Caffe Nero in East Cambridgeshire - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

I come here quite often at lunch time. Therefore my review is based on multiple occasions. Staff is very rude and make you feel so uncomfortable. On top of this, it takes forever to have your drink. Staff is constantly chatting paying no attention to the customer in front of them placing the order. Tables are so dirty and I usually stay for more than one hour. When it is not busy, staff just keeps chatting instead of having a round at tables. Today, during a busy moment, one member of the staff went on break. Sat outside with friends. Leaving the only other staff member dealing, in her own time of course, with customers. Now, we are all entitled to breaks, but common sense would dictate that you take your break when the place is not packed. It's a shame. Because café Nero is my favourite. But things in Ely have to change. This customer service is not acceptable anymore.

Four able bodied adults ordered their drinks and food, then proceeded to sit at the far back of the coffee shop. The staff member made two of their drinks and food, then walked over with tray and carefully laid it all out. Then walked back and made another two drinks and food, walked over to them again, etc. All this time the line was nearly out the door. It is a counter serving coffee shop. Everyone was complaining how long the wait was, while they all sat and had their order hand delivered. The management should have said come get your order. Or left it on the side. When the gentleman in front of me ordered and the staff member got it wrong, she rolled her eyes at him. But the table service group got away with it. We will not be spending our money in this shop again. At least five other people were complaining about the wait and the reason why.

Love the frappe espresso. The staff were busy but serving quickly and efficiently. Friendly staff too. Recommend!

We stopped here for coffee and had a really long wait just to get a frappe and a cappuccino The service was painfully slow however in fairness it did look as though they were chronically understaffed as the same ‘Trainee Barista’ was trying to do drinks and food, and unfortunately failing miserably, although he was very pleasant. All of the free tables were dirty and piled with dirty plates and cups and remained so throughout our stay. We had to clear our own table to be able to sit where we did. If it wasn't for the fact we had a gift card we would definitely have gone elsewhere. Definitely not the best Nero experience I’ve had.

Going way down hill, paper cups and tables never cleared, lazy staff and a manager who obviously doesn't care. Really deserve to go bankrupt.

Absolutely dreadful . Tables not cleared. Only two staff working, very very slow we left after queuing for 20 mins. I doubt I will be visiting again.

Nice place but the woman who served me was quarrelsome and had no customer service skills at all. She gave me a telling off because I wanted to have my Cafe Nero card virtually stamped and she said I had not made that clear in time.

3 staff serving Inc one trainee. Our girl (tall, blonde hair) was either half asleep or just seriously lacking. My daughter is in a wheelchair and that was not acknowledged. She couldn't see the card machine so had no idea her payment hadn't gone through. Having been told she "hadn't paid" she did it again and the Barista ignored her. I had to look to see for her. 2 toasted teacakes ordered. 1st one was stone cold by the time the rest of the order was ready. 12noon no festive vegan items left apart from the mince pie.

Popped in today for a quick coffee round about 430 pm. When I lived in Ely a few years ago, this was always my coffee shop of choice. I am unlikely to choose it again following today's visit. To begin with the outside seating area was full of dirty cups and trays. No major problem as we wanted to drink inside anyway, but not a good first impression. Inside, however, was not much better. At least half, if not more, of the tables were dirty and full of trays. There were 2 members of staff behind the counter. The younger of the 2 was serving and was pleasant enough. The older one seemed to spend all the time we were in there wiping down equipment behind the counter( about half an hour) and made no attempt to interact with the customers. At no point did anyone come from behind the counter to clear or wipe any tables. To add to the experience, when I visited the toilet, there was no toilet roll!! Not a good impression, which is a shame as I had always enjoyed my visits here in the past.

Called in for coffee and was tempted by the selection of cakes already prepared in the counter. If you get chance, try the Sicilian Lemon Cheesecake, definitely worth the calories! Plenty of seating in this refurbished Caffe Nero. Friendly staff.

The atmosphere is so much better this week. Caffe Nero always does a good coffee and Ely branch is no exception. However, and it is a BIG however(!), one member of staff (middleaged dark haired woman) is always miserable and rude (to customers and staff(!)) . This week I have been in 3 times and the atmosphere is so much better - the staff are polite, helpful and happy - apparently the older woman is on holiday. This week the staff deserve a 5!!!

