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When in Edinburgh, it is one of those centrally located tourist attractions that you might want to check out for fun. We took pictures outside and ventured inside wanting to sit down for a coffee/pastry. Unfortunately, the wait was so long that we selected not to stay. We looked around the small gift shop area and selected some souvenirs. It was challenging to get someone to ring our purchase but managed to after some time. Love my new lunch bag!
The current Victoria Street location of The Elephant House opened as a result of a fire (temporarily?) closing the original establishment at 21 George IV Bridge, where J.K. Rowling wrote parts of the "Harry Potter" books. As we had lunch plans elsewhere, we did not visit the restaurant (I should have taken a peek; Rowling's desk was moved here from the old location & I would've liked to have seen that.) Instead I ordered a butterbeer from the cashier of the makeshift cafe just past the entrance. Poured from a bottle & topped with store-bought whipped cream, my drink was sickly sweet; the butterbeers I've had at Universal Studios were made on-site, ruining me for all others that aren't "homemade." I appreciate the history behind The Elephant House; J.K. Rowling's stories intrigued, inspired, & entertained an entire generation of readers, however my one small purchase was a bust.
Well... If you are a Harry Potter fan, then this place is a must! The place itself is quite cute, whether you want take away or to dine in. They serve butterscotch beer, an interpretation of butterbeer. The sandwich we had was delicious and I wish I could remember its name, but overall recommend any of them! We also had a scone that was delightful with clotted cream. Not only is the food good, but they have a cute memorial to Harry Potter where it is said JK Rowling wrote the books. Additionally, I loved all the drawings and writings on the bathroom walls. Really, you must go here to at least get a butterbeer and feel like you're really on diagonal alley.
The salad was really good. The onion rings and cheese sticks were good. It was pub style food. It didn't stand out, but it was fine. Ordered a butter beer with the shot of whiskey in it. Maybe it was in there. I'm not sure. The Elephant House is fine. The staff and service were great. If you are a J.K. Rowling fan, then you will love this place. If you are not, then skip it!
The Elephant House is a cozy cafe made famous as "the birthplace of Harry Potter". Author J.K. Rowling wrote the story on napkins when she was a waitress here, prior to making her millions. Although my love of HP brought me here, the ambiance and the food kept me here. My friend and I stopped by here out of curiosity intending to poke our heads in and venture on. We then looked at the menu, and loved the coziness of this cafe so we decided to get an early lunch here. I ordered the meat pie which came with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy. We also got a teapot to share. The food was so good, one of my favorites I had in Scotland! I was kind of shocked that there were some negative reviews on the Yelp page about the food lacking in flavor since my food was very properly seasoned and delicious. The tea was also great. It was the perfect stop after we had been exploring the city to rest up for a bit and recharge. If you are a fan of HP then you have to come here. It's like a pilgrimage you make as a fan. If you are not a fan of HP I think you'll find it's a lovely cafe anyway.
So, visiting Edinburgh Scotland, birthplace of Harry Potter, we had to stop in at JK Rowling's favorite coffee shop, where Hogwarts and Muggles were conceived and birthed. The Elephant House restaurant was incredibly busy when we were there for lunch and reputedly always is. Packed with Harry Potter fans worldwide everyone is seeking to tap into that special magic just a little bit. Interestingly, the Elephant House carries as much or more social charity advertising as they do Harry Potter trinkets. Kind of nice to see that they use their fame and profits to make the world a better place. So, my review of EH, is really a 3+ or a 4-. That is largely resultant of the incredibly slow and poor service. The food was fine once it came, one plate at a time. We ordered but cancelled half of our dessert after waiting more than 45 minutes for a slice of cake. Total time spent once seated was nearly 2 1/2 hours to order, be served and then try to have dessert. Our server who looked a bit young and seemed overwhelmed was nice but fairly vacuous. Normally, I am fairly forgiving of these types of things but since from what I have heard this was actually a slow time for the restaurant, I think it's fair to give future Potter Fans a warning to allot plenty of time and patience.
The excitement is real... I'm a huge Harry Potter fan, like how could I not come here first? I got to see the little plaques and pictures on the wall of JK Rowling, got to leave my mark on their bathrooms (HP themed graffiti), and most importantly... got to be in a place that JK Rowling had actually been in and the one she was in when she started writing Harry Potter. Apparently, back in the day she used to pay for her coffee with stories. What I would give to have been a barista at this coffee house at that time (I'd also have to have been born a lot sooner otherwise I'd be a baby barista).
