Elbows Cafe in Hackney

Having elbowed our way through the Victoria Park crowd, we found a table to rest our elbows. This place is dog-friendly🐕, so you might get your elbow licked by a friendly fluffy one👅. Coffee☕was on the heavily roasted side but still decent. Poached eggs🍳were tender and dripped all over my elbows. Dining room was busy, and kitchen staff are clearly not afraid of a little elbow grease💪. Service staff were friendly, except the two elderly grumpy ladies who gave us the cold shoulder and elbow upon seeing our dog🐕 while trying to get past. There was no space in the room to swing an elbow, so they should show more considerations with their mannerism. Outdoor area is now shut, so you would have to refrain from sticking out an elbow when getting out of seat. Generally pleasant, but until the outdoor area is open again I wouldn't want to be back in fear of other customers' extending elbows in a crowded space. Once open again, I may return and hopefully see the dog-unfriendly big-elbowed ladies in better form.

I recently moved back to this area and delighted to find Elbows still going strong. Always a warm welcome, great coffee and delicious cake and other homemade delights on offer. The service is consistently good whether I’m eating in or taking out. Nice tables outside to watch the world go by and meet other locals.

A simple request for cheese and salad on toasted ciabatta seems to me a simple request. The whole thing was toasted with melted cheese. Definely not what I ordered. And the salad consists of lettuce but no tomato or cucumber. Elbows unfortunately has gone down hill since the refit.

How do I even begin to put this in words... I don't understand how a cafe could get a simple breakfast so wrong. What I ordered from the menu was far from what was served. I ordered poached eggs and smoked salmon on toast and my friend ordered avocado on toast with mozzarella and tomatoes. Both our orders came out covered in grilled vegetables including broccoli, courgette, cauliflower, mushrooms, potatoes and god knows what else. Served also with a side of salad leaves and balsamic dressing. This was not disclosed on the menu. Furthermore my eggs were barely poached the toast barely toasted. As the food had not come as expected we didn't touch it and decided we wanted to leave. When we addressed this with a staff member they told us they could take the vegetables off or make something else but we would have to pay as the food had been made. We advised that we would just like to pay for our coffees and leave, we would not be paying for the food as we didn't even touch it. We were made to feel very uncomfortable by all the staff members and had to debate with them for at least 10 minuets before they would let us leave only charging us for the coffees. I would not recommend this at all!! The coffee wasn't even all that. I wouldn't normally post a review but it was truly appalling.

Discovered Elbows pre Pandemic and became a regular the past few years through lockdowns and since. Always order the same thing, a vegetable wrap as my healthy option, sometimes with a little hummus &/or feta as a treat. Last few times I’ve found the wrap is all wrap, little content. Today was the worst yet; halloumi instead of feta, and potatoes!!! No vegetables in sight. And a 20mins wait. Reading the reviews here it seems Elbows is under new ownership which explains everything. Sadly I won’t be back.

The refurb has removed any character, colour and greenery. But the food is still great. There's still outside seating and a little outside area out back but it's very hard, grey and soulless now. This used to be one of my very favourite places so I'll check back in a few months to see if any colour or plants make a return.

I have been a regular customer for many years at elbows café under the previous owners, firstly my cappuccino did not contain the caramel shot that I had paid for, my cake was pre-sliced and crusty, when I raised this issue with a member of staff his response was “ok,ok”. Extremely rude and unprofessional staff. I’d rather go to a greasy spoon cafe as you know what to expect and the service in it self is far better than here, Staff are quick to run and take your order and your money (it’s not worth the prices they charge) but not efficient at taking care of their customers. I was so disappointed and can certainly say that I will not be returning to Elbows café again.

Excellent food in this cafe, freshly prepared and wonderful service from the friendly staff. Lovely seating area, always clean. Always visit for breakfast or lunch when I’m working in the area

I found this place during a morning walk. They have fresh squeezed orange juice, croissants and a wide range of bagettes and wraps. Delicious, homemade and with a great price. Honestly I will come back soon

Elbows Cafe, I would die for your tuna melt sandwiches. They're so good. Please never change. Love you.

