John Lewis Espresso Bar in Milton Keynes

This is a real Christmas treat combining people watching over the Christmas displays/lights in Middleton Hall with coffee and cake that we do annually as a family tradition. The only caution is the cake selection has diminished in recent years but the cake is secondary to the special Christmas views and fun family times it provides. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Having visited this cafe on numerous occasions over the years and always found it to be great service and clean, cannot believe how much this has deteriorated recently but on our visit today I had to return the tea cup and ask for a clean one, the replacement was even worse, and no apologies for the fact that it was dirty, the cafe is dirty, tables left full of dirty crockery and not wiped down, seating has to be wiped before you can sit on it. As for the toilets, 4 cubicles in the ladies and not one was clean or suitable for use. Come on John Lewis,your standards are dropping - your prices are not and I wouldn't be surprised to see this store closing. What happened to the pride you used to have in your stores??? I shall no longer be frequenting this cafe, I will go to Marks and Spencers who seem to have managed to maintain their standards. Such a shame.

I loved this place. Don’t understand the negative reviews. The food was amazing. Had a tasty sandwich with the most delicious salad, so fresh and so much of it. Service was quick, Matt was extremely helpful and patient while we tried to decide which sandwich to have. The service was very speedy by two young lads who were very pleasant and polite. Excellent value for money too. Definitely recommend and definitely returning for another delicious sandwich and salad.

I visited Milton Keynes to see my mum and we went for lunch in the John Lewis Milton Keynes Cafe. The service was exceptional and I would like to personally thank the chef Lorna. I suffer from Gluten intolerances and Lorna went above and beyond to cater for my needs and was friendly and very professional. I would definitely return and recommend this cafe. Thank you

The ori cafe establishment is one to look up to. After multiple visits there are always smiley faces in the building and I receive good service. Tea and a cake £7 with it bought over to the table in a very nice pot with mug and saucer which is a great touch not like those who use the disposables. Will be returning when in the town centre.

Unfortunately it is not possible to give zero stars on this site. It has to be said that they are consistent - POOR Have previously reviewed this establishment on two occasions (April 2016 and February 2020) On both of those occasions gave a rating of 1 Came here in anticipation that things had got better,whilst taking a break from shopping- Big mistake!!!! From joining the queue, to receiving two coffees was a total of 50 minutes. Tables were uncleared, two male batistas/ food service assistants were arguing in front of customers,Food service assistant (lady witha tatoo) was eating intermittently whilst clearing tables ( not good hygiene as she was also a food handler) Counter tops /food service areas very untidy I have decided therefore not to use this establishment, on the basis that I work hard for my money and not spend it on poor service, that John Lewis thinks is totally acceptable.

Just came for a coffee and regretted it. Ignored by unfriendly staff on arrival and unclear where orders taken. Man in the flowery shirt eventually acknowledged and reaction after ordering an americano a bit like that of a grumpy teenager. Just about got a grunt to get payment. Strangely coffee gets delivered to your table which ia nice but adds to the time waiting. Great location and enormous potential but customer service needs to take a higher priority. For a coffee bar, friendliness goes a long way and with so many options it’s a struggle to see why one would return. Pret is over the hall and although a less impressive view, is a nice place to visit. Please work in this as you could do much better and that starts at the top As an aside, coffee looked good, saucer clearly not very clean

Slice of pizza served on a paddle was ok .. ordered salad which was included in each dish … reminded staff twice when it never arrived ( we were sat opposite!) when it finally arrived we had finished pizza and had ONE large bowl. I stated we ordered two! “ yes . You have two but in one bowl .. and that’s what you’re getting!) turned her back and walked off … no apology given … soup as usual was unavailable… coffee was good but we came here last month and paid the same price for a large cup … £25 for two absolute scam !!! Place has the atmosphere as the moon too !! Won’t be back anytime soon …

The service was very slow indeed, staff were disorganised and looked bored. I was looking forward to a cheese scone, but this was dense, singed on the outside and underbaked inside - really disappointing. The restaurant itself is low-ceilinged and feels airless. Underwhelming experience!. (note this review refers to the restaurant in the centre of the shop near the lifts, not 'Ori'.

