Bruncho Review: I Really Wanted to Like it, But…

It’s one of those annoying things, but it happens. Everything about the place makes sense to you: it’s your kind of menu, the perfect location, the decor, the service. Except, and this is pretty important, the food. I wanted to like it, but so far it’s been disappointing.

First thing’s first, Bruncho is an all-day brunch cafe located on Deansgate. That alone is music to my ears. They do everything from full English breakfast, eggs benedict, sandwiches, waffles and french toast. They also go a bit further than most places with Shakshuka, Turkish eggs, Menemen, Mediterranean and Italian breakfast.

Coffee

When I think of brunch, I start by asking myself one question: how’s the coffee? Manchester’s coffee culture is no joke, and new places have to keep up. Places like 92 degrees and 200 degrees raised the bar, and the likes of Ezra & Gil and Procaffeinated are meeting that level.

This is where Bruncho falls short. I’ve yet to try their turkish coffee, and I can imagine they know what they’re doing. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for their Latte and Cappuccino. The presentation is a little gimmicky (with chocolate all over the coffee mug handle), and the biscuit feels like we’re back in the 90’s.

Breakfast

Onto breakfast. A good Shakshuka is hard to find these days; most places don’t do them, and the legendary Pollen Shakshuka has been off the menu for a while now. Bruncho’s Shakshuka felt a little like an omelette on a bed of tomato sauce, and was a bit too cheesy for my taste. Everything was fine, including the bread, but nothing was exceptional (For great bread, try Pollen and Procaffeinated).

Menu and Prices

One thing to be aware of: Bruncho doesn’t have physical menus. I’m one of those people who don’t mind a QR menu, it saves time for both customers and waiters. It means waiters are free to deal with specific requests and questions, and not just take a simple order.

Prices are pretty standard, circling around £12-13 for most breakfast options. However, adding a processing fee to your order is a little rich. You sit down, do all the work yourself, and then you’re hit with a hidden fee right before you check out. I don’t know any other place in the city that does that; that simply has to change.

Visit Bruncho