KAI in Leicester

Sadly, my experience wasn't as good as that of other reviewers. Felt like both the kitchen and waiting staff were overstretched and the 'runny' eggs weren't running anywhere. Good atmosphere though.

Great breakfast. Service was not an issue and all staff we had contact with were great. Would recommend and come back again.

Great breakfast / brunch place in Leicester city centre. They do a fairly small but very good menu with generous portion sizes. It gets very busy so worth going early or seeing if able to book in advance. Would definitely recommend the pancakes!

A real lovely breakfast place. We were warmly greeted and seated. The food was absolutely fantastic. Thank you very much!

I had the smashed avocado with siracha tofu on toast, which was lovely. I was really impressed with the portion size. I also got a matcha which was really badly done, I couldn’t taste the matcha at all, it was just milky. Otherwise overall good experience.

Fantastic breakfast. Great value for money, fast service, friendly atmosphere, outstanding food. Loads of food on the plate.

Vinimos por café y algunas tortitas. Servicio impactante. Cafés fríos. Por suerte las tortitas estaban deliciosas o de lo contrario nos habríamos ido!

Food was great, service was super slow waited over half an hour, got our food before our drinks seems like we kind of forgotten about. When the drinks did come over nobody acknowledged the lengthy weight or apologised for it. Appreciate it was busy but a simple sorry would’ve been nice.

“The food was enjoyable, but the service was exceptionally slow—honestly, the slowest I’ve ever encountered. It was a frustrating experience, and I won’t be returning.”

Pancake food comas are always worth it🥞!!! Dreaming about these pancakes from @eat.kai 😍. What I ordered: • American Pancakes topped with Greek Yoghurt, Granola, Strawberries, Cinammon, and Maple Syrup (£11.00) ❤️ Kai is the perfect place for a solo breakfast date or for a chilled out catch up with friends! I love the Scandinavian vibe in there and the “slow-living” feel it has to it. The staff are all so welcoming and very friendly. You cannot book but if you get there early on, it’s quite easy to get a table. I managed to grab a table for one after an appointment across the way around 9:30am! Forever a favourite🥞🤍 Overall: 10/10⭐️

Great staff and very tasty food. Great place to bring your partner for a quick bite 💯

Came here for the first time the other day - have to say the food was out of this world, very friendly staff and amazing cleanliness! This is now my go to for breakfast meetings etc.

The biscoff pancake is way too sweet. Aside from the thick layer of biscoff spread and crumbs over several layers of the pancake, there was also so much powdered sugar sprinkled on top it looked like a snowman sneezed all over it. I get that dessert is meant to be sweet but this is too much. My boyfriend got the french toast which was alright. He liked that the bread was soaked in maple syrup but found the portion size to be rather small for the price.

I had the strawberry and chocolate pancakes, so delicious. Staff are super friendly and the vibe in there is lovely!

We had pancakes and bacon with maple syrup. I had poached eggs which I asked to be well done and my husband had scrambled eggs. I had mocha and he had hot chocolate. It was very tasty and filling, couldn't finish it lol. The servers were nice and followed instructions on how we wanted our food to be very kindly. The restaurant has a very nice ambience and was neat and got busy very quickly. Amazing experience. We spent £31 or thereabout.

I love this modern style cocktail café bar and the food was delicious. I was only visiting friends in Leicester for two days, and went there both days for lunch. Super value and great taste everything I had tried 👍

Lovely spot, best brunch we've had in a while. Staff lovely too. Would highly recommend .

Lovely food, pleasant service can recommend

The best food and service along with good value for money.

Biscoff pancakes. Sauce. Crumb. Biscuit. Immense. I'm coming back to Leicester just to try something else on the menu. Was well worth breaking the diet for. Staff friendly and love paying for meal at start rather than the end. Still burning off the calories 😀

I had a delightful brunch at Kai Café in Leicester, where I enjoyed their avocado with poached eggs on sourdough—an absolute delicacy! Every bite was fresh and flavorful. To complement the meal, I had a chai latte that was perfectly spiced and comforting. The café's warm and inviting ambiance made it a wonderful place to relax, and the service was excellent—friendly and attentive. The space was also impeccably clean, including the restrooms. I highly recommend Kai Café for a delicious and satisfying brunch experience!

