The Place to Eat - John Lewis in Norwich

The trays at the service till were dirty, the table was dirty and I had to clean it (luckily I always carry hand wipes with me) when we told the lady at the pay point that the trays were dirty all she said was sorry, so we had to carry our stuff to the table with out a tray which was difficult for us as I have disabilities (these are evident). I probably will not be visiting this place again

Living a short distance out side Norwich we often pop in to John Lewis and generally go to their Benugo’s cafe for coffee and cake etc. or a light lunch. This particular time we went into Norwich to shop and decided to try The Place to Eat for lunch. Wish we hadn’t - the food on display looked very unappetising, there were very few options of sandwiches or rolls etc, the hot food was nearly finished, even though it was only 1.15 pm, and the people serving were not welcoming, in fact they were quite miserable, unhelpful and unfriendly. The brioche roll I chose was not very nice and I left half and the scone my husband had was very dry. Not a very nice experience at all actually, so we definitely won’t be going back, we will just stick to Benugo’s or lunch in one of the many eating places in Norwich.

Only use the cafe when JL offers a free drink or cake. Usually it’s ok - not today. The 2 staff members male & female (on left as you enter) had terrible trouble raising a smile and did not in anyway come across as friendly or helpful. Surprised & somewhat taken aback - as this is not what I usually experience in JL. The coffee was fine but the fruit scone was hard/stale - didn’t bother returning as didn’t want to deal with thethe unwelcoming duo.

We had a late breakfast here when we arrived for our Christmas shopping day in Norwich, hubby had a sausage sandwich and I had sourdough toast, we both had a pot of tea as well. The food was made to order, and the staff member who served us was friendly and polite. The cafe is nice, it's clean and has a nice atmosphere.

We popped in today having done some shopping. We had intended on having a slice of cake each until we saw the price. So had coffees instead. We had to move stuff from the table to sit down as did many others, which in itself is fine The server's were pleasant and friendly. The iced coffee had not been mixed properly and just a sludge of coffee at the bottom , so we mixed it. It just was not a pleasant experience. It did not feel very clean apart of that it looked run down and felt like a school canteen.

We ordered toasted cheese sandwiches on sourdough bread. They were tasteless with hardly any cheese. We will not be returning

Popped in for tea and cake at 3.15pm. Selection of cakes was abysmal at the premium time of day, also overpriced for the portion size. Opted for the 'crusty ' scone instead.Staff at the till looked as miserable as sin. At one time John Lewis was renowned for its customer service...........not any more! Steer clear, there are many better cafes' in Norwich for your tea and cake.

Tenterfield tiene un lugar inolvidable para comer. El Tenterfield Bowling Club.El servicio era superior, la comida era impecable y los propietarios no podían hacer lo suficiente para que comer fuera una experiencia alegre y notable. No puedo recomendar este club de bolos lo suficiente. no pases ni vayas a Tenterfield sin comer allí. Un lugar para no perderse nunca.

Stopped by for a coffee and a Sarni. Great coffee and tasty food. Really clean and friendly, bit expensive For a store, to be honest, but it was nice. Staff were really conscientious and it was easy to get a table.

Visited for a snack after checking on our unborn at Window To The Womb. We had our twin toddlers with us, both enjoyed an Edgar cookie in nice clean high chairs, my wife had a lemon merengue pie and I had the best spiced rum and ginger cake with my cappuccino!

Hadn't been to this cafe recently. Hot drinks and cake counter had moved. A real muddle getting served and then was expected to lean over customer in front of me to pick up card machine. Have bad back and not easy to reach and it seemed rude to have to do this. Got to table and found staff hadn't given us any cups. Staff unsmiling and gave the impression they were doing us a huge favour.Shame really as I like the shop but I won't be rushing back to The Place to Eat.2 star service but cakes still good

hi all I went to John Lewis cafe at around 1:25pm I orderd 1 cheese scone £2.50 and 1 butter short bread which was £ 2 .25 and £2 .35 it was very nice we enjoyed scone and coffee was nice to the staff were friendly and welcoming and we would return thank again John Lewis cafe we will recommend.

Popped in for breakfast as a treat, I wish we hadn’t! Sausages were ok, bacon was soggy and fatty, and the beans both looked, and tasted disgusting! Won’t bother returning!

