Le Cafe Journal in Wiltshire

Would give Le Cafe Journal zero stars if I could! Proprietor was extremely rude and unwelcoming. As someone who works in hospitality I was amazed at her attitude considering she was the proprietor! I put it down to she was having a bad day but after reading other reviews it seems that she is just extremely rude!! I would not revisit or recommend to anyone! I love to support local businesses, however I would recommend going to the Wetherspoons over this place!

Overall the food was nice, and reasonably priced for a decent portion. It was interesting to see the proprietor (as indicated on her badge) announcing loudly when people walked in “it’s lunch, you can’t just have coffee” which is odd for a cafe on a Saturday. The layout was strange, the tables are big and take up most of the floor, you’d not be able to get a wheelchair or buggy in here (maybe that’s the aim…). You’ll learn the soup and quiche specials off by heart as you’ll hear them from each member of staff. We didn’t enjoy the glove wearing from all the staff members, as there was a dedicated chef so it didn’t feel necessary for the waiting staff to be wearing them - particularly as they were touching the card machine, till, glasses etc without changing them. The proprietor seemed very stressed/slightly erratic, she was seemingly micromanaging a poor teenage waiter and it was very uncomfortable. It’s an interesting experience and not a bad cafe but the proprietor maybe needs a holiday!

Excellent! Proper traditional cafe with classics like prawn Marie sandwich and beef mustard. Missed this, haven't had a sandwich as good since I was a kid! Real nostalgic. Very attentive staff. The only improvement I'd suggest would be to move the table directly infront of the door because it made the place inside feel like it was closed off, and maybe have some sort of small kids option, although I didn't ask, and I expect they would have done soemthing if I had asked. The food though was really fantastic, even the garnishing salad was lovely! Photos attached are of our food halfway through. And the treats they bought out for the dog.

You will be amazed by the decor! My wife and I pop in from time to time; she visits more with 'the girls'. Open for some magnificent lunches eg Homemade Quiche with Salad, Salmon, Amazing Ploughmans (my favourite), Homemade Fishcakes, Mushroom Stroganoff, Curry, Soups etc.. etc.. Excellent service from the proprietors Suzie & Trevor.

Amazing little place. I say this with the upmost love, this cafe like something you’d find in a Hallmark movie.

There are quite a few excellent eateries in Warminster but what makes this one stand out is its wonderful quirkiness. The food was excellent (highly recommend the Ploughmans) and the staff absolutely charming. Oh yes and a visit to the toilet could take longer than you expect as you have to read the walls!

Beautiful unique little cafe with fab coffee. Had a lovely prawn mayo sandwich garnished with salad, coleslaw & potato salad. Friendly staff and great menu.

A very tasty lunch. Great friendly service.

Been here a few times with my wife it’s a favourite of ours. Best omelettes for miles around.

This cafe is delightful! Very friendly helpful owner, and delicious food. Visited for lunch with my daughter, I had the best omelette I have ever had, it came with a good salad (delicious dressing), homemade coleslaw and potatoe salad. My daughter's Panini was equally delicious. Excellent coffee and the cakes looked fabulous. We will definitely be returning. Very good value.

It is a small cafe at the lower part of town in Warminster. It was empty when I arrived on my own - I wasn’t sure if the place was even open. Two large tables are in the window downstairs as well as one tiny table squeezed in tightly behind one of the larger tables with the main passageway and a step next to it with very little space around it. I asked to sit in the window on the larger table and it was point blank refused and told to go upstairs. I do wonder whether they meet legal disability requirements here! For this place if you have a mobility issue and you’re on your own, forget about being able to have a pleasurable experience here - go across the road to the deli cafe (which is coincidentally full) or to Costa cafe or coffee no 1

Weird place. Never heard of a cafe that won't let you in for a coffee. Very unwelcoming, wouldn't recommend.

First time in this clean cosy cafe, excellent service and a varied menu to choose from. The staff were friendly and helpful and the prices were very reasonable, will book up next time as it was very busy.

Excellent lunch and very friendly service. I have not been there before, so we'll impressed.

