg on toast and eggs benedict with toasted brioche.

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Others to try

There are a few more that were mentioned specifically by individual people.

Natalie Rose went for 1331, the bar, restaurant and cinema found on 13 Grape Lane. It has “GREAT service and value,” she said.

Emma Walsh said that “Spring Espresso on Fossgate make the best pancakes and proper porridge. All the folk there are lovely too.”

Judy Illing said of Betty and Flo’s Café on Derwent Walk, Huntington: “Everything on their breakfast menu is fantastic!”

“Mrs McGreedys on Burton Stone Lane is amazing!” enthused Janet Garner. Chris Marsden, who serves up his own breakfast show on Vale Radio, chipped in with this suggestion: “Chestnut Kitchen in Haxby is corking.”

While Monica Costelloe added “Osbaldwick Deli – Simply the best”.

Honourable mentions also went to Michael’s Brasserie on Low Petergate, Caffe La Tazzina on Blossom Street and “BHS in York – it’s lovely”, from Trisha Flynn.

Fancy going out of town? Sarah Bray and Kate Moores both nominated Oliver’s Pantry in Ripon.

Although not exactly in York, they raved about the “fabulous food all day meat breakfasts with local sausages and veggie breakfasts with haloumi, quirky interior and a lovely friendly welcome!”