Hack & Veldt Delicatessen — Restaurant in London

I’ve been coming here for years and nothing ever changes. Staff rarely bother to converse with customers... even when it’s quiet. So I often find myself stepping in to chat with elderly or lonely people who come here for some human contact. That should be the staff’s role, but it’s frequently ignored. Humanity costs nothing.

On one occasion an elderly lady was browsing the cheese fridge when a young Irish man aggressively swore at her simply because the corridor was narrow & he didn't want to walk around her. He lashed out. The staff just stared, didn’t defend her or ban the abusive customer from the store. I had to step in, check on the old lady and calm him down, who was visibly shaken.

When staff don't step in during times like this, it makes the place feel unsafe. For a place that charges premium prices, the lack of care and basic humanity from staff really is unacceptable....

Very good coffee and a nice place. However, in the last 2 months I have seen a change and not for the better in this coffe shop. It is clear that the old staff has left and the new ones have no interest in serving. In just a little over a week, three times on different days I have ordered coffee and waited 15 minutes without my coffee coming. I went back to the counter and reminded them that I had ordered. The problem is that they were not even crowded, there were a maximum of 4 people in the store (already seated at the tables) each time I ordered. And there is a problem with the clearing of the tables as well. All the tables are full of empty used plates and cups and yet 3 staff members are talking behind the counter without clearing. This did not happen before. Too bad that after 2 years I will have to find a...

Yes it's pretty and yes they have all manner of lovely organic milks, pasta, pastries, condiments and fresh coffee. However, I just waited (07.04.18) probably 7-8 minutes which included two people chatting at the coffee machine before someone noticed and served me and then my order of (unbelievably boiling) tomato and basil soup arrived several minutes later. As I left the shop I saw they hadn't given me a spoon and then, with 10 Tube minutes to spare, I thought I'd be able to eat the soup during that time - wrong, it was blisteringly hot for those ten minutes! Don't go on about how organic and wellbeing-y you are and then a) not provide decent food on time and instead b) burn people's tongues with your 1000 watt industrial...