Why are the staff so rude. I was treated so badly when I was just waiting patiently to be served. I will never enter this coffee shop again. Staff really need to get some customers serve training in. It was quite upsetting to be honest as I just popped in to get a take out coffee and left feeling so upset. I had literally done nothing wrong. Disgusting serve. Have they never heard of the saying if you can be anything, be kind.

The only reason i go into there for my coffee as alot of other people you can take your dog, when you observe your surrounding the floor is filthy and empty cups on various tables even though not very busy. The woman who i beleive is the manager has no patience when ordereing and can be very abrupt and rude, no sense of humour clearly does not want to work there!! Wearing a mask does not clean a dirty table need to get pririties in place. Oh and i wish they would turn that bloody awful music off that is constantly dribbling in the background not sure what it is about.

Visited cafe Nero today service was ok however we were sitting at the table and our tray was taken away with our cups..I had to take my cup back as I hadn’t finished! Then the lady staff member was clearing tables and knocked a bottle of water on the floor..she picked the bottle up and carried on clearing tables and left the floor wet..no wet sign was put out..we sat there for 15 minutes before we left..we said to the lady you may want to put a wet floor sign out so no one slips..she gave us a filthy look !! Let’s hope no one slips and sues!! Sorry to say we won’t be rushing back!

The staff on today need to re visit charm school, just so miserable! Store could do with an upgrade. Given 2 stars as coffee good.

Very rude staff , not my fault they were working a bank holiday !! If it’s wrong to ask to have a clean table then it’s my fault. Won’t use cafe Nero again anywhere !!

Board up with Covid rules on but it clearly said the toilet are open to customers so I headed to the toilet, past a couple of chairs that had a food gap so you could get through ( or so I thought ) . Only to see sign on the toilet door saying closed. I walked back realising that maybe the sign was wrong only to be glared at by a member of staff. I told her ( kindly) that the board said the toilets are open. Now, no harm was done, I didn’t touch anything and just walked back out but this staff member glared at me and continued to shout and moan about me after I had left. Little did she know my son was still in the queue. Another staff member then apologised when my son explained about the board and told her she being extremely rude and aggressive towards me. I will never go in here again. I understand the toilets being closed, I get it, but there is no need to treat paying customers in this way.

Was going in to get take away coffee but there was no social distancing going on in the queue not sure who was watching the number of people didn't seem to be anyone on the door.Will not go in here.

My wife and I called in for a coffee before visiting the cathedral. It was busy but we managed to find a table to share. Service was just about acceptable. Two flat whites were hot and tasty. Then it was awful. Our table had ingrained dirt in it. Sticky beyond belief. I doubt if it had been cleaned for a long time. Chairs were stained and dirty. Food all over the floor and it was only 10 o’clock n the morning. It seemed that the floor hadn’t been cleaned since the day before. We asked a member of staff if she could clean the table which was answered with a wry smile. She never came back! As we left, there was a pile of debris by the door. Clearly someone had swept up and left it there for everyone to tread in. Appalling! Environmental Health - shut this place down. Café Nero management - train your staff in cleanliness. The government is trying to get everyone to think about cleanliness because of Covid-19 but not here. Let’s spread disease and make people ill. Yeuk!!!!!

Dirty tables, piles of dirty crockery and trays,no-one made an attempt to clear the tables in the 30 minutes I was there despite there being a long queue and customers waiting for tables. Two staff with heavy make-up and long hair dangling over the pastries, actually brushing overthe croissants at one point, handling cakes and cups after brushing hair back behind the ears and cakes labelled incorrectly. Will give it a miss in future and go to the much better independent Ace Cafe just along the High Street.

Went in for cake and coffee but trainee waitress was so rude. Shouting with her back towards us , snapping when asked questions about the menu and rushing us when nobody was there! A smile would go a long way...not here. Ordered a cake and it was stale and tasteless ! Not coming back here again.

My last visit here was very disappointing as the place was a mess and poorly managed . Today's visit was a completely different experience. The tables were cleared and staff were on the ball and attentive and cheerful. Well done for such an improvement and a happy visit !!!

Good hard working team here on out visit, thank you. Tables kept clear and toilets in good order which isn't always the case elsewhere.