This place is a gem in a furtively genteel but vibrant area. Recommended by a friend with whom we ate, the staff are industrious and pleasant and the food is very good indeed. There is seating outside for those hardier than we were on a slightly chilly, drizzly day (it was August and a BH weekend, for goodness sake). There is parking nearby, limited spaces but actually free most of the time. We're already contemplating a return visit.

Lovely cafe, great food, nice outdoor seating . Everything was very tasty and reasonably priced. Hand sanitiser available for customers to use.

Stopped by for a coffee which turned into an impromptu breakfast. Friendly and warm service, the breakfast, absolutely delicious. I can heartily recommend the scrambled eggs with smoked salmon which comes with salad, grilled vegetables and toast. It was fabulous.

Arrived ridiculously early on a Saturday morning-we were in need of caffeine! It was before Elbows opening time but the fabulous proprietor noticed us (and our need!)unlocked the doors and welcomed us in. The coffee, biscotti and welcome were way beyond expectation. Absolutely love Elbows and will eagerly return.

This was the first resturant I visited when I moved into the area. The food is good but it is very cramped and difficult for me to move around in. I am registered as Blind and require a walking stick to aid me in getting around. The furnishongs are mainly wicker or lightweight design which causes me problems as I am of large build. As for the cost of the meal, I find this a little bit dear although this is just the way things are these days.

Fuimos recibidos en la puerta con una actitud nada problemática por parte de la persona que trabaja allí. La comida se servía rápidamente y el personal era muy amable. Tuvimos una mesa encantadora y la comida era increíble, los niños levantaron su comida y disfrutamos mucho la nuestra también! Definitivamente vamos a estar de vuelta.

Así que hoy día (a la hora del almuerzo del sábado) con 12 personas hambrientas, con pocas esperanzas de que puedan acomodarnos a todos. Sin embargo, el personal no podría haber sido más útil, ya que rápidamente evaluó quién se iría pronto y dónde podrían juntar las mesas.La comida era excelente y todo venía con una ensalada de buen tamaño. Una persona tenía pan sin gluten y dijo que era muy agradable. Resulta que lo hacen ellos mismos. El personal era encantador, los precios moderados y la cafetería tiene un ambiente acogedor. ¿Que es no gustar?

Great place, cost in their little greenhouse out the back. Friendly service, fresh food, generous portions and tasty tasty.

I’ve eaten at this cafe a lot over the last year whilst working in the area. Food is fresh and salads are great! Fresh orange juice is awesome. It is all about the food in this place! Thanks

Small and cozy little niche past Vitcoria Park. Delicious and fresh food veg along with perfectly soft cooked eggs. Thank you!!

Elbows is one of my fave little cafes in Victoria Park Village. The food is always good and the staff and owner are lovely! I especially love their vegetarian wraps!

Buscando un brunch cerca del parque Victoria, encontramos este café y elegimos una mesa exterior para ver pasar el mundo. Nos sorprendió un poco recibir no solo ensalada sino también vegetales asados ​​con nuestros huevos, pero en realidad fue sorprendentemente agradable. Tal vez podría elegir uno u otro ya que hizo una comida bastante grande.Nos gustó mucho aquí y decidimos visitar nuevamente cuando estuvimos en la zona el fin de semana pasado.Hemos visto quejas sobre el servicio en otras críticas, pero sentimos que estaba bien. Siempre me gusta levantarme e ir a pagar hasta que de todos modos y aprecié que no estábamos apurados a pesar de que estaban ocupados el sábado por la mañana que visitamos.Escuché a alguien pedir un desayuno vegano y me dijeron que no hicieron esto, pero un gran plato de verduras asadas y ensalada habría sido perfecto. Nuestra tostada vino rociada con aceite de oliva en lugar de mantequilla, así que creo que hubiera sido posible.

Si está cerca de Victoria Park, solo tome un desayuno en la cafetería Elbows. La mesa afuera en este período de años es increíble. Realmente disfrutas de una buena comida en un lugar agradable. Servicio cálido y amable. Siempre cuídate del cliente. Increíble croissant de jamón y queso, no el habitual que puedes encontrar en todas partes. En general, muy bien!

Me encanta el mono interiores y ambiente relajado del lugar, es muy acogedor y familiar. Sin embargo, me encanta la comida, sirven una envoltura vegetales hummus, que es mi favorito opción almuerzo en la zona. Voy a codos casi cada fin de semana a conseguir uno. Lo recomendamos encarecidamente!