A tourist trap but they have decent coffee. A lot of tourists here just because this is the best place of Harry Potter where was JK Rowling's favorite coffee shop. You need to wait to be seated and the wait could be long. You pay on your way out with receipt. The bathroom is tiny with everyone left their names on the wall. Worth a visit just for a coffee
We visited for a late lunch on a Wednesday afternoon and the place still seemed pretty packed so I can only imagine how busy it gets during peak hours. All the food looks so good! I decided to be a bit adventurous and order the old fashioned Scot's fish pie which was pretty good. Water is self served which is a little weird but then you never have to wait for refills.
I happened upon this place while walking around Edinburgh, and I'm glad I did. It is the genesis of Harry Potter, where JKR began writing the series. You can purchase memorabilia, tea, coffee, etc. or sit in and eat. I had a lovely slice of Victoria Sponge cake that was heavenly along with Fleur's Delight, hot chocolate with Bailey's. You must wander into the bathroom. It's a bit dingy, but there are written tributes to Harry Potter and Rowling coveting the walls.
I absolutely loved it here! I am obsessed with all things Harry Potter series so of course I long ago decided I'd be coming by here while in Edinburgh on my vacation. So for those of you who dont know, this cafe is where J.K. Rowling basically wrote the first Harry Potter book, while looking up from her table out the window and seeing am incredible view of Edinburgh castle. The cemetary nearby also inspired alot of her character's names in the books. I came here around 11 am and was immediately seated at low and behold, a window table looking out at Edinburgh Castle. I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I was when that happened! And the experience just kept getting better, as I ordered my food. I purchased a Traditional Scottish Cranachan, a plain scone, and a cinnamon flavored moo. I realized that I haven't really had any legitimate authentic Scottish food since I've been here (besides shortbread and tea) so I ordered the cranachan, which is like this warm oatmeal bar with raspberry filling and honey, with fresh whipped cream- and it was so good! I absolutely loved it. I also got a scone because I haven't had a scone since coming to Scotland and it felt like the thing to do. The scone was ok. It kind of looked like a bread roll but the texture of the inside was more like a biscuit. It wasn't like any qcone I've had back home, but it wasn't bad. And lastly, since I dont drink coffee I ordered a Flavored Moo for my beverage, which is a hot milk steamer with your choice of flavored syrup. It was pretty good but nevertheless its essentially just hot milk with a little extra. Total was 12 pounds. So really the view and the vibes & atmosphere of the cafe, along with the cranachan, made my visit here pretty amazing. So amazing that I came back the next morning and ordered a purple velvet cake slice (ube- do people here not know what ube is?) and Millionaire shortbread. The ube cake wasn't bad, but it was a little dry, and the chocolate on the shortbread was too decadent so I scraped that layer off, leaving just the caramel and shortbread, and that was good. All in all, if you're a Harry Potter fan, you must stop by! And I highly recommend selecting from the baked goods/ sweets options.
12 years ago
I first came here for breakfast after spotting it near my hotel ... I saw it was where JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter, which is cool, and the name/theme of the cafe is elephants which is also cool. But I had such a nice experience I came back here for lunch the next day too. They have classic cafe food here everything I've had was great and they give it little touches like herbs and such which is very nice. It is also a perfect spot to write, sketch, chat ... Bonus if you did come here for Harry Potter don't forget to go to the toilet and add your mark to the Harry Potter graffiti. read more
This is a fun place to have a coffee or hot chocolate while in Edinburgh. I got the hot coconut milk which I liked. My friend liked the affogato and my other friends enjoyed their spiked hot chocolates. I got to try tiffin which is a Scottish dessert that reminds me of fruit cake. We got to see the spot where it is said JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter. Through the window you can see Edinburgh Castle. The bathroom is kinda fun with sharpied notes fans have written to JK Rowling. One said "I get sleezy for Ron Weesley" haha. This places has good dessert drinks and is cool for Harry Potter fans. read more