There are lots of coffee shops in Ely now but this is definitely my favourite. Many of the others seem to have a high staff turnover but Neros always seems to have a familiar friendly face. The coffee is good and the cafe and facilities are always clean.

I left my glasses in the cafe, and as I live in York, couldn’t easily call in to collect them. I had a prompt reply to my email, and now the manager has really kindly posted them to me - at no charge. A chain with a human face!

We arrived and our first task was to clear a table of used cups etc.! Every table was uncleared and the place looked a mess. Our coffee was acceptable but took a very long time to be made. The cakes and cheese twists were very tasty. The toilets were filthy. I will not elaborate and leave it to your imagination!We will not be returning until we hear that this place is restored to an acceptable standard.

We wrote to cafe Nero 3 times about the condition and lack of amenities suited for using as a convenience.. sadly cafe Nero seem to ignore comments that need attention so added here. Whilst the staff are friendly the coffee is generic..the toilets are and are always revolting. We have avoided going this weekend purely due to not wanting to crouch and hover .. and leave without clean washed hands as soap dispenser last time was on floor. The walls must be high in bacteria as well as the seating arrangement in the loos. Shocking that this day an age a toilet be treated like a dunny from Tudor times.

The outlet is excellent - perfectly tidied continuously - kept neat clean and tidy. Brilliant staff all so pleasant and jolly and super efficient. The usual offering and good as always

Good coffee, absolutely brilliant staff. Consistent and fast, friendly service. Simple but cosy environment. Also it's dog-friendly which is really fantastic :)

It was a wet and autumnal day so thought a coffee and a hot chocolate would cheer us up. What a disgrace !! Tables were strewn with cups and food debris and we had to clear up so we could have a clean space. I queued and queued whilst the barista (what a joke that is !!! ) took an interminable time to prepare drinks in a pedantic and sluggish manner. There was another member of staff wafting about seemingly unaware of customers, table clearing or serving. What a shambles this place is !! So I took the decision to leave and go to the adjacent cafe where service was supplied in a quick efficient and professional manner unlike Caffe Nero which is an insult to the art of coffee making and customer service. Never again !!!!

After visiting the cathedral we went to the Caffe Nero for a coffee and some early lunch. The staff were welcoming. It had a lovely ambience - well laid out unlike some of their pokey London counterparts.

This coffee shop has proper baristas making proper coffee from proper machines, so is one of the best places in Ely for this product.

Nice place to go to catch up with friends Really good coffee and cakes, also snacks You can sit and enjoy your food without being rushed Really nice atmosphere

Came here for a quiet coffee (which was terrible anyway) Saw the staff completely humiliate a lady saying she had the wrong order (she didn't). Rude staff, bad coffee. Never coming back

Passing through Ely and popped into this coffee shop for a cuppa and some free wifi. The queue was enormous, so I sat down and waited for an slow down to place my order. I must have waited 25 minutes before the queue was reduced to 2 people and to be honest it never really lessened below that during my stay. The two guys behind the counter - who were working flat out - remained polite, professional and in good spirits throughout. Great service, albeit I think there is a staff shortage. Nice vibe in the place too.

We've been here a few times, the staff are always friendly, always quick service. Loved the Christmas specials (salted caramel hot chocolate was amazing).

I am repeatedly getting short changes with large latte being all froth. Won't go there again, had enough or actually not enough!

It was a cold day and I had an hour to kill so had a coffee and cake here to warm up. Close by the cathedral it was warm and friendly so ideal if you need to while away some time.

The food was good, the hamburgers big, and the service was fine. Mid priced, good coffee, and a pleasant, nice place to eat.

Being part of a large chain, you tend to expect and get good coffee at Nero. They have good staff, serving quickly and keeping the cafe clear. We didn't try the food so I can't comment on that but they had the usual selection of cakes and sandwiches that you'd expect.

Friendly staff always and good coffee. Never had a bad experience here. And the best part, they welcome dogs! We bring our lovely pooch with us every time. Thank you Nero :)

We met up here as the cafe is accessible for a wheelchair user. The coffee was delicious, the shortbread crunchy and the carrot cake freshly made. There's a choice of seating and the atmosphere is friendly.

Regularmente visitamos este lugar como una familia para un delicioso café con leche o capuchino o bebé chinno. La torta de zanahoria es muy agradable, pero el pedazo para que el precio pagado por no es justo.