A la comida de los niños les faltaban los sándwiches, se habían acabado o no se habían entregado (esto era al comienzo del almuerzo). Segunda vez que esto ha sucedido (y no somos habituales). Parecen no poder prepararse en el sitio.Las baguettes en oferta eran muy duras.Mi curry era bueno, aunque el poppadom era un poco duro.

Decidimos almorzar, pescado y papas fritas fue elegido por mi esposo. El pescado parecía demasiado cocido y los guisantes blandos eran casi negros, lo que no era muy apetitoso, ¡dijo que las papas fritas eran buenas! Tuve queso y tomate quiche con ensalada. Ciertamente, demasiada lechuga, 2 trozos de tomate y 3 trozos de pepino, parecían simplemente golpeados en el plato. Ambas comidas parecían exprimirse en platos oblongos. El bollo era muy bonito, pero podría ser un poco más suave.Muy decepcionado y no lo recomendaría para una comida. Durante una larga espera, noté que el precio de los pasteles para su tamaño era muy caro.

Quick pit stop whilst shopping in the city and shopping in JL. Hubby had tea and carrot cake I had latte and lemon meringue . Both totally exquisite cakes . Nice clean restaurant not overly busy. Does as it says on the tin. Excellent .

My friend and I, no my ITALIAN, very fussy, food snob friend and I went for coffee and a savoury scone each, last week. It was the best scones we had had in a long time! The last time we enjoyed a scone like this was when chef Kelly D were still head chef at the refectory. Well done! We have been looking for a new place to enjoy fresh baked goodies since we decided not to go to the aforementioned place anymore! Very good indeed!!!

Cream tea with no cream and a rock hard scone , staff seemed to have poor grasp of English won’t come here again

I like breakfast, it’s a great start to the weekend. My favoured place was crazy busy but as I had to visit JL anyway I figured why not try their breakfast. I won’t be hurrying back! It’s not difficult even catering en mass to be better than this. Mushrooms were luke warm & totally tasteless other than a bitter greasy flavour, the fried egg was also swimming in grease even though it was cooked to order, the bacon and sausages were warm at best. There is no way the items were at an acceptable ‘hot hold’ temperature which is unacceptable in itself. The service was very slow even though there was only one person in front of me. A very disappointing breakfast. I would expect better of John Lewis.

Used to enjoy coffee here but on Sunday, having not been for a while, we visited - coffee was undrinkable.

What a fabulous meal, loads on offer and a brilliant menu full,of flavours and temptations. The turkey cranberry ham hock pie with minted peas and chips was delicious, especially with the onion gravy. To finish we had a decadent chocolate cake washed down with a hot choc and a brûlée latte. All in all a great place to eat 10/10.

We found as with all John Lewis. It clean,tidy with nice staff. Higher price but you get what you pay for so yeah a good visit.

We normally use this place as we are JL members, so we get free drinks and cakes periodically. Other wise we doubt if we would make this place our first port of call.

Over the years, since it opened we have dined or had a snack at the restaurant in John Lewis when visiting the city but to our disappointment, we've noticed how much it has declined lately.

Just stopped for a coffee and cake. The cake was dry and unpleasant. The member of staff trying to access the clean cutlery wedged herself in between to our table and the cutlery stand~odd place to position a table and noisy.

Popped in for lunch after swimming, received a lovely warm welcome by staff, food was spot on and the lemon meringue pie in particular was superb. Staff were attentive and friendly, Highly recommended

JL used to be my favourite place to go for tea and a scone, but the last few times I’ve visited have been so disapointing. The cheese scones are clearly not freshly homemade everyday...possibly due to cutbacks in the catering dept?....clear by the self service coffee machines...which I’ve never seen anybody using!

Thought we would grab a quick coffee and maybe a scone. The food was all exposed and looked like it had sat out all day.

John Lewis used to be my favourite place to go, sadly no more.

A bitter double espresso and and an earl grey tea. No milk required. Go and get your own sugar and spoons after long wait to pay, so luke warm by time we sit down. Not much change from a fiver. I enjoy shopping at J L but not at all impressed with this.