Hm...what to say. Well first off, it was very cool to be in a place that acted as a source of inspiration for such a wonderful writer. Personally, I'm not actually a "Potterhead". I more align with the "Twihards". But as a bookworm, I have absolute respect for both the series and the author, and so this spot was a no-brainer for our itinerary. In terms of ambience, it's pretty packed at all hours of the day. We went for dinner, and though we didn't have to wait to be seated, the seating itself was in close quarters. There were tons of people, and that made for a very loud setting. There's a lot of Rowling memorabilia on the walls, and the bathrooms are absolutely filled with what I have coined "Potterhead Love Notes". I did not partake in the graffiti, but I can imagine that for a Potter Lover, this would be an awesome experience. In my opinion, the food was delicious. But there were a couple others in my party that disagreed. Their menu is a little eclectic. I was more expecting...I don't know, whatever a café in Scotland would normally serve? But as you'll see with what we ordered, they had foods from many cultures. I ordered the Tomato Bruschetta, the Soup of the Day which turned out to be Zucchini and Lentil, and the Elephant Treat for a drink. I loved them all. The bruschetta was fresh and refreshing. For any Americans traveling through the area, Scotland has very heavy food, as you might have noticed. So the light snack was really refreshing. The soup was also delicious. Very thick, and tasted almost like a zucchini chili - if that makes sense at all. And the drink was YUM. A perfect hot tottie after walking through the chilly Scottish weather for eight hours. The Elephant Nachos were ordered as an appetizer to share. If you follow my reviews, you know that I'm originally from Southern California. I mention that because as Californians, we were quite impressed with the nachos. They were amazing. Very simple, but very tasty. And cheesy - which is the best part. And the guacamole was authentic! The couple of people in my party that didn't enjoy their meals were the ones that ordered the lasagnas. They all agreed that it was much too cheesy and thick. None of them could finish even half of their portions because of the richness. Perhaps that's just our American tastes getting in the way, but if you don't enjoy heavy, rich food, this might not be the best option for you. Speaking of portions - they're huge! We definitely over-ordered. I even tried to order small, but couldn't finish either of the options. A Mocha and a Vanilla Latte were also ordered during the visit. Both were delicious, but I liked the latte best. And finally, the service was decent. Since it was so busy, everyone was a bit preoccupied so there were moments in which we needed things but had no one to ask them for. But other than that, they were attentive when they could be, and that was much appreciated. Definitely a cool experience. I'm sure this would be an amazing occasion for Harry Potter obsessed fans. I deem this an Edinburgh Must-Go. Happy feasting! read more
So you are in Edinburgh and you want somewhere to have a nice breakfast....why not try The Elephant House.... In short: 1) great food (kinda important); 2) nice decor - there are elephants EVERYWHERE; 3) nice atmosphere - a mix of both locals and tourists; and 4) great history (someone penned the small art-house book series about a boy wizard here). The price is right too and the food was good...I mentioned the food right? Whilst the staff were nice I felt that they were understaffed and that this kinda spoilt things a little. This should not be taken to mean that the staff there were not doing their job properlly - this place was busy and the staff were like Scottish versions of Road Runner....keep up the good work guys....Beep Beep. Okay that wasn't really a short review but I can be long winded. read more
8 years ago
OK, I admit we stopped in here because of the Harry Potter connection (which, like most legends, is not quite true - JK Rowling actually only wrote a few pages of one of the books here. There were a number of other cafés she used to frequent.). I wasn't expecting old JK to actually still be hanging out here; I was just mildly curious to see what might have attracted her to write here. I can see what JK probably liked about this place back in the day - great view of the castle, quirky elephant-themed art and furnishings, a decent cup of latte, and a variety of sandwiches. I bet it was a lot quieter back then, too. Now it's noisy, crowded with tourists, and JK is probably too rich and snobby to ever set foot in here again. Luckily, we happened to come here mid-week in the evening when there weren't so many people there. If you decide to try it, stop by during the middle of the week or late at night to avoid the crowds, but don't go out of your way to visit it. All in all, it's just an average little café/bistro. read more
16 years ago
The way some people talk about The Elephant House you would think it was going to lead us to the promised land. I have never really understood the delirium. For a start I'm not going to mention the "HP" word (clue: I'm not talking about the sauce). The Elephant House does have some appeal. Yes its central location and large space are appealing, but that's somewhat negated if you can never find a seat and it takes half a day to ques. Yes its late opening hours are a great idea in a city where the only place you can go after 8pm is the pub or bed, but whats the appeal if your only option is overpriced coffee (which you probably still have to que for). Yes it seemingly has a good range of lunchtime snacks, but that's not much good if the portions are so small you question the fact you just ordered a meal, and so overpriced you need to get a second job to make up for it. Maybe I've just been unlucky, maybe it's because of all the hype it was easy to feel let down. But i have always found The Elephant House to be offer pricey small portions of average food. It's fine if you can avoid the crowds but otherwise there are plenty of alternatives nearby. read more
