Breakfast Bread Basket & Iced Tea at Bill's – Cheltenham

I was reluctant to go to Bill's. Truth be told, I went to the Cardiff brance for breakfast a few months ago, camera in hand, all ready to review it, having had numerous positive experiences of lunch and dinner there, only to feel horribly sick after my visit. I was so disappointed, I couldn't post a negative review.

But when I visited Cloey in Cheltenham last week she suggested we go to the newly opened Bill's in town. If you know the area, Bill's is now where La Tasca used to be, just off the high street. Lightning couldn't strike twice, so I agreed and decided to order something completely different, just to be on the safe side. And I am so glad.

After a near-death experience looking for somewhere to park (yes, you crazy drivers of Cheltenham, I'm looking at you), we arrived at Bill's two minutes before they stopped serving breakfast, (which is midday, for anyone thinking of going this weekend), but we got our orders in just in time and soon enough our food and drink was in front of us.

We had been out the night before and enjoyed two for one cocktails so eating out for breakfast for the second day in a row was absolutely acceptable.

My peach and mint iced tea came in a huge glass, topped with juicy peach chunks and sprigs of mint, and plenty of ice. Even after I stirred the drink up (essential as some places don't do this) it tasted perfectly sweet, peachy and minty. So refreshing.

Cloey's flat white, I can report, was just right. Have I mentioned how much I am getting to love milky coffee? I wouldn't go as far as saying I'd enjoy a latte, but flat whites get it just right.

My breakfast of choice was the breakfast bread basket – two slices of sourdough toast, two mini croissants and two mini pain au chocolat with butter and preserves. A similar concept mirrored by Carluccio's and Le Pain Quotidien, and although I would rate those higher than Bill's, this was a top effort. The toast was delicious with just the butter, as well as with some of the blackcurrant jam and lemon curd. Not too sweet, but indulgent nonetheless. And the mini pastries were adorable, although a little more chocolate in my pain au chocolat would have been favourable.

Cloey's blueberry pancakes arrived and I was amazed at how big they were – or was that just because of how they were presented? I'm not a fan of fruit with pancakes (why, when you could have bacon?) but Cloey assured me that they were delicious, so if you like that sort of thing, Bill's is the place for you.

I noticed in our cutlery bucket (for lack of a better word) there were a few Christmas menu order forms, purely because of the gorgeous illustration on the front. My work is currently planning a Christmas do and I think Bill's will have to go on the suggestion list, because the menu looked seriously good. 

Have you been to Bill's? What's your favourite thing to order when you go out for breakfast? Let me know in the comments below or tweet me @hello_flower - it's finally the weekend and I need to decide what to do for my breakfast after a week of boring old cereal!