Journey Social Espresso Bar in Lancaster

We were told that there were people waiting before us so we had to wait for a table. As if we should know that the people waiting in the rain on the other side of the street are for their cafe. The food was ok nothing out of the ordinary in fact I’d say that it was far too complex for a simple breakfast meal. You can have all the ingredients for an “English breakfast” but it seemed (I could be wrong) that nothing on the menu comes with bacon. However, you can add bacon at £3.20. It’s somewhat pretentious in what they serve and I don’t like the “rule” (unwritten anywhere) that you pay prior to receiving your food as then they have your money before they serve you and they also ask if you’d like to leave a tip prior to actually serving your food! Normally I’d do that at the end when I’ve received the service and know what it’s like. It came to £90 (just under) for 4x brunch brioche and avacado on toast and 5x average coffees. I wouldn’t come again it’s far too pretentious and self important in my opinion.

Outstanding coffee! And the breakfast - delicious. Hit the spot for a slap up pre-graduation feed. Staff are so friendly. Highly recommend

Ordered a meal. When asked if I had any allergies I said that I have a gluten intolerance but that I have eaten sourdough bread without any problems for more than 10 years. They refused to serve me anything but gluten free bread. Very annoyed that as a 64 year old woman I have been treated like a child who doesn't know what she can eat. Needless to say I left and will not be going back.

Had brunch here and quite enjoyed it. Had a latte which actually tasted quite bitter as if the beans were a little old. The presentation was nice though. Had a black pudding Benny from the menu which was delicious. A side of hot honey hash browns was a bit disappointing to be honest. Having been to lots of other “brunch” restaurants I was expecting lovely crisp potato bites with a drizzle of honey, but what I got was 3 supermarket style browns, soggy and swimming in syrup. Not the best when they could have been so much better Would go back but not hurry.

Amazing breakfast, little pricey but was so worth it. Would definitely recommend and will be trying the evening menu at the first opportunity.

Perfect! Polite, friendly and efficient staff. An excellent choice of fantastic quality, tasty and reasonably priced food and drink. Good choice for vegetarians and also dog friendly! If only more places were like this. We will certainly be back if we ever visit Lancaster again. The only negative is that you may have to wait for a seat, which is totally understandable given it’s well deserved popularity.

We arrived and spent quite a while deciding what we wanted, we ordered coffees whilst we chose. You have to pay as you order your food and were then told that it was card only - which neither of us really had. I asked why it wasn’t advertised anywhere that it was card only and the response was “we’re pretty well known for being card only”. Which came across as bit pretentious. Only well known to those who have been told before surely? I’ve been a few times and never knew. Some signs are definitely needed. We were told we could leave and they wouldn’t charge us for the coffees as an apology, but we’d spent that long deciding and were short on time we stayed and I had to then go and bank the cash. It was very frustrating and awkward. The food was average, and I didn’t know i’d been charged so much for some sauce or I wouldn’t have ordered it. You only find out after you’ve paid and I just couldn’t be bothered to dispute it at this point. We won’t be back as it’s just not worth the hassle.

I visited Journey Social on Saturday and unfortunately had a disappointing experience. My boyfriend had the brioche bun which was lovely however my Turkish eggs were really bland and tasteless. My dish came with four pieces of sourdough, which was really over facing as there was a lot of bread. It was served with two poached eggs and labneh. There were no flavours of warmth coming through the dish as no harissa butter or herb oil was added. The labneh which I thought was a thick texture was very thin and runny like cream. Unfortunately the dish, including the poached eggs came cold. I didn’t eat my dish and no one checked on us to make sure it was ok. That being said the staff were dealing with a quick turnover of people. We have been twice before and the food has been amazing, so sorry to leave such a negative review but hope the feedback can be taken on board

First time we have been and thoroughly enjoyed our meal……can’t believe we haven’t been before. Service and staff excellent and food served quite quickly.A bit odd paying before we had eaten but will not deter us from visiting again.Beautiful meal and looking forward to trying other items on menu.

