DESPITE having only opened in Cirencester 10 weeks ago, Igloo restaurant on Castle Street is already getting a reputation as one of the coolest places to eat in town.

With five star reviews on Tripadvisor and word of mouth spreading on our local Facebook sites, this has been on my list of must-try venues in Cirencester for 2019.

Set up by Hannah and Oliver Matchett as a family-run and family-owned restaurant, their motto is ‘fun, funky and fresh’.

Both are very much in attendance when we pay them a visit, with Hannah taking our breakfast order and Oliver appearing from time to time from the upstairs kitchen.

They could add ‘friendly’ to that motto, as they are certainly both approachable and it obvious that they are thoroughly enjoying their new place at the heart of this community.

The decor is a mix of exposed brick, soft blue woodwork, solid wooden tables, comfortable dining chairs and a squishy sofa if you prefer to call in for one of their cocktails or a glass of fizz. There are a few penguin stencils dotted around to add a bit of fun: this is a family friendly restaurant and, our friends tell us, dog friendly (downstairs) which could be a huge plus for us on future visits

The breakfast menu, which is served until midday, offers us plenty of choice, from a stack of pancakes (£7.95) or smashed avocado, with chilli, coriander on toast, roast tomatoes and a poached egg (£5.95) to fruit and yoghurt (£4.50) or a wake up burrito (£5.95).

There is also the £5 brekkie deal, which is amazing value for money and offers a few choices such as sausage and egg, porridge or spinach and egg plus a hot drink for just £5.

We both choose the £8.50 Igloo breakfast (there is a vegetarian version), although I tamper with mine and ask for no beans. I also add mushrooms and am so glad I did, when I see the enormous field mushroom on my plate, cooked to perfection and well seasoned.

This is where the ‘fresh’ in the Igloo motto is evident to see and taste. Breakfast is so easy to get wrong and is often overlooked by restaurants who offer it as an after thought. This is not the case at Igloo and this team have paid attention to getting it right.

Oliver tells us that their meat comes from the Four Seasons company in the Woolmarket in Cirencester, as keeping it local is important to them.

As well as the cooked breakfasts we also share a beautifully presented yoghurt with fresh fruit, in a vain attempt to start to day with one of our five a day!

We leave Igloo feeling thoroughly chilled and determined to return to try out lunch but perhaps another day!