Cafés, Budget, "Edinburgh"

Meaning ‘home’ in Swedish, Hemma is the latest addition to Mike and Anna Christopherson’s string of Scandinavian style bars. And with its soft furnishings and quirky interiors, it does indeed have a laidback, homely atmosphere, despite the modern feel…

Although the seating is tight at this authentic French cafe and boulangerie, it will leave you feeling much more Parisian than claustrophobic. Chef and owner Vincent Alpincourt aims to introduce Scottish palates to simple French flavours, and succeeds…

Primarily an upmarket delicatessen and off-licence with a wide and well-selected range of local and international meats, cheeses, wines and dried goods, Relish has become a familiar stop on the way home from work for Leithers who live around the Shore…

Occupying a prime double shop front on Portobello's main drag, Skylark is just what the neighbourhood has been crying out for, since evening eating options are somewhat thin on the ground. A daytime café with toys, books, food and events for kids (check…

The Marshmallow Lady is part sweet kitchen, part apothecary and part craft fare. In a brightly decorated café with room for a dozen covers, the eponymous sweet treats line the walls in paper bags and jars labelled with the various flavours. The range on…

In 2005, at the Scottish Parliament, the Dalai Lama told Reka Gawa: ‘Don't forget you’re Tibetan; keep the culture alive.’ She had long dreamed of opening a shop, and in 2007, inspired by his words, she did so: the photo of their meeting hangs proudly…

Disguised as an old warehouse, Earthy Market Café is a surprising hidden gem for those who love all things wholesome and hearty. Earthy, which also operates a bistro-café and small shop in Canonmills, is an operation run by people who care about food…

Situated in among the pubs and clubs of the Cowgate, Bar 50 is an ideal place for students and backpackers to relax over a pint and a game of pool during the day, or kick start a great night out on a budget. With large pitchers of cocktails for under a…

With a name like Angels with Bagpipes and a location opposite St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile, this restaurant is a tourist magnet. The upstairs area is compact with a pretty Edinburgh street view – but fear not, there is extra room on the lower…

Located inside an independent bookstore, with tables in between the bookshelves, this simple wee café feels almost like a community drop-in centre. Indeed since opening in November 2012 it has found regulars happy to come in and hang out for a few…

There’s no dearth of restaurants in Stockbridge, so choosing to open a pizza outlet next to a branch of Pizza Express is a bold, brave move. However, the folk behind the popular Meadows bakery-café have clearly thought things through, supplying lunches…

If it’s a hangover breakfast, pre-lecture fuel-up or lunch-hour pitstop that’s required, Black Cherry in the Grassmarket is there to satisfy. A tiny but cheery café serving breakfast rolls, sandwiches, wraps and bagels, coffee and cakes to students…

Since opening in late 2012, Bees has garnered its own budding community, from small clubs using it as a base, to fellow hospitality professionals who congregate in the early hours when it transforms from daytime café to late-night hangout. Inside, it’s…

From the men who brought you the Regent pub, Café Nom de Plume is the latest café above Edinburgh’s (and possibly Europe’s) oldest LGBT centre. A friendly set of rooms, both light and warm, the décor is pulled together from the collected finds of your…

Visiting Brazilian Sensation is a unique and somewhat eccentric experience. For a start, it only opens in the evening if you make a reservation, so it really does feel like owner John Falconer and his Brazilian wife Lucia are expecting you. There’s a…

Perhaps hoping that diners will be distracted by its association with the boy wizard and his chums, the erstwhile haunt of JK Rowling appears to lavish more attention on its Potter-themed loos than it does on its food. While, admittedly, it has recently…

Rocking the boho bedsit chic, with elegantly mismatched retro furniture, lampshades and crockery, this is one Spoon that’s unquestionably more loving than greasy. The menu’s packed with wholesome, healthy options, a decent proportion of which are…

Challenging preconceived notions of her native cuisine, Russian owner Maria has brought across fistfuls of traditional recipes and enough entertaining chat to span an enjoyable evening. Small cheery café and takeaway by day, the open kitchen and three…

The sign reading ‘Six buggy limit’ says it all. If you live in Portobello and have small children, chances are you’ll know Reds and its large, soft cage – sorry, play frame – in the back room, where your offspring can slide and scamper while you eat or…

Now well into its third decade in business, the much-loved Blue Moon on a Broughton Street corner must be doing something right. Maybe it’s the friendly, laidback atmosphere and genuine sense of welcome. Maybe it’s the low-key decor and gay-friendly…

It would be easy to wander past the narrow St Mary’s Street frontage of Empires. However, an inquisitive peer inside reveals a compact dark-wood interior that comes to life when illuminated by candles and coloured lanterns. A handful of ground-level…