Mar 16th, 2022, 09:00 AM

Sweet Treats and Selfies

By Molly Wilhelm
Photo by: Molly Wilhelm
My brunch experience in EL&N Paris café designed for Instagram photos.

EL&N Paris, located on the fourth floor of the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, is pretty, pink, and pricey. EL&N, an abbreviation which stands for ‘eat, live, and nourish,’ titles itself “the leading Instagrammable café and lifestyle brand,” according to their About Us webpage. The brand, which debuted their first location in London in 2017, most recently opened a Paris location in 2021.  

The brand has attracted a large social media following, with over 500,000 followers on their Instagram page. They encourage customers to relax, eat, drink, and most importantly-take pictures. The company prides itself for having “one of the most instagrammable destinations in the world” on their webpage, mentioning the uniqueness of the café’s pink décor, beautiful lattes, and floral walls.  

With first sight of the café, I was promptly drawn into the overwhelmingly pink design. Chairs, floors, and walls were decorated in different shades of pink. The focal center of the room contained a hot pink neon sign reading ‘La Vie en Rose,’ which hung on a rose pink floral wall behind two chairs upholstered in a blush pink fringe. Dressed up customers and possible social media influencers sat around at their tables taking selfies and pictures of themselves, their food, drinks, and the surrounding décor. 

I: Image credit: Molly Wilhelm
 

The overall floor plan of the café is open, with an unobstructed view into the kitchen and dining areas. A glass case of ornately designed pastries and deserts sits at the entrance, attracting potential customers who pass by. I was greeted by a hostess, who was able to seat me and my two friends immediately with no wait.  

Upon first receiving the menu, what struck me initially was the price. The menu separates ‘instagramable drinks’ into their own category, which includes lattes priced as high as 15 euro. Aesthetically pleasing photos of drinks and food are incorporated into the menu, with specific items labeled as the ‘most loved on Instagram.’ I decided to try the Nutella hot chocolate for eight euros and cinnamon s’mores waffle which was prices at 14 euros.  My friends ordered the EL&N Shakshuka for sixteen euros and the iced Nutella shake for almost ten euros.  

Image credit: Molly Wilhelm
 

When the food and drinks arrived at the table, the presentation was picturesque. The hot chocolate was served in a pink cup, with the foam resembling a heart shape. The cinnamon waffle was pink and topped with a large portion of whipped cream, Lotus sauce, and pistachios served in a skillet. The Nutella shake was served with a pink straw in a clear mason jar and was drizzled with chocolate and the shakshuka was served in a skillet as well and was topped with pomegranate seeds. The presentation of the food certainly made me want to take out my phone to snap a few photos.  

The actual taste of the food was delicious. However, both my hot chocolate and waffle were incredibly sweet. While the menu offers a few savory selections, most items on the menu cater to those with a sweet tooth. Although I did not order any desert, the café does dedicate a full page of the menu to cakes, pastries, and other sweet treats.  

Image credit: Molly Wilhelm
 

Overall, my experience at EL&N was exactly as I imagined. While some come to enjoy the food, drinks, and deserts offered by the café, many come to enjoy the atmosphere, and capture photos of themselves within it.

Brunch at EL&N will provide you with a colorful and unique environment to enjoy fun food and drinks while you take pictures with your friends. But, be prepared to spend a little extra money for your latte or slice of cake if you want to get your Instagram-worthy pictures here.