Zillis is a cafe and tapas bar offering drinks, light bites and main meals throughout the day and into the evening.

The Venue
Situated in the heart of the city centre, within the shadow of Holy Trinity Church, Zillis is an oasis of continental relaxation. A large area of outside seating is perfect for summer but, if more inclement weather forces you inside, the cheerful decor and large windows maintain the bright and breezy feel. Dark wood tables with almost precariously high stools (best avoided if you have imbibed one too many glasses of wine) or window booths and padded leather couches provide the seating while a large bar curves round to the right of the space. Both the location of the bar and the uncluttered aspect onto the street makes it very easy to while away a couple of hours watching the world go by.

The Atmosphere
Zillis has a truly continental feel that not only stems from the content of the menu; the staff are proficient and polite but also warm and chatty. Service is consistently swift and the bar is often bustling but never threatens to spoil the customers’ enjoyment. During the day Zillis is popular with business colleagues for lunch breaks and casual meetings as well as couples and friends enjoying breaks from shopping. The bar caters for parties and invites group booking for special occasions, making Zilli’s a great venue to start a night of city centre bar hopping or to spend a whole evening in.

The Food
The kitchen offers a range of light and more substantial dishes. A selection of hot and cold sandwiches served on baguettes, focaccia or ciabatta bread range from £5.25 for a tuna melt (with mozzarella, red onion and tomato) up to £5.95 for char-grilled steak (with red onion, smoked mozzarella and sweet chilli sauce). Each comes with a basic side salad and is well presented and excellently proportioned. The additional spiral fries are well seasoned and give the meals added interest. Salads start from £6.50 for a chicken Caesar with other options including tuna Nicoise, prawn and avocado, Cajun chicken and mixed cheese.

Burgers are priced around £7 as are the selection of wraps, available with chicken, prawn or spicy mushroom and vegetable. The menu also offers stew, chilli, smoked haddock, fishcakes and curry along with a small selection of pasta dishes and pizza, all in the region of £7.50. Fajitas (around £10) and enchiladas also include a vegetarian bean option for £7.95.

Breakfast is served until 12 noon with a full Zillis fry-up of bacon, sausages, fried egg, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, baked beans, hash browns, black pudding and toast for £5.50. A vegetarian option is also available, as are sausage and bacon sandwiches and poached or scrambled eggs. Daily specials, displayed on a small blackboard, are also frequently on offer.

The Drink
Zillis has a well stocked bar and a not insignificant wine list. A small glass of wine costs £2.50 and bottles range from around £10 to £16. All corners of the globe are represented, from Australian Chardonnay and French Chablis to Chilean Merlot Rose and Rioja from Spain. Champagne is also available, the most extravagant bottle being a Bollinger Brut for around £50.

Beers available include Bombadier, Carlsberg (£2.70), Cobra, Amstel, San Miguel (£2.95) and Beck’s (£2.90) with a selection of ciders such as Magners (£3.30), Jaques and Strongbow. A range of coffee is also available, meaning there is something to suit every palate and time of day.

The Last Word
The perfect city centre venue to take a break from shopping or meet friends for coffee. An interesting menu and personal service gives Zillis the edge over many other venues in the area.

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