Café Holt Ogilvy serves as a refined culinary extension within a prominent retail destination, focusing on a curated selection of fresh garden salads and composed bistro plates. The kitchen prioritizes high-quality seasonal produce, delivering vibrant flavors through carefully prepared vegetables and light protein additions. Natural light floods the minimalist, open-plan seating area, creating a streamlined environment that reflects the architectural precision of the surrounding space. Patrons engage with a menu that emphasizes simplicity and technical execution, avoiding unnecessary culinary complexity. Every dish maintains a consistent profile, reflecting a commitment to reliable preparation and fresh ingredients. The atmosphere remains quiet and efficient, catering to those seeking a focused dining experience amidst a retail setting. This establishment provides a precise balance of nutritional density and culinary clarity for individuals requiring a structured break from their surroundings.
Café Holt Ogilvy offers a stylish and sophisticated setting that many diners find perfect for a relaxing break, brunch, or an afternoon tea while shopping. While the atmosphere is frequently praised as elegant and modern, reviews regarding the quality of food and the consistency of service are notably mixed. Some guests rave about delicious dishes and attentive staff, while others express disappointment with lukewarm temperatures, overcooked items, or slow service. Despite some inconsistencies, the establishment remains a popular destination for its refined aesthetic and overall convenience, though some visitors feel the culinary experience does not always match the high-end location.
Best in class customer service. Carlston made us feel very comfortable & provided a remarcable experience. The food is done to perfection, with a highlight to the desserts.
We came specifically for the Seoul Afternoon Tea. To our surprise, the two afternoon tea sets we ordered were served together on a single three-tier stand. We had expected each set to come on its own stand, & traditionally the scones are presented on the three-tier stand. Instead, the scones were placed on a small plate beside the tower.
The biggest disappointment was the scones. They were served cold & quite hard. We've enjoyed afternoon tea in many places around the world-including the UK, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Paris, & Montreal-& we've never been served cold scones. We politely asked if they could be warmed up, & while our waiter agreed, he emphasized that they normally do not serve them warm.
What happened next was even more surprising. The waiter brought us an empty plate & asked both of us to place our partially eaten scones on it. He then took the plate away to heat them & returned with the exact same plate, asking each of us to take back the scone we had already started eating. It felt awkward & unhygienic. We would have expected either freshly warmed scones prepared properly or, at the very least, for each warmed scone to be returned on a clean plate. Unfortunately, even after being reheated, the scones remained mediocre in both taste & texture.
The ambiance is beautiful, & perhaps our expectations were simply too high. We expected service that matched the reputation of the venue, but unfortunately the overall customer experience felt rather ordinary. Some staff members could certainly benefit from additional hospitality training.
Our waiter gave unusual responses when we requested room-temperature water instead of iced water & when we asked to have the scones warmed. These are fairly standard requests in most restaurants & shouldn't require a discussion. Perhaps this is the restaurant's policy, but it came across more as a matter of interpersonal communication than company standards.
That said, we don't want to criticize the entire team. Several other servers were excellent. They refilled our teapot with hot water, cleared our empty plates, brought us bags for our leftovers, & provided milk & sugar for our tea. These were all requests we had made to our assigned waiter, yet they were ultimately handled by other members of the team. Throughout the experience, we found ourselves relying on other staff because our assigned waiter simply wasn't attentive to our table.
As for the food itself, the portions were quite modest for the price. Each person received one scone, two small savory bites, two finger sandwiches, & four sweet pastries. The sandwiches were the highlight of the meal, while the remaining items were fairly ordinary & didn't stand out.
Overall, it felt as though the restaurant lacks experience in serving a proper afternoon tea. Afternoon tea has never been about extravagant food-even iconic venues like The Ritz in London serve classic cucumber sandwiches. What makes a memorable afternoon tea is the atmosphere, attention to detail, & impeccable service. While the ambiance here was lovely, the service still has significant room for improvement.
Disappointing experience. One cocktail from the menu was not available , & the server offered to change the tequila in another cocktail , don't know why , is just a cocktail , & did not mention that this substitution would add $17 to the price. The cocktail was already over $22, so this nearly doubled the cost.
What was frustrating is that he clearly mentioned the price of a champagne option on a Thursday , but did not explain the extra cost of changing the liquor. I also do not understand why a liquor change was suggested for one cocktail but not for the other cocktails, which are normally prepared with the liquor listed on the menu. The change was unnecessary & should have been presented with clear pricing before being offered.
We also waited over 15 minutes at the entrance because there was no visible hostess & had to find a server ourselves. Better communication about pricing & a more welcoming arrival experience are needed.
Found through the Th3rd wave app, so I expected good coffee, especially with such a high end atmosphere. What I found was overextracted lavazza espresso. If you're looking for good coffee in this area, Faro is not far at all.
Had a lovely Mother's Day afternoon tea at Café Holt yesterday & everything was absolutely wonderful.
We've also been there before for brunch & every visit has been consistently great - beautiful atmosphere, attentive service, & delicious food. You can really feel the care & attention to detail in the whole experience. Definitely one of those places that makes you want to come back again
