Elbows

Quaint little café with outdoor seating.
A group of us popped in here for breakfast on Friday morning. We were shown to the small rear garden where the waitress helpfully set up an extra table so we could sit there.
The men in our group were disappointed that there was no full English breakfast option but I was pleased to find some healthy breakfast options.
Myself and my friend both had salmon and scrambled eggs whilst the fellas went for a mixture of ham and eggs, croissants and pain au chocolate. All the food was very nice and the waitress was attentive.
The menu looked like they had a nice selection of tasty healthy options but I don’t think our male companions would want to come back as they missed their sausage and bacon.

Elbows has a wonderful back garden that my friends and I enjoyed a lovely afternoon and brunch in.
Elbows was the only restaurant that would serve breakfast after 12:00. The owner was extremely nice and presented us with incredibly fresh Chicken and Avocado and Prawn and Avocado salads. Would definitely recommend. Also, was dog friendly. Staff was very courteous.

Walking around Victoria Park on a sunny afternoon is a treat in itself. Notice wicker chairs and small tables outside a small café and your afternoon is bound to get better! Elbows Café is the place in question and I don’t know what contributed to a good eating experience there. Was it the quick and friendly service? Was it the deliciously hot coffee sprinkled with mocha shavings? Or was it the affordable and quite tasty wraps that we ordered! Perhaps all of it.
Highly recommendable place, this. Although they do not accept cards, but that is about the only problem I had with it. But i’m serious about the service, I was highly impressed by it. It had a very warm, homey feel to it and I was sincerely motivated to tip quite a bit. And Indians are considered the worst tippers in the world so that’s saying something!

I’ve always liked the look of this Café but only recently had i decided to actually go in and see it for myself.
It’s a nice little place near Victoria Park and i guess It’s doing pretty well. It has a warm, welcoming feel about it and a great place to have a cuppa coffee.
The actual foods and drinks are decent, nothing too special but i guess not too bad either.

This is one of the mainstays of the village — put it this way, it’s been here since it was known as Hackney Village or ‘Where? Hackney has a village?’ before the area was very successfully rebranded by the local Traders Association.
It can feel a little cramped inside and though the food is good — I last tried the lasagne and it was perfectly acceptable — it’s a little dark for me. Try the outside seats in the summer. The coffee is always reliable though, and it used to be the only place to grab one before you jumped on the bus down to the tube.

As somewhere on the cycle route to one of my favourite climbing walls, it’s somewhere that I pootle past quite regularly. The first thing I thought when it first caught my eye was ‘what a wierd name’, and swiftly dreamt up business ideas about opening up a competing café across the road called amygdala, or something. But it just doesn’t have the same ring to it really
So anyway, back to my newly found, absurdly named coffee house. Firstly I should say that it’s more than a coffee house, although the dark brown exterior and dimly lit interior immediately make you think of espressos; they also do some scintillating (for the price) food as well. Think good European fare (Italian, French) done well and simply. And they do fresh orange juice when I went, which may go some way in explaining the reason why their window is almost filled with oranges, so much so that you’d be forgiven for thinking they’d burst out and flood the streets of hackney if you dared to open the door.
The thing that I find a bit of a shame is their closing time I mean who (apart from the people working in the shops five minutes away) is going to get away from the office ahead of their 6pm sharp closing time? Oh yes, people who are working from home maybe. So is this shop designed for freelancers? God only knows.

Looking at this place from the outside you don’t get a sense that it extends much beyond the front espresso counter — nor does it give away how many people are tucked away in here, enjoying the homey coziness to be found within. But if you walk past the front counter showcasing all of Elbows’ daily quiche and lasagna specials, as well as an array of stodgy-​looking cakes, you’ll the back room; a bright space with a smattering of tables, perfect for settling into on a relaxed Sunday afternoon.
There’s a real level of warmth here. The staff is friendly and familiar — you feel like they consider you a distant relative. The food is remarkably priced — few things on the menu are much more than £5 — and everything comes furnished with an appropriate side… salad or bread or both. The food is deli Italian… crispy panini and rustic lasagna with a definite homemade quality. The produce used is always fresh and feels healthy.
Their espresso drinks are also particularly good… if you order a latte you’ll get something different than if you order a cappuccino — they rare hallmark of a café that actually knows what they’re doing in this regard. And definitely order a large! For a £1 more the mugs are more than twice the size… and trust me, after tasting your impeccably put together cappuccino, you’ll be glad that there’s more, rather than less, for you to enjoy.

Elbows is a cross between a deli and café with a great cozy restaurant inside and an outside seating area. This is nice on the weekends to people watch (especially if there are any events going on in Victoria park) This area is generally more family oriented with a childrens play area in the very back outside.
The food leans towards italien with great cheeses and olives with sandwiches including panninis and ciabatta with the reassuring amount of coffees available. Wooden floors and wooden tables with various breads and garlics hanging from the ceiling give a really warm atmosphere inside.
Food prices range from vegetable lasagnia £7.50 for lunch — to ciabatta sandwich for £4.90 and grilled vegetable salad at £5.90.
This is nice place to have a coffee or just take a break — and particularily nice in the winter.

Elbows is a lovely little café/​restaurant in Victoria Park Village. Adding to the already abundant organic cafes, shops and boutiques in the area, Elbows brings us yet another venue for the affluent hackney crowd.
Last time I went I was with a friend, we ran in out of the rain and ordered soup and sandwiches. With such a cosy, homely feel, Elbows is a difficult place to leave. They have a good selection for lunch, various paninis, sandwiches & baguettes, as well as home made soup, salads, Jacket Potatoes and pasta.
If it’s sunny grab a seat outside, right next to Victoria park so you can go walk off your lunch.