Love Lily - Herrington Park — Restaurant in Sunderland

Overview: it's fine, looks the part, but doesn't deliver on taste. Staff were amazing (I don't know our servers name but she saved the experience for us), nice atmosphere- gets very load as it's busy but we didn't mind that. If you're going for the novelty of trying it you'll probably enjoy your experience. We will be going back to try the proper brunch menu

Pros: Nice area, great atmosphere, well organised staff, food looked consistent, attractive plating / presentation of drinks and food, lovely staff, pet friendly (outdoor only so still safe if you're afraid of dogs), nice indoor and outdoor seating, range of table sizes, lovely view of Herrington country park (specifically the play area), car park nearby with disable spaces (fills quickly, but overflow is also close), lots of flavour choices, food tasted fresh, good kids options (including unicorn and dinosaur items on the menu), colouring available for children,

Cons: The sun was in my friends eyes with no blinds / space to move / alternative solutions, drinks lacked flavour, iced latte was messy (it was dripping when it arrived and I used my napkin to place it on as there was no coaster /saucer for it), hot chocolate lacked some flavour (according to my friend, however she got a cinnamon flavoured drink and I hate cinnamon and could definitely taste it she said it was weak the rest of the drink and I only tried the last sip so drinks may benefit from being stirred frequently), the latte had a subtle flavour of kinder Bueno at first but was overpowered by the flavour of the espresso -preference depending some people may prefer this, the pancakes were fine- you pay for the looks and the toppings which reflect the inflated price, our table was the only one that wasn't fully prepped (this is nitpicky I'm sure) as we didn't have the sign telling us a maximum time of 1hour at busy times / how to leave a review and the salt and pepper hadn't been refreshed and was near empty for the first seating.

Arrival: I went with a friend at opening time; we arrived for 8:45, waited in the car and were about 4th/5th in the cue at 8:50. Just before 9, one of the staff members came out and asked for group sizes (presumably to check spacing inside). We were seated very quickly after this and had what I would argue seemed like the best seats for two friends, next to these lovely big windows (I think they were doors to the outdoor seating area but...

Long review coming up but I genuinely think this place deserves it. So many bits that we were so impressed with!

Absolutely amazing place.

We were a little put off by the queue but decided to wait. We were so impressed by the management of the queue, with a staff member coming and asking table requirements and taking people in as those tables became available (i.e. a couple behind us went in before us, but we were in before two groups of six in front of us).

With that in mind it was really interesting watching them manage the tables inside while we were there, moving bigger tables down to smaller and vice versa depending on the requirements outside. In total I'd say we waited slightly over ten minutes.

We didn't check the menu out at all before hand and had planned to just take the kids for a milkshake and sweet treat. We were really surprised by the extensive food options available and a few savoury items took our fancy so instead opted for brunch.

After much deliberation (where the staff were very patient with us) we ordered our items. The milkshakes came quicker than the hot chocolates by a good five minutes but we were fine with that.

We were all really pleased with our food choices when they came too. They all looked exactly as they did on the menu. They all tasted delicious. And they were all very good portion sizes, offering good value for money.

The whole place is immaculately clean which was just lush! Even the menus were spotless, which for a place so busy I would have thought might have had that well used stick. But not at all, they appeared to be brand new but weren't. In addition to this when the staff cleaned the tables they did such a thorough job checking seats, sorting any mess on the floor. And I have never ever seen a baby high chair get cleaned so thoroughly!

Staff were polite and friendly throughout and worked well together too.

Would highly recommend...

Absolute appalling service. Due to medical issues I cannot eat a full portion, normally businesses would offer a smaller or child portion for me, I evidenced my needs too so not like I was just looking to save money. I was told I could have some sausages or something off the sides menu but they would operate at a loss if everyone who claimed to have medical issues had a small portion. I explained that I am more than happy to pay for a meal and have a smaller portion but I just don’t want to waste. Also I wanted the experience but in a smaller portion that wouldn’t make me ill, had I wanted sausages or something boring I’d have went elsewhere. The owner specifically refused this and said I’ll just have to share with my partner or have a side. This totally negates the fact the claim to be operating at a loss! They’re literally losing any custom by turning me away. She said the child’s portions are to entice family’s who would purchase further meals and I explained I was planning to bring my children but because of the rude attitude and refusal to accommodate a smaller size portion I won’t be and she said well that’s your loss. Again totally negating the fact that she’s claiming to want to avoid loss of business. I have never been made to feel so bad for trying to support local businesses and having the same experiences other people have while being a disabled person. As I left she stated she will look to change the menu next month so obviously aware of issues

When we tried to leave she stated my husband had already ordered and therefore we couldn’t leave without paying. She hadn’t even taken the order away yet it was just wrote on her notepad. The breakfast burger he had was nothing special, he said he would have enjoyed...