When shopping at John Lewis always pop in for for either morning coffee or lunch. A good selection of food and drink, staff are very good and the seating area is kept clear of used cups and plates etc.

This place was busy, lots & lots of people, however the staff were super efficient & with lots of different counters to serve food & drink there were no queues. Tables clean & tidy. Great place for a stop while shopping.

We decided to visit John Lewis for a bite to eat at lunchtime. I’m gluten free and so was pleasantly surprised to see wrapped gluten free sandwiches on offer. A choice of egg or BLT. They were a bit pricey, but in my case needs must!

Very confident cafe whilst shopping with lots of room to store bags. There was lots of choice and a great variety on offer which many sandwich types and lunch options. I very much recommend it to have a drink and a break from being on your feet all day.

Tuesday May 15th: We were in Norwich shopping and called in at John Lewis restaurant for a drink and scones – We thought this store had finally got back on track as far as their scones were concerned. I even posted a review on Trip Advisor to this effect but sadly the scones we had this day were just so awful. Not only that this is an expensive place to eat – 2 awful scones, 1 jam, 1 green tea and a regular larta, £10.35, it’s is a rip off.

we went for a sit down while on our shopping trip. coffee and cake was ordered. coffee is ok, nothing flash and cake was fine. there is nothing really wrong with it but it just has no wow factor.

Ate at The Place To Eat for the first time in years. Lunch time, wasn't busy and the choices were fine. I had the Ham Hock Pie and found it delicious, full of pieces of ham and flavour. The mash was buttery as advertised and with the peas and gravy it was superb value for the price I paid.

Sad to say that the coffee and cakes here have gone seriously downhill. We used to regularly pop in here for lemon drizzle cake and the most wonderful cheese and chive scones. The scones now are not a patch on the previous ones - mine today was rock hard - and the cakes are mass produced and very bland. The latte was basically hot milk - not a hint of coffee. Unlikely that we will be returning.

I pop in occasionally for a scone and tea. Its the sort of place you can go solo. Plenty of seating, comfy and varied from little snugly sofa areas to tables with a view.

Cakes look wonderful. Certainly very rich. Go early to get best selection. Friendly staff and usually plenty of seating. Can be noisy in busy times as area echoes (needs some ‘softer’ furnishings to absorb sounds).

We just had drinks and fruit scone with cream and jam. The scone was lovely.

Last visit to John Lewis the dairy free option for cake was not good and on the suggestion of a member of staff I contacted John Lewis asking if this might be improved. This visit, although there was still only one option of dairy free it was delicious. The chocolate cake was moist and very tasty. So thank you John Lewis I shall return for another slice!!

A lunchtime Sunday visit found it really not busy.

My partner and me would enjoy a meal in this restaurant. Not now, the choice of food is appalling. We did enjoy the scones but as the other reviews state they so bad. They were so good when baked in house. Jarrold Department Store and Patisserie Valerie are the best in Norwich centre.

Yesterday we opted to eat in the restaurant, a very poor decision. I ended up eating a dry fruit scone as the hot food didn’t appeal to me. My husband opted for the hock pie (pretty tasteless and not very hot), the mashed potatoes were very poor and the peas awful. The coffee from the hot food area was also poor. Service was also slow and haphazard. I love this department store but the restaurant lets it down big time.

A few weeks back we made a formal complaint in response to what we thought was a very poor decision by the John Lewis management, to outsource their catering, scones etc.

How to ruin a great shop cafe, the scones are now mass produced, baked off site and they taste like it too!.Yuk!

John Lewis scones in Norwich were always the bees knees as far as I'm concerned. But that's no longer the case. They've been substituted by something out sorced and mass produced and rather foul tasting.

Today we used the Beguno cafe in John Lewis. Terrible serve. The female staff member laughed at the customer in front of me when she asked what was in the sandwiches. I asked for two teas initially got one pot until i reminded her. It really wasnt that busy but she clearly could not cope even the male assistant was getting frustrated with her not that his manners was much better. Very poor service staff training seems in order!

