Boulangerie Jade — Restaurant in London

It’s strange to walk into a lovely boulangerie that should be cozy and welcoming, only to be met with loud, jarring radio music and an unkempt space. The floors, tables, seating, and walls look like they haven’t been properly cleaned in ages, which really impacts the comfort of the experience. The staff often seem unhappy—no smiles, no friendly engagement with customers.

When I visited, I smiled at the staff, and the first time, there was no smile back. On my second visit, the staff member did smile, but she spent the entire time chatting with someone on her headphones, then switched to loudspeaker later, which felt unsettling. I completely understand that working alone can feel isolating—everyone needs some connection during their shift—but it’s really off-putting for paying customers who come to relax or work, especially when they’re alone themselves.

This isn’t a staff issue; it’s a management issue that could be easily improved with a few simple, kind fixes:

Play relaxing, copyright-free music—coffee shop jazz, instrumental, or study music—to create a calm atmosphere instead of blaring radio hits. Clean the floors, tables, and surfaces more thoroughly—attention to detail makes a difference. Have at least two staff members working so they don’t feel lonely or isolated—it’s unfair to leave someone working solo for long hours every day. Let staff know that being on loudspeaker or chatting on headphones for long periods during shifts isn’t welcoming for customers and affects the atmosphere. Pay staff fairly, not just the minimum "going rate." Happy, valued staff are more likely to feel cheerful, chat with customers, and take pride in their work. Install proper silent air venting to stop the windows from constantly misting up without adding noise or making the space feel cold—it’s a simple fix that would help the space feel fresher. Show appreciation and praise staff for their hard work—people thrive when they feel encouraged and noticed. Share profits more fairly so that staff aren’t left feeling undervalued or stuck struggling to survive. No one should be paid so little that they can’t afford a decent quality of life, no matter where they live.

Turn down the music to create a more relaxing vibe—it shouldn’t feel like a tanning salon or a BBQ joint. Even noise-cancelling headphones couldn’t block out how loud it was, and the loudspeaker phone call added to the discomfort.

If you’re calling it a “boulangerie,” offer genuine fresh French baked goods, made daily without preservatives or leftovers from the previous day. Right now, some of the products feel more "supermarket" than authentic boulangerie quality. At first, some of these improvements may feel like a loss, but they could lead to more loyalty and increased footfall as locals notice the difference.

A happy team and a better atmosphere would benefit everyone—customers, staff, and owners alike.

I share this with hope, not negativity. With a few thoughtful changes, this place could become a true neighborhood gem rather than just another missed opportunity. Thanks for taking the...

EDIT: I feel it’s only right that I re review boulongerie Jade in Chiswick. My previous review is the only bad review I’ve ever left and was not happy about doing do so. So I am pleased to say once again I love this place. The bread pastries and coffee are as good as they have always been. It has a great seating area with an outlook to Acton green. But most importantly the staff have changed. I come in feeling happy and I leave with an even bigger smile. The staff are efficient and friendly and set me up for a good day. I will still leave my previous one star review here so people can see how far they have come. Thank you to the new staff for not making me walk too far for my morning coffee and brightening my mornings 😃 ORIGINAL REVIEW: I've been coming here for a year now and the hostility and rudeness of one member of staff (manager I think) is completely unacceptable. Why does she work in a customer facing business when clearly absolutely hates having any customers, they are an inconvenience. Have never seen her crack a smile. Her rudeness to me today is the final nail in the coffin and I won't be back regardless of how good the coffee, bread and cakes are. I don't feel they deserve my (or anyone's) business until changes are made. This member of staff has been in place since it traded as Lavelli and I can see from the Lavelli reviews, I am not the only person that...

Got there quite early in the morning, the barista was wearing AirPods, walked in she did not raised her head from her phone to say hi welcome, once I said hi she actually said a short hi.

Anyway that doesn’t matter at all, LAVELI bakery has the worst coffee I could get, purely dirty water no taste of coffee or colour or flavour, and that costs me £3.10, such a shame!

If you serve a black americano and as a barista you know that’s rubbish why don’t you suggest a double shot of coffee or make that black americano shorter or whatever else to sell a decent coffee.

The pastry looked old (not even a little smell of freshly baked pastry inside) and also expansive.

Sorry for shaming your staff, but, if you work and you get a customer, 1 person, say hi welcome what can I get you?

And at that time it was just me inside !

She actually was nice to give me 2 ice cubes(on my request) but brought them in her hands, no gloves, no...