Word of mouth has yielded a successful first few months for a family-run café in Watford.
Mojtaba Daniar has been delighted with the community’s support since opening Elm Café in The Brow alongside his wife and daughter in March.
Garston residents have taken to the mix of high-quality coffee, full English breakfasts, sandwiches, paninis, smash burgers, fresh bakery treats, and special Iranian dishes on weekends.
“I’ve been surprised because there are so many people coming and they so are happy we opened the café,” the 45-year-old said, describing some regulars as already “like family”.
“We love the people to come in and talk to each other. They meet each other here, especially after school when the parents come, and they have a chat with each other.”
With the business is not making too much of a concerted advertising push, rather it is the customers themselves who have helped Elm Café grow.
Regulars have started bringing their parents, children, and grandparents down for a meal and recently new customers have said they came down after seeing social media posts – which Mojtaba had not even been aware of – saying it is a must-visit.
The business holds 4.7 stars from 70 Google reviews, with visitors praising the “amazing and welcoming” staff, “cosy and relaxing atmosphere”, and “great coffee”.
One five-star review said: “Really nice little café with a lovely vibe and super sweet, friendly staff.
“You can tell they’ve put a lot into the place and it’s so nice seeing a new local spot open up. Definitely worth popping in if you’re nearby.”
Mojtaba explained that he is very specific on the coffee brand used and maintaining a handmade process, but also makes sure to “set a fair price” to keep the café as “something everyone can afford”.
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The North London resident has previous experience running cafes in Iran and London, but saw the perfect opportunity to start his new family business in The Brow.
Neighbours previously had to travel quite far for other café options, but the area apparently once had a popular café which some customers say they still remember and had wished would come back.
Elm Café is open 7am to 6.30pm Monday to Thursday, 7am to 7pm on Fridays, 7.30am to 7pm on Saturdays, and 7.30am to 4.30pm on Sundays.
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