Me gusta Nero en general, mucho más que la mayoría de otras grandes cadenas de café, pero me encanta este, por el personal. Son muy amables y acogedores - me encuentro yendo porque quiero decir hola (tanto como quiero un chocolate blanco moka).

Cafe Nero can be relied on for good coffee every time. The staff are always polite and helpful. They also do a nice range of coolers and cakes.

Es la primera vez que visito un Caffe Nero y me sentí decepcionado. La cola era bastante larga como nuestra orden tomó años. Los precios no eran demasiado mal mi bebida no sabor de caramelo caramel latte en mi. Ambiente agradable y cómodos asientos. No hay tazas vacías tumbados y era un lugar agradable para sentarse y charlar.

Caffe Nero sugiere negro café! Naturalmente el café estaba muy bien servida. Uno debería probar la tarta de chocolate en este maravilloso café. El personal era muy servicial y profesional. Una experiencia fantástica en debería tener en esta hermosa ciudad!

Nice coffee and nice atmosphere just right for a stop off while in town Would recommend just a little untidy today tables not cleaned

A good place to stop for coffee and a chat with friends. Good coffee, fairly comfortable and somtimes difficult to find a seat! Clearly I'm not the only one that lies Cafe Nero.

A typical standard Caffe Nero's. However, the staff are very friendly and chatty which is nice to see.

We stopped by this place several times for coffee and their lemon muffins. Staff are great and very friendly. Service is great. Only complaint is sometimes when they are very busy they don't clear the tables as much. On the other hand, even when they are busy they work hard and service is good.

Popped in for a lite breakfast and a coffee. Chose a cheese and tom toasted sandwich and a large americana coffee. Perfect if not wanting a heavy breakfast. Staff were attentive and helpful. Good comfy seats and never rushed to leave.

I always choose Caffe Nero for a great range of drinks (hot and cold), a wide choice of sandwiches/rolls and a dazzling array of yummy cakes and slices. Depending on time of day, it can be relaxing and quiet which is what I prefer when I want a break. Staff are always attentive and proficient.

Stopped in for coffee and hot chocolate with our grand-daughters. They know the place and how to order. "Not too hot." It was a bit crowded, but I suppose that is a good sign. With "*bucks" just around the corner, Caffe Nero is surprisingly popular.

I go here most days, always get great service, staff so good, coffee good too. 10/10 top marks all round.

Pretty standard as Cafe Neros go, but it adds a lovely bit of warmth and flavour to a walk down the High Street. It's right next to Toppings book shop which is a MUST visit, so if you go in there, buy a book and curl up in here with a coffee, that's pretty much the high point of a morning on the High Street (unless you've been to the Cathedral of course - right across the road!)

My wife and I popped in here between the showers for coffee/tea and cake. Friendly Italian Barista who made us feel welcome. Standard Nero fayre but a pleasure to be there

E' un luogo dove al mattino si ritrova tanta gente per la colazione. Il WF gratuito contribuisce ad attrarre i viaggiatori ma è frequentato anche da tanti locali

my husband and I visit every week sometimes twice. I have read the other reviews and can understand the comments about the leather settee however I have never found this Cafe dirty. The tables are continually wiped and the toilets are very clean. However the best thing about Ely Nero is the staff, they are all very friendly and welcoming and always remember what we like I can't praise them enough. I would encourage people to try it.

This place needs a good scrub everywhere, yes it was busy, but it was a normal Saturday, employ more staff, if everyone's too busy to clean. The tables, chairs, floor, entrance, and doors were all grubby, thank goodness I didn't need to use the toilet. Also move the (extremely tired looking) sofa to clean under it from time to time, I wasn't peering underneath it, but I could clearly see under it sitting down and I don't think it's been cleaned under there since 1975. This isn't the only dirty Caffe Nero we have been in. No excuse for it.

I have migrated here after the local Costa was "refurbished" without any comfy chairs and turned into a bit of a caff.Coffee is fine but aircon is set to arctic and you need to make sure you take a coat.The staff seem happy with the temp but customers sit and freeze in the icy blast even on cold days outside. Perhaps they should just turn off the aircon if it's cold outside?Leather chairs were ok but are now dirty and shabby with stains of spilled drinks. Management need to get a grip here.

