Reviews: Brunch at Aqua Whiteladies

We sent Bristol foodie, and A Life Less Ordinary blogging sensation, Shonette Laffy to experience brunch at Aqua on Whiteladies Road. Here is how she got on...

Tucked among the furniture shops of Whiteladies Road, you’ll find one of Aqua’s two Bristol branches, showcasing sophisticated Italian cuisine in a bright and airy restaurant, and a great place to get brunch.

It’s not the first place you’d consider for brunch, with the focus here having always been on providing a special dining experience in the evenings, but it’s interesting to see them branching (brunching?) out, especially as this section of Whiteladies hasn’t got much in the way of breakfast competition, aside from a couple of loungey cafes and the lip-smacking Souk Kitchen a few minutes down the road.

The menu is short and sweet, with a mix of familiar favourites such as Eggs Benedict, homemade Pancakes and Natural Greek Yogurt, to some Italian flourishes such as Eggs Pomodoro (eggs poached in a tomato and basil sauce with spinach) and the inevitable Full English. Wanting to fill up before wandering around the farmers market across the road, my friend and I opted for the Full English, which came soon after, loading up the plate and looking very appetising indeed.

Seeing as none of the breakfasts tip the £7 mark, I was impressed by the quality of the ingredients, although given what you can expect from a dinner at Aqua it’s hardly surprising that the other parts of their menu are just as considered. The sausages and bacon were particularly tasty, with a flavoursome slab of black pudding included for good measure.

The beans came in a strange mini saucepan on the plate which I found a bit fiddly, but I guess that’s to appease the people who don’t like beans with their breakfasts and don’t think to ask for it without (sort it out bean haters, for the sake of us who have to constantly fish our beans out of ramekins, pots and glasses with our knives, wasting precious bean juice in the process). My lactose intolerant friend gave them extra kudos for not pre-buttering the toast, but when we’re coming down to something as standard as a Full English, it’s the small touches that matter.

The coffee was good, the food was tasty and filling, the service was friendly – Aqua may not tick all your boxes if you’re looking for a quiet and cosy place to usher in the weekend, but if you’re looking for somewhere that feels a bit fancier without testing your budget, I’d suggest paying them a visit.

You can read more reviews by the Shonette on her blog www.lifelessorganised.com.