Merchants 1688

Absolutely incredible food, excellent real ale, all served in a 17th century wine merchants' cellar. The service was also brilliant; attentive, without being overbearing. I went in hungry, as I wanted to try three courses, and was very glad I did. My partner also got three courses, so we got to try each other's food. Every mouthful was amazing. A special place to go for a meal!

Faboulous food and service, we were very pleased with the evening.
The restaurant was fully booked but the staff accomodate us in the bar area where we had all room for ourselves like on the private dinning. Despite them being very busy the service was spotless and with great smile. Higly recomend this place. Also great value for money.

This dining-in-wine cellar experience with beautiful simple and complex dishes just made my day. My intentional yet aimless escape finds its purpose here.

Lamb hotpot is wonderful, heart-warming especially on a chilling July evening. The potato slices are soft yet offer a little bite. The lamb is tender, neither too lean or too fatty, and melts in mouth with the diced carrot and potato. The onion based soup is delightful. To me it doesn’t taste too much similar to Irish stew despite similar ingredients; maybe the mysterious Worcester sauce is the key (and/or the lack of Guinness or whisky) in addition to proportion of herbs. It’s also less thick than the Irish counterpart.
The portion is just right.
The focaccia has an enjoyable rosemary crust. I don’t usually add butter but appreciate the toasting and slicing and even spreading. And the butter tastes of surprisingly good quality, very milky, even after a reception with much cheese.
Red cabbage has a delightful vinegar taste with strong presence of fennel.

Finishing with a summery dessert in defiance of the chill. First peach in 2024! Earl grey sorbet is really unique. I always like tea and the bergamot aroma is refreshing. The sorbet contrasts and complements the silky yet not too sweet panna cotta. The mint leaf is a great idea. With the honey comb bits, there are so many ways to enjoy the wondrous layers of textures and tastes the dessert ^^

(The cheese board is of such a reasonable price! Cheese usually cost much more than desserts… (I have already had cheese today so I noted the suppliers and their flavors :> souvenirs?))

(I came here to try some Lancaster classics, but the “locally sourced, in-season dishes”look very tempting too, and the starters! Next time I’ll bring friends to share and sample :3 Having been to Lake District already, I decided to stick to the less commonly available Lancashire lamb hotpot, and the 72-hour prefix sounds like it’s cooked longer than other restaurants (though not an indicative of the result). And it sounds popular among neighboring tables— there was a couple with two identical dishes. It is great.)

The staff are super friendly. No wonder there are many frequenters.

The environment is elegant and intimate, though it could be better with a little music in the background to slightly muffle the many interesting conversations. (WiFi is as nonexistent as cellular, so focus on people, if any, and definitely food.)

A unique place hidden away on Castle Hill , booked online with ease , was running late so rang to alter booking ...no problem ..arrived at the reorganised time we ordered the Haddock ( lightly Battered) and the Lamb Hot pot . My partner said it was the best fish and chips that she has had in a long time and the lamb hot pot ( main menu portion) that I had was absolutely incredible . Service was excellent and I will definitely return as soon as I can .. all this for 32 quid.

My son treated us to a day of experiences, around Lancaster for my 70’th Birthday. The meal at Merchant’s was on the list. We weren’t disappointed. Everyone’s food was perfect. But my steak was just the way I like it, and it was trimmed. An excellent meal.

You will probably want to know that it isn’t just the place for gherkin ketchup and smoked elderberry jus. The lunchtime menu includes a burger, although it is made with dry-aged beef, raclette and a roast shallot mayo. There’s fish and chips, and a range of sandwiches including roast beef with watercress, or Appleby cheddar with chutney.

Great food and drink. If you're visiting Lancaster, I highly recommend Merchants.

A very nice pub. The building is listed and they keep the character and the charm. There is a sign with the history of the building that is appreciated.
Great service, good food, great selection of beers and a reasonable wine list.

Lovely atmosphere and amazing food. My wife had the traditional hot pot and I went for the venison haunch; both were delicious and well portioned!

Good selection of drinks including local ales. They even had a good alcohol-free beer selection.

Staff were very accommodating moving our booking when we ran late. Servers were attentive and friendly. The atmosphere is a nice mix of people drinking and dining.

The staff are friendly and attentive to customers. The food was wonderfully good. The place is charming. Congratulations to everyone from the kitchen, waiters and cleaners.

Popped in here for a drink after visiting the castle in Lancaster. The building was very aesthetically pleasing being in an old arched wine cellar set below an old building. Inside there was plenty of seating in the large rooms that you would have stored the wine in which looked amazing. The bar was beautiful and served some delicious drinks. I had a local gin and tonic which was very nice. We didn't get to sample any food but could smell it and it smelt beautiful and would love to try on a future visit. I definitely recommend this pub for people who love historic buildings.

Me and my children came here for an evening meal after them squeezing us in last minute. The service exceptional! I have celiac disease so eating out can be traumatic but these guys know their stuff. Most of the food is made gluten free including the things that go in the fryer. The server talked me through the menu, he didn’t just hand me the allergen book. I ate fillet steak… cooked to perfection and Sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Yes the price is a little higher than most places BUT the quality is worth the extra couple of quid. The setting is perfect and unique and there is parking at park and ride a short walk away. This will be my go to place to in Lancaster going forward. thank you x

Been to the Merchants a few times now and they always exceed expectations. With a unique selection of ales and an ever-changing menu, each visit is exciting. Despite having quite an ambitious menu, they execute each dish I’ve had with absolute conviction and I’m always pleased with my choice. The staff are knowledgeable, helpful and accommodating and the interior creates a very ambient and distinctive environment. My only criticism would have been that the table itself was just slightly too dim, a candle would’ve been a nice addition.

It was my birthday today and my partner and I had a lovely meal and drinks. The steak was great. 👍🤪❤

Fantastic service and great environment. The soup of the day was star of the menu for me. The Sunday roast was very good but the soup of the day (made of cauliflower and garlic) was sublime.

Those onion rings are perfect; automatic 5 stars! Plus the staff are so helpful, really nice vibe in here. A great place to stop off after visiting the Castle

Wonderful. Last ate here about ten years ago, this was a totally different experience. Food was incredibly good, with a very interesting menu. We had the cheese souffle, followed by salted beetroot as a veggie option and wild boar (with garlic sausage), with a side of nadju macaroni cheese. Superb, beautifully cooked, beautifully presented. Nice wine list, excellent serving staff. We ate absolutely everything.

What a fab little find and so glad i wandered a few minutes from the train station while waiting for my connection.

Bar staff were welcoming and humerous. I will be back for more banter

Service was good and we were attended to quickly even though the bar was really busy when we arrived. The girl serving us was really sweet and friendly. The food in general was really tasty. Burger was cooked perfectly and the toppings were just right. The Lamb hotpot was a great tasting dish. Kids meals were a little smaller but I think we forgot to order the larger dishes. They enjoyed their meals down to the last crumbs.
Nice choice of beers on tap.
Food took a little longer than expected but i assume this was because of it being freshly prepared. So we didn’t really mind.
The dining area is a little small so booking a table would be recommended. It’s a beautiful unique setting and feel to the place.
If we ever pass through Lancaster again we would love to spend a little more time here and sit outside as it’s just so beautiful.

In last night for the Sunday menu and my first experience of The Merchant... only thing I can say about it is I cannot wait to go back!

The food was so tasty! We had 2 different starters and 2 different mains on the table and all of it was spot on! Great pints of Guinness too!

Staff were brilliant, professional and thorough! Very knowledgeable on the menu and allergies which is always so reassuring!

Already looking forward to my next visit and getting to try yet more dishes!