Lavender Coffee Shop — Restaurant in Bristol

I’ve been living in this country for 15 years, and as an Italian with extensive experience in customer service for major organizations, I can confidently say that I’ve never been treated so poorly in my life. I’m not here to criticize the food, as I know it’s outstanding (being Italian, I can say that with certainty). The issue, however, is the customer service—or rather, the complete lack of it.

Here’s what happened: I ordered an oat latte, and while waiting, I noticed a promotion for Barilla biscuits at 50% off. I live in London, where these biscuits typically cost around £3.50, so I thought I’d grab a few at what seemed like a bargain. When I saw they were priced at £6, I was genuinely surprised and mentioned, in a friendly manner, that in London they’re usually cheaper. It was simply an observation, not a criticism, and certainly not intended to be rude.

Then, my latte was ready, and I was charged £3.30, but I soon realized it was made with cow’s milk, which I can’t drink due to severe intolerance. I overheard the owner (speaking in Italian) ask the barista if the latte was charged correctly, and when he realized it wasn’t, he came over and told me I needed to pay the difference. Despite the mistake being on their end, the owner insisted I pay the extra 40p, but the system wouldn’t let them charge such a small amount, so he said it was fine this time but that I should come back to pay it.

I thought it was a bit much, so I offered to buy something else to cover the 40p difference. However, it seemed like the owner was deliberately making things difficult for me, likely because of my comment about the biscuits. He was clearly upset, and when I mentioned that my feedback wasn’t meant to be rude, he responded with, “Better to lose customers like you than find them.”

At that point, I told him I wouldn’t be returning, and he seemed quite pleased by that response. The entire interaction left me feeling humiliated and disrespected. I didn’t intend to upset anyone, I was polite throughout, and I even had a friendly chat with the barista about being Italian. To be treated like this, especially by a fellow Italian, was beyond disappointing.

My family and I will never set foot in that shop again, and I’ll be sure to tell everyone I know about the terrible experience. When you work in customer service, you need to be open to feedback, and you certainly shouldn’t treat customers like this. The way I was spoken to, over something as trivial as 40p, was shocking. No wonder the shop was empty.

It’s a shame, but absolutely disgusting behavior like this should not...

Lavender Coffee Shop is one of those rare places that instantly makes you feel at home. It’s a lovely little Italian family run cafe, and you can just tell the people running it have genuine hearts. They're warm, welcoming, and clearly take so much pride in what they do. You don’t just get a meal here, you get looked after.

I popped in for a quick bite and ended up completely blown away. I got the mozzarella and salad baguette and honestly, it was so good. Everything was made fresh to order. You could taste how crisp and clean the salad was, and the mozzarella was soft and creamy. The bread had that perfect balance of soft on the inside and slightly crusty on the outside. It wasn’t just thrown together. You can tell they make things with real care. You feel it in every bite.

Now the Nutella hot chocolate. Probably one of the best hot chocolates I’ve had to go. Thick, creamy, rich, and perfectly warm. It’s the kind of drink that makes you stop after the first sip and realise it’s something special.

And the Nutella cannoli. Just look at the photo I posted. It was so beautifully made I actually felt bad biting into it. The chocolate inside was smooth and the way it sat in the crispy pastry was perfect. It looked great but tasted even better. Flaky, fresh, rich and not too sweet.

They also sell proper Italian products like cheese, biscuits and drinks. It’s a great little spot if you want to grab something special to take home.

This is easily the best locally family run cafe in Bristol by a long mile. I’m genuinely grateful for the diverse culture we have in Bristol because it means we get to experience amazing places like this.

Honestly places like this are rare. If you’re nearby, go visit. Lavender Coffee Shop has amazing food, good people and a lot of heart. I’ll definitely...

I live in South Bristol and had heard about this cafe before but not had a chance to go. I found myself in North Bristol this morning to get a parcel and immediately thought of passing by here on the way home.

I am so glad I did, the warm, fresh pistachio croissant was unreal, just so tasty! I am reliably informed that the vanilla cream one was also amazing! Easily the best filled croissant I’ve had in Bristol and I will have to come back.

Really friendly and lovely staff as well, what a...