We were pleased to pop into this cafe as an alternative to The Place to Eat in John Lewis, which was closed because of lack of air conditioning. We were disappointed to discover that Ori appeared to have the same problem, relying on a portable machine for AC. We ordered two pastries and two coffees. We took the pastries to a table, told that the coffees would be over, but after about 10 minutes of eating our pastries slowly we still didn't have our coffees. We called someone over, who appeared to be the manager, who said they were being made. Clearly a lie since a minute later we saw the manager making the coffees. (Four staff seemed to be around but not much was happening!) That the service was poor was without question but customers should not expect to be lied to. It's unfortunate that Ori is physically part of the JL shop - it's a franchise operation and nothing to do with them. Which is only too obvious.

Absolutely shocking service , I queued for 20 mins only to have some turnip tell me to find a table before ordering food as they were busy . How does a solitary diner do that when families grab any empty tables and then send Mother up to order . Talk about towels on sun loungers .Another example of declining standards at John Lewis

Slower than Starbucks. Went in at not a busy time yet queued for 15 minutes for cold drink and coffee then had to sit down and wait for it to be delivered. Coffee not great either.This used to be a top notch restaurant, very disappointed

Not sure whether the move of the coffee shop to the Ori Cafe was a rebrand or a change of ownership - whichever, it was very good initially. We regularly visit when in Milton Keynes centre. However, the last two visits have been poor with reduced choice, some confusion amongst staff over orders and equipment and disjointed table service. On our last visit we were served our food (which was partly incorrect) and had finished eating by the time our drinks arrived. Other customers sat near to us had to ask where their drinks were! Not sure whether we hit them on a bad day (though it wasn't very busy) but as we have had similar issues on our last two visits it suggests a terminal decline, therefore unlikely to visit again as plently of other choices available in the vicinity. Disappointing.

Came here for a sandwich whilst shopping in town. Very slow service and a very poor chicken and mozzarella ciabatta. Overcooked and very disappointing. Wont return.

Used this cafe over many visits and found it an ideal coffee and cake place. Sadly, now under new management. The new outfit will not accept John Lewis coupons. They, have a funny idea about trays to collect choices? How can customers manipulate three or four cake dishes without a tray? Staff were unperturbed about the tray issue and were off hand explaining the coupon situation. We left the three cakes on the counter and headed for the third floor restaurant within the shop, where coupons are accepted (and trays available)..... Suggest John Lewis has a rethink??

Saturday morning with a coffee and a sticky bun watching the kids on the beach in Middleton Hall. How good is that> The coffee was tasty and so was the cake. Recommended refueling station

I came in here early on a Monday morning and it wasn't too busy. As I've mentioned in another review on this site, it seems that this café is somewhat lost to the average shopper because it's at the top of the John Lewis store and somewhat hidden, but when you approach, having come up on the escalator you are confronted by such a vast array of cakes and pastries as you queue at the counter it's difficult to decide what to choose. On this particular occasion I chose a blueberry muffin and a caramel latte. The staff are friendly and efficient, they know their job and give you eye contact, something which other businesses tend to forget. Having paid at the till (I was surprised how little my two items cost, a good deal less than what I could have paid for had I chosen to go to Costa or Cafe Nero, which would be the nearest eateries near to John Lewis.) Plenty of tables to sit at and all looking neat and tidy, no dirty plates, cups or debris left by customers. Also, no loud music playing, which can be a hindrance to conversation. A place which you would want to return to in the future, whilst shopping and needing refreshment.

Not the cheapest, but a good flying lunch today Lovely tuna sandwich and excellent piece of carrot cake Good decaf cappuccino too

Love this venue, super coffee and good range of cakes etc including glutton free. Super place to enjoy a glass of wine watching the world go by especially at Christmas with the Winter Wonder land and the beach in the summer

This is a typical coffee bar with tea, cakes, and a few other sweet bits and pieces. It is generally well mannered and quiet, and the service is only at the counter and can be slow at times. Food is good quality and the coffee is reasonable although I'd rate Caffe Nero as better. If you get a window seat you overlook Middleton Hall which often has some event or other which can be engaging to watch.