We have always enjoyed the John Lewis Cheese & Chive scones, although expensive they were big enough to share and delicious. But not any more, they are no longer baked in store but brought in-and not even very tasty, mass produced ones, and definiately not big enough to share. Today we came across a party of ladies complaining to the manager about this and we agreed with them. For a cost cutting exercise, this is a poorly conceived idea-we most certainly will not rush to go back. There are plenty of other places in Norwich that do not charge top dollar and do provide home baking.

John Lewis use to make the best scones in town butnow that they have outsourced the supply they are very poor. Ours were very stale and looked and tasted as if they were not recently made.

Visited the Norwich restaurant 10 days ago to treat myself to coffee and scone - usually delicious. What a disappointment. They no longer make their scones 'in house' but buy them from a supplier. They are now the usual supermarket style mass produced scone with a bland flavour and 'claggy' consistency. John Lewis have let themselves down - I thought quality mattered to them. Disappointed.

Oh dear! For decades we have gone to The Place to Eat whenever we shopped in Norwich. A couple of weeks ago we had scones but instead of the wholesome, often misshapen but scrumptious scones we had come to expect the offering was very different. I phoned the restaurant manager to express our disappointment to be informed the baking was no longer to be done on premises but 'bought in' and that Norwich was the last store to do it - what a pity they didn't resist.

Excellent - just what you expect from a John Lewis venue Bit of building work going on next door so the usual view is made more interesting by the crane operation

Sorry but not happy with the quality of food or service here , had a bagel asked it to be heated up was still cold and didn't taste if it was fresh new,don't think the machine was switched on!!!! ,will be going to John Lewis cafe next time ..

Went for our usual Monday morning treat of coffee and cheese and chive scones.

Visited J.Lewis restaurant tuesday, for our coffee and scone shopping treat. So very disappointed with the scones. The cheese ones were tasteless,heavy and no chives, the fruit were not up to normal standards. What has happened? Noticed they were smaller and hexagonal , thought just a way of being more economical with dough. Sorry John Lewis will be a while before we try again.

Called in today for a late lunch time tea and cheese scone. The scones were very cold and not the usual cheese and chive variety. When I spread the butter and tasted them they were just dreadful and I could not eat it. Very dry and dense in texture and seemed as they had been frozen.

Medium range prices. Food quality is average. The place is very clean and staff are very helpful though.

We went in the Norwich store restaurant today (Friday) about midday to have a scone and coffee as we always do if we are in the city the cost was just over £10.

I decided to meet up here for lunch today, what a disappointment, the quiche i had was tasteless with just a tiny salad on the side, the sausage and mash looking grey and unappetising, all served by a charmless person. We then decided on cake, how awful the strawberry tart was! I think someone high up needs to try the food in this store before charging these prices

A visit yesterday to this fairly buzzing cafe was dissaappointing. The staff were friendly but distracted and the coffee is like something out of a cheap machine. I don't know how they do it, but they are really behind on this. No clotted cream left so we shared a nectarine Bakewell, which was moist and delicious. Not much of an atmosphere, but useful to drop in to if you have been shopping and need a break.

I used to shop and eat regularly at JL but I have definitely seen a decline in standards. There seems to be an all pervasive attitude they can trade on their name. I have begun to encounter issues through out the store. Staff are poorly trained and cost cutting exercises seem badly conceived and all too readily apparent. The cakes are tasty but expensive and from August I believe will be shipped in and defrosted in microwaves. I am not prepared to pay a premium for this. There are far better places in Norwich which serve freshly prepared cakes and pastries and I will be taking my custom elsewhere.

I regularly go to this lovely restaurant to meet friends the atmosphere is warm and welcoming and very relaxed we can sit for hours enjoying tea ,cake or their wonderful selection of scones , whilst we while away the hours until lunch putting the world to rights we never feel rushed or uncomfortable I can highly recommend the Hoogie tuna & cucumber rolls which are mouth-wateringly delicious and are jam packed with tuna , they also do a selection of hot meals the fish & chips looks amazing ! I look forward to my next visit ,although it gets busy it's very spacious so we've always managed to find a table

Having recently been quite annoyed with the shop over a returns issue, I hadn't visited for some time, however we were in town with two small babies and needed somewhere to change bums, the change room in cafe is always tidy, my wife can breast feed quietly undisturbed and the cakes are lovely.

