Breakfast at The Copper Kettle, Norwich
Norwich's food scene is ever-changing - but dating back to 1958, The Copper Kettle, in Lower Goat Lane, must be one of the city's oldest cafes. The recipe for success? It's one of those places you can rely on. The unpretentious menu has something for everyone (lunch options range from steak and kidney pudding to Caesar salad via burgers, paninis and jacket potatoes), the food is well cooked, it's great value for money and the staff welcome you like an old friend. For me, it's the breakfasts which are the star attraction here - I can't think of a better way to start a Sunday.
Ordering our drinks (decaf cappuccino for me and hot chocolate for my friend) was the easy part.
The Copper Kettle must have one of the most extensive breakfast menus in the city. Alongside the traditional full English (in sizes ranging from medium to super deluxe), all-day breakfast options include American-style with eggs, sausage, pancakes, bacon, homestyle potatoes, mushrooms, maple syrup and toast or fried bread. There's also a range of sweet and savoury crepes, waffles and pancakes and a 'lighter' selection including toast, bagels and muffins with various topping combinations and porridge.
My friend chose the avocado eggs benedict - while I went for the medium vegetarian breakfast.
The avocado eggs benedict was Insta-ready, no filter required. And it reportedly tasted as good as it looked. The big test was, of course, the eggs, which were golden yolked and poached to perfection, with the rich hollandaise adding a layer of indulgence.
And, despite being billed as a medium veggie breakfast, when my plate arrived, it felt like a bit of an eyes-bigger-than-your-stomach moment: two veggie sausages, eggs (again done just right), beans, tomatoes, hash brown and toast. All delicious and not a morsel left on the plate.
copper-kettle.co.uk
Our review visits are unannounced and we pay for our own meals