Popped into John Lewis for lunch, and had the soup and bread, always hits the spot and not expensive either, a must visit either when in store or not.

I still can't understand why John Lewis moved the restaurant from what was a far better location at the front of the store, with easy access and good views over Middleton Hall to this new location, buried on the top floor and totally hidden, with absolutely no signage to show where it was, up several escalator levels. On arrival, on a Thursday morning. it was virtually empty, so there was no real excuse for a lack of customer service. A totally over-whelming choice of cakes, pastries and other delights. I chose a sumptuous and delicious Bakewell slice and my wife had caramel shortbread. Add lattes, efficiently made and well presented and we sat at a bunkette table. Staff clearing and cleaning tables, which at least meant we didn't have to endure previous customer's left-over coffee cups and uneaten food. Not particularly pleasant. A family-friendly restaurant and this proven by the number of children with their parents which could be seen by us. Friendly and efficient staff although the food is a little bit over-priced.

Nice coffee, good ambiance but food expensive and limited in choice. Try and get a window seat to enjoy watching the world rush by or birds eye view of the events..

Around 3pm on Friday afternoon there were plenty of tables and I was able to get one with a view over Middleton Hall.

I had been given a Voucher for coffee and cake for two.

Disappointed to see that that staff training doesn’t include not putting your thumbs into the cups when handling them. Bearing in mind that the staff are also handling money this is not acceptable. It would also be a more pleasant experience if the young staff managed to occasionally smile. The only highlight was the cheese scone!

We'd spent some considerable time on a Wednesday morning shopping with my wife's parents who visited from Bournemouth today. We walked the entire length of the shopping centre and this seemed the ideal place for a rest and recuperation plus something to eat and drink. I chose a sandwich but there wasn't a particularly good selection although the sandwich was tasty but not exceptional. My wife had minestrone soup and both inlaws had scones. Then I ordered tea for us all. Not impressed by the stingy one teabag on a string or the horrible little milk cartons (if you can call those horrible plastic pots with the difficult to open caps cartons) which let the whole experience down. Come on John Lewis, you can do far better than that. Sorry, but I've given you one less point on the rating as a result. A pleasant enough environment but it's a real hike up several floors to get to this restaurant and it's not very well signposted. You'd really never guess where it was unless you knew it was there already or had to ask a member of staff.

This espresso bar is hidden away above John Lewis, you can look onto Middleton Hall and it's always interesting especially when exhibitions are on.

We enjoyed coffees here today overlooking the Middleton Hall wedding show, but despite being a bit peckish, it was only coffee due to the abysmally limited choice of anything to eat. There were a few scones and pieces of cake, then literally a couple of breakfast type rolls and about three sandwiches. It was not conducive to satisfying an appetite! I know this is only a cafe, but there needs to be a wider choice, and better quantities, of food options. Oh, and milk for the coffees was limited to those small long life mini-cartons. For a £2.50 cup of coffee I would expect some proper milk.

Great for just for coffee and a cake. Comfy seats (if you can get one) overlooking Middleton Hall. Very civilised and toilets available too.

Amazing service and new layout of Loaf and Bloom is great for casual or even business now since the addition of raised seating with power and USB connection for laptops and phones etc. Well worth a visit

A nice place to sit quietly with a decent cup of coffee and a nice cake. One can look out at the general movement of shoppers below observing life.

Very unimpressed with my visit here today with my parents. My father wanted tea with a slice of lemon and they had no lemon. My mother had a cappuccino that looked like a sloppy latte which I had to return and get a refund on. The tea was very weak and flavourless and and top of that the scone I ordered was still half frozen. Been here a few times now and gets worse every time. There are much better coffee shops opposite John Lewis if you want a good drink which is where I ended up after wasting my money in here

Such a lovely place for a coffee, lovely view over the exhibition area and service very good. The coffee is always nice and the choice of cake makes it appealing.