Lovely cafe…….amazing decor & we had pannis, which came with a lovey salad. Great wife & husband couple running the place!

My wife and I called in for lunch today for the very first time. The interior was spotless and well laid out.The lunch menu is well balanced and everything is cooked as ordered with fresh ingredients. We will no doubt call in again if we are ever in the town.

Found this gem purely by accident Had home made soup and this was simply the best I have ever had !! Could of eaten it again But would of spoiled my main Thai green curry again awesome!! Who needs a celebrity chef when you got people who deliver really high end food at normal prices !!!!

So pleased we had lunch at this lovely cafe. Very warm welcome and a table in the window was cleared for us. Great menu with plenty of choice. Two of our party had homemade quiche with salad and two had warm crusty baguettes both were delicious. Also being a very hot day we were asked if we wanted iced water for the table. Having never visited Warminster before, we were wondering what our options were and the propeietress pointed us in the direction of the park where we had a lovely walk around. So a great lunch, friendly hostess and a lovely walk thank you very much.

Lovely spot for lunch in Warminster. Super fresh food at a reasonable price. Friendly owners too. Will want to come back very soon!

Wonderful little spot. Staff were so friendly and the food was really lovely. Homemade, made to order, delicious. Highly recommended.

Fantastic food & warm, friendly service with a smile. Love this cafe, you are always made to feel so welcome & the food is fresh & delicious. Good value for money & would definitely recommend

Awful service! What has happened to this place? Greeted by a robotic waitress who, after seating us, proceded to ignore us completely in favour of a couple in the next table who were obviously her mates. We watched, as they were served their meal promptly ( their order was taken quickly, while we were left just sitting there, and we had limited time.) We were very annoyed by this complete ignoring of us, as we had been sitting there for nearly 20 minutes , whilst the other table had 5 star, chatty treatment. The waitress, sensing that we were far from happy ( I wonder why?) asked what was wrong. We had no wish to elaborate. The meal eventually arrived. It was a ciabatta, and we had no problem with the food as such; it was ok - par for the course- nothing special.. On being pressed yet again, we stopped eating and told her that we were made to feel neglected second-class citizens in her restaurant. She then started a tirade about how our meal took longer to prepare. That was not the issue at all, and we explained that we had been sitting at our table waiting for our order to be taken by her, but she was far too busy chatting to her friends on the other table who had arrived after us, and was making sure their order was taken, and that they were looked after. We, on the other hand, had sat for a long time without any notice being taken of us. Complete second class treatment. She continued to argue on and on with absolutely no apology, just trying to justify her poor treatment of us! This rant of hers with no apology upset me so much I couldn't eat the meal at all. Disgraceful behaviour on the part of a rude argumentative waitress. If she didn't want to know what we REALLY thought, she shouldn't have asked!! Surely if we were new to the cafe it should be us who she should be trying to impress, rather than her cronies! In the days of cost of living crisis, many people do not eat out, or if they do, expect it to be a bit of a treat. This was certainly far from a pleasant, peaceful lunch we had expected and spoilt our day. We later went on to a lovely little cafe up the road, and explained what had happened. Their kindness and courtesy went some way to making up for the awful treatment we had received. I had only been into the restaurant once before, and it was ok, but nothing special. I don't remember the rudeness then, however, otherwise I would certainly not have tried for lunch! I am in the hospitality business myself, and wouldn't dream of treating my guests in this way. Too many establishments are going under in this day and age too, and Warminster is no exception! I suggest the waiting staff review the way they treat their customers, and certainly NEVER ARGUE BACK with customers, when trying to justify poor, discriminatory service, thus making the situation even worse! We shall unsurprisingly not be returning, nor do we recommend the cafe to anyone else. Hopefully this situation might get resolved .