I came here for lunch with a friend. We both ordered soup, but got a huge salad, and a bread basket with it. A cosy, warm place with quite a lot of seating, we were really impressed with everything.

I came here last week with friends for a cuppa after uni and we had a lovely time. The coffee was really good and the place is really home-y. Would come back without hesitation !

Friendly cosy cafe. small menu but good. Excellent coffee .. Wraps lasagne soups jacket potatoes all come with lovely fresh large side salad. Suitable and good options available for vegetarians

Cuando te ven llegar. Capuchino estaba bien, pero la comida era demasiado caro para la calidad que ofrecen. Si pides un croissant con jamón y queso, que entras y otras cosas también pimentón dentro. No tiene sentido y ni siquiera por escrito que te lo como este. Tampoco amable durante el servicio.

Siendo un agradable día soleado nos eligieron para sentarse fuera y disfrutar de un brunch en el sol. Afortunadamente, pudimos encontrar una mesa para acomodar los cuatro de nosotros. El personal era un poco lento en tomar nuestro pedido, sin embargo, me agradó saber que mis huevos revueltos con salmón ahumado venía con un lado extra de ensalada verduras salteadas, todas eran sabrosos. El único problema importante vino cuando pedir la factura. Tuvimos que pedir dos veces antes de recibirla y una vez más antes de pagar con tarjeta. Perpleja en el la idea de que el personal podría no querer a pagar una mesa más grande y clara en una encantadora ubicación terminamos caminando y pagar en la caja. Como resultado se dio ningún consejo...

camarera te ponga sus ojos y barman chistaba cuando un miembro de nuestro grupo mencionado tenían enfermedad de CELIAC y preguntamos si su patata de la chaqueta sería preparado con cualquier tipo de alimentos sin gluten o basado en materiales. Nunca antes he experimentado una mala educación. La camarera, en vez de disculparse, fingir que que no entendía lo que decíamos y continuó Mutter bajo su aliento y roll sus ojos. Nos sentimos muy incómodos y decidimos que no sería pedir aquí, y nos fuimos. Ella seguido a la puerta, muttering, y luego se estrelló, detrás de mí. Normalmente no soy uno de dejar comentarios pero fue una experiencia horrible. No recomendaría a nadie con una visita de la alergia aquí ya que claramente no quieren la molestia de ti. Nos mudamos a Pavilion Café en el Parque Victoria, donde hicieron todos los esfuerzos posibles para explicar el menú y tienen capacidad para nosotros.

This place is nice for a cup of tea but the food is poor. I ordered a meat lasagna and got a plate of salad with a side of lasagna which had potato, sweetcorn and sweet pepper on top. It was not well seasoned and the sound of the microwave in the background didn't do the meal experience any favours.

calentados, sin sabor y granulados 'huevos revueltos' huevo en pasada rociados de pan con un montón de mala calidad de aceite de oliva.

Encontramos este lugar por suerte; estábamos muy hambrientos y mirando alrededor. La cafetería tiene asientos en la parte trasera en una bonita y acogedora zona. La señora que nos servía era agradable y amable y nos ofreció dos lindas galletas gratis mientras estábamos esperando nuestra comida. Ella tenía una cálida sonrisa y nos hicieron sentir bienvenidos. Teníamos un aguacate y pollo envoltura que era para morirse. La envoltura venía con una ensalada, que parecía preparada con ingredientes muy frescos ... Me encantó el hecho de que también! Muy probablemente volveremos.

¡Qué gran lugar. Menú asequible, deliciosos comida fresca, café fantástico y acogedor personal, siempre repartir galletas cortesía! La ubicación es fantástica, con un bonito jardín soleado en la parte trasera. Muy recomendable.

Good coffee (not great), but rude staff who unless you're a local cannot be bothered. I don't think the owners have heard of 'customer journey', but a lesson from charm school wouldn't go amiss. Avoid at all cost, unless you're a local who finds rudeness and lack of charm somewhat quaint.

Das Elbows ist ein sehr nettes spanisches Cafe in der Nähe des Victoria Parks. Man kann sehr schöne kleine Speisen bestellen und es sich gut gehen lassen.

