Élan café
Élan café is one of those places that leaves you wondering if you been in a dream. Founded in 2001 with coffee being the core of their business partnering with Union coffee roasters. In addition to their brilliant coffee Élan also serves natural crafted food and ginormous cakes.
Élan café
Élan café currently has two locations in London, one in Park Lane and Brompton road. I wanted to take my cousin out to a special place and knew from photos and videos that Élan would live up to that promise. Since we were planning to shop in Harvey Nichols after our tea/coffee catch up the Brompton Road café it was.
Queues formed outside, we left out names and sat outside until we were called inside. From the outside looking in, the place is decked out in pink-hued paradise and beautiful floral instalments. There’s even a full-size sakura tree by the coffee machines. The décor is stunning every corner carefully designed to give a different vibe. The fake rose wall is worth a photo with.
The interior
We both started on lattes moving on to cakes, Jo picked out a poke bowl to suit her vegetarian needs. It wasn’t your average poke bowl with rice as a base but looked pretty and nicely presented on the plate.
Food
I warn you now that the cakes are HUGE. My strawberry was a tower of three cake layers of sponge, an inch of icing between and strawberry sauce dripping on the sides. The neighbouring table looked in shock as she ordered the same cake and wondered how she would manage to eat it all.
Food and drinks at Élan café are pricier than average places. I found lattes to be overpriced for £6 and a cheeky extra charge for alternative milk. Where their menu on the website clearly list there’s no extra charge.
The service is excellent and prompt, the bill between us rung up to £45.74.
Location: 48 Park Lane, W1K 1PR, near Hyde Park Corner, or 239 Brompton Road, SW3 2EP, near Knightsbridge.