Visited here for lunch, a nice little cafe with a unique interior. The menu doesn't have many vegan options at all (a vegan curry or mushrooms on toast), which is disappointing. The staff were very accommodating though, very friendly and welcoming

Discovered this little gem in Warminster having not being able to get into any of the other coffee house franchises. Excellent friendly service, I was even asked for the number of shots I wanted in my Americano. We will definitely revisit 🥰

Me and my husband went for lunch today and as usual we were very satisfied. Excellent service excellent food reasonable prices ... always happy to go back and grateful we have such a nice cafe in warminster

Unexpected discovery on our way through Warminster. Wanted a coffee but decided to grab some lunch. What a great decision...delicious homemade food by husband and wife team. Very individual, quirky interiors and THE BEST BROWNIES EVER! Why do we put up with the Starbucks and Costas in our lives when there are wonderful independents like this. Loved it and thank you!

Very good food and service. Owner serves and she is very friendly to chat with.

Quirky cafe in the independent part of Warminster near the Athaneum. Loved it. Owners are obviously passionate about gf great cafe food and that you are looked after. Why not stay at Bishopstrow, book light lunch here then follow the incredible street art animals on doorways and walls or the blue plaque trail.

Great little cafe. Good value, very tasty and well presented food, lovely owners

Great family run cafe. Amazing service and great food. Freshly cooked I think.

Very attentive service. Good quality food served. It was fairly quiet when we went - just what we wanted 😊

Absolute gem of a cafe. Service excellent. We had a variety of dishes and they were all delicious and very well enjoyed.

A really lovely cafe. Delicious food and great service, I had an omelette, French style, and a flat white coffee. Both perfect!

Wonderful lunchtime spent here,super freindly service, excellent fresh food..a real treat..top of my local list to eat,highly recomend

Just exceptional. Only visiting the town for the day, but brilliant lunchtime food. Spotlessly clean as well.

First visited here prior to moving to Warminster and loved it. Today was the first time we made it back and the food was lovely. The service is friendly. Will definitely be back.

Arrived at 2.40 and was greeted with we close at 3. Disappointing and rubbish opening hours. Not a pop in and have a cuppa tea and cake and relax sort of place. If the owners can’t afford staff or utility bills maybe they should open the place up and make it more welcoming enabling it to be busier. The Tables are too big. it needs more tables for 2 and a huge cake fridge takes up all the room inside. What a Shame warminster needs this little cafe. No good to anyone if it’s only open 10.30 to 3.30 and has so few tables.

A very warm welcome from the staff, a vary comprehensive menu and swift service. Brilliant decor whic was very clean and tidy.

Rude owner, incredibly unwelcoming. Turns you away if you’re not visiting for lunch, stating that they only have limited tables. I thought money was money but apparently not. Would not recommend, there are much friendlier cafes to visit on the high street.

Best cafe in Warminster. Why go to the characterless plastic boxes called Costa or Coffee#1 when you can come to this beautiful, quaint little cafe run by local people, with cheaper prices, and a delicious (large) menu of hot food and drinks. There's sometimes a queue, but it's worth the wait.

The local optician recommended this cafe for lunch and it did not disappoint. It's like a tiny piece of France in Warminster. The atmosphere of this small cafe is lovely, the staff can't do enough for you, the food is delicious and the homemade cakes are amazing. I will definitely book next time as I would hate it if they couldn't squeeze us in. My 8-year-old son loved it too. The place is spotless. I would highly recommend this to anyone going to Warminster.

Took my mum for a Birthday Lunch. Food was delicious and the staff were friendly. This was our first visit it certainly won't be our last.

Nice place to pop in for lunch, recommend the quiche of the day.

Excellent food, coffee and service

Lovely place to eat, very friendly and caring.

Really friendly. Just passing through. Coffee excellent. Food really good. French chic atmosphere. Well worth a visit! Will return!

Fabulous food, attentive service, wonderful atmosphere and super covid safe - thanks to the owners. This was our first visit and we are sorry we don’t live nearer as we would find it hard to stay away- we would love to work our way through the menu. Can’t wait to come back

Lovely atmosphere with unique decor and good food to match.

Lovely cafe, extremely reasonable and the lady running it could not do enough for us. Lunch was very much delicious and the cakes looked gorgeous.