The staff here were incredibly kind and helpful. Even though I could only pay in cash due to just arriving, they went out of their way to assist me with the payment process in a very professional manner. I really appreciate their understanding and patience. As for the food, it was absolutely amazing! The flavors were complex and perfectly balanced, making every bite a delight. Definitely worth a visit!

gluten free eggs royale was delish!

A breakfast-brunch shop that I admit I had my eye on for a long time, since whenever I passed by I was jealous of the dishes that others were eating! And indeed it was worth it! Delicious breakfast, which keeps you going for many hours (I ate again in the evening). Hearty portions at reasonable prices. The salmon dish particularly surprised me. Sometimes the salmon in such a shop has an ugly-heavy fishy taste that does not allow you to eat a large amount, but fortunately not in this case. Next time I will try something sweet! I recommend it wholeheartedly. The coffee, however, could be a little better, the only negative I found.

Pancakes were really fluffy, portions were large and tasty, great variety and the iced matcha latte was lovely

Food here is scrumpy. Portions are huge for the price too! The ambiance inside is a chilled affair, or sit outside if you want a bit more of hustle and bustle as people pass by. A great little spot which I highly recommend 👍🏼

THICCC pancakes, great selection, loads of personalisation options and big portions. I want to go back.

Sólo quería un café, no quería comer ni almorzar pero los huevos escalfados avacados con salmón adicional eran tan buenos que no necesitaré comer de nuevo hoy. Definitivamente volveré. Sigue así xxx

Brilliant place, highly recommend

We’ve visited Kai a couple of years ago and decided to come back for brunch. Just as before, both the food and service was great. Their tater tots are a must try! Keep in mind you need to pay at the time of ordering. But we’ve found this quite convenient as you get to leave without having to flag a server down!

A must when stopping in Leicester. Vibe is amazing, food is the best breakfast in Leicester!. Wish I could rate 6 ⭐️

This place = Awesome! It would get 5* if it served up some epic milkshakes and protein shakes! Shakes + pancakes = epic combo! (Boom fire emoji!) Please get this done asap!

Overrated would be an understatement! After looking at reviews and hearing good things me&my partner decides to try Kai. We was seated straight the way but wasn't served when we was ready, the young girl waited for 2 other people who wasn't even ready to order yet even though we had said excuse me and were ready! We ordered 2 hot chocolates and 2 eggs benedict. The hot chocolate tasted cold even though it had just been made so we sent them back for them to come not even hot again! I didnt even bother saying anything because she clearly wasn't able to manage. I like my hot drinks really hot so they can cool down whilst im talking? Think they was more bothered about putting the leaf shape on top then the actual hot chololate! The eggs benedict was very nicely presented and looked lovely but sadly tasted so strange!!! And i love cripsy bacon too but the bacon was HARD. Overall we was disappointed with the experience and regretted going there after we left.

Arrived there ten minutes ago without a booking. Offered a table which was jammed into the corner. I told them I was claustrophobic and could we have the table of four opposite but was refused as they were saving it for bigger parties, even though they had other tables available including a 6. Outside sat a couple on a table of four. Polite enough but poor service. Been before but now won’t be back. Shame…

Two of us dined at Kai 25/07 our first time. I found it a bit strange how you can’t have a table tab especially with it being table service - everything had to be paid for upfront which really interrupts your conversation (and your Brunch) having a card reader shoved in front of you with every order. Just let people have a tab! My maple syrup and bacon pancakes didn’t have enough maple syrup on them so I requested some more syrup only to be told that would be an additional £1.50!? So I cancelled it. Staff didn’t seem to care. After already spending £40.00 on brunch I found this very poor. I’d ordered maple syrup pancakes so if there is not enough syrup surely a little more should be FOC!? Food was nice but the service let the experience down.

Really lovely food and good coffee, but unfortunately the slightly frosty reception and service were notable. Thankfully it didn’t spoil our meeting but a return visit is doubtful.

Excellent food and service a bit over priced.

A great place for a brunch with a difference. Ideal for eating healthy or decadent for those with a sweet tooth . Also do gluten free plates.

