Plenty of places in York will tell you they do the best brunch in the city. Rather than make that claim ourselves, here’s a selection of genuine Google reviews from customers who came in for brunch at Zest on Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate.
As with our breakfast reviews, we haven’t gone looking for the five-star lines and stopped there — every quote below is from a real visit, kept close to how it was written rather than polished into marketing copy.
From first-time visitors to regulars back for another round, here’s what stands out most often.
One group weren’t sure they’d get a table, but were glad they stayed.
“We came for brunch and were so torn between different menu items.” — Bethan, Google review
“The staff were so friendly.” — Bethan, Google review
“Lovely new brunch spot for me to go to with friends.” — Finlay, Google review
“Such a cute brunch spot with delicious food and kind staff.” — Sophie P., Google review
The rooftop terrace comes up again and again in reviews that mention brunch — it’s clearly as much a part of the draw as what’s on the plate.
“Incredible rooftop terrace, came in for brunch and everything was amazing.” — Google review
“Really friendly, polite and quick service from the Zest team.” — Sophie, Google review
Another guest ordered the avocado toast and summed up their visit as “quick service and nice atmosphere.” — Diya, Google review
One visitor travelling through York for a few days flagged the accessibility of the space alongside the food — worth including here rather than editing out, since it’s exactly the kind of practical detail a review is useful for.
“Very good vegetarian and vegan options, and found space for my wheelchair.” — Grace, Google review
“Food was really good and service was friendly.” — Grace, Google review
“Amazing vibe for brunch or bar, great stop in the city.” — Shibrah, Google review
“Incredibly affordable, decent pricing for the food that you get.” — Shibrah, Google review
The reviews above cover a handful of specific dishes, but the full brunch menu runs wider — Pink Lady Benedict (English muffin, two poached eggs, pink lady hollandaise, with a choice of bacon, smoked salmon or mushroom and spinach), a Beef Brisket Benedict with slow-cooked brisket, kimchi and pickled onion, and the same Mediterranean breakfast, avocado and poached eggs, açai bowl and pancake stack that show up on the breakfast menu. Every table gets 2-4-1 fizz alongside it — Raspberry Bellini, Hugo Spritz, Pineapple and Classic Mimosa, Aperol Spritz and Peach Bellini, any two of the same for the price of one, all day.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options run across the whole brunch menu, and every egg on it is free-range — worth knowing if you’re booking a table for a group with different diets, which several of the reviews above mention doing without any trouble.
Zest sits just off Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate, a couple of minutes’ walk from the Shambles, so it works equally well as a stop for locals meeting up at the weekend or visitors building brunch into a day of sightseeing. Brunch runs from opening to close rather than a fixed midday slot, so there’s no rush to get there before a cut-off time — the same table that has smashed avocado on it at 10am can have a full English or a stack of pancakes on it at 3pm.
Brunch is when Zest is at its busiest, particularly weekend mornings — booking ahead is worth doing if you'd rather not wait for a table.
Prefer to call? Ring us on 01904 651868 and we’ll sort a table for you.
We’ll let the reviews speak for themselves. Quick, friendly service, a rooftop terrace people mention by name, and enough choice on the menu to make picking one dish difficult — that’s what keeps people coming back for brunch. Our full brunch menu, with 2-4-1 Bellinis, Mimosas and Spritz, is served every day from 9am.
Find us at 5 Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate, York, YO1 8BL — a two-minute walk from the Shambles. Open for brunch Monday to Saturday 9am-6pm and Sunday 9am-4pm.
Fancy something else while you’re here? Take a look at our Cocktail Bar in York page, or see what people say about the best breakfast in York.
Reviews shown are genuine excerpts from Zest's public Google Business Profile, lightly trimmed for length and clarity.
