Bristol’s love of the Lounge chain knows no bounds, and there’s not a citizen of this city who can overhear a conversation favouring one branch over another without chipping in to defend their No 1.
We wouldn’t dream of choosing sides (Tinto, Deco, Banco, Grupo and Porto, you all go the distance in our book), but this sizeable North Street site is where is all began more than a decade ago. The chain’s gone national since, with branches as far afield as Liverpool and Brighton, but the same reliable formula remains.
The all-day brunch menu is a showstopper that includes burgers, tapas and damn fine cocktails, all ordered at the busy counter and delivered to your table with a smorgasbord of sauces.
The full English covers all bases with bacon, egg, sausage, black pudding, mushrooms, tomato and perfect hash browns, but savvy meat-eaters might want to add on one of the sweetcorn fritters from the equally impressive veggie version. Elsewhere there are pancake stacks, breakfast muffins and veggie kedgeree to get stuck into, all best accompanied by the well-spiced Bloody Mary.