16 years ago
Once upon a time, Ian Rankin, JK Rowling and Alexander McCall Smith used to go to The Elephant House to sit and write over endless cups of coffee. Lord knows what any of them would think if they went back for an espresso or latte now. Aside from the terrible service and permanently stressed looking staff, the place is so darn busy it's difficult to get a table. Spring to summer especially, the cafe is jam-packed with tourists desperate to secure a seat with views of the Castle. To make it worse, there's merchandise everywhere you look, the music is insipid and there's a live webcam opening til closing time so strangers across the world can watch as you eat your lunch! The biggest disappointment however, has to be the food and drink. On paper, soup, panninis, pitta, quiche and baked potatoes sounds quite promising but I suspect from tasting the last two that everything is part cooked in advance then microwaved. The coffee I ordered was equally bland and frothy. Free Wi-Fi or not, The Elephant House are going to have to raise their game if they want to inspire a new generation of writers! read more
7 years ago
Horrible service. Stood in line for 15 minute just to be told they were too busy for take away orders read more
Since I am a huge Harry Potter fan, of course I had to go to this place, even if it was just to take a picture at the door. I had read some reviews of the café saying that it wasn't as good as one might expect, so I avoided going there. But one day it was raining a lot and my friend and I wanted a cup of coffee, so we decided to give it a go. We waited the queue by the counter (where you can buy badges, postcards with elephants and other elephant-inspired souvenirs), ordered our food and then headed inside to be directed to a table. The waitress that took my order looked very upset, and it made me feel uncomfortable. I noticed none of the staff was smiling. I understand the place is very busy, but at least they could try to be a bit friendlier. Most people who go to the café are foreign people who maybe aren't sure of how to pronounce some words, and if the staff is impatient, it makes them feel insecure. I had a slice of Nutella cake and a mocha, and my friend had tea and a biscuit. I feel we paid too much for what it actually was. Sure, the cake was tasty and the coffee was good, but the portions were too small. The coolest thing about the place is the bathroom. The walls are completely covered in writing from Harry Potter fans all over the world, thanking J.K. Rowling and quoting bits from the books and movies. I liked that a lot, but I was expecting some more Harry Potter/ Rowling inspired stuff. read more
I literally just went to the bathroom here. The birthplace of Harry Potter? Of course I had to! First time I've ever left graffiti anywhere either. *please view photo of bathroom before judging, it's what you do here. Pretty awesome staff for having people like me from all over the world coming in just to go to the bathroom and see where J.K. wrote. It was like a pilgrimage of sorts. You have to go here if you're an HP fan. read more
15 years ago
I was SO excited when I saw this restaurant because I was a huge Harry Potter fan! Yes, I was a tourist and I had absolutely no shame taking pictures of everything I saw - particularly the view of the Edinburgh Castle that inspired Hogwarts and the window where J.K. Rowling sat to write her early novels. With that aside, The Elephant House was just another cute cafe to me. It was extremely packed though. It took a while to order and get our food because there's always a ridiculous line of tourists. The back room was where ended up eating because we wanted that same view of the castle. Unfortunately, our experience was crippled by the horrible service, and the tables were quite disgusting and sticky. When we finally got our food, my sandwich was a bit dry and bland, and my tea wasn't very hot either.. Overall, I think this cafe was more of a Harry Potter tourist spot than anything else. Without the crowds, I'm sure it would be a relaxing place to read or meet up with friends. read more
Tons of ambiance, nostalgia and elephants. Make sure to count all the elephants. They even have elephants in the coffee and hot cocoa art. This restaurant is all about the j.k. Rowlings experience. She sat here and wrote her first book. Food is good, but it's overshadowed by the experience. read more
7 years ago
16 years ago
Yes, so this is where J K Rowling supposedly sat to write a tiny bit of one of the Harry Potter novels. And yes, from one of the windows you can see the castle. But let's face it, you can see the castle from most parts of the city centre, and to be honest your chances of getting anywhere near that particular table are slim to none anyway. Aside from the gimmicks, it's just another coffee place that serves soups/sandwiches/cakes etc. Except it's not even a particularly good one. The way you carry your tray away from the till down the long, narrow room to try and find the last available table whilst getting stared at by all the other smug-looking people already sat down, will make you feel like you're back at school again. Except at school, you didn't pay around £8 for an ok-ish sandwich and a cup of tea. If you judge a place based on how busy it is, then there aren't enough stars in the world to award this place. But unfortunately it's not just can't-find-table-anywhere busy, it's also the staff who are rushing round like lunatics and they certainly don't move out of the way for you... even with your huge school dinner tray. read more
