An Edinburgh TikTokker has slammed a new café in St James Quarter after a “disappointing” experience.
Olivia Yasmin has advised fellow capital foodies to save their money and go elsewhere than EL&N Café in the city centre. The plush eatery opened less than two weeks ago, hailing itself as ‘one of the most Instagrammable destinations in the world.’
However, Olivia suspected she wasn’t in for a world class experience when she says she was met with a lengthy wait to be served. When their order eventually was taken, she claims staff returned 15 minutes later to explain they didn’t have the ingredients and they would have to pick something else.
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Their plan B was a pair of frappes, which Olivia said didn’t justify their £7 price tag as she could “make those in my house”. Speaking on TikTok, Olivia said: “I would never normally leave a negative review, but guys, the new EL&N café in St James Quarter is not the one. Please just save your money and go somewhere else.
“First of all, we got sat down. The service was really long, especially for how quiet it was. We ordered a drink and they came back about 15 minutes later and told us they didn’t actually have the ingredients.
“It just wasn’t it. These (the frappes) were £7 each. Look at that, I can make that in my house. Everyone around us was leaving some of their food. It just didn’t look that good. Save your pennies guys, go somewhere better.”
The piercingly pink café brand has branches in the UK and abroad, including spots in Paris, Doha and Dubai. Fellow social media users agreed with Olivia’s review, with one writing: “It seems like they care more about the aesthetic appeal rather than the quality.”
Another said: “We went last week and left. They had nothing we asked for. Literally didn’t even have teabags for a cup of tea.” The St James’ Centre store is the company’s first Scottish venture after opening 10 of the distinctive cafés in London.
A spokeswoman for EL&N said: “We have already reached out to the guest ourselves to understand what happened on her visit and how we can help further better our EL&N experience.
“Our guests’ feedback is absolutely key for us to be able to deliver the best possible service and we will be chatting with Olivia directly on her visit.”
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