Brancusi, York

When anyone asks me where to eat in York, I invariably direct them to Brancusi, a laid-back restaurant with a diverse menu in a lovely setting on York’s premier Micklegate.

Yorkies may remember it as the much-loved Rattle Owl, and we were sorry when they closed. Happily, the lovely interior is largely unchanged and the cool vibe remains under Brancusi, named after the Romanian artist and sculptor Constantin Brancusi, but you knew that anyway. He is much admired by owners  (and art lovers) Florencia Clifford and husband Hugo Hildyard who also own Partisan a few doors down, one of our favourite daytime cafés.

Brancusi has much the same global reach as Partisan but happily this one opens both day and evening. The breakfast menu stretches from a bacon sandwich (Haxby bread, vine tomatoes, green leaves) to Sobrosada on toast; Turkish figs with melted goat’s cheese and my favourite, Persian eggs.

Through the day the menu extends to soup; chicken shawarma; aubergine parmigiana or simply a cake from the counter or a scone with butter.

Things rack up further in the evening with a changing menu that might offer Skrei cod with fennel and elderflower hollandaise; Whitby crab fettucine; confit duck leg with raddichio, chicory and blood orange salad.

Florencia makes no distinction between fish, meat and vegetables but rather she celebrates quality ingredients so there are plenty of non-meat dishes on the menu like the harissa roast cauliflower with hazelnut hummus and pickled raisins; confit onions with Cheddar custard; artichoke and lemon risotto with hazelnuts, dishes created by head chef Lewis Murray and they are all fabulous.

The eclectic menu, relaxed vibe, original art, low intervention wines, good cocktails, delicious cakes, Haxby bread, bunches of garden flowers for sale in summer,  are all the reasons Brancusi is probably my favourite York restaurant.