The coffee was good but it could definitely be cleaner, especially the floors. The layout is also not great with very limited comfy seating.

My wife and I arrive in Ely mid afternoon in need of some sustenance, and arrive at Caffe Nero. The door is wide open and the interior attractive, so we enter. In fact I am impressed with the interior: there is free wifi and an Internet area, the place is spacious and inviting, and some effort has been put in to making the decor interesting. However, we are less impressed with the food and drink. The carrot cake and cappuccino cake could have done with some cream or ice cream to lighten them up, and my cappuccino, while nice and frothy, was very strong. So I think, 3/5 for our experience, but an extra point for ambiance and effort!

Just a quick takeaway coffee, long line but went within 5 minutes, drink was fresh and served by a chatty guy.

Rather disorganised and dirty - there were 5 of us - my coffee was very bitter which was a shame as I usually enjoy Nero's coffee - not sure if they were short staffed but it was messy and chaotic - I am sure it was just a bad day - at least I hope so.

As I was walking through Ely town centre, it was pretty cold, a nice warm Nero was just the ticket. The staff are very pleasant too.

I don't know when this place was last cleaned, but the floor is filthy with dropped food, the seating is stained and ripped, and the service is slow. Never again!

Always polite, and good attentive staff even when busy. Not the quickest mind you. Comfy seats. Great cappuccino cake.

The coffee was good, but the cakes are better. The place is very clean and the staff attentive but friendy. A bit expensive..

We visited here twice and each time the service was friendly and efficient. The coffee and chocolate were good and the slices and cookies fine. The cafe is clean and there was plenty of room for our wheelchair.

Great Sunday morning place for a really good coffee friendly staf an comfy seats and free Sunday papers to browse - A treat !!

often call in for coffee staff always helpful and polite. The porridge is great for morning breakfast. The tables are cleared quickly and nothing is to much trouble

It was not busy when we visited but there was a pleasant buzz about the place. We were enticed by the last two pieces if cappuccino cake which were lovely. The latte was a little bitter for me but ok. The venue was worn but tidy and the staff were the friendliest we met in Ely.

Me and my other half come here nearly every weekend. I love the atmosphere nothing to potentious, the staff are welcoming, attentive, help is given when needed and say goodbye on every occasion. Even when busy they have a quick turn around and take orders and keep the place clean. Exceptionally impressed and this has become my winner when it comes to coffee shops which I never thought it would over other commercial coffee shops. The cakes and sandwiches are tasty and all below the price I would expect to pay.

Welcoming atmosphere, friendly/ helpful staff, lots of comfortable seating, clean. Always plenty of staff on duty so it doesn't get too busy. Great location on the high street. Definitely recommend!

Had a coffee and a croissant but the trainee serving was alone behind counter and was very confused; resultant in wrong coffees and much confusing! We didn't complain as she was obviously still learning, she was very pleasant and friendly and it was more of a fault of poor supervision than anything else. As coffee shops go, this is probably the nicest of the chains in Ely, you usualy know what to expect, except on this occasion! Large seating area and generally, when better staffed, clean and accommodating!

For Ely Nero has the best atmosphere when compared to nearby Costa. They also serve better pastries in the mornings. Coffee is always good too. I visit 4-5 times a week and it's my go to coffee shop in Ely.

I love Neros coffee and cakes especially the spiced apple muffin, but goodness this cafe really needs a make over. The chairs are stained, the decor jaded, the floor needs a regular sweep and although I didn't use the toilet this time, I have on previous visits and it was not pleasant. Maybe extra staff would be the answer, but they do need to do something.

This venue is the dirtiest food/drink server I have ever been in! The generally worn decor could be forgiven if at least it was clean. My wife wanted to use a high chair for our daughter but both were so disgusting she gave up trying to clean them with wet wipes. The floor was covered in food waste. We had to clear our own table to find somewhere to sit. The coffee was average but we didn't go on to eat..... The toilets weren't clean and the toilet seat was broken. Really disappointed. I've only given it a score of terrible as there isn't anything lower!

Went in for a coffee and to feed baby at 12.00 o ' clock. It was absolutely filthy!! The floor was covered in crumbs , tables not wiped and sticky , baby high chair full of crumbs and sticky. Tried two of them and even tried cleaning with wet wipes. Could not get clean so abandoned trying to use one. Have never seen a "cafe Nero" anywhere else so disgusting. Coffees not great either. Glad only on holiday here so will not have to visit again.