Good food, friendly staff and good wholesome menu. If you can get past the owners patronising and often hostile demeanor it's a great place to lunch......edit: owner has turned things around enormously; friendly, welcoming and attentive. Dunno what's facilitated the change, but it's turned a good cafe/patisserie into a great one. Recommended.

We are 4 friends who try to meet regularly for lunch. Café Journal has made us very welcome, there was no pressure to hurry up and, most importantly, the food is delicious. We were offered several specials - ploughman's and quiches, etc. and the regular menu is comprehensive. All the food is cooked to order, which includes Thai green curry and a generously filled omelette. Homemade cakes are irresistible and it's a perfect place to pop in for coffee and cake. Highly recommended.

A very well run café with heaps of character and style. The food and cakes are all made in-house and the staff are super-friendly and accommodating. Tea was served in teapots with extra hot water provided, and a jug of water was offered for the table too. Children are accommodated and may chose anything from the menu as a half portion. Card payments are accepted, and the Wi-Fi code is on the wall. Excellent service from a dedicated team!

Great food, good service, relaxed atmosphere, all was good.

Lovely cafe with warm welcome. Visited on a rainy January afternoon and the cosy oasis was much appreciated! We both had quiche of the day- very tasty with a generous side salad and shared a delicious slice of coffee, cocoa hazelnut cake for dessert that had only just been baked! What a treat!

We had a special evening at Café Journal. Our meals were delicious. The decor was interesting and tasteful (always nice to feed your eyes while eating very good food!). The service could not have been more friendly. Thoroughly recommend the nut roast. Thoroughly recommend you try this café out!

Had a very nice light lunch here. Very friendly and the food excellent.

So I wanted to make this place my regular but time and again I'm left disappointed with the manageress. The food is very good but I went in today I actually left my food and left because not only did I have to wait a long time to be served I had to listen to the manageress talk to customers 'non stop' and her volume is terrible and I note others have mentioned this. I wanted to go in and relax after a hard morning but felt her stress levels spilling over on to me and this is the third time now. Oh and for every customer who asks for a cake well you get the full run through at volume many times whilst you are in there...….'put it on a menu' I won't be going back and suggest that if you want a peaceful lunch break then you consider elsewhere which is a shame because its a nice place with nice food.....just not the ear bashing you get from the manageress.

Very nice scrambled egg and bacon on gluten free toast topped with a mich and brownie well served by a busy but lively lady

Lovely setting with great decor. Good cooked breakfast and friendly engaging staff.

Really great food and surroundings but spoiled by a stressed vocal waitress telling the cafe how busy they were. Think I heard it 5 times during my 45 minute stay.

Ordered two hot chocolates which were just warm we told the owner but she said they couldn’t make it hotter in case we got burnt. Next time we’ll ask for it much hotter.

Needing to stop for lunch, we decided to try Le Cafe Journal. The service was excellent, very polite & helpful. I ordered a mushroom omelette & the other half had mixed antipasti. Both dishes were delicious, as was the apple & rum cake - really very nice. The doggy biscuits for our furry companion was a nice touch too !We both had an enjoyable experience here. Thank you.

Good c offee if service a little slow. Very good home made cakes and food. Very good atmosphere and outside seating when weather permits

On arrival at 1 45 pm we were informed that the Cafe closes at 2 30 pm. My husband replied that this was plenty of time. The food served by a extremely pleasant young lady was very good ( we both had sandwiches which were tasty with side salad added) we were told about the cakes which we were assured were all home made. There was a newspaper available and it’s quite difficult to ascertain exactly why we nevertheless felt rather uncomfortable. The lady owner was enthusiastic but rather tense. She clearly doesn’t read trip advisor or she would have read similar comments about her slightly acerbic manner.. At 2 18 pm she started to become like a whirling dervish. Rushed outside to take in the boards, cashed up, put the closed sign on the door, came over to our table, eyed my unfinished orange juice and gave me the cap saying I could take it with me! We did pay the bill and left well before the 2 30 pm deadline therefore. We won’t be back because although the Taste Deli ( a few doors away in Warminster high street) is very small we never feel rushed there and always are given a warm smiling welcome. Furthermore I always have time for a generous slice of one of the superb home made cakes or scones on offer!

