Brighton, Lewes and Reading – it’s about time Bill’s came to London. And where better to flaunt its extensive range of produce than Covent Garden?

The Venue
In a prime patch on the newly developed St Martin’s Courtyard, Bill’s Produce is fronted by a raised outdoor patio and potted plants. Inside, the bare-brick walls are lined floor-to-ceiling with a rainbow of jars, bottles, tins and goodie-bags – a striking retail display that handily doubles as decoration. Jam, chutney, truffles, fruit juice, sweets, cookies, marmalades; you can’t help but browse the inviting labels as you eat. Chalkboard signs hang from the ceiling, along with bright coloured handkerchiefs, decorative tissue paper and bunches of dried chilli peppers. Rustic wooden tables and worn leather armchairs are spread over the two-tiered clay-tiled flooring, a pea-green bar props up an enticing selection of homemade cakes and an iron-railed staircase spirals to the kitchen upstairs.

The Atmosphere
A hubbub for workers, local thespians and those shopping for vintage bits and bobs, Bill’s caters for light lunches, dinners and afternoon teas. This fusion of social assortments results in a babble of enthusiastic chatter, mirroring the exciting mixture of commodities on display. The staff add to this too, and are just as lively and welcoming as the venue's bright walls.

The Food
The rosemary and garlic chicken (£9.95) is beautifully fragrant. The chargrilled chicken breasts are lemony and well complemented by a spring onion mash and sweet roast cherry tomatoes. Other delights on the menu include prawn curry (£9.50), baked salmon with hollandaise (£10.95), and Bill’s stacked hamburger (£9.95). Freshly baked bread is offered with a wide selection of 'try me, love me' oil and vinegar dressings, which you can choose to purchase and take the bottles home afterwards.

The Drink
Choose from thirteen types of tea (£1.75) amongst a solid selection of hot drinks. Blended juices, smoothies and milkshakes are mixed at the bar (£3 approx), along with cheeky aperitifs – a hedgerow fizz is an intoxicating blend of sparkling wine, elderflower cordial and blackberries (£3.50), and well worth trying. Wines, Champagne and beers are also available, with Bill’s own-brand beer coming in at £3.50 a bottle.

The Last Word
A mix between a rustic country canteen and urban-chic warehouse, it's difficult to pinpoint what this café-cum-vintage-supermarket is trying to do. The result, however, is a quirky and vibrant venue. And it's nigh on impossible to leave without some of Bill’s very nice goodies tucked under your arm.

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