This is an ideal place for a coffee and snack. Service is efficient and staff friendly. Cake is delicious.

The Espresso bar is a nice place to get away from the busy shopping centre and enjoy a nice drink & slice of cake. By late afternoon some of the cakes look like they had been sitting out for a while and could have done with being replaced as they looked like they were rather dry. Apart from this this is definitely a nice place to just relax.

Called today with friends and the experience wasn't good. Hot food looked really tired at 12.30 so had cheese and chutney baguette the chutney was a smear smear the cheese was ok the baguette was not fresh for £5.50. Leek and potato soup had no seasoning or flavour. We will not be returning.

I have to say that every time we go to this mall we would rather pop into the John Lewis cafe than the fancy restaurant around as their food is just lovely. The choice is not large but what you get is worth every mouthful.

I had a cream tea. They charge extra for both the cream and the jam with the scone so it can turn out to be quite expensive. With a John Lewis card you can get a free cup of tea per month.

Expect this place to be waaaay overpriced as it is John Lewis at the end of the day. However, food was nice and fresh. Service was quick and efficient and food was tasty, so that's the main thing.

The service and food quality you would expect from the John Lewis Parntership. Great coffee, Tea and cakes.

Fabulous coffee and cake with a view over the shopping centre. Staff polite and friendly, comfortable chairs.

Excellent food and service as you would expect with John Lewis, take a break, put down those heavy bags.

Decent coffee and pastries, friendly service. Not much atmosphere but good if you want a quiet undisturbed, childless break.

very over priced for what it is the cakes are so expensive and taste very normal nothing special but thats what you get from JL

Lovely restaurant, clean and nice atmosphere. Food and drinks are lively as you would expect from John Lewis but it is expensive.

We had coffee and cake was made welcome by the staff who were very polite and smartly dressed .

...of calm in a frantic shopping centre. The coffee is hot and strong, although I can understand those who want the milk straight from the cow might be disappointed. While the range of cakes are enticing I usually go for the cheese scones, with the hand-warmed butter pats. The staff are extremely friendly, even if the other customers are sometimes a pain...

My wife and I came in here having walked the full length of the shopping centre on a Saturday morning. We were more than ready for a break, with coffee and something to eat. We were greeted by an amazing array of cakes and pastries on display as we queued. The atmosphere is pleasant. I'm so glad there's no awful music in the background, as most places have musak which is so loud and annoying you can never hear anyone to have a conversation. The lattes we had were hot, contained plenty of coffee (unlike more well-known coffee outlets I could name) and the orange-and-chocolate cake we had was to die for. Must come back for more. The staff are always polite and efficient and well presented. My only complaint is that we can never find this place as it's poorly signed from the lower floors.

Being partners John Lewis tend to drive and attain high standards. This was in my opinion off the mark. 4 tables with dirty cups plates paper etc. No one had bothered to tidy. They were also the better seats, I sat at one of the other tables that rocked back and forth and the coffee was fairly bland. Maybe put it down to a bad day. I will go back and see if it has improved. Steve L

Negatives first - flat white was a totally non descript milky coffee. Go next door to Costa to see how it should be done. Turkey baguette - at almost £6 - poorly baked bought in frozen dough, tasteless turkey, tasteless stuffing, overpowering cranberry. Positives -spotlessly clean and very modern, friendly staff but not trained on how to make coffee and selling a sub standard product (not their fault) plus this is John Lewis we're talking about so polite and constructive complaint got cost refunded.

Called in by myself whilst out shopping. Bought a roll, packet of crisps and drink and it came to £10. The roll looked fairly appealing but the bread was very dry and stodgy, not at all enjoyable. I had to sit at a table that still had used crockery and debris on it which staff walked past several times and ignored. Sorry John Lewis but I won't be grabbing a quick lunch again from you if this is the best you can offer.