This was a lovely little brunch cafe, the decor was nice and good indulgent menu selection. Only marked slightly down due to the fairly slow service due to a reasonably busy Sunday (not warned when sitting down) . Also asked for caramel latte and received regular, due to the busyness didn’t want to bother staff. A great place to go to for a laid back easygoing brunch. I like that you pay in advance as allowed us to leave when we were ready. Pancakes looked really nice and would go back for those if in the area!

We are Indian. We eat hot food. We ordered a normal Avacado brunch and the mango sauce burnt my wife's mouth. Definitely a mistake by the chef . Staff were good. They replaced it. Not sure what the chef said as I don't lip read, but he wasn't happy. Not how it used to be.

Nice place, nice people, nice food. Enjoy the selection either with bread or American pancakes, crumbled eggs, bacon, salmon or the veggie options. Perfect spot to go with your friends and enjoy a nice fulfilling meal 😋🥞

my favourite brunch with my family

We went earlier today for food and drinks. Two out of three plates had hairs in them. The first time we didn’t make a big deal about it because things happen. After the second and third hairs were found, we decided ti ask for a refund. After we were given the refund (which will take up to 10 to be processed), the manager came out huffing and puffing and talking snappily back at us, as if it was out fault that their kitchen hygiene is obviously very low. As a manager, you don’t act this way towards a customer who had to pull three hairs out of their food at your establishment, as if your and your team’s lack of hygiene standards is the customer’s fault.

3 different Hairs on the food ONE table. Unacceptable level of food hygiene, if we found 3 hairs on our one table don’t even want to know what goes on in that kitchen.

Lovely Pancakes! 😋 1 star short on service due to me asking the waitress to not add cinnamon but it arrived with it on. I still enjoyed it though as wasn't too much of it. 😋

This is a quirky cafe for the younger generation (in my opinion). Food is really nice, we had coffees and ice coffees - all very nice. The girls working there weren't very knowledgeable, one was very friendly, the other not so much, but they were very young. It's a nice place to come with friends and I would definitely visit again, the pancakes were really nice and you do get alot for your money. It's a pay as you place so get ready to pay as soon as you order your food/drinks.

wish there was more seating and bigger but hopefully their business will flourish to achieve this. The food lacked seasoning unfortunately but was very pretty of course

Came here for a birthday brunch for my daughter who loves pancakes on a Saturday. I couldn't reserve a table ahead as the phone number provided was repeatedly engaged. When we arrived at 10.40am we were told the restaurant was full and directed to go the Pai restaurant opposite which was serving the same menu. This had a bar like vibe with and we were greeted with a neon sign at the top of the stairs which was probably not the most child friendly. When seated however the experience was lovely. Staff were attentive, helpful and our orders arrived in a timely manner. We ordered two pancakes and French toast between us and all were excellent. The portions were generous (reflected in the price) but were expertly crafted. I like my pancakes a little more fluffy but I demolished the three tier stack topped with granola, yoghurt, honey and strawberries. Payment had to be made at the time of ordering. The location, alongside other boutique eateries in a pedestrianised area, allowed for a casual and pleasant dining experience. Will be coming again. I hope that the proprietors sort out the telephone line issue and maybe consider offering pancakes with one or two tiers for those who can't eat as much.

Went here for brunch at the weekend, food was divine when it arrived but there was a little bit of a delay. Perfect for a laidback weekend brunch session

Excelente Experiencia como siempre, establecimiento limpio, la comida llega rápidamente. Pago realizado antes de recibir alimentos, un montón de opciones cuando se trata de alimentos o bebidas. Abastecimiento de todos los requisitos dietéticos como sin gluten, sin lactosa, vegano. Los baños están en la planta superior del establecimiento, y es un cúbico por género. Los kai ofrecen una gran variedad de comida, desde el desayuno hasta el almuerzo, esto es lo mismo que con las bebidas. Se pone ocupado durante las horas punta, sin embargo, tienen un restaurante hermano pai que está al otro lado de la carretera (no muy lejos). Sin duda recomiendo!

Advertencia. Toma dinero inmediatamente sin dar recibo. Media hora después, antes de tomar una copa. Más de 50 minutos sin comida, cuando se le preguntó sin rodeos “¿cuál es el problema, tiene algún lugar para estar. Sin disculpas, el personal parado sin cuidado. El lugar ni siquiera estaba tan ocupado.