16 years ago
Wizards aside, there are other reasons to visit The Elephant House. I do believe that many people visit it because of the quality of what is offered, rather than purely because someone (supposedly) wrote some books there. I've been here a few times now, and have enjoyed each one. It does tend to be busy, especially in the summer with all the tourists, but come in the winter during term time, and it's the perfect hideaway for that last minute essay-writing session. I think that coming into this place without knowledge of the wizard-based hype is the best thing to do. The food is fairly standard cafe-bistro style, and has always satisfied me in quenching hunger. This place enjoys a great view of the castle from an assortment of different tables in the back area, with a few tables near the main servery at the front. I'm pleased that The Elephant House has stuck to its roots, with lots of elephant-based things. I wouldn't have wanted it to turn into some big Harry Potter shrine, as that would ruin what is a lovely little cafe. I hope that they keep it this way. I think if it changed, I would stop going. read more
7 years ago
Got the vegetarian chili, it was very delicious but it had the European portion size LOL. Let's just say it was adjustment from the American portion size of food. The server was very nice, the place wasn't very full at the beginning of the meal, but at the end it was pretty packed. Got some traditional Scottish desserts and apple pie. Would I eat there again? You betcha. The Harry Potter connection was pretty cool too. read more
12 years ago
Ambiance: A lot of sunlight and warmth from numerous plants through out the space. Great for enjoying a book Mocha: the worst mocha I've had. It looked perfect after making it, picture disclosed. However while watching the barista make the drink I noticed a packaged powder chocolate mix was used. After tasting it now I know why I prefer chocolate syrup over a powder mix. Lacked flavor completely. I tried to finish it but decided I'd rather have my calories go towards something more enjoyable. Service/staff: friendly and professional. I would go back for the cozy environment and try something else, just would not recommend the mocha. read more
8 years ago
9 years ago
10 years ago
I went here 3 times on my 3 day trip to Edinburgh ! It was that good! The food, service, and atmosphere was wonderful. I am also a huger Harry Potter fan so that helped. However, the atmosphere was relaxed and perfect for a cup of tea or a casual meal. It also wasn't to crowded in the evening and night time in which we went. The orders: 1) veggie nachos - I felt their was too much chilli for the nachos but the portion was very large for one person and it was overall good. My friend got the smoked salmon and that was wonderful. 2) tea and apple pie - can't go wrong here just came here after a long second day in Edinburgh 3) haggis meal! - better then the haggis I got in a previous restaurant and the mast potatoes were amazing read more
8 years ago
First impression, this is so cool know JK Rowling wrote most of the Harry Potter books here but as we started to order we were told at least four things on the menu they didn't have anymore of. But the food we got was great! The Mallow Chocolate was so freaking good! read more
8 years ago
It's a nice coffee shop and wasn't too busy when we went, especially for being a stop for Harry Potter fans. We just ordered cappuccinos and shortbread but enjoyed both. read more
8 years ago
A cute setting with great food! It's a busy restaurant and is not great for large groups. I tried everyone's desserts and everything was delicious. The chicken pot pie was great comfort food. read more
As a huge Harry Potter fan, I was so looking forward to visiting this café which they advertise as the Birthplace of Harry Potter and where J.K. Rowling sat writing much of her early novels. I went there at different times in the day and it was always so crowded and a huge line waiting to be seated. The next day I went in morning hours and was seated within couple of minutes. Tried their fruit scones and jam along with tea. Both of them were good but nothing great. I think people come here not because of the coffee shop but because of Harry Potter. So here are my individual ratings Atmosphere: Very touristy and somehow did not give the café like feeling near the entrance and the counter area. There is a rear dining room which was more open and full of light. Went there on a rainy day and the view from there was great. Rating - 4 Décor: Was decorated with the elephant theme with many sizes and shapes of elephants. Was interesting and very quirky to see. Rating - 4 Location: Right across the street from the National Museum of Scotland and in the area of George IV Bridge. Rating - 4 Food selection: Has a mixed menu of starters, soup, some salad options, pizza and a number of desserts Rating - selection wise - 4 but what I tasted 3 Service: Slow. Rating - 2 Bathrooms: This deserves a special mention as the ladies bathroom has a Harry Potter theme again. The walls, mirrors, accessories and surfaces have all HP scribbled over it. Interesting to see Rating:4 Overall I would give it a 3 and a half rating. Skip it if you're not a HP fan. If you are a fan worth a visit and then do not miss the bathrooms. read more
