Annette Cunningham visits a brunch spot with a "strange but charming" interior

'Got it’ exclaimed my brunch buddy, slapping his hand down hard on the table, ‘It's like stepping into Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.’ We’d been sitting at our table in Bill’s for a fair few minutes trying to work out what we made of its strange but charming and eclectic interior. We were also beginning to wonder where on earth the waitress had got to.

Fortunately she did reappear (and to be fair, was delightful) to take our order from the varied, but disappointingly unsurprising menu choices that appear just about everywhere you brunch these days.

Yep, you've guessed it, everything from full English (titled Bill's Breakfast) £7.95, to pancakes £5.95, porridge £3.95 and the full complement of egg dishes, our friends Benedict, Florentine and Royale – all coming in at £7.95 each.

There was a very fresh and healthy sounding breakfast board on offer for £5.95 comprising granola, honey, yoghurt and fruit skewers, but as an advocate of breakfasting like a king I like something that requires a damn good knife and forking to start my day off.

We both ordered the Bill’s Breakfast, and for an extra £1.50 I added bubble and squeak to mine. I shouldn’t have. You need to be in possession of a hearty appetite to plough through a regular Bill’s. We were presented with an attractive jumble of sausage, egg, tomato, mushroom and bacon on top of several thick slices of toast (which came dry and we had to ask and wait a few minutes for some butter).

We were offered condiments and were then, quite frankly, shocked at what appeared on the table.

There’s not a transport café on the planet that wouldn’t have been ashamed of the dirty, almost empty pots and bottles that arrived with their contents congealed around the lids. And I didn’t dare touch the salt cellar until I realised it was only wax splattered all over it. Tut tut. Despite the yucky bottles the breakfast tasted great, service was pleasant although a tad tardy, and the surroundings are definitely interesting – although a little industrial. It certainly lacks the intimacy of Côte, just a stone's throw away in George Street and in my opinion one the top spots for brunching in Oxford. The challenge now is finding somewhere to beat it...

Bill’s, North Gate Hall, St Michael’s Street, Oxford. Call 01865 202550. bills-website.co.uk
Monday to Saturday 8am -11pm, Sunday 9am-10.30pm