The food (I had a brunch brioche) was tasty and well presented but the service left much to be desired, especially as one had to pay upfront. That doesn’t feel especially hospitable or welcoming and doesn’t invite one to linger for a coffee, as I had initially intended. Went and had coffee and dessert elsewhere. Shame really.

Best breakfast and brunch menu in town, some great vegan and gluten free options also. Service is always super friendly and the atmosphere is cozy, especially at the front of the cafe; the back of the cafe is a little dark. The bathroom amenities could be fixed up a little bit!

So highly recommend visiting here! On a busy Saturday pre Christmas our party of seven were seated quickly! Drinks & food orders taken promptly, we didn't wait long for our festive feast to arrive! The food is amazing, presented well along with service from a team that really care!! Nothing was too much of a problem, if ever in Lancaster this is a must to experience!! Thank you & Merry Christmas! 🌲 The Hendersons

Absolutely love! Will travel just to visit here. Excellent coffee and brunch choices. Great cakes too. Staff are really friendly. I don’t know what you put in your hummus but it’s delicious. Only down side is there’s only one high chair. I always meet a friend here and we both have little ones. We have to swap around. Please get another one or two for all the parents of toddlers visiting. We need our coffee trips more than most!

Best brunch I’ve had in a long time! I visited for the first time and loved the unusual options and flavour combinations for vegetarians and the beautifully presentation - really refreshing and always a bonus when you feel comfortable as a solo diner!

We asked the 2 ladies on the next table what they had just been served as it looked delicious! And we ordered the same, haloumi brunch with bacon and it was amazing, really enjoyable lovely tasting food. Yummy yummy, Thank you!!

Beautiful menu, makes for mouth-watering reading. Unfortunately the reality didn't quite live up to expectation. Everything that should have been hot was lukewarm; one of my poachies was overcooked (hard yolk); portions perhaps smaller than I would expect for the price. Staff are always visibly working hard but are clearly overstretched which compromises the service. My friend and I sat on a table at the end of the counter, and were cramped on by customers waiting for their take-out drinks. The fabric of the chairs looked like it would benefit from a scrub, definitely a little grubby.

Don't quite get the popularity of this place. I've been a few times now. Observation each time is; they're pretty good at presenting food but flavour is just average. Eggs were really under poached. Chopped sausage bound in a curry sauce was really uninspiring. You're asked to tip before receiving any kind of service or your food which is a bit weird too. That said, service has been good on my visits.

I'm gutted to be writing this as I've only ever had excellent experience here but last week was poor. I visited with two others and two of us chose the same dish. As I was eating, I found a hair in my food and alerted the server who didn't seem too concerned. I said I would carry on eating as I couldn't wait for another dish to be cooked. A few minutes later, my friend also found a hair in her dish. Again, we alerted the server. Eventually, she came back and said that we could have another dish cooked but we had somewhere to be and couldn't wait for another one to be cooked. I have reached out to JS a week ago who said they would look into it but have not come back to me. I expected better as I have only ever had positive visits here in the past.

We visited here as we know it has a good reputation and the food looks fab on other reviews and the menu. There was a queue as it was prime Sunday brunch time but we weren’t waiting long in the end. It was a cold day and we were sat close to the door which unfortunately did not close properly and there was a draught. We then moved further inside but the issue with the door continued. The staff left the door wide open to go in and out to clear outside tables as well as let customers from the queue in meaning the whole cafe became quite cold. The staff were friendly and accommodating in general. We ordered our drinks and then food - the drinks arrived after the food which was a little strange. The dishes we had were presented really nicely and the food itself was perfect. The coffee was great too. Another small issue was their process of the kitchen staff upstairs letting the waiting staff downstairs know that food was ready - a very loud long electric doorbell. This goes off quite a lot and unfortunately affects the general atmosphere. All in all, the food and drink was fab, but the whole experience was diminished by the other issues mentioned which are fairly minor to change!

This is one of those menus where you just don`t know what to choose for the best...it all sounds so good. So basically we just ordered 2 lovely plates of comfort and for pure gluttony we ordered more to take home for supper. Lovely staff , really well trained , smiling and very friendly. Highly recommended for a very enjoyable food fix. Oh and we took some Portuguese custard tarts home too....amazing.

