South-coast breakfasts : Billys On The Beach

After a summer spent tirelessly searching for the perfect breakfast location, I think this weekend we have come the closest yet...

Billys On The Beach is right on the seafront in Bracklesham Bay. Though the town is only 15 minutes from us, the one and only time I had been there previously was when we got lost driving to the Witterings, and in a nutshell, this is Bracklesham Bay's biggest problem. It's like going out to a nightclub with a supermodel. Though you may wear a winning smile and a stunning dress, no one even notices you are standing next to her.

But we'd read great reviews of Billys online (thank you Tripadvisor) and the website looked promising, so we bypassed the more obvious charms of West Wittering and drove the extra few minutes east to Bracklesham Bay and I'm so glad we did...

The shingle beach was deserted when we arrived just after 9am and we managed a good walk keeping the dogs entertained with the host of unusual smells and the boy and me both entertained collecting flotsam and jetsam. It's one of the best beaches I've found yet for small items of driftwood and washed up treasures.

Inside Billys was light, bright, warm, cosy and bustling. The locals clearly love this place and by 11am they were queuing up for tables. There was a log burning stove in the corner, a beautiful 1960s sea plane model hanging from the ceiling and some inspiring driftwood art on the walls. The menu delivered too! The right mix of breakfast reliables and a few unusual choices.

I had spicy avocado breakfast (with extra sausages,) Jim went for the big breakfast and Theo had eggy bread and maple syrup. For drinks, we tried coffee and hot chocolate, but the orange juice was the easy winner, freshly squeezed and absolutely delicious.

We left with our plates scraped clean, our belly's full and the pleasant glow of having been served well in a fantastic location. Next time you are anywhere along this stretch of the coast, stop by and visit, you won't be disappointed!