Very dissapointed. Greasy lukewarm scrambled eggs with oil poured over them, with lukewarm overcooked vegetables. Toast with no butter and more oil poured over the middle of the bread. In the plus side the coffee was lovely and hubby enjoyed his ciabatta.

I have been here once before when it wasn't busy and it was ok got a decent lentil soup.We went back on bank holiday Monday and was met by the rudest server of all times (a young turkish girl) who left us standing for 10 mins while she tried to clean a table (that had a tissue and 2 empty cups on it). We were then Left sitting for 15 mins without a menu. everyone in the cafe was annoyed as they just couldn't cope,as it was probably busier than expected as it was a fab day. Ended up walking out and got a smart comment off the angry looking guys preparing the food. Thank god I didn't give them a penny of my money... never again they only in business because of the wonderful location.

Great food, great atmosphere, and they actually know the difference between a Cappuccino and a Latte, unlike every other coffee house in the area who just seem to serve Latte's regardless of which you ask for. Recommend the roasted veg with scrambled eggs. I agree that the servers can sometimes be slightly offish but they generally are on the continent too, so it just adds to its authenticity. They were still prompt and courteous. Didn't bother me at all.

I had scrambled eggs and roasted veg, hubby had tuna cheese melt. Both absolutely delicious. Sat in a lovely, bright, warm conservatory on a cold day. Service very pleasant and unobtrusive. Lovely start to our day!

A simple local cafe, with good pricing and selection of food. A good enough cafe but it is not outstanding and does not distinguish itself amongst the other local offerings with its food.

This is a simple and homely café that serve homemade cakes and simple food for a great price. I visit it pretty much every morning before I start work.

I went there a few times, as I live in the village so there are very few options - but never again. I usually prefer small places and simplicity, but this one has no authenticity and the food is made by people who have no idea how to make food.On my last visit I had a tuna salad - it was tuna in brine! (who serves this! I only give such to my cat), my friend also hated his dish and the waiter was extremely rude.My cousin who visited me recently went there (didn't ask me for advice, unfortunately) and they served her a mouldy cake :(

Myself and my children love this Elbow Now we have flavors for our COFFEEThe food us tops fresh to order lovely prescription on your plate Go and try a new coffee @Elbow

Me and my girlfriend love to come to this cafe just next to Victoria park.We usually have lunch here, I suggest to try their wraps they are just amazing.A beautiful family owned cafe, with natural and tasty food and drinks!!!Go for it!

Elbows is all about the atmosphere and service, both of which are really lovely. The menu isn't that amazing to be honest (plenty of choice but a little too broad for its own good in terms of quality) and the coffee is not as good as other coffee shops in Victoria Park, but it has more space than most and the conservatory area is very charming. The staff are always very helpful and certain items from the menu (paninis etc) are perfectly nice for lunch. I think it would benefit hugely from updating its menu a little - but at the moment, it's still a really good, quick stop for a coffee with friends/ bigger groups.

I would agree we some of the previous review this little cafe is a bit tired but the service is good and the cake well made The gluten free cake orange and almond was very moist compare to the chocolate which was very rich and a bit dry you would need more than one coffee to finish it

Good value café near Victoria Park in South Hackney village. Get a table in the back area if possible. Remember to take cash as no cards terminal here (and no free ATMs near by). Great for breakfast on a weekend and open early on weekday mornings with local residents on the way to work to take out for Mile End/Stratford/Canary Wharf areas. Highly recommended but salad served with your scrambled eggs and bacon should be expected.

There is a point where rustic becomes tat and rickety junk and this is the only way to describe this place. It is full of old mismatched chairs that are uncomfortable and there is not a table in there which is stable enough to avoid spilling one drink. Full of shelves with absolute rubbish bric a brac of no significance. A bread bin, soda siphons, pots and pans and so on, all gathering dust. It just does not work for me. An unkempt conservatory area with a similar garden. Freezing cold is this place in winter, no heating with the front door left open so that smokers outside contribute to a foul blast of tobacco within.The menu is hopeless, limited, plain supermarket breads, 'dated' baguettes, lacks finesse. The actual menus are dirty and well fingered and almost falling apart. There always seems to be more staff in here than customers, hard to work out how they make any money. The staff whilst friendly speak and shout to each other in a foreign language which is annoying.The coffee is thick mud and awful and is dearer than a small one at Starbucks!Big shame really as this could be very good if they refurbished it and had a more imaginative menu.

