Le Pain Quotidien Vieux Lille

The brunch is really good tasty and also healthy!the croissant is the best ever and the service is normal!I would go there again if I could :-)

We popped in here after visiting the Christmas Market for a hot chocolate. It was packed, full of families with children and the service was slow due to it being so full. However the wait was worth it - the hot chocolate was amazing!

As our hotel in Lille had a basement breakfast room - something we are not too keen on - we decided to go to a bakery of the Le Pain Quotidien chain (French for ‘The Daily Bread’) on Place Rihour. While on our way there, we found another franchise closer by, at Rue Basse. It is a large place, which looks very attractive from the outside, bright and cosy with different corners and the typical mix of long ‘communal’ wooden tables and smaller tables. Upon entering we noticed an unpleasant smell (cleaning product?) but it was less persistent in the back where we sat. The four of us ordered basic breakfasts: croissants, bread and butter, boiled eggs, fresh orange juice, coffee and tea. The bread was plenty and everything was tasty. But this place suffers from the same ills as several Pain Quotidien bakeries we tried elsewhere: service is slow and unprofessional with different people serving the same table and asking the same questions, waiters or waitresses forgetting parts of the order, bringing things that have not been ordered or serving separately and with long intervals things that belong together. Especially at breakfast this may cause major irritation. One of three eggs was forgotten and only brought after two reminders. One of our coffees was even served after breakfast despite repeated signs to the waitress. She took the orders of a large group that just arrived before finally bringing it without a word of excuse. When we entered, on a Sunday morning, the place was still almost empty but we wonder what happens at rush hour. Prices at Le Pain Quotidien are on the expensive side but we still paid less than we would have been charged for the hotel breakfast.

Taken here by friend who said it was nice. Very "Eco" and healthy, think most things including beer were organic. Ingredients ok, salad was nice but the actual meals disappointing. Croque Monsieur was a ham & cheese toastie, not a proper Croque. The local speciality of pot o feu was vegetables with none of meat advertised. Bread was nice but that only good thing.

Passed this place while on the English waking tour and saw a few people inside with kids in a highchair and someone breastfeeding so decided to come back and try it.Quite a bit of space inside so managed to fit our pushchair next to our table without causing a blockage and a few others had too. Also had a baby changing table in the disabled toilet.Seemed popular with locals with children presumably because of this. There were a few in on an otherwise quiet Monday afternoon.As for the food cakes were lovely. Tried a caramel tart and a merveilleux.Unfortunately my wife was given the wrong hot drink but this might have been our poor French ordering. However at least one of the staff spoke good English and all were friendly and welcoming.A bit pricey: €20 for 2 cakes and 2 coffees.