Pelicano Coffee Co. — Restaurant in England

I have to say I was super disappointed by Pelicano. The rest of the reviews seem to be very positive or glowing. It wasn’t a super busy day from what I could tell (Thursday 17/4/25 if it matters) but the brown-haired girl serving decided to make me wait a few minutes without acknowledging my presence other than a reasonably dirty look she gave me or my partner. I got one drink to take away, and I don’t care how long I wait for a drink so I won’t comment but it certainly wasn’t an unreasonable time to wait. The coffee was fine. Certainly not above par for Brighton but not really below either.

The cafe is WAY too dirty to be serving food though oh my GOODNESS how did they get a food rating of 4?? There is dust everywhere, there was an insane amount of coffee grounds all over everything and the amount of plants currently on the verge of death was something I couldn’t help but look at as I waited.

There was an Asian guy who was really friendly and the barista seemed friendly but busy too. I don’t think people should give in their entire lives to capitalism and submit to every asinine will of customers and as such everyone deserves patience and understanding. Maybe the brown hair girl was having a bad day. But she strikes me as someone that seems kind of rude anyway - the review below mine where someone has taken pictures she can be seen sprawled out with her hair dangling over the open food. So that’s cool and definitely...

Popped in here yesterday afternoon to grab a coffee and a bite to eat before heading home. The staff inside weren't overly friendly, they were all huddled together behind the till chatting and talking about going out for a cigarette, they seemed like they couldn't be bothered and that I was an inconvenience. I sat out the front and one of the girls brought my food and drink to me, I said thank you and she didn't smile, give me eye contact or anything, just dumped the food down. Then all the staff piled outside and sat on the tables behind me, talking really obnoxiously loud and being super crude. I just wanted to sit outside with my book for a while but I just ate up quickly (made easier as the chai latte was tepid, but I didn't feel comfortable asking for it to be reheated) and left. Not a great impression to be honest, customer service needs a polish. I wouldn't hurry...

This place is a decent cafe, but comparing the coffee, cakes and vibes to other cafes in Brighton, I think it’s just off the mark.

My coffee was nice, a decent flat white, though a little beyond the pleasant levels of bitter, whether that be the roast or the pull. Nice milk though and the latte art was cute! The cakes and bakes did look great, and my cardamom bun was nice, but it wasn’t ’delicious’. Seemingly a little old, too doughy and lacking the finesse, though with a welcomed subtle cardamom flavour.

The decor and vibes were again interesting, with only outdoor style furniture inside, making the place seem a little uncomfortable and harsh. The staff were genuinely lovely though and made up for any missing character.

Pelicano’s is okay, it’s good, it’s alright. It falls somewhere in that bracket for me, but each...