Popular Lancaster cafe transforms into chilled night time venue after dark

One hundred per cent plant-based café bar, The Herbarium, serves breakfasts, brunch and lunch by day, before transforming into a chilled café bar after 5pm.

It’s a space that founder, Lucie Paluch, has worked hard to make accessible for everyone. Catering to a slower paced evening vibe, plant-based burgers are served next to a gentle cocktail menu, decadent waffles and evening hot chocolates, coffees and cakes.

The Herb, as it’s known amongst its loyal following, also brings community-based events to many of its monthly evenings with a popular book club, poetry reading from The Wordarium and manystudent games nights.

Lucie said: “We’ve noticed a real move towards people wanting to spend their evenings in a café bar environment post Covid. People seem to be moving away from the bar hopping, binge drinking kind of night life. They want to settle down with a coffee and have a chat.”

The Herbarium also hosts many of its own events including pizza nights, plant-based roast evenings, wellbeing events and yoga classes – with plans this summer to do unique plant-based tasting menus and different pop-up restaurant nights like the popular Greek Night.

Studio space is available for private hire and popular with many local clubs and businesses.

Open seven days a week during the day, with evening café bar Wednesday to Saturday from 5pm, Lucie said there has been lots of interest in the Herb opening more evenings.

"Heading out with friends for coffee and cake after work is very popular,” she said.

"There’s a licensed fully stocked bar but also 27 teas, the coffee machine remains on and you can buy a smoothie at 10 o’clock at night.

"The café bar aims to bring healthy, fresh and home cooked food to the people of Lancaster with the option to relax in a cosy nook in an evening. Chatting, connection, community and plant-based foodare all core values to The Herbarium and let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to spend the evening eating cake?”

The Herbarium is open Monday and Tuesday 9.30am-4pm, Wednesday and Thursday 9.30am-10pm, Friday and Saturday 9.30am-11pm and Sunday 10am-4pm.

For Herb After Dark bookings please visit https://www.theherbariumbar.com/. For private hire please email [email protected].