I visited the 'best breakfast and coffee' joint in UK to see if it's really worth the hype

Recently named as the best breakfast and coffee joint in the UK - excluding London, Scotland and Northern Ireland - Moose Coffee is a proper Liverpool institution. Established in 2006, the family-run business now has three venues in Liverpool, two in Manchester and one in Leeds, with plans to reopen a site at its first ever location - Crosby.

According to the 2024 Deliveroo Awards, Moose Coffee is one the best places for a decent breakfast and cuppa, with the awards celebrating the most-loved independent restaurants across the UK and Ireland.

The only Liverpool venue to feature on the list of winners this year, Moose Coffee is a popular spot for North American-style breakfast dishes, and customers often face a lengthy wait for a table. I decided to take a trip to the Hope Street branch on Sunday, to see if the food and coffee are really worth the hype.

If I remember correctly, Moose Coffee used to be walk-in only, however, I was pleasantly surprised to find that bookings can be made online. I decided to choose the prime breakfast time of 10.00am to see how the service would fare during peak hours.

First impressions at Moose Coffee

As soon as I arrived at the Hope Street venue, my dining partner were greeted with a smile and shown to our table. The restaurant was already pretty busy but felt relaxed and pleasant, with music playing quietly and staff members all in good spirits. I loved the decor, with twinkling lights on the ceiling and moose artwork dotted around.

The menu was absolutely huge, with quite possibly every breakfast item you can imagine available - eggs, pancakes, waffles, French toast, avocado on toast, vegan scrambled eggs, bagels and more. Veggie and vegan options were clearly labelled and plant-based milks were available too for drinks and cereals.

Drinks

At 10.00am on a Sunday, we definitely needed coffee. I opted for an oat milk iced latte with hazelnut syrup and my dining partner chose a black Americano so that we could truly judge the coffee in its proper form (got to love a black coffee) and in a sweet drink too. Both variations of were fantastic and that is coming from two people who are rather snobby when it comes to coffee. The drinks were also reasonably priced, with the iced latte costing £4.00 and the Americano priced at £3.00 - far cheaper than a number of chains.

The main event

I opted for the vegan Grande Bouche, which was three thick pieces of French toast, served with maple syrup, berries and pecans and it was absolutely huge. I was really impressed with how inclusive the menu was for veggies and vegans, as sometimes vegan options feel like a tick-box exercise and don't reflect the rest of the menu. Having the option to enjoy French toast was a real treat and I didn't feel like I was missing out. Never having tried French toast before, I can't say how much it tasted like the non-vegan version, but I can say it was absolutely delicious.

My dining partner opted for the Banana and Pecan pancake stack, which featured three pancakes coated in Nutella and pecans, as well as maple syrup. As with my choice, the portion size was generous and there was the option to request more maple syrup for free. My dining partner rated the pancakes a solid 10/10 - though he did have quite the sugar rush afterwards.

The verdict

All in all, we paid £30 for two large breakfasts and two coffees, which is pretty reasonable, and the service was excellent and fast. I would definitely put Moose Coffee at the top of my breakfast and brunch list, especially as someone with dietary requirements, and can see why it is so highly-rated. Is it worth the hype? Absolutely.

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