We are regular visitors to John Lewis and Milton Keynes is our closest store. We were pleased when the relatively small and quiet Espresso Bar opened and use this as a meeting place when out shopping. The coffee is great and there's a good selection of quality cakes to enjoy. It's a little busier now that so many people have discovered it, but still a pleasant change from all those other coffee places where you have to queue for half an hour before sitting down for fifteen minutes to enjoy what you bought. With John Lewis, you can be pretty sure of the quality of product and service. If you've never been, give it a try.

Ideal for coffee and cakes particularly when we had JL monthly vouchers to use. Quality of both coffee and cake very good. Very pleasant atmosphere too.

Have eaten here a number of times over the past few years & it's really noticeable how this coffee place manages to keep up the high standards, where other coffee shops seem to fail. Tables are always clean, coffee always tastes good & service is always prompt - what more could you ask for? Would definitely recommend.

Called in for coffee, cake and a snack with our daughter-in-law and 11-month old grand-daughter. Really nice place and good location to get away from the shopping crowds.

Milton Keynes provides the ideal shopping venue for visitors withal the major chain stores in one location. Shopping is hard work and you will deserve a good lunch. The John Lewis Department Store restaurant is on the second floor and has a wide variety of food to offer at a reasonable price .Do try the fish and chips---probably the best I have ever tasted (and I am British!). The ambiance is relaxing and the staff and manager courteous, efficient, attentive and helpful.

Had a nice snack lunch. Yummy egg and cress sandwiches with sea salt potato crisps. Ideal on a warm day and overlooking the musical dance in the square. Very entertaining

Stopped here for a cup of tea whilst looking for a suit for a wedding. At 15.40 it took 20 mins of queing for a cappaucino and a pot of tea, to be served

Popped in for Tea and cake. Really poor selection of cakes (at 2.00 on a Saturday afternoon) and UHT milk - surely JLP could run to some fresh milk?!

I like the glass fronted aspect to this cafe, and it's high up too so you can watch the world go by in relative peace- Perhaps a little off putting for your companion when you're lost in thought watching the Christmas train, carousel or latest fashion show from the window and realise you haven't said anything for many minutes!

A above average shop stop to top up and gain enough energy to keep going!

It's a strange place as it's actually very spacious but without many tsbles and chairs... They definitely need more as people had to wait around for others to finish. Coffee was very good but my sandwich felt dry. I would go to the bigger coffee shop in john Lewis next time!

I go weak at the knees thinking a of John Lewis Cheese Scone, John Lewis stores everywhere (and Peter Jones) I can't resist, I have to have a coffee and Cheese Scone and yet again we were not disappointed.

We visited this place for a light refreshment/snack. The place seems fine with a fairly relaxing atmosphere especially while comfortably sat by the glass window overlooking the modern MK square. However, we were slightly disappointed as there was not enough snack food/sandwiches, etc. And, they were a bit pricey!

Popped into this very well organised, efficient and friendly ,

Not a place to pop in for a coffee if you are in a rush. We stood and waited for twenty minutes watching the trays in front of us shuffle forward an inch at a time. Eventually we just gave up as we had run out of time. The cruel irony is that out of the window you can see a couple of other coffee shops that manage to serve customers in minutes - unlike the two staff they had waiting on customers in the Espresso bar.

I love visiting the espresso bar. It's always light, welcoming and airy with great views over the large square. Wonderful tea and cakes. The service is consistently pleasant and friendly. Very pleasant and relaxing atmosphere.

Visited this morning, had tea and pastries , lovely and fresh. A panoramic view of Middleton Hall and all that was going on.

Reviewed this place two years ago when it had just been refurbished and was impressed

Hadn't been to this café for some 18 months as the last experience was of dry food especially cakes, seemingly very stale.

New restaurant on second floor - has a new layout and style orientated furnishing but still quiet comfortable despite being over designed.

I like the new layout of the restaurant and it works well when they are busy. The staff are pleasant and efficient, the cakes on the other hand need a rethink. Not good. The drinks etc are lovely. We go there regularly and will continue as you always get a seat but they don't accept the My John Lewis Card which is silly and annoying.

Next time I'm back in Milton Keynes and i need a Coffee i will come here. It's much better that the other coffee houses. Coffee tasted better, It was clean and fresh. The team worked hard and the view over the shopping centre was good.

