Review
The Donkey Sanctuary

Brunch, late breakfast, early/late lunch – whatever you call it – you will be in for a treat when you visit The Kitchen at The Donkey Sanctuary. There’s plenty of choice on their recently launched Sunday Brunch menu including breakfasts, topped sourdough, muffins and more lunch-like dishes such as soup, baked potatoes, rolls and pasties, as well as snacks, cakes and drinks.

The focus is on seasonal, fresh food with produce sourced as locally as possible. The Kitchen is open from 9am to 3pm for Sunday Brunch. There is no need to book a table, and there is plenty of seating both inside and out, with views from this light and welcoming café down the valley towards the sea and the donkeys. You can also buy brunch to takeaway and eat at one of the many picnic areas. As it’s dog-friendly and has plenty of free parking, it’s a great place for families to spend the day here.

We skipped our usual early breakfast at home and arrived mid-morning, hoping to head out on one of the many walks after we had eaten.

I chose the full English breakfast stack. Inside a fluffy, lightly toasted flatbread sat a tasty pork sausage, crispy bacon, a perfectly fried egg, baked beans (that came in their own ramekin), mushrooms, grilled tomato and deliciously light and puffy, crispy hash browns, shaped like mini croquette balls. A dollop of the chef’s sunblush tomato ketchup on the side brought all the flavours together and made it one of the best brunches I’ve eaten in a very long time. A full plate of lovely fresh flavours filled my tummy.

My friend chose the vegetarian breakfast stack, which was similar to mine, but with a vegetable sausage. If you prefer something sweet, then we can recommend the waffles. All of them! The warm oat cake with orange cream is also delicious, and The Kitchen’s hot chocolate is a firm favourite too. A second cup of tea from the teapot meant we could sit for a bit longer and enjoy the views.

We will have to return as the bad weather meant we couldn’t go for our walk – however, happily, that means we will be able to feast on another delicious brunch!