“AD” – Why is this here?

Located right next to the Great River Ouse sat on the charming Bridge Street of St Ives lies The Tap Room. This has been a popular location for locals as a casual drinking and live music spot for some time.

My dad and I have visited The Tap Room on numerous occasions, drawn by its great value and decent beer selection. But while the drinks were a draw, the menu always left us feeling a little uninspired. It was perfectly fine, just never exciting enough to make a real impression.

An invigorating new start!

That has all changed now. The kitchen has been shaken up with the arrival of two heavy hitters: James Heffer, formerly of River Terrace and head chef at the Whiskey Café, and Attila Boros, from the popular Bills and Soho House. With this new chef team looking to offer a European style brunch experience with a focus on local and seasonable sourcing – there is a lot to get excited about!

The Restaurant

The restaurant itself is contemporary with a night club feel to it. Large windows offer a nice view of Bridge Street with a long bar with a selection of beers available. Pastries and cakes are offered at the till with a team of chatty and friendly staff buzzing around.

Wheelchair access is good with a flat entrance and a nice courtyard garden that leads to the river. There is even a sheltered seating area so you can sit outdoors during those unpredictable months.

Brew Project Coffee

As someone who loves coffee but is satisfied with a mug of Dowe Egbert instant, I would hardly call myself a connoisseur. I have often struggled to truly tell the difference between a lot of the coffee houses around Cambridge, but I was immediately struck by the depth and robust flavour of the coffee from The Tap Room.

This was because they use the Brew Project – an Ely based coffee producer well known for supplying big names like Restaurant 22. No wonder!

Breakfast time

I was joined by my son, who has a knack for picking the best thing on the menu. He immediately chose the English breakfast, an order that might seem a bit plain. But the more I read the description, the more intrigued I was. This was clearly no ordinary fry-up.

English Breakfast

This was a god-like English breakfast that put other, more typical ones to shame. It came with a whole Cumberland sausage ring, a slab of pork pretending to be bacon, and a stunning potato terrine. A fried egg was served on a slice of light and delicate sourdough toast that came accompanied by a pot of brown sauce.

This wasn’t just an English breakfast. This was the next level. Every element was a step up, clearly chosen with thought and consideration. Why settle for a regular sausage when you can have a full, peppery Cumberland sausage ring? Why have thin bacon when you can get a thick, juicy slice of pork? And why have a hash brown when a light, crispy potato terrine is an option? Even the brown sauce, made in-house, felt like a sprinkle of magic.

With a breakfast like this, you would expect the bacon or sausage to be the talking point of the dish but the unexpected star of the show was the potato terrine. Instead of being fried like a hash brown, it was baked, giving it a wonderfully light texture that made it the perfect vehicle for the runny yolk from the gooey fried egg. Without a doubt, this was the best English breakfast we’ve had in years!

Turkish Eggs

I absolutely adored the presentation of the Turkish Eggs, particularly the rich fiery colour from the chilli butter. A dollop of hung yoghurt was added for a real creaminess that mixed all the flavours together and made it perfect for spreading over the focaccia.

This combined into a fresh crunchy canvas covered in a lightly spiced creamy goo that was impossible to put down. Look at this fork full of delight!

I have found my new go-to breakfast location

The Tap Room has seriously upped its game and transformed itself into one of the hottest breakfast locations in St Ives. It is rare for me to say that I could not find a fault with my experience but this may be one of these rare occasions.

I even felt that prices weren’t obscene, especially when considering what you are getting. At £15 for the English breakfast and £10 for Turkish Eggs, this puts it below many other places in the area that aren’t nearly as exciting. Having The Brew Project involved makes this an excellent choice for a coffee hotspot in the town too.

A new small plates menu is coming soon to The Tap Room – If their English Breakfast is anything to go by then I cannot wait to see what this kitchen is able to produce.

Thanks for reading