Popped into John Lewis Espresso Bar, had a refreshing update to the whole store bringing it up to date. Coffee and cake as you would expect.

Sorry J.L., but your cappuccino was undrinkable! Not at all the standard we've grown to expect. I did request a replacement, but regrettably this was equally bad. I can't even put it down to the cafe being busy - there was only one person in the queue when we arrived. I always use the JL cafés when shopping in Milton Keynes, but may have to review this in future. Such a disappointment.

My wife had an appointment in the spa so I had some time to kill in John Lewis. Stopped off in the Espresso bar, short wait and good cakes,

Si trova all' ultimo piano di un centro commerciale molto carino. Offre un pò di tutto, noi abbiamo preso un tè alla menta (£2.20) e una tortina alla crema con le fragole (£3.50), tutto molto buono. Lo consiglio!

Gorgeously fresh & tempting treats with helpful staff. The cafe space is tucked away with a view over the plaza/courtyard beneath so you can relax & enjoy while watching the world go by

This used to be their restaurant and was always too crowded and while still sometimes busy always have got a seat. Best seats overlook the plaza with always something to watch. Light snacks and cakes available all well presented. The latter are free once a month with their member card.

Really nice food. Always come in for my lunch treat whilst on a shopping trip. I love the sausage and mash :-) Can get very busy at times but have always managed to find somewhere to sit. Nice and clean.

One of the few places you can always get a seat. Selection of food very limited and there seems to be a strange way of getting your order. Staff pleasant as are the surroundings.

The new cafe at John Lewis is certainly a step upmarket from many of the surrounding cafes in the main shopping centre. Even from within the shop itself it is hard to find, , i thought that they had done away with the cafe, it is on the new second floor right at the top of the shop.

Went for a combination of late, light lunch and tea!

Having decided to have a quick bite to eat while shopping we thought the deli food suited our needs, so we waited and waited and waited ! While the only person serving tried to deal with a very long queue of dispirited people. I found a manager who apologised for the wait and duly we were served. The salad was ok, a lot of leaves but not bad, the bottled water was warm, but he seating area was busy and we sat on a table near to where the the trolleys were being taken into the kitchen. The sight of dirty plates, uneaten food and rubbish did not lend itself to the enjoyment of our lunch, neither did the excessive noise being generated by bottles and plates being thrown around, we actually gave up trying to have any conversation. Oh and you had to be very careful not to slip on the dropped food under our table, presumably from a previous diner. We did complain to the manager who was very apologetic again, we were given complimentary vouchers for drinks and cake, but the whole experience was extremely disappointing especially as its not a cheap option.

My husband, daughter and I stopped to look out over the Christmas scene. It's a wonderful place to take it all in if you're lucky enough to get a window seat. The staff are great, as you'd expect from John lewis and the coffee & drinks are fine. The food in my opinion is overpriced. Stear clear of the salads unless you want to pay £6\7 for a whole lettuce and measly amount of protein. Cakes are good but again I think too much for what they are.

I found the John Lewis espresso bar to be a great place to just sit back and chill out with a great cup of coffee. You get table service and the espresso bar is designed to give you space rather than just cramming as many people in as possible. Great view over the Middleton Hall. Food was really good for a light snack. Well worth a visit!

In John Lewis for curtains and popped upstairs for a bite to eat in their revamped restaurant.

Had chicken Caesar salad. The dressing was at bottom of dish. Think we had a whole lettuce with two thin pieces of chicken and slither of cheese. Price £6.50. Each. On a plus side the cakes and hit foods did look nice. If you are not happy make sure complain on day and not email to customer services a standard reply!

A fantastic place to chill out after shopping with the family and look over the exhibition hall within MK shopping centre. The scones are delightful and the the staff (particularly Alice) run it highly professionally. Definitely having another trip to MK just for this cafe.

The old John Lewis restaurant used to be jam packed

The store was extremely busy, it felt like Christmas. But this place was just what we needed for a break in our shopping experience.