I work professionally in social media and find it rather intriguing when small or local business can leverage channels like Instagram to propel themselves to fame. Case and point – London’s Élan Cafe. Every inch of this charming little café has been designed for the perfect Instagram moment, making it a go-to spot for influencers, bloggers and the people who follow them. So, it’s cute, but is Élan Cafe worth the hype? Read on as I share my honest feedback.
Élan Cafe has two locations, one on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge and a second location in Mayfair. We went to the Knightsbridge location on a chilly Friday night after work. Élan Cafe does not take reservations, so be prepared to queue – outside. As the restaurant is small, they do not let you wait inside, even if it is freezing!
Personally, I think this is a downside of the venue. I understand how a large line outside adds to the “buzz” of the café, but in my opinion, it’s a poor customer experience not to take reservations and make people wait outside in the freezing cold weather. Plus, the beauty of a reservation means that you commit to going, turn up on time and know that you have a set amount of time to be at your table. I am much more likely to visit a place that offers reservations (or bookings as we say in the UK), versus one that does not. But hey, that’s just me ;).
Grumpiness about the bookings policy aside, the interior of Élan Cafe lives up to its Instagram reputation. It’s very girlie with cute signs about coffee and the cakes, pastries, etc. are out on display which makes it easier to decide what to order. Bonus: we were lucky to get a table in the back against its famous flower wall in the back.
We visited Élan Cafe at dinnertime, despite the fact that it’s not really known to be a dinner spot. In fact, I would recommend it more for breakfast, brunch, lunch or a tea/cake treat in the afternoon or evening. The café does have savory items on the menu, and we tried the following:
Rose Harrisa Grilled Aubergine: This dish comes with creamy burrata served with a tom berry & pomegranate salsa, but my friend went for it sans cheese to make it vegan friendly.
Root Vegetable Rosti: This dish comes topped with a baby watercress, apple and walnut salad. To make it heartier, my friend asked for a poached egg on top and they happily obliged.
Syrian Cauli ower Hash. This dish comes with a fried egg and chopped salad.
For drinks, I enjoyed a mint tea, and my friends had an earl grey and beetroot latte respectively. The beetroot late looked amazing! A perk of going to Élan Cafe is that you can try some really unique latte beverages, dubbed ‘alternative lattes,’ such as Golden Turmeric, Matcha, Chai, Saffron and even a Spanish Latte which comes with sweetened condensed milk.
For dessert (you cannot go to Élan Cafe without having dessert!), one of my friends and I both tried the saffron cake on the recommendation of our server, while my other friend had the vegan pumpkin cake. I didn’t snap a photo of the pumpkin cake, but it looked really good. Our saffron cake was pretty unique – imagine a soaked sponge cake with a really lovely flavor. I’m not sure that ‘soaked’ is the best descriptor – it was still a nice texture – wet but not overly soggy if that makes sense. It was definitely decadent though, but nice to try something different.
As an FYI, I expected Élan Cafe to be a bit more vegan friendly for all of its Instagram hype. There are definitely savory food options that work for vegans and they offer a vast selection of vegan friendly milks for the latte beverages. However, only a brownie and the pumpkin cake are vegan, which is a bit surprising as the cakes are a big draw for the café!
Final Thoughts
While I enjoyed my visit and meal there, I’m not sure that I would go out of my way to dine at Élan Cafe again. It’s one of those places that is worth trying at least once. And, if I happened to be walking by and there was no line out front, I would totally go again. If the restaurant were to change its policy about bookings, I would also consider going again, as it is a fun venue for a girlie catch-up.
Élan Cafe is located at 239 Brompton Road in Knightsbridge or 48 Park Lane in Mayfair. For more information, visit their website here.
For my London guide on my recommended and vetted restaurants, cafes, hotels, attractions and more, click here.