BEAR Iron Gate

You'll find BEAR tucked away on Iron Gate, just off the main Cathedral Quarter hustle, in a space that feels like someone's particularly stylish front room. The kind of place where the flat whites are properly pulled and the smashed avocado comes with enough interesting bits (think pomegranate seeds, dukkah, maybe some pickled onions) to justify the £8.50 price tag. The menu reads like a greatest hits of contemporary brunch culture - shakshuka, loaded French toast, various eggs Benedict situations - but everything's executed with enough care to keep the queue of students, office workers, and weekend brunchers coming back. Staff actually know their coffee beans from their oat milk, and the weekend vibe strikes that sweet spot between relaxed and energetic without tipping into chaos.