Henderson's @ St John's

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.

The St John’s Church ‘terrace community’ has developed into an ethical, modern-day conscience balm of businesses at the west end of Princes Street, from the One World Fairtrade shop to the Peace and Justice Centre. Henderson’s café sits harmoniously among them, bringing the organic, seasonal attitudes of Edinburgh’s original veggie restaurant to this principled corner. In summer there’s the wide churchyard patio on which to eat wraps, baked potatoes, soups and quiches featuring that month’s freshest veg, and in winter there is an atmospheric vaulted cellar with corners to hide in and eat vegan cake. Friday lunches feature musicians, and the walls provide gallery space for art exhibitions. The menu features classic, some might say retro, vegetarian staples of tofu-strewn salads, cheesy nachos and cheddar potato croquettes – but then why mess with a croquette? As ever Henderson’s caters not just to the vegetarian, but also the vegan and the gluten-free.

• High point: Being able to skip the café chains that dominate this area
• Low point: Insipid coleslaw demonstrates some frustrating inconsistencies