The scones are always fresh and tasty in John Lewis. I love the cheese and chive variety. The coffee is frothy and creamy. The sandwiches also look nice.

We were near Bonds... oops, sorry. That dates me - John Lewis, I mean. Well, dying for a coffee, and this was the nearest. Once there, felt a little hungry. Lemon and rosemary scones. Yum. Well, the coffee was very good, but the scones were not as exciting as anticipated. But I would not give this place the low rating that others have gone for.

Recently I read a news article that JL stores were to be contracted out for their eateries. If on our last visit the quality was anything to go by, then the Norwich branch has gone that route. We are JL card holders so we got the usual customer free drink/cake. Saying that if we had to pay the prices asked for them we would have taken a pass. JL seems to think that cost cutting is the way forward. In general terms we now find the expertise lacking in some departments and recently we used Gerald Giles to purchase an integrated fridge and freezer as JL staff information and knowledge was appalling. Plus it was just the same price. JL are fooling themselves if they think their loyal customer base will last for ever. M & S should be a good example to them on how to loose contact with what loyal customers want.

Called into The Place to Eat for coffee and cake. I ama card holder so had a voucher for free drink and standard cake. I ordered a latte and a fruit scone. The mug of coffee was just like a mug of watered down milk with not even the faintest hint of a coffee taste. The scone was dry and crumbled as the butter was being spread on it. It was a FRUIT scone, and I counted just five sultanas in or should I say on it. The fruit looks as though it was thrown over the cones just before cooking and you would be lucky if they landed on the scone. Maybe my coffee was so weak because it was a 'free' card holder drink. Will not visit this place again -free drink or not. Will stick with Pret A Manger where the coffee is good and flavoursome and the food is really fresg

Couldn't believe the meal we had here. Vastly overcooked vegetables. Fish was cold chips like cardboard. Vegetarian pie had been kept so long on the counter the pastry was extremely hard. Mashed potato tasted like reconstituted dried mash - yuck! Was charged extra for vegetable because didn't want salad with pie flaming cheek! Don't know what John Lewis think they are playing. Expensive rubbish.

Went with my daughter to pickup a repaired laptop. Thought let's sit and have some nice savoury plus sweet snacks . Decided for an afternoon tea. Tasteless,unappetising and savourless. Never been so disappointed! The selection of veg sandwiches was nearly Zero. The fruit scones were dry and crisp. We got to share one single serving of jam and clotted cream between 2. Half cut slice of lemon cake which was unpalatable. A small square of choc caramel and hard choc biscuit.

what a shame - this used to be a really good place to eat and now it is terrible. Caesar salad was a bowl of iceberg lettuce (cleverly hidden under some nice leaves) with cheap unpleasant chicken and nasty dressing - all for £7.

This was always my daughters favourite place for lunch , she loved making lunch choices to put in her food bag, came today to find its all changed ( for the worse) dictated ready made bags, no yoghurts , no milk. No water ,thick cheese sandwiches which she didn't eat . This used to be such a success but we won't be back now , such a shame . Please change back

We used to visit here regularly and there were always plenty of delicious looking cakes and desserts to choose from, including pavlovas/meringues.

Very good scones, everywhere spotless. Found a seat very quickly and staff very obliging. Food always of a high standard. Quick and easy to get to and parking brilliant. Can have discount on parking when you have something to eat.

Had tea and cakes here after a busy time in Norwich. Got a seat straight away and the staff were happy to help. Good selection of cakes and food in general. We got enough for 2 cups of tea from each pot which made it very good value for money. Cake we got was delicious and again,good value for money. Place was nice and clean but a few crumbs ect on the floor that could have been swept away but the staff cleaned the tables very well. All in all a good place to go.

Came in here with my little girl for coffee and cake , always love the choice , especially the cheesecake , food is nice altho overpriced , but its always too hot in here for me.

What a meal, popped in for a quick coffee, but after seeing what was on offer for lunch was hooked. We had lasagne with salad and quiche and chips. To say the portions are large is an understatement. So generous, struggled to eat it all, but managed in the end. Great staff great food great store, well done.

After reading the reviews it kinda put us off visiting the restaurant however we were there so went in.

Very disappointing. Cutlery was filthy and the baguette that I chose looked and had the texture of one you buy to bake at home. The coffee was also of poor quality.