We regularly visit for either drinks and cakes or for lunch. We have never had a problem and the owner, Susie, has always been welcoming. Nothing is too much trouble. If you want things added or removed from your lunch (salad, baguette, etc) then it can be. Want to mix two different things on the menu, it can be done. As for the cakes, they are to die for. Trevor is an outstanding chef!

Very nice food served with a friendly atmosphere, very clean and excellent value for money

Great place good team serving and preparing food.

An excellent dinner for 15 last night in the Café Journal in Warminster. We enjoyed our visit very much. Drinks to start on the pavement outside in the sunshine, and then two delicious courses with tea or coffee afterwards. Dinner is not a regular event here yet, but we booked it specially. Hopefully they will organise more.

We called in for lunch when we were passing through on our way to Stourhead.

Lovely independent cafe. Quality fresh food & drinks. During busy period when sat at the front, the loud running commentary between owner and staff felt a little intense

Visited here for the first time today with my Partner whilst driving back home from a West Country holiday and glad we did. Was greeted by polite staff (Wife owner and waitress) both of whom went through the menu options and answered any questions we had. The menu is well thought out, all homemade and well presented. We visit a lot of similar establishments throughout the year and must say that the food and coffee served here was some of the best that we have ever had. The butternut squash, sweet potato & ginger soup tasted exactly as every component that went into it. The cake selection was excellent - I opted for the Peach & Ginger cheesecake and must say it was one of the best I have ever tasted. The coffee was strong and aromatic - all in all, absolutely delicious and a thoroughly pleasant experience. The chef (Husband owner) is obviously talented. Would highly recommend this to anyone as a must visit venue and we will definitely be returning when next passing through the area in August.

Will not be returning after receiving a lecture from the Manageress(?) after mentioning how noisy it was, she contributed to a lot of the noise! The two young girls serving were pleasant and the food was OK. This establishment could thrive with a new Manager who recognises the value of good Customer Service!

My friend and I visited today for lunch. All was well when we arrived and we were welcomed cordially by a lady, I presume the owner. There were two other tables in use in the room and we soon realised that it was difficult to hear each other speak, maybe because of the acoustics and, when the lady bought some drinks over she had just bade a quite loud farewell to other customers, she asked if all was ok. I joked that it was nice to be able to hear myself think, well, I received a tirade of information about how these people were her regulars, she would not tell them to be quiet, she welcomed kids to bang on tables and animals were allowed in the cafe. When I told her that I had not asked her to tell anyone to be quiet and did not require a lecture, she proceeded to rant again about these people's being her regular customers and they could do as they please. I cannot believe how rude she was. Having said that, the food was fine and the young lady who dealt with our order was very nice and polite.

Lovely place to have a bite to eat plus tea and coffee and ask for hot water top uo for your tea Comes with a smile not a frown Food equal to the french decor Pretty.utterly french 10 out of 10 customer service

My mum and I were heading to the coast and stopped off in Warminster for lunch. From the outside this looked like a nice cafe. From the inside, the decor was stunning. Absolutely brilliantly themed with french literary style.

Fabulous afternoon tea with my best friend to celebrate my birthday. Great service, amazing cakes, and a glass or two of prosecco to wash it down, great value. Thank you.

Popped in for lunch, greeted by friendly staff. Ordered a beef sandwich, which had good thick sliced bread with tasty beef. I had a bacon & brie panini, one of the best I've had. Both served with creamy potato salad & mixed salad. We had a tea pot full of tea with offers of extra hot water.

Service exellent food very good

Went in for a coffee, the coffee was very strong, and on enquiring about the coffee was told that Le Cafe Journal was renowned for its strong coffee, news to me and have been in few times before and not had a problem, just have to have tea next time !

One of our favourite cafes in warminster.the coffee and menu are excellent and the staff first class and best of all there is a dog friendly area away from the kitchen and a dog free area for those who would rather avoid them.Best of both worlds!