7 years ago
9 years ago
If you're a Harry Potter fan, it's a nice stop. The castle view is beautiful. We had coffee, a pot of tea, cookies and scones. Nothing to brag about, but good. The line was out the door. We were seated quickly since we were only getting coffee. The wait is longer for food. read more
Okay. Right, so here's something you need to know about me. I am a little tiny bit of a Harry Potter nerd. In school, I was "the Potter girl" for a reasonably long time. Therefore, as you can imagine, coming here is a bit of a sentimental thing. That being said, I still have some criticisms. Firstly, well, it's too warm in here! Edinburgh outside was cold and I nearly fainted because it was so hot. The menu isn't signposted very well which is disappointing especially as you spend enough time in the queue waiting to order. On that note - you stand in the queue, remember to grab any cold drinks from the fridge if you want them then, then you order, get given your little tray with a bottle and a number, you walk into the dining area where a member of staff then seats you. The table turnover time is pretty spectacular, I thought we would never be able to get a seat (we did). Now back to the menu - if they'd display it better I don't think there'd be so much waiting because there's a menu at the till for you to peruse and decide on food. There's a counter which has some incredible home-baked goods on display - sweet and savoury and the quiches looked fantastic. We however decided to get the Haggis (plus neeps and tatties for £8.50), the beef lasagne (£7.50) both a cold drink (Irn Bru and a diet coke) as well as two brownies. We sat down, and chatted. Now, go to the bathrooms. I'm not kidding. I could have spent a good hour in here reading all the comments and quotes that HP fans scrawled over, well, everything. It makes my heart glow. All I wanted to do after washing my hands was head home to reread the series. But that's just me. The food arrived, and you know, it was fine. It wasn't the best lasagne I've ever had, it wasn't the best haggis I've ever tried. The bread that came with the lasagne was a little out of place and the salad was a little lackluster. The brownie on the other hand - hollaaaa, it was AMAZING. It was perfection. Sweet, chocolatey, dense but light and crispy and doughy and moist (ew what a horrible word). If you don't mind being run down by tourists and probably overheating, and you do want a good brownie or some decent food, this is where you should come. Especially if you ever wanted to go to Hogwarts as well. One thing to note however, there is no wifi here. At all. "Pretend it's 1995 and talk to one another". read more
9 years ago
Location: First off- if your Harry Potter fan, this is a must. You would be glad to know that this place is pretty easy to spot, and very close to the graveyard where J. K. Rowling was inspired to name some of her characters in her novels. If you want to stay here and eat, just get a pastry and a coffee or tea. You will want to wait for the big room in the back. You don't want to sit in the front room while everyone in line stares at you eating. Please beware - not every table has a view of Edinburgh castle! When you are waiting in line (because you will be waiting in line if you want to sit) that first table you see straight ahead is one of the best tables to get a view. The second best view would be the middle table in the middle of the room. You would think being that this is such a popular - let's just say famous - place, their bathrooms would be cleaner. Don't get me wrong, stepping into the bathroom is a nice read on the walls, but not the cleanest. Food: The food is HORRIBLE! I ordered their basic Marguerite pizza and I swear it was out of a frozen box. I felt like I was eating cardboard. Again you are not here for the food, you're here because of Harry Potter. Am I right?? I do have to admit though, the bruschetta was AMAZING!!! But the smart thing to do here is to know that the food is not good, but try out a pastry and a coffee or tea. You won't be disappointed. Customer service- The waiters and waitresses took a long time to take our order but it was packed at the time we came. Then again this place is always packed. They were very nice and kind but don't expect to eat right away. Take in the views and enjoy where JK started it all. Overall- Like I said, if you are a HP fan this is a definite must. BUT DON'T COME HUNGRY!! Enjoy! read more
Read the other reviews to confirm -- overhyped. Though with a place like this, how could it not be? The cafe was super busy when we went, and while we had no trouble getting a table or water, everything we ordered was of subpar quality. They also nickel and dime you for the little things (whipped cream on hot chocolate, for example). read more
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The Elephant House - scottish - Updated July 2026
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