Got myself a Tumeric Chai and Royale which is Smoked Salmon, Eggs and Sourdough bread. We were stuffed silly and the toilets upstairs were available and clean. The staff was pleasant and the place seemed popular. We arrived early and within 10 minutes it was filled up. They make you pay in advance which I like.

I went for lunch with a friend and sat outside. After giving our order we experienced the following: 1. We were asked to pay our bill beforehand. 2. They didn't accept cash. 3. We asked for a receipt and they could not provide a paper receipt. 3. They asked for an email to email the receipt. We didn't want to give an email. 4. They asked for a phone number to send the receipt. We didn't want to provide a phone number. 5. We didn't see a receipt with individual prices. The food was good but the overall experience below average.

Lovely service and food. Delicious!

Was a wet and damp morning so stop off here for nice cup of coffee was very pleasant place as it was early not busy service was good strange thing was the coffee came in a glass 😀 the place look very nice and clean didn't have food but what I seen of others it looked very good

Excellent spot for brunch! Nice atmosphere and I ordered the Eggs Benedict, the food came quick, fresh and well presented, and it was great value for money!

Lovely place, great food and service. However, it could have been cleaner as it was somewhat off putting sitting with crumbs everywhere and used tissues on the floor. The stairs also had unswept dirt on them

Food was amazing, however the visit was spoilt by awful customer service from all staff that worked May bank holiday Monday. Place was busy so we asked if there’s a chance of a table for 5 to which we were met with faces and looks in between the staff. They ignorantly told us it will be a wait-which we were fine with. We waited outside for about 10-15min and saw a few tables leaving so we proceeded inside as no one came to seat us. There was constant looks and pulling faces from all waitresses and the table was cleaned and wiped with the biggest sigh I’ve heard. We were then asked to place our orders and pay in advance. The wait for the food was 30 min exactly and we did not receive cutlery until we asked for it, after the food was already getting cold at the table. Waitress brought 3 sets of cutlery for the 5 of us and we had to ask for more. Shame because food was actually really good but the overall atmosphere in between staff and their attitude left us not wanting to come back. Reading other reviews I see it’s a common thing so maybe a retrain in customer service would do the place good!

Waited a while and then asked for our order to be taken. Was told they had orders before and didn’t take our order. We had multiple workers walk past and other people be seated and still no one came to take our order. Very poor customer service and we went else where!

Lovely experience at kai, the biscoff pancakes and tge french toast were top really enjoyed every single bite.Highly recommend Kai , the atmosphere was 👌 it was cosy and the vibe was excellent. The front of house were really nice and helpful at this place which is something you dont see often in different restaurants.

The coffee is great , but the food not so much Pancakes are stodgy and dry with too much sauce and toppings it was sickly sweet and wet Avocado egg toast had too much avocado it made me feel nauseous and made the dish too wet hash browns were under seasoned, had a huge amount of green onions on top with a strong smell that was very off putting for a breakfast Would come back for coffee but not food probably

Was lookimg forward to my first time here, i opted for what i thought was a more savoury option... the pancakes with bacon, cheese and onions. Came out looking amazing, however it was far too sweet. Firstly it was swimming in maple syrup. I think this should be served in a pot on the side so that the customer can add it to the dish as they wish. Also the pancakes were far too sweet for a 'savoury' dish, personally i think this dish would benefit from having a more savoury pancake. The maple syrup alone is sweet enough for this dish. To top it off, it had caramelised onions on which are also sweet! The sweetness completely drowned out the bacon and the cheese. I feel this dish had so much more potential if it was thought out abit better. My latte was served to me in a glass with no handle!? That seems bizarre to me. Finally we were made to pay for our food at the table when we ordered, i found this odd as i have never experienced that in a resturant setting before. Yes in a cafe or pub or takeaway but not in a place like this where someone comes to the table to take your order. Overall as it was my first visit, i don't think i will be returning. I'm not saying the food isn't good, it looks amazing but i feel this place is way over hyped! Or perhaps i just picked the wrong dish on the wrong day!

