“We’ve heard it enough times to know we could probably put less on the plate. We don’t.”
“And perhaps the strangest compliment of all has become a surprisingly regular occurrence:”
People come in as customers… and come back the next day asking if we’re hiring.
When Zest first opened its doors, we had two separate menus: breakfast and lunch.
Our idea was to bring as much of our Turkish culture into the building as possible, while keeping the classic Yorkshire character that surrounds us.
We wanted you to have a choice.
Come in and feel like you’re on holiday for an hour, with Mediterranean and Turkish-inspired flavours on the table. Or keep things closer to home with the simple pleasure of a proper Yorkshire breakfast.
Then our customers changed the plan.
We started noticing people arriving later in the afternoon, looking at the menu and asking:
Eventually, we thought — why not?
So we listened and changed the way Zest worked. Breakfast and lunch became all-day, and suddenly the stag or hen party recovering from the night before could finally get their late Full English alongside a 2-for-1 Bloody Mary.
It turned out York wasn’t quite finished with breakfast at lunchtime.
Neither were we.
When we went out for breakfast ourselves in York, we kept noticing the same problem.
Finding somewhere offering quality, generous portions and reasonable prices all at once wasn’t as easy as we thought it should be.
So we decided to try to become that place.
Somewhere the person watching what they spend would be happy to choose. Somewhere the person who wants a serious plate of food wouldn’t leave hungry. And somewhere the person who cares about the quality of what they’re eating wouldn’t have to compromise.
Our Full English probably sums that up best.
At £12.95, we’re regularly told, “I wasn’t expecting this much food.”
We’ve heard it enough times to know we could probably put less on the plate.
We don’t.
Because we also see the empty plates coming back into the kitchen — and we’d rather keep it that way.
The name comes from something you’ll find running throughout what we do.
Lime in the food. Lime in the cocktails. Zest.
Because Zest isn’t only about brunch.
We go out together as a team, and we kept finding the same problem with drinks that we’d found with breakfast: finding genuinely good cocktails alongside genuinely good offers wasn’t always easy.
So again, we decided to do it ourselves.
Cocktails have become a huge part of Zest, from the classics to the more tropical side of the menu. Ask the team for a favourite and there’s a good chance they’ll point you towards the Rum Swizzle — coconut, raspberry and everything you’d want from a proper tiki-style cocktail.
Good cocktails. Good offers. No need to choose between the two.
For all the attention we give the food and drinks, the compliment we hear most isn’t actually about either of them.
It’s the atmosphere.
And perhaps the strangest compliment of all has become a surprisingly regular occurrence:
People come in as customers… and come back the next day asking if we’re hiring.
We think that says something about the place we’ve created.
Zest is supposed to feel lively, welcoming and relaxed. Somewhere for a big brunch with friends, a late breakfast after a heavy night, cocktails in the afternoon, or simply a very large plate of food when that’s exactly what you need.
Questions about Zest
Yes. Breakfast and brunch are served all day at Zest, so a Full English at 3pm is completely fine.
Yorkshire breakfast classics with a Turkish influence, from a Full English to eggs, pancakes and sharing plates, all cooked fresh in York.
Yes. Our 2-4-1 cocktails include a 2-for-1 Bloody Mary, so brunch can start with a drink. See our cocktail bar page for what is on.
Booking is recommended, especially at weekends. Book a table online or call us on 01904 651868.
That is the point. We keep prices fair and portions generous, so you leave full without the bill to match.
In September 2026, we celebrated our first birthday.
For a restaurant that’s only been around for a year, we’re incredibly proud of how quickly Zest has found its place in York — and of watching ourselves steadily make our way up the rankings along the way.
But we’re not particularly good at sitting still.
We’re always looking for the next reason to celebrate, the next thing to add, the next idea to try and the next excuse to get people around a table.
After all, that’s what Zest was built for.
Come hungry. Come thirsty. Come for breakfast at 3pm if you want.
We’ll see you at Zest.
