Breakfast with a toddler and a partner with an egg allergy can be tricky and it is the reason we rarely go out for it. We so often arrive to find almost everything on the menu contains eggs and the idea of an egg free substitute it met with a shrug. So what a surprise when my partner declared this the best review he has ever done (and asked if we could come back before we even left the restaurant!)

From the moment we arrived, the team were incredibly friendly. Our server, Raff from Naples, was knowledgeable about the menu, happy to speak to the kitchen and determined to find something that worked for us. Crudités were brought out while our son waited for his food, which was a thoughtful touch, although the accompanying dip was a little spicy for him.

We started with an Oreo milkshake, intending to share it. That plan became considerably less appealing once it arrived. It was thick, rich and properly chocolatey without being overly sweet. The Oreo crumbs did not add very much, but the shake itself was excellent – and had to be carefully hidden from our son. My partner, who also has a slight aversion to lactose declared “I’ll pay for it later, but I don’t care.” The tater tots were crisp, comforting and quickly claimed by our toddler. Can tater tots ever really be done badly? Perhaps – but these certainly weren’t.

Despite eggs being in every dish, Dirty Bones managed to find us a customised breakfast that was genuinely good. The burger was made with noticeably high-quality meat and came with a spicy relish. The turkey bacon was almost indistinguishable from pork bacon, but felt slightly lighter. My son’s pancakes were well received, light and fluffy and also accompanied by a side of bacon and maple syrup. After deciding not to risk the potential toddler sugar high, the maple syrup was removed and replaced by tater tots! 

The BBQ beef waffle recommended by Raff was not something I would normally have chosen, but it was packed with flavour and surprisingly good. The hollandaise was different from the traditional version: the acidity of the lime cut through the richness and made the whole dish feel fresher and lighter.

We finished with the cheesecake which was again recommended by Raff. I do not usually do dessert for breakfast but it was worth it! it was smooth, rich and properly decadent – the perfect ending to a meal that was never pretending to be virtuous. There are no light, fruity breakfast bowls here, but that is not really what you come to Dirty Bones for. The food is indulgent, generous and unmistakably American-inspired.

The restaurant itself is also American, it strikes a good balance between decadent and casual. Bright lighting is combined with relaxed lounge-style interiors, while the outdoor area has wonderfully squishy looking sofas. The soundtrack – largely American hip-hop from the 2000s – provides a welcome hit of nostalgia for anyone who grew up in the 1990s.

Most importantly, we never felt that arriving with a toddler made us too casual for the restaurant. The team could not have done more for us. We have previously had issues around allergies meaning that we have gotten up and left a restaurant but here we were confident in eating which made the whole experience feel easy and relaxed. Children also eat free with an adult ordering from the à la carte menu in the daytime, making it a surprisingly good option for families. Little ones get a colouring in menu and lots of care from the staff. They also offer a 90-minute brunch with plenty of drinks. This looks ideal for birthdays, couples celebrating or a hen party. It is the sort of place that can accommodate families during the day while still feeling fun enough for a celebration.

Dirty Bones would not ordinarily have been my first choice for breakfast, but it won me over. Despite the egg-heavy menu, the excellent staff found a thoughtful alternative that tasted like a proper meal rather than a reluctant substitution. Relaxed, indulgent and genuinely accommodating, it turned out to be one of the easiest breakfasts we have had with both an allergy and a toddler.

Dirty Bones
304 The Westgate, Queen St, Oxford OX1 1PG

Bitten were invited as guests, all views are our own