EL&N London - New Street — Restaurant in Birmingham

Always wanted to visit this cafe but get put off by the long queue. I went to town in the morning for an appointment and was surprised there was no queue so of course I went in to give it a try. Firstly, I was welcomed and asked to choose where to be seated which was nice, the atmosphere was unique and lovely interior design full of pink flowers, menu was handed to me and the selection was really good.

I waited and waited for my order to be taken and can see people getting their orders taken before me although they were sat after me. The couple beside me got tired of waiting and left and when I was just about to get up… a waiter came to clear a table near me so I asked if I can order. She was nice and took my order but I wanted to leave at that point as 25 minutes to wait to order while the restaurant was quiet is not the best to be honest.

I sat there patiently thinking 20 minutes to take my order, god knows how long I’ll have to wait to get it but to my surprise, the food arrived in 5 minutes. I was pleased and was amazed of how beautiful it looked. I ordered an avocado smash on simit which was absolutely amazing. Every bite was scrumptious. I got a flat white with it and I have to say, it was one of the best I’ve had EVER and I had a lot he he.

Finally, I paid my bill which was not bad at all and I would definitely come back but dreading the queue if I come with freinds for brunch. Also, found out there was a QR code on the table where I could have just ordered myself but no heads up was given.

Overall, I understand this branch is fairly new and service will hopefully improve so I would definitely recommend.

Updated upon 2nd visit Eid June 6th 2025

Visited EL&N New Street, Birmingham today (June 6, 2025), and I’m really disappointed this time around. Although the restaurant wasn’t full and we were seated promptly, the experience quickly went downhill.

We were told how to order, which was clear and helpful – that part I appreciated. But once seated, I found there weren’t enough staff around to actually help when needed. For example, the straws they gave with the milkshakes were so thin it was practically impossible to drink with them. We asked for a different straw and ended up waiting ages before anyone came over.

The food, as always, was nice – I can’t fault the quality. But the prices are simply over the top. We had three breakfasts, three drinks, and one flat white. The bill? Over £88. That’s just ridiculous unless you’re well-off and don’t need to think about a budget. For a middle-class family, this is too expensive for what it is.

The worst part though? The toilets. They were dirty and flooded – both were completely unusable. I had no choice but to use the disabled toilet, which I know isn’t ideal, but I needed to go, and it’s a basic expectation in a restaurant to have functioning, clean toilets. It honestly put me off the whole place.

Overall, this visit left a bad taste. From the poor service and overpriced menu to the unacceptable state of the toilets – I don’t think I’ll be...

The most Instagramable cafe? Possibly yes. Serves the best drinks and food? Most definitely not.

I'd describe this place as more of a tourist trap with their beautiful window cake display, but their low quality products don't live up to their price.

Flat White: quite foamy and the flavour was very simple. Good generic flavour for an everyday coffee.

Pistachio Spanish Latte: I understand it would be sweet with pistachio syrup and condensed milk, but the sweetness was very overbearing covering the coffee flavour. Definitely not worth the expensive price as a "Specialty Latte".

Eggs Benedict & Truffle Hollandaise Croissant: the avocado was rock hard, the hollandaise sauce was broken and watery, the croissant was holding its shape, but was a bit flavourless, they forgot to add turkey bacon, and the whole dish was cold, even though we started eating right when it was served after my quick photos. The poached egg was the only good part as it did have a nice runny yolk with a set egg white.

Bogtrotter Chocolate Cake: this was the only thing I've liked from my visits. The cake layers were moist and the chocolate ganache layers were creamy with a rich cocoa flavour, elevating the cake overall.

Tiramisu: this was the worst tiramisu in the world. Every bite was just wet cream and it was leaking out liquid onto the plate... The sponge fingers/ladyfingers were completely soggy and disintegrated out of existence. They should be present with a distinctive soft cakey texture as an actual layer. The marcapone cream was completely wet and had no flavour or body to bite. It was a massive disappointment being served this abomination since Tiramisu is one of my top favourite desserts.

Regarding service, during my first visit, the cafe was very empty, drinks arrived in 5 minutes and food in 30 minutes which is not so bad, but just a shame that our food was cold after that wait. The staff were a bit unattentative when we called them over and looked a bit lost, but as a newly opened cafe, I understand that they're getting used to service. I had no hassle on my second visit with great service and friendly staff.

The atmosphere is lively with nice lighting and the decor is definitely Instagram worthy, but I do feel the food/drinks presentation look quite cheap, plain and uncaring with items thrown onto plates with little thought after seeing some photos from other reviews too.

Honestly, I may have visited on bad days, but I have little to no faith for any future visit if that's what they chose to serve. I feel their gigantic menu compromises the quality of their food. I think the savoury menu gets a hard pass, but I may have to try more of their cakes as the Bogtrotters was delicious, but their cakes are...

Today I visited EL&N London – the well-known “pink café” in the centre of Birmingham – together with my son. Unfortunately, this is not my first visit, and every time I have left with more disappointment than enjoyment, despite the fact that I actually like the taste of the food and drinks served there.

On my first visit, I came with my aunt, who travelled from Spain to visit the UK. I wanted to treat her to breakfast, but only at the end were we told that they do not accept card payments – only cash – due to some issue. We had to run around the city centre looking for cash, which was very inconvenient and embarrassing.

On my second visit, I came with my sister to celebrate a small occasion. We waited for more than 30 minutes to be seated, and then, even though it was only 9:30am, the waitress told us they were closing soon and we could not have a table. That was extremely disappointing.

On my third visit, I came with my mother. Although we enjoyed the taste of the drinks, the service was unprofessional and careless. Staff looked untidy – our waiter was wearing ripped, dirty trousers, with messy clothing covered in pet hair. For such an expensive place (with the most expensive coffee in the city, honestly), this is simply unacceptable.

And finally, today’s visit with my son. We sat down and once again noticed many issues. There is no sugar, salt, or pepper available on the tables. Staff brought only some sugar sachets for two drinks – but some people like more. In good cafés, there is always a small sugar pot or at least enough sachets. The walls are dirty, the tables are not properly cleaned, and the toilets are consistently in a poor condition. Every time I’ve visited, the toilets have been dirty, with paper thrown on the floor and a strong smell. Today was the same.

For a café in the very centre of the city, charging high prices, the basics should be in order: clean toilets, clean tables, professional staff in neat clothing, and proper service without neglecting small but important details. Customers pay a premium and expect a premium experience.

Please take these points into serious consideration, because your location and your drinks are good, but the overall management and service let the place down.

Thank you...