Get a taste of the high life at restaurant with stunning views of Hull
THE JUNKYARD IS A CAFÉ, RESTAURANT AND BAR LOCATED ON THE TWELFTH FLOOR OF THE K2 BUILDING
ICHECKED out the restaurant in Hull with the best view of the city. The Junkyard is situated on the twelfth floor of the K2 building and opened in September 2019. Rated three-and-a-half stars on Tripadvisor after 127 reviews and 4.3 stars after 432 reviews on Restaurant Guru, it was time to check out the view of Hull and if its culinary standards were as high as the 45-metre tall building it is located in.
Overall, The Junkyard impressed, though its prices mean it is never likely to be more than an occasional treat for returning customers. Here’s what I thought.
The View
The view from the restaurant is worthy of a category of its own. Without question, it is the restaurant with the best view in Hull. In the internal dining area, wide windows face out onto North Hull, the Avenues and beyond.
When I visited along with a companion, it was a largely clear day and the horizon stretched up to the foothills of the Yorkshire Wolds. Beverley Minster, more than eight miles away and clearly identifiable, was about halfway to the horizon’s limit. Being up on the twelfth floor provided a unique, fascinating bird’seye view of Hull. For one thing, I was very disoriented by how green West Hull appeared, given the lack of green space to rival the size of East Park.
There was also a handy pair of small binoculars for guests seated at the windows. The internal dining area only had five tables next to the windows, though four were set up for large groups. Up a further flight of stairs is the restaurant’s secret rooftop garden which when open offers an even wider panorama of Hull. It is also available for use as a wedding venue.
General ambience
The restaurant was quiet when we arrived and only got to about half-full as we were leaving, though my companion and I did dine on a weekday before most Hull restaurants’ busiest hours. Friday and Saturday nights are reportedly the busiest times for The Junkyard.
Small chandeliers, plants and a couple of endearing cat totems adorned the restaurant. Our own table for two had a funky, bright art design and thanks to the spacious windows, most of the restaurant was bathed in natural light.
The setting oozed luxury and felt like the height of sophistication. I particularly rated the wall artwork in the men’s toilets, formed of a Madagascan jungle scene, complete with a lizard, exotic birds and ringtailed lemurs.
Food and drink
My companion and I dined in the early evening, so I cannot pass any judgement on the lunch menu, beyond noting that there are seven lunch options, two vegetarian friendly, that range in price from £8.50 per person to £14.
Those prices are nothing compared to the evening menu. Without doubt no matter the choices you make, I can say that an evening meal will set you back a pretty penny. Three of the seven main options cost £20 or more. The starters were not too bad, but still on the more expensive side, ranging from £7.50 to £12.
I am not against high prices for dining though, so long as it feels like it’s worth the extra expense. All but one of the four meal options we had justified a pricier tag. I opted for the starter of buffalo chicken wings, made up of crispy chicken wings, Franks hot sauce, celery & blue mayo, with salad accompaniment and lemon-infused water to rinse my hands. This was scrumptious and at a satisfying level of spicy heat.
My companion had salt and pepper squid as their starter before tackling the slow-roasted pork belly for their main. Squid is easy to get wrong and my assistant taster was impressed by The Junkyard’s offering: “It was well-seasoned, well-cooked and accompanied well with garlic, onions and chilli.” The pork belly, accompanied by gravy, buttered mash potato, glazed carrot and more also met with their approval, “tasty” and filling.
Both starters were also of a decent portion. For my main, I opted for the dried aged beef burger, with Monterey jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, sriracha mayo and French fries, and chose not to pay an extra £2 for smoked, streaky bacon. It was fine and enjoyable, but it did not merit a £14 initial price tag. I also found the burger less warm than I would have liked, though admittedly I ate the French fries first.
Along with two sets of drinks from the beer menu, dining at The Junkyard set us back £72.90, not including tip. And we abstained from trying the restaurant’s cocktail menu or dessert options.
I enjoyed greatly dining at The Junkyard and the spectacular views of Hull it offers. The prices are mostly justified by the high quality of the food and its setting. It is ideal as a location for a romantic date or a large group gathering for a special occasion, but is likely too expensive to be a regular dining location for most people.