Tried my first Chocolate M.... A rich think creamy hot chocolate. Service slow as are most coffee shops but service was with a warm smile and happy attitude.

What a sad cafe experience they are not doing anything original at all. The same horrid jazz cd plays every time i have been in. A tired decor and a strong varnish paint smell last time I went in .This cafe always looks dirty and once there was a bit of something unknown in my sandwich. So that puts me off eating here! The toilets are not nice and seem to be a last minute add on.The staff have changed recently and a man who seems strangely robotic and not genuine makes me not want to go in anymore.They have replaced known brands of food and drink with horrid Nero's branded stuff. Most people avoid this cafe as there are much better alternatives in Ely, close by.

The coffee, cakes and service here is brilliant! The staff are very friendly and the atmosphere is very calm and relaxed, the perfect place to go for a lunch date!

Will keep this short and sweet! Fabulous coffee as at all Cafe Nero. Friendly staff at the Ely branch, nice atmosphere!

Neros offered brilliant coffee. The only place we found in Uk with strong coffee and milk which was not boiled. Delicious lattes. Very personable barister who, next morning, new each customer's requirements and made "the usual". There were newspapers to read, free wifi and comfy chairs.

Wish there were more comfortable seats/sofas and sometimes it's stupidly busy but otherwise, friendly staff, good drinks and clean toilets - can't ask for more.

Coffee great, staff friendly and very helpful, and good value for money. Often visit when other coffee venues in Ely are too busy.

Brilliant place to have a coffee,lovely atmosphere, friendly staff, good coffee, a nice big building so not sitting on top of people

A great place. Friendly staff, great atmosphere, good coffee and sweets. Am a daily visitor for my stay in Ely. Highly recommended, come ever year.

Always great coffee with excellent and friendly service. Atmosphere is great but could do with more soft furnishings.

Very enjoyable coffee. On this occasion service was slow three people behind the counter two cleaning up and bin emptying while one very pleasant but harassed girl juggled our orders.

Very polite, helpful and friendly staff. Nice atmosphere. Just one small gripe is the amount of buggies. When I had kids I always made sure the buggy was folded up or at the very least not in anyone's way. I had a tray with four drinks on it and a buggy was pushed out in front of me. I feel the shop in places is just a bit cramped to have five or six buggies parked all over the shop.

Tienen unos granizados muy buenos y el chocolate caliente también y la tarta de chocolate también. Hacen por entenderte. Para tomar allí te preparan bandeja y también para llevar. Está muy céntrico para descansar de un día de compras.

This Cafe is situated on the High Street very close to the Cathedral and a well-known local book shop.I don't know why, but I attend to associate Caffe Nero's with small, crowded shops, and a dark colour scheme. If I think of the Nero's in Peterborough or York, or on Trafalgar Sqaure I immediately conjure up a picture of dark blues and the browns of the furniture. In complete contrast, this shop was bright. The walls were lighter, the seating was varied and spread out - and despite being very busy, the impression was one of space. I didn't feel hemmed in and could relax more.In some Nero's I have been in the baristas can be loud, apathetic, or surly. The ones here seemed efficient and friendly. The manager quite noticeably took his time to help people link up to the free wi-fi and engage in social conversation with them.The food in this chain is fairly standard. Appealing (and slightly over-priced) cakes and biscuits, and unappealing (and slightly dry and over-priced) sandwiches and paninis. However, most people don't go to Nero's to eat, but to drink the great coffee - and the coffee is good (though if you want a Flat White you'll have to go to Starbucks or Costa's).

A parte aver pagato una cifra un caffè espresso di pessima qualità mi sono dovuta imbattere nella maleducazione di uno degli addetti ai lavori che con fare scorbutico ha provato a chiedermi più di quanto scritto sulla tabella dei prezzi esposta solo perchè di sua iniziativa aveva versato il caffè nella tazza di coccio mentre, secondo lui, il prezzo esposto era riferito al caffè nel bicchiere di carta.

Since previously going a Caffe Nero in London, I knew I wanted to go to another one. My husband & I got their Frappe, me a coffee & my husband banana. Sat at outside seating! Great place to people watch on High Street, a part of the Royal Mile!