First time I'd visited here, arrived just as the door was being unlocked at 9am, and by the time the waiter had come for the order it was busy with people, which says volumes. I ordered a Egg Royale, my friend Avocado on toast. We had a Camomile and a Earl Grey tea . My Egg Royale was amazing, sourdough toast with smoked salmon and 2 perfectly poached eggs with hollandaise sauce. My friends was equally as amazing. We will definitely be back. It seems odd to call it a café as it conjures up the wrong image, the atmosphere here is lovely very informal, but professional, staff really friendly and helpful., and the place is really clean. I'm really impressed

brilliant accessibility! my sister is disabled and they were brilliant with her and made our whole family feel so welcome i am on the autistic spectrum and struggle with food touching and they accommodated me so well (photo included) and it made us all so happy. delicious food and great service 10/10 would recommend to anyone

This is best food in Lancaster. Not the cheapest but tastiest snd I. Our eyes good worth paying for. The staff are always lovely and keep you well informed. The French toast is delicious. It’s always the place my kids ask to go.

Excellent service by Matt and fantastic food, we had smashed avocado with peas, chilli and seeds, on sourdough with poached eggs and bacon, fab !!!

This is hands down the best brunch place I have been too! The menu regularly changes but keeps the classics. The french toast is the best dessert I have ever had and the classic stays the same but there is also an alternative option that changes. The Strawberry & Basil option (in the photo) is the best one yet. The flavour combinations are clearly very well thought through and work amazingly well. This restaurant is hands down my favourite in the area & I have been several times now. I wish they would open an evening restaurant full time because if the daytime food is anything to go by then this would be sell out every night.

Just called in for Brunch on a friends recommendation & we weren’t disappointed. Everything was great - friendly & efficient service. The food was delicious. The tables were clean & tidy. We sat inside as it was too hot outside & thoroughly enjoyed our brunch. Will definitely be going back as we enjoyed it so much. The cakes looked great too but didn’t have room for 1 so will be going back to give 1 a try. The bathroom was lovely & clean too! Only thing we did notice is that there is a board outside across from the place, where you wait to be seated. We didn’t see this & walked straight in, as did many other customers & those who did stand by the board seemed to be waiting to be spotted as it was quite busy at lunchtime so I’m not sure what purpose this board serves.

It isn't an exaggeration to say I love this place, and visit each time I'm in England. If the same existed in Australia I'd be a regular. The food is lovely, the menu is inventive, fresh and presented beautifully. The service is attentive and friendly,...

Nice to sit outside in the sunshine enjoying a chicken gyros. Was decent but not amazing. Waitress asked for payment when we ordered, perhaps she thought we were going to do a runner (although one of us was in a wheelchair) ha. Very rarely carry...

We’ve heard a lot of good reviews about Journey Social and were really looking forward to finally visiting. Unfortunately we left incredibly disappointed. My biggest issue was the Gyros we ordered. This looked very nice on social media but what was presented was far from...

Visited with my son for French Toast and coffee. It was very busy and I can see why. The service was very good and the Baileys French Toast was absolutely gorgeous. If you read this Journey Social could you please please consider making some creme...

Justifiably, a very popular cafe. It's just the kind of high quality cafe venue that Lancaster needs. We had bacon chop Eggs Benedict and the French Toast and both were excellent and very well prepared. Deserves to flourish and we will certainly be visiting again.

Absolutely fantastic Friendly staff Quick service and beautiful food I’d give it way more than five stars Going again tomorrow … only went last Friday!

This place is awesome and serves on of the best breakfasts I have ever eaten. Lovely atmosphere and great staff but it is the food that stands out.

This is so great, the food is so tasty, staff are so lovely and its such a lovely atmosphere. Highly recommend!!

Had this cafe recommended by a friend and I am so glad we found time to visit. French toast was incredible, as was iced coffee. Lovely Cafe too, very instagrammable

We have been several times before (as a couple) but this time we brought our toddler. I wrongly assumed that Journey had several high chairs, but the one they had was in use. The front of house team were accommodating and let us sit near...