If I could leave negative stars I really would. My recent visit to Kai for brunch was a total letdown. We couldn't even get the simplest thing such as ordering drinks. When we tried to place our order, the lady told us to wait for someone else to take it, while she then went and sipped her own drink. Talk about frustrating. Instead, we were shuffled around, first ignored, then asked to move tables just to make way for another people. It was pretty disrespectful and killed any vibe for enjoying the food. I'd steer clear of Kai until they sort out their service issues.

Food is good but the cutlery/ glassware/coffee mugs reek of ROTTEN EGG! The rotten egg smell is a continuous thing even with freshly hot from dishwasher cups and this doesn’t sit well with me so chosen not to return for a while until that changes. Busy place takes a while for food to come out, no booking system as far as aware.

Probably the best breakfast I've had in a very long time - and will be for a long time. The pancakes with bacon and maple syrup were fantastic. Light and fluffy, with crispy (but not overcooked) bacon. The eggs were also really nicely cooked. The tator tots were irresistible - order them at your own risk, you won't be able to stop eating them! Coffee was also really well made.

Huge portions! Always busy- means everyone enjoys . Loved the atmosphere and staff. Didn’t like toilet - upstairs and outdated I’d say. Enjoyed the rest! And had naughty hot chocolate with Baileys

Food was excellent and mouthwatering. Service great.

Absolutely fabulous food - couldn't recommend the quality or the options available more highly. Service left a bit to be desired, slow to bring drinks and take the food order, and we had to ask for things like sugar and later for all our cutlery - just not quite on the ball, but friendly. Would definitely still return as decor, location and food was excellent.

Amazing service, quick and on point. Even better food. Me and my girlfriend had Eggs Benedict and Bacon Pancakes. Mouthwatering and perfect balance of flavours. 11/10 would go again :)

Great food and nice big portions! Great vegan version of a Benedict!

Great food, huge portion sizes could have shared pancakes between two. Super delicious. Ordered the breakfast stack and the strawberries and Nutella - both great options.

Really enjoyed it. I got the eggs benedict, and we had a cornucopia of delicious sides to share. Lovely place, friendly staff, outstanding food.

worst customer service, will not visit Kai ever again.

The food in Kai is absolutely great! We were recommended by friends to come for brunch and it was an excellent decision. The pancakes are so yummy but the portions are quite large! The menu was small enough that it wasn't overwhelming but also large enough that there was plenty of choice Only downside was we were seated right next to the door as only certain tables were available for 2 people and it got a bit cold with people entering and exiting

I had a "breakfast stack", it was delicious and huge, I couldn't eat anything until dinner that day. Warm atmosphere. Friendly staff. Good options for lunch. No bookings available, you may have to wait to have a table. It was quite busy on Monday morning but we had a table for two. I will definitely go again and even take my guests there.

First time coming here and it was great! I had the Eggs Benedict for lunch. The atmosphere was nice and it wasn't too busy so the overall experience was good. I'll definitely be back soon to try one of their American pancake options!

I didn’t try the food, only a latte. It was rich and smooth. I popped in 30 minutes before the closing time and was warmly welcomed. They don’t have any snacks or cakes because they serve serious brunch, which I’d love to try next time. The overall vibe was calm and peaceful. Outside the peak hours, it can be a great spot for reading or studying quietly. There are electricity sockets here and there too!

My fav brunch place in leicester. The pancakes are so fluffy and melt in your mouth!

Delicious brunch, huge portions, gluten & dairy-free options.

I ordered French toast and I really did not like it! It smelled like EGG! and I couldn’t smell any vanilla or cinnamon. Im totally not going back!