My wife and myself called there this morning. Were greeted and we took a seat . Placed our order. Lovely cup of tea . Great home made cake. We agreed that we would call again when next in Warminster. Then as we got up to leave a woman with a dog walked it. She was obviously a regular. She sat down on a bench seat behind a table and was joined by her dog who after walking up and down the bench seat stood alongside her.

We were visiting Warminster & had the most delicious lunch & homemade cakes. Excellent prices & service. Will definitely visit again

very good food, lovely atmosphere, attentive staff, not sure they could have done more; oh and prices were reasonable

What a lovely spot for scone (with jam and cream) and a pot of earl.grey. tasty scone and friendly staff.

High street location, shabby chic decor, lovely home made food, a house speciality gorgeous quiches with a delightful salads, good range of hot and cold drinks

Lovely friendly cafe with great coffee and homemade cakes. Very accommodating to special diets such as gluten or dairy free. Could not recommend more highly.

Great homemade cakes,quality coffee, freshly prepared food, and efficient service in a friendly local cafe setting with outside and indoor seating.

We just dined here and had a really lovely experience. So lovely in fact that I wanted to post right away! I had a mocha coffee which was honestly THE BEST mocha I’ve ever had, so tasty and a nice amount of chocolate. I had the tortellini with mushroom and cheese sauce, which was amazing. Even the butter that was served with the bread was amazing tasting. Compliments to the chef! And the staff were so lovely. We really loved the decor as well, even the bathroom was impressive. The only tiny thing I’d suggest is maybe having some music playing quietly? But it doesn’t really matter because it was lush thank you. We will be back!

This is a lovely cafe with great coffee, friendly service and lovely scones. Didn’t eat a meal here but excellent range and choice. Would definitely go back for coffee or food. High recommend. Great gluten free choice too.

I know good coffee when I taste it and the coffee at Cafe Journal is the best in town if not outside Italy. On top of that the cakes and pastries are delicious (all home made). I love this little sanctuary from the outside world, staff very friendly and attentive. What's more, Peggy & Sophie love it too (very dog friendly), dogs allowed down stairs.

Have visited this place on a couple of occasions, both times the coffee was bad. Asked for a latte and instead got an Americano style coffee. Not good! , also it must of been microwaved as a skin was formed on the top. Will not return.

Much cosier than chain coffee shops. All food cooked in house. Do not be put off if it looks crowded there are seating areas at the rear and upstairs but people like the front. Also make the most delicious bread pudding for miles around. Vegan and gluten free stuff is available too if you have special dietary needs.

Lovely service, food nice and they offered to fill up our bike water bottles without us even asking!

This is a lovely place for lunch with reasonably priced offerings prepared fresh and well presented. Staff are friendly and owner is welcoming and informative. One low point, we found the coffee to be of poor quality, bitter, too hot (maybe burnt) and just not great. Will still visit again but will have tea instead. Nearly forgot to say that the cakes on display looked wonderful, homemade and fresh.

Lovely friendly cafe with great style and excellent coffee.

The first thing that attracted us was the cafe was full on a Friday morning. I looked for more space and saw a sign. We entered and were greeted by a friendly member of staff who ushered us to free seats and let us rest a few minutes before taking our coffee order. A lovely cafe with a unique sense of design and excellent coffee. We will definately return there.

Le Cafe Journal serves up home made goodness in an area with an abundance of microwave chefs.

It was pouring with rain and this place was our oasis from the wet and cold. After a long journey our dog was a bit whiney but they didn't mind and made us all very comfortable. The food was lovely too and very reasonably priced.

Quirky, cosy and interesting. Coffee was good, can't comment on the food as we only had a drink.

The cafe is under new ownership now. I have been there three times recently. The food and service is good but I would have a small advice to the lady who I think may be the owner. As soon as I step inside the cafe I feel like I am being given "orders" by the lady example: where to go, where to sit etc. I am sure she just wants to look after customers but I think it should not be so direct. I have this impression every time I go.