Caffè Nero — Restaurant in London

I am writing to formally raise a unsatisfied and unpleasant service I received at your branch located at Unit G4/G9, Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge House Street, London SE1 9PH on 25th July at around 12:00pm.

When I entered the store, there were two baristas behind the counter and no other customers waiting. I approached and politely greeted them, saying “hello,” and placed a simple order: an iced latte with less ice.

However, the female barista with curly hair did not acknowledge me, made no eye contact or verbal response, and immediately turned away with visible impatience. She started preparing the drink in silence, and I noticed that the espresso used had been sitting on the bar for at least 30 seconds, indicating it was leftover and not freshly made. She poured this into the milk and handed me the drink without a single word throughout the entire interaction.

Feeling uncomfortable, I asked her: “I didn’t do anything wrong—are you okay?” At this point, the male barista nearby stepped in and kindly offered to remake the drink, which I appreciated.

That said, I’ve been a loyal customer of Nero for years and have always enjoyed the warm service your brand is known for. This experience was deeply disappointing and unlike anything I’ve encountered at any other Nero location.

I believe all customers deserve basic courtesy and professional service, and I hope this feedback will be taken seriously.

Thank you for...

Dear Caffè Nero Team,

I just wanted to take a moment to share a really lovely experience I had last night (1st August) around 9pm at your Oxo Tower location.

I was honestly surprised to see the shop still open that late, with a proper queue of customers still coming in! What stood out most, though, was the incredible energy and kindness of the team behind the bar. Channel and Bradley were both absolutely fantastic. Despite the time and the clear rush, they were calm, friendly, and genuinely welcoming to everyone who walked through the door.

I ordered a Baileys Ice Latte, which Channel prepared, and I just have to say—it was outstanding. Rich, smooth, and so well balanced. You could really tell she took pride in what she was making. Bradley, too, was brilliant—keeping the queue moving while still being cheerful and kind to every guest. It made the entire atmosphere feel relaxed and warm.

Sipping that drink while looking out at the view from the Oxo Tower… it was one of those unexpectedly special moments. A quiet coffee, a lovely night view, and a team that really made me feel looked after. Please pass on my thanks to them both—they truly made my evening.

Warm...

The review will be contradicted as we’ve been going to this Nero actually often, because it’s in a nice location, spacious, it has good music and nice ambiance. However we never use the toilet as it’s disgusting…even if we wanted to, last time was out of service for weeks…the staff is very slow, regardless if it’s only like 3 people in line. They have 2-3 staff but only one takes the order and makes the coffee even if it’s busy. I understand there are many other things to do, but any other places prioritise customer service and the staff would help each other when it is busy, and not letting 1 person to do everything …It’s frustrating for the barista and the customers too. The system is weird in regards paying. Every other place I go, you give your order, pay, step aside and get the drink after. Here you don’t pay until you get the drink so the line would not move, you can’t even sit down until your drink is done. The tables don’t seem to be cleaned frequently. But all in all, once we have our drink and sit down, the view and atmosphere...