The Junction Café & Cakery Lochwinnoch lunch review

Our core team head along to The Junction Café & Cakery, one of Lochwinnoch’s most treasured eateries

There are some places you enter and instantaneously feel the cumulative load of the day slip off your shoulders. Complete with farm shop ambiance and a rustic aesthetic which means you’d be forgiven for thinking you were much further out of the nearest metropolis than you truly were, The Junction Café & Cakery fits this bill from the moment you’re warmly greeted by its staff.

Radiating a genuine warmth that has no facade, there is a tranquil feeling to the experience of visiting Jo and Ivan’s pride and joy. A staple of the village since 2006, they have continually delivered cuisine that is not just rewarding to consume, but it is made with love and time-consuming care. 

While Paul begins with his ubiquitous oat milk latte, he is quick to remark on the quality of the coffee on offer. As for me, this particular trip for our lunch had come in the midst of an absurdly busy morning, so I’d barely registered that he had said anything as I studiously scoured the menu to decide upon what to eat.

Eventually, I decided on a spiced sweet potato soup made with coconut milk alongside a grilled halloumi ciabatta. Adorned in red pepper, tomato and a welcome splash of mayo, the array of flavours were thoughtfully balanced and the halloumi itself was grilled to perfection to provide that trademark taste that’s become so popular with people around the world. 

As for Paul, his tastes erred towards another Mediterranean island as he went for the much-loved salsiccia (pictured). Starring Tuscan pork sausage that is accompanied by a combination of roasted vegetables, fennel, extra virgin olive oil and mozzarella cheese, the end result was a truly hearty and immensely rewarding dish that received a whole host of adulation from our designer for its immense taste.

Naturally, our minds soon turned to confectionery and one of The Junction’s biggest selling points being their homemade cakes which were made in small batches to ensure freshness. 

• The Trust Inn Kilbarchan dinner review by Suzanne Oswald
• Café 77 Barshaw Park lunch review by Robert Blair
• De’ Buddha Johnstone dinner review by Suzanne Oswald

A delicacy that he’d been talking about since the car journey, Paul opted for their signature tiffin which, upon tasting it, turned out to be every bit as exceptional as he’d made out. Meanwhile, I couldn’t see past their lemon, almond and blueberry cake. Light, flavourful and fluffy, you’d never know it was gluten-free. 

Delivered with a focus on quality and enjoyment at their core, everything The Junction Café brings out of the kitchen is something they can be proud of and that’s no accident. We can’t advise paying them a visit to enjoy the fruits of their craft enough. 

The Junction Café & Cakery, 2-4 High Street, Lochwinnoch, PA12 4DA, 01505 842225, Facebook and Instagram