Went for lunch with partner with the aim of planning an upcoming fun trip abroad. We waited outside in the rain before eventually being seated, we ordered breakfast and coffee, we paid upfront (weird) and then we sat back down ready to get stuck in...

We have heard good things about Journey social so decided to give it a try on Sunday after our visit to see the reindeer. We arrived at the cafe at 3.34pm and we were told that after 3.30 we could only have takeaway coffee despite...

Been here many times and they are always so friendly and accommodating! We turned up as a table of 9, 6 adults and 3 little ones! We definitely didn’t expect to all be seated as a family as it is only a small place and...

Came on new menu day which we didn’t know had the sticky toffee French toast did not disappoint ! Compliments to the chef, staff were lovely and helpful with recommendations can’t wait for our next visit

A very pleasant and very warm experience . Coffee was great and well presented . Surroundings were warm and well planned to give a continental feel with an emphasis on organic vibes . Staff were nicely dressed and a pleasure to be around . No...

Been coming here for brunch most weekends since the middle of the pandemic (outside tables!). Food is always excellent, with an extensive, interesting, constantly changing menu, and friendly, smiley, helpful staff. Pretty much perfect.

Lots of good things about this new ‘in’ place. But enough bad to make me think about revisiting. Arrived on a not busy Saturday before lunch and like sheep we were ushered to a ‘pen’ over the road and told to wait for a table...

I come here very often with friends and always have enjoyable food with good service. The last time I visited I had the egg Benedict and it was perfect as usual. Bacon was nice and crispy, eggs cooked well and hollandaise sauce was very tasty....

Oh my goodness. How has it taken us so long to find this gem of a place. We visited the Journey Social New Street for Saturday Brunch. Fantastic atmosphere, light, and airy. Great soundtrack playing in the background. Staff were welcoming, friendly, and struck exactly...

Excellent menu, delicious food, beautifully presented. Wanted everything on the menu. Would definitely recommend this place.

Be prepared to only receive one piece of toast, with whatever you order. One piece of unseasoned avo on toast presented on an otherwise empty plate was a sad vision. Seeds unroasted. Underwhelming and bland. Not sure 1/2 sundried tomato on top warrants it being...

Great place to have brunch, lunch and even the odd evening meal. Food always on point, regular menu changes keep it fresh. Staff are always welcoming and friendly, nothing too much trouble. A MUST visit when in Lancaster.

Once again, the best coffee by far in Lancaster. What made the coffee so very good was the way it had been prepared, fantastic. It's not always just about the ingredients, it's also vitally about the way it's prepared 👌 Why I am writing this...

Waiting outside for bleeding ages, regardless of a number of tables free, the staff saw it fit to leave us outside in harsh conditions when all I wanted was a coffee

Or go to cafe in Lancaster! Absolutely amazing food, extremely lovely staff, and very reasonably priced. We love coming here and will continue to do so for a while! Huge thank you to the lovely waiting staff and chefs who always make our visits so...

We had brunch at Journey Social again this week. It is absolutely our go to place to eat breakfast in Lancaster. The food is always excellent as is the service. There’s a great selection to choose from and the menu changes regularly so you won’t...

The first night of their burgers evening menu. We were their first customers. It was great. The burgers were unbelievable and 8 quid? I went to a pub chain last week and it's not a patch. Good work journey social keep it up

Their rule of making people wait outside doesn’t work. We waited outside for 10 minutes when someone just walked in in front of us. Despite being alerted by several people inside what had happened, they proceeded to sit the people down. No apology and just...

My family and I have visited several times and have found it to be lovely, however we visited today and found the wait for food was that long, even though not busy, the drinks had gone cold by the time the food came. The cafe...

Stopped here for brunch while working in the area. Staff were very attentive and polite. They had oat milk which was a bonus, I can drink milk but nowadays prefer alternatives. The coffee came served with a small square of a pink wafer thing with...

Ordered the black pudding and bubble and squeak for £8.50. I would've been pleased to have had this as a starter at half the price. I was still hungry after polishing it off in less than five minutes. It tasted decent enough, but I complained...