We had a 25 minute wait to place my order. Some people gave up and went away. Most were complaining about the long wait. I could see that many of those who had been served had to ask for missing items like milk or a glass. The server who was doing the coffees was rushed off his feet and apologised to everyone for keeping them waiting. The female server was much more leisurely and frequently disappeared into the back room carrying one or two items. When it came to my turn I decided to make it easy for them and ordered soft drinks. I paid and the woman fetched the bottles. She then ambled to the back room to fetch 2 glasses and then wandered away to find the bottle opener. All this took far too much time. This is not the first time I have suffered this poor level of service at this cafe. It is time it was managed properly. Customers should not be made to wait so long.

This is Ok but certainly nothing special, felt more like a posh cafe than anything else. Staff polite though and food average.

coffee is good and staff are (mostly) friendly but food is terrible - the scone I had was overcooked and tasteless (and when I took it back they were not interested at all in why I did not like it) - have tried them twice and they are still terrible. Shame it is self service - the tables get cluttered with trays and not enough staff to keep it all clear.

Just popped in with the family for a lite lunch. Good Choice of cakes, sandwiches and hot food, everyone enjoyed. The furniture is basic but you get plenty of space. I had to go back and get one if their lovely cakes...

We visit here once a month as a lunchtime treat. Cake selection is always great along with the service. A little on the expensive side but hey its John Lewis and a treat. Nice setting and always enjoyable.

Not the cheapest fish and chips but so tasty. A varied range of food and excellent cakes. Relax environment and a great place to take a breather from shopping.

Altogether good quality, reasonable prices. Only downside is that it can can very busy on a Saturday

Came here as I am a my John Lewis card holder and decided to take them up on their offer of free cake and coffee. I was not disappointed the cake was delicious and the cafe has lovely views of the city - well where I was sitting anyway. I like that you can have also have complimentary water and you don't have to ask for it. I will be returning in the future and not just for free cake, I would be happy to pay as it was lovely.

We called into Benego cafe, also in JLP in Norwich. The coffee was good, but the cake mediocre. It was also disappointing that the cake proudly displayed "delivered daily from our London bakery". Pity the JLP don't use local bakers - cheaper, less packaging, fewer road miles and probably not burnt either.

What a disappointment. Having walked past the cafe I did expect more than a motorway style eatery for the restaurant. Trays and central spot for a mixed bunch of cutlery etc. Pick from a choice of four hot or cold dishes and a few cakes and sandwiches.

I often come here for my coffee and cake and the wife will wonder round buying handbags, so while I think I'm getting a free coffee and cake from john Lewis it usually costs £100's ... Now she's pregnant with twins, I imagine the cost of their lovely carrot cake and today's lovely Banoffee pie will increase to thousands!

I recently went to John lewis cafe, Norwich.

We grabbed a bite to eat here yesterday when we visited the store. The sandwiches we bought were very nice but rather overpriced (almost £5 for a ham and cheese roll). Nice setting, spacious and convenient if you're visiting the store.

Firstly, the selection of cakes and scones was limited on arrival (it was only 3.45pm).

The food has improved. Fish batter was perfect, fish was nice, Victoria Sponge with rose petals looks beautiful and is fine. Chocolate cake is delicious. Lovely addition of Jude's ice cream. Excellent and lovely John Lewis vintage posters around the restaurant.

I really enjoyed my latte coffee today. I asked for decaffeinated which they had available. It was hot and frothy. The cheese and chive scone was warm, light, crispy and tasty.

Awful place to go for lunch or a snack. Staff do not know what they are supposed to do. Food poor, service poor, not your typical John Lewis standard

Fresh food and sandwiches are a delight here. They are delicious. The service is great with a warm friendly smile.

My husband and I were here for afternoon coffee and cake today. Efficient, fast service with friendly staff. Great selection of cakes and pastries, including gluten free options such as this banoffee cheesecake.

We regularly go to the John Lewis restaurant for lunch when in the city as it has seemed a good option for eating out as a family, however we will now be looking for somewhere else to go. There are always long queues and the system is disorganised but on this occasion the food availability and service also let things down. Our meal also seemed very overpriced.