Elan Café: Pretty and Pink Brunch in London

After seeing photo after photo of Elan Café on Instagram, I decided it was finally time to visit. I’m a sucker for aesthetics, and the flower walls, pink interiors and unique cakes were calling my name. The picturesque pastries and alternative lattes have been taking social media by storm and I was desperate to try them.

Founded in 2017, Elan has become one of the most Instagrammed destinations in London. Following its immense popularity over the last year, there are now six branches – Market Place, Brompton Road, Park Lane, Selfridges, Hans Crescent and Lowndes Street. It has become one of the most iconic cafés in London and is the perfect place to go for breakfast, brunch, cake, and coffee (or all of the above if you’re hungry!).

I visited the Hans Crescent branch, just opposite Harrods in Knightsbridge. It was definitely an Instagrammers' dream with marble tables, endless flowers and relatable quotes in neon. The Love Heart wall, carousel horses and soft furnishings definitely proved popular with the fashionistas, Instagrammers and many selfie-takers.

Elan is vegan-friendly and fresh ingredients are used to create their innovative dishes. The service was very quick and the staff were attentive.

I couldn’t decide whether to opt for breakfast/brunch food or cake, so I went for both! I had the avocado toast, the Oreo cheesecake, and a Lucky Charms latte. The extensive menu made it quite difficult for me to choose what to have, so I would highly recommend having a look at the menu online before you visit to avoid any challenging predicaments!

I’ve eaten a lot of avocado toast in my time and this really was delicious! The lemon juice and the pomegranate seeds went beautifully together and the sundried tomatoes were divine. I was still slightly peckish (shock), so the Oreo cheesecake went down a treat! It was truly spectacular. The Lucky Charms latte was also fabulous. Unique, delicious and comforting, all in one cup. Overall I was really impressed with everything I ordered, and would highly recommend all of the above.

My bill came to just under £25 for my three things, including the service charge. Pricey for a bit of breakfast/lunch, but this is Knightsbridge after all!!

Do bear in mind that if you visit at peak breakfast or lunch time, expect a queue outside. Elan don’t accept bookings, so if you want to eat at lunch time, perhaps get there before your stomach starts to rumble.

Also take into consideration that you only get a maximum table stay of 45 minutes, which was slightly disappointing as by the time the 45 minutes were up, the bill was presented on the table and it felt as though we were being kicked out!

There’s a lot more to Elan than the pink flowers and caffeine. I was actually quite surprised at just how good the food was! Not only is it a really pretty location, the food is definitely up to the same standard.

I hear the Spanish latte is amazing and the macarons looked delicious so I will definitely be going back to try those!