I love this little cafe and go there almost daily for my coffee. The staff are very, very friendly and nothing is too much for them. The cup size is generous, the coffee delicious and my kids like the complementary home made cookies, given gratis. They are very, very child friendly. Highly recommend this out of the many coffee shops in Victoria Park Village.

In contract to the previous reviewer I found the staff very friendly, attentive and helpful. My friend who took me there said she'd definitely come again. It was a nice sunny day so se sat outside - a very enjoyable spot to people watch and not close to the raodside ro traffic. We only had wraps and ciabatta but they were good and the coffee strong balck and tasty.

Even the two stars are grudging and gained purely for the food and drink. I first went to Elbows some years ago for Sunday breakfast and enjoyed filled croissants and excellent coffee. When my grand-daughter offered to take me for afternoon tea today somewhere in the Bethnal Green/Victoria Park area I had no hesitation in suggesting Elbows. Mind you, I hadn't been there for several years - and how the standard has dropped. We were shown to a table by a member of staff without any particular interest as to whether we were there or not. This was in the back conservatory which was distinctly run down. It is desperately in need of a coat of paint; one particular area round the skirting is missing a number of tiles, ,positively dirty, and with a large hole at the base just perfect for mice and other vermin to enter. The chairs looked sad and the tables are well past their sell-by date and distinctly 'sticky'. We were offered menus that were very grubby (many ‘greasy spoons’ present themselves better) and almost falling apart. The whole set-up needs the Mary Portas attention urgently. The garden outside has pots full of weeds and is generally uninviting. What a shame! Potentially a lovely area. We ordered one chicken wrap, a fruit tart, a Coke and a glass of orange juice. The food was very good - the one saving grace. The drinks were served in something resembling small glasses that come free with petrol, rendering the orange juice unreasonably priced at £3+. Having finished this offering we waited more than 15 minutes before we managed to catch the attention of one of the three staff behind the counter who seemed completely oblivious to their only two customers. Attention finally attracted we ordered a slice of carrot cake and a cup of coffee - cold milk specifically asked for. The coffee arrived with hot milk which was replaced without the hint of an apology. Again the food and drink was very good. We decided against waiting at the table for the bill and went to the counter. I felt so sorry for my student grand-daughter who was charged in excess of £20. Had the service been cheerful and friendly and the premises clean and inviting this might have felt less hideously expensive. I had done my best to remain cheerful and positive throughout since I was a guest, but I was so pleased that my grand-daughter, without any prompting from me, took her 5p change and left no tip. I shall certainly not be going here again until the ownership changes.

Food great staff very friendly and helpful .I go on a daily basis for coffee, and sit and eat at times. I find the staff very friendly. Most of the food is homemade and is tasty and fresh. I would highly recommend this restaurant / coffee shop wether its just for a drink or sit down meal. Best coffee in the area

Victoria Park Village è una scoperta ad ogni passo ed Elbows è uno dei posti che si svelano solo ai frequentatori regolari. Dalla vetrina sulla strada principale non ci si aspetta che dentro si sviluppi in lunghezza con diversi tavoli accostati alle pareti di camere che si aprono una dietro l'altra fino ad un conservatory dalle classiche vetrate affacciate su un piccolo giardino interno. L'atmosfera è un po' bohemienne, molto calda ed accogliente così come il personale familiarmente affabile.Ottimo il cappuccino e discreto il caffè servito in chicchere classiche, e veramente da provare le torte della casa alte e soffici. Assaggiate arancia e cioccolato e mele e cannella presentate con miele e mentuccia.Lasciatevi tentare!

I had to mark this place 5 out of 5 because the breakfasts we had were just so much more than expected. I ordered scrambled egg with grilled veg which came out a very generous size with some lovely veg. My partner ordered poached eggs which were also lovely. Both had a beautiful side salad including pomegranate and a lovely dressing. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The cafe itself is nicely turned out and has some seating outside. Spaces are limited and it is always a bustling place. It is set in a nice area with the park nearby. The prices are a little higher, but actually good value when you see your food

Nice location and nice sunroom out the back. But our sandwiches were completely bland and boring. A shame, but we won't rush back.