Hot Milk Cafe — Restaurant in London

Went here for an early lunch with my partner today and unfortunately, the experience didn't quite live up to what we usually expect. We've been quite a few times before since it's a short walk from where we live, but it's quite pricey so we tend to go more as a treat. We both ordered the Breakfast Bun (which is perhaps the best breakfast sandwich I've ever eaten!), however today, they got our order wrong and what followed left us feeling put out.

When we asked about our order looking different, the waitress told us that it was the vegan sausage bun and the one with the sausage, bacon and egg was the All Day Bun (I seem to remember this as being an old version/name of the breakfast bun). She said that we'd pointed to it on the menu. I was confused, because I hadn't even noticed a vegan option, but she was very adamant that we'd chosen this one and said that it was still tasty. At this point, we both felt awkward at the situation and were second guessing whether we had been unclear. After reviewing the menu again, I realised that the vegan bun and the meat bun had completely different names, so it definitely wasn't a mistake on our part.

Given that we were hungry and didn't want to argue further/wait for our order to be amended since we have work to get back to (not an option that was offered in any case) we decided to keep the food. Unfortunately, it was very disappointing. The vegan sausages were lacking in flavour and the texture was spongey, something that couldn't be made up for by the onions. After really looking forward to getting our usual delightful sausage, streaky bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, it made it even more of a let down. Plus, it was only 90p cheaper... :( Given the ingredients in the vegan bun, it seems like it a bit of a rip off.

At the till, we were served by the same waitress. My partner brought this up again, pointing to the item that we'd actually ordered on the physical menu and explaining that it wasn't handled in the best way. She showed us that directly above the Breakfast Bun is the Vegan Sausage Bap which she thought we'd ordered and apologised if she came across as rude.

In hindsight, I would like to point out a few things as additional feedback: orders should be read back to customers to avoid any misunderstandings it is even more important to double check this if vegan options are placed next to meat options in the menu. If the mistake had been made the other way around, it would be far worse (something that recently happened to a friend and she was quite devastated when she took a bite...) If an honest mistake is made, it doesn't seem like the right approach to say that it was the fault of the customer, especially when that is not the case at all. Perhaps it would have been better if they had offered to change the order or give a one off discount...

Has gone really down hill in recent months. I've had a number of poor experiences with Hot Milk over an relatively recent period.

The brunch/lunch menu has drastically changed from the really lovely and varied menu it was before, to just bagels. The bagels were fine, but when we had them on a prior occasion, they were only partially heated up. Underwhelming, compared to the shakshuka, mushrooms on toast, breakfast buns, poached eggs etc. previously served.

Additionally, they only serve the bagels until 2:30pm (which I would have thought a perfectly reasonable time to have a later lunch). I was told at 2:33pm that they no longer serve bagels. No exception, despite already having been in the queue for 5 minutes and gesturing to the woman in front to be served first, as she was waiting to be served before I went to the counter.

The staff are friendly, but a bit chaotic. The atmosphere is now also very poor. Not sure if it was just due to stock being late, but they seem to be winding down the wines/beers/cards and other pieces, like greeting cards, mugs etc., they use to sell.

It has also just descended into a place where parents come to let their kids loose and run riot. We mistakenly decided to take a trip to one of their Friday Pizza+Cocktail nights. I grant you, we likely didn't pick the best time to go (half 6) but the restaurant was overburdened with shouting children high on all kinds of sugar, running up and down the middle of the cafe, in and out the front door and clambering on or under all vacant tables. All the while, we were trying to enjoy a cocktail while we wait for a pizza. We ended up asking for our pizza to be made to take away and left after half an hour. It was unbearable.

I would advise anyone looking to go elsewhere. Not what...

Avon corn is a VERY tasty dish, infact the only dish on the brunch menu that has texture and depth of flavour. Sadly last saturday they said they didn’t have any, so my boyfriend and I had to settle for a breakfast burrito each; very disappointing.

After a really average breakfast burrito we ordered 2 smoothies, the girl handed them to us without straws , not telling us that they’d run out of them too. Poor customer service.

Where is the owner or manager? If you care about yoUr business you would ensure you are stocked up on the basics for your Saturday breakfast service.

The staff seem inexperienced and moody , which is a shame because the setting and feel of the whole place is really cool and inviting.

Young girl behind the till couldn’t tell me the ingredients of any of the cakes , as I have a nut allergy. (Surely for food hygiene and safety reasons you need a allergen matrix to show to customers who need it?)

Overall I will give it 3 stars be the coffee tastes great, they are dog friendly and we enjoyed a few avo corns with them ... but will not be...