Living just outside Bristol, technically in North Somerset, gives us all sorts of options when it comes to shopping, eating and drinking. It’s easy enough to get into the city (if the roadworks and the awful bus service allow). It’s equally easy (and sometimes actually easier) to head over to Nailsea.
There’s not as much choice in Nailsea, guaranteed. But they have a lovely farmers’ market once a month, free car parks right in the centre, and some lovely independent coffee shops.
We tried one of these last month when we enjoyed a delicious lunch at Coates House. A few weekends ago when we visited, though, we fancied more of a breakfast outing and so decided to give Cafe 119, which has been a locals’ favourite in Nailsea for over 20 years, a go.
“Best in town for breakfast and brunch”, claims their Instagram bio – it’s a bold claim indeed. They’ve got a relatively large outdoor seating area and a quirky-looking front facade, the door opening into a wood-clad bar area with a few tables. Turn to your left and there’s a larger seating area, including high counter seating by the window that was blocked by spare chairs when we visited.
Late on a Saturday morning it was BUSY, but we happened to turn up just as another table was leaving. The team looked pretty run off their feet so we ended up clearing the table ourselves, putting the dirty plates and cups on the counter and giving the table a quick wipe.
The first thing we noticed when looking at the laminated menus was the prices. £2.90 for a latte, £4 for a thickshake (Oreo, Crunchie or Biscoff), £7 for a jacket potato with a choice of fillings. It all seemed pretty reasonable, and the food we saw at the neighbouring tables looked decent. There are homemade smoothies, there’s alcohol served after 11am, and from Thursday to Saturday, Cafe 119 serves homemade pizzas, too.
You’ll also find sandwiches and paninis, omelettes, and all sorts of breakfast and brunch dishes, which are served until 2pm. It was these that whetted our appetite…
I started with a Black Forest hot chocolate (£3.20): huge, rich and creamy with a lovely foam and a decent amount of that cherry flavour.
And so, onto the food. At £8, the 119 House Breakfast seemed like decent value for money with bacon, sausage, a fried egg, beans, mushrooms, toast and a hash brown. And it wasn’t bad. The fried egg was perfectly cooked, the thick-sliced white toast definitely needed to mop up the runny yolk. The mushrooms were full of flavour, the hash browns were nice and crispy, and I always appreciate baked beans being kept away from other ingredients to stop them getting soggy!
The bacon was well-done, just the way I like it but maybe too crisp for some. And the sausage? It was alright – nothing special, but cooked well.
If the house breakfast at Cafe 119 isn’t enough, then go for the Big Breakfast (£10.50) instead. For the extra £2.50, you get an extra bacon rasher, sausage and egg, as well as the addition of tomato and a slice of black pudding.
The bacon on this plate wasn’t quite as crispy – unusual that the two breakfasts were so different in that respect. The black pudding was nicely cooked, and the sizeable plate of food definitely served to fill the hearty appetite on the other side of the table!
These two breakfasts are available gluten-free as well (for a small added cost), and there are also full vegan and vegetarian breakfasts on offer.
For what it was and what it cost, the food was decent. Service was prompt and friendly, and the food didn’t take too long to arrive (although there was some confusion when another table’s food was placed in front of us instead of them). My one major issue was the cleanliness of the place on the day we visited – not just in terms of needing to clear and clean our own table, but the state of the floor as well.
Cafe 119 always seems busy when we walk past, so it’s clearly a popular place. With owner Dean having put the premises up for sale, it’ll be interesting to see what direction they’ll take in the future.