I came here for the first time just before new year with my partners mum and its was just amazing! I had the eggs royale, which was by far the best I've ever had poached eggs were perfectly cooked and the dill hollandaise was 🤤,...

Food is great, amazing ingredients, service quick and friendly. Great location in the city centre. The only problem is that none of the staff wear face coverings. Wearing face masks and such might help customers (especially the individuals at risk) feeling safer, especially with the...

Wonderful food and coffee. As the food was delivered to each table it was a feast for the eyes. Great coffee and service. A must visit any time if the year

The Pear and Raspberry cake is probably the best cake I have ever tasted. Lovely Americano and a really nice ambience. Loved it and I will return for sure

What a fabulous place. Great decor and ambience, welcoming and efficient service and above all very tasty food. I went for the pulled pork. Devine. Sharing a French toast a great way to finish a meal. The best meal I’ve had in a while. Special...

My office is around the corner and I walk past journey social every day. Called in for lunch at last and wow! In Lancaster! What amazing food and amazing value. Superb quality and presentation very similar in menu to places like Home Ground in Windermere...

Fantastic little brunch/coffee bar! We’ve been regulars at journey social since it first opened and I can’t see that changing anytime soon. The staff are absolutely lovely and so friendly. The food is just superb, and the coffee is a delight but if you’re not...

Seen a lot about this place on Instagram so we thought we'd go for some food. The staff were short with us and it really ruined the experience. The food was fine but I didn't get the hype.

We visited today. Nice location and very clean. Disappointed however that our daughter walked in to the glass entrance door , broke her glasses, hurt her head and knee . She was very upset and staff seemed disinterested. I had to go to the toilet...

We used to love JS but this is the second time we’ve been disappointed. The waitress was blatantly rude. The food mediocre and unfortunately cold both times. Not sure what happened. Top tip if you want customers to return, change your waitress. Stop pre-paring food.

I thought the food was fantastic . I couldn’t understand why it took so long to sit us down when there were so many enpty tables visible. It then took a really long time for the waitress to take our order. Everyone was lovely though...

Have previously visited JS at their smaller restaurant which always had people waiting for tables so the fact they have now moved into bigger premises means a better chance of getting seated! We visited on Saturday afternoon at midday and although a few parties in...

Our first visit to journey social and would definitely go back! It's so refreshing to find a different style breakfast menu to the norm. Really nicely done out inside (covid safe) and staff very attentive! I had the piquen breakfast (avocado, chilli jam, chorizo, bacon,...

Wow! This place is amazing. Great menu, great service. We had breakfast and coffees and spent an hour there on Saturday morning. People queuing throughout so clearly a very popular spot. The owners have got the formula spot on, everything about this place says quality...

Just our favourite place to eat in Lancaster. The food is always amazing. Loving your new menu, perfect as every. Lovely atmosphere and love that we can sit outside on a sunny day. We will be back next week to work our way through the...

All I can say is WOW! Everything was excellent! The service was brilliant the girls made me feel so welcome😊 the food came quick and the presentation was stunning!! If I could ask that smashed avocado on a date I would🥰 atmosphere was so chill...

Great menu and surroundings, the staff were perfect in every way! Quick service, without skimping on the quality of the food, all the meals arrived together and were well waited on.. you won't be disappointed.

Visited this morning for brunch, they were incredibly busy but the food was served promptly and was delicious! Good variety of food options and didn’t try the cakes but the selection at the counter looked delicious. I had the buttermilk fried chicken which was honestly...

Lovely friendly staff, 10/10 for food, atmosphere, decor, COFFEE, presentation and taste! Make sure you come here.

Fantastic little place - what a find. Food was delicious. Daughter said that it was the best breakfast she had ever had! Real attention to detail using quality ingredients. Coffee was superb. Friendly staff. I now understand why there’s generally queues outside!

Saturday breakfast in this excellent and slightly quirky venue. Food and service was outstanding and locals should support this place through the current climate. Stumbled upon it while visiting and great value good food and tea.

Happened upon this great little espresso bar while looking for some brunch. What can I say - “fan tas tic” Coffee was great and the food was beautifully presented and tasted great. Would I come back again? Hell yes - so much more of the...