The Pepperpot: I went for an incredible breakfast in Derby and now I want to brag about it

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I couldn’t agree more.

So when it was suggested that I head down to The Pepperpot to try its new two-course breakfast offering, I couldn’t get there quick enough.

I haven’t been to The Pepperpot before but have heard nothing but good things.

Our reporter and resident foodie Ria rates it extremely highly and that’s enough of an incentive for me.

First impressions count for a lot, and the building itself is a fantastic addition to Derby’s skyline, with its high steps and signature turrets.

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Inside the restaurant has been beautifully and thoughtfully designed to be both upmarket and attainable. I love the new sun terrace, which has recently opened (just in time for the good weather).

Similarly, the menu has been carefully curated to make aspirational eating available to everyone. It blends classic bistro dishes with fine-dining seasonal eats at a reasonable price point.

The new two-course breakfast offering costs just £15 per head, which given the quality of the food on the menu is exceptional value.

I’ve included a gallery here with photos of all the dishes because honestly, they speak for themselves.

A dish-by-dish breakdown is included below.

First up, we were treated to a taster of the homemade granola, which was sweet, caramelised, and nutty. I suggested it had an almost ‘Biscoff’ flavour about it, which paired with creamy yoghurt and fresh fruit was a delightful treat. The addition of fennel added an unexpected punch that elevated this dish from a mid-week staple to the ultimate breakfast starter.

Royale by name and royal by nature, this dish is fit for a Queen. This is an opulent dish that hits all of the major flavour profiles, fat, salt, and acid. There is nothing more decadent than starting the day with pops of beautifully bright caviar and smoky, fatty salmon sat on a perfect round of fried bread.

The Eggs Benedict is an upmarket twist on a classic breakfast dish. My dining partner described it as “perfectly seasoned”, “soft, rich, and fresh”. It was texturally interesting in every mouthful from crunchy sourdough to the velvety hollandaise. What really took this dish to the next level was the addition of caramelised onions, sharp radish and the incredible restaurant-made bacon (more on that in a minute...)

A Full English breakfast is one of life’s greatest pleasures, but this is a far cry from your typical fry-up. This rendition of the classic dish is a perfect display of culinary excellence. It proves that food doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious. The sweet baked tomato, crispy potato hash, maple-cured bacon (which was more like pork belly), and local sausage took this to a whole new level of breakfast wizardry.

A moment for the bacon, which is made in-house, this sliced pork belly is soaked in brine and cooked slow, then sliced, pressed, and fried in an “ungodly amount of maple syrup”. The result? Nothing like you’ve ever tasted before. It is simply marvellous.

Because no meal is complete without something sweet for my second course I opted for the Danish Pastry French Toast. This is just as luxuriously indulgent as it sounds. It somewhat resembled a bread and butter pudding, soaked in a light custard and caramelised on the top and bottom, I was practically giddy with every mouthful. This is the sort of dish you expect to appear on MasterChef, resulting in a throaty chuckle from Greg Wallace. Greg, if you’re reading this, go and try it.

My dining partner opted for the black forest pancakes, which in isolation were pillowy soft and fluffy. They were topped with beautiful sticky red cherries and a unctuous dark chocolate ice cream which my partner described as having a “mousse-like texture”.

For days before my breakfast I had been dreaming about the Marmalade mimosa, usually, I despise Campari (I had a terrible Spritz abroad), but there was something about this that was dangerously moreish. It went down very easily and it really tasted like marmalade. If Paddington Bear was of legal drinking age, he’d be all over this.

Breakfast at The Pepperpot is fantastic value, offering an excellent culinary experience for less than a £20 note.

The quality of the cooking and the ingredients are exemplary and with the right wind beneath its sails, The Pepperpot could easily become a destination restaurant in Derby.

I took a sneak peek at the lunch and dinner menu which was equally impressive - and I will be back to try it.

I’d comfortably describe this as one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a few), and I didn’t need to eat again until dinner. High praise indeed.