Amazing place, portion size is good value for money

It was my wife's birthday today & so I wanted to treat her by taking her for breakfast at somewhere nice. After reading many good reviews online I decided to take her to Kai-Brunch. Place was nice & clean, atmosphere looked & felt good when we walked in however it took a very long time to place an order. Eye contact between customer and staff was almost non-existent, had to keep stopping & asking staff for sugar with hot drinks, table was wonky & had to move to another table after one became available. When we finally placed our order for food & drinks we had to pay immediately in full before receiving any items which was very odd. When I asked for a receipt for my payment for our order, I was advised we could not have a receipt right now but one can be emailed to us. This just did not sit comfortable with me, on any other day we would have left the place. As it was my wife's birthday we stayed. Food took a long time to come after receiving our hot drinks by which time my coffee was cold. My wife ordered a tea and the wrong drink was presented to us so she had to wait a further 20 minutes at least on top of the current wait. Once the food arrived it was really nice, however service and the time taken for the food to arrive since placing an order was not good at all, it was pretty poor. Personally, I thought the staff working at Kai's could do with some serious customer service training & the staff training needs to include attention to detail with engaging with its customers.

Great food every time and great variety!

This is my favourite place to come for brunch, the food and service never disappoints

great food! lovely staff. would recommend coming in early as it’s busy

Great place for breakfast. Usually always busy. Food is always tasting fresh and big portions too. Just wish they had more options if anything. Great place.

The price of the food is reasonable as the sizes are quite big. Food was good too. Luckily we didn't have too wait too long for a table. Our table was quite close to the door therefore everytime it was opened it got quite cold.

Lost a customer but they don’t care nor I. Food is great. No booking system and prefer to have empty table than seating fewer people. Go at your own peril but there are other places around equally good.

3rd time I had a unpleasant experience, the food is good but service terrible, Second time they were understaffed so waited 45 minutes to have my oder taken( ended up leaving) Today I had my order taken (over staffed 6-7 customers inside) earlier waiting 24 minutes for royale ( poached egg with smoked salmon) Ended up leaving to catch my train not being issued a refund or anything… If you are looking for a place to starve to death before your order is taken or after you got it.!

came here the other day with my friend during our lunch break the way we were treated was so unbelievable it was upsetting. The waiters treated us like we weren’t paying customers. Ordered way before most of the people sat around us and hadn’t even received the tap water we requested whilst people that ordered after us were already eating. We asked to move seats as we were crammed in they said no as it’s for bigger groups…two people walked in and were seated there. We were there for over half sn hour no drink or food our break was ending we called over a server who just said ‘your food is coming, yeah’ and walked away before we could even ask our question. This experience was so disheartening we could barely enjoy our food that was meant to be a birthday meal. This happened 6/12/23 around 12:08AM we left around 1:10 and we got our food at about 12:58 so you can tell how fast we had to eat and how hungry we were.

The best place to have brunch. The food was amazing loved it. Will go again ❤️

Great food and great service to go with.

Really cute cafe. Clean and cosy. Lots of choice for breakfast. It's so nice to have something different to the normal greasy fry up. Vegan friendly. I had the pancakes, they were as big as my head :D Worth every penny. I couldn't finish them though... ha ha ha! Ordered quickly and food was fast. Staff are so lovely :) The only bad thing about the place was it was a bit cold in there.

Incredibly busy venue, so be warned! I still dream of their Red Leicester cheese and bacon pancakes. Always a great time. Reasonable pricing for somewhere that’s blown up as much as this place has.

Diffidently an amazing experience. Highly recommended. Although we have been there every early but they where out of strawberry.! However, the quality of food and size is outstanding

Specifically went for their Eggs Benedict and loved it. A perfect egg Benedict depends on the quality of Hollandaise and the hollandaise here was perfect with a creamy texture and accurate level of acidity. The sauce provided a nice glossy finish to the egg which was poached to perfection - the yolk was runny and not overcooked. The bacon was nice and crisp. The bread was toasted nicely as well. The presentation was enticing. Overall, I'd say it's the perfect place if you love Eggs Benedict.

Normally I love this place, food is great but on this occasion service was terrible as people who came in after us got there orders and served before us, the portion sizes have decreased compared to last week when i was here and service was great then, but this time my coffee was cold by the time I received my food.

Very busy waited quite a while for drink and had to abandon in the end

Super busy on a Saturday morning. Pancakes and food look good but taste slightly bland. Is good for a little morning meal though. The worst part is the drinks though, hot chocolate? More like water with a bit of cocoa powder. Chai latte? More like spices mixed in water with a bit of foam on top.

Another positive experience at Kai, every time I’ve been here the food has been nothing short of outstanding - the option to have brunch all day is always a sign of a good place to eat!