Cafés, Outdoor dining, "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…

Sitting atop the Royal Mile, and home to the International Festival box office, it is not surprising Cafe Hub is popular with tourists. Recently it has also been trying to attract locals with a mix of takeaway deals and increased emphasis on their own…

A recent minor decorative facelift has left what was once a pop-up store for these Edinburgh-based coffee roasters feeling a bit more permanent. It is still fairly low key, with small tables in the cosy, wood-lined front and more spacious banquette…

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…

The Treehouse Café, facing Bruntsfield Links, feels bright, summery and welcoming to anybody breezing in from Leven Street for a sit-in breakfast or lunch, or a take-away picnic on the Meadows. The eco-retro décor of cheerful pot plants and vintage…

After a recent refurb, the focus at the Wellington Café is even more firmly on the best coffee they can coax from a bean. Panini and bacon rolls have gone; the food now consists simply of excellent daily delivered brownies, sizeable scones and tray…

Circus has a relaxed, hangout vibe with original art hanging on whitewashed walls, chunky wooden furniture and colourful Turkish lamps. Food serving hours run from breakfast right the way through to dinner, making this a popular place with folk staying…

Bang in the middle of studentville, Kilimanjaro has a laid-back vibe, conducive to whiling away an afternoon reading and nattering or making a start on that essay. The chunky tables, worn wooden chairs and leather sofas are comfy and inviting and the…

Bruntsfield doesn't suffer from a lack of sociable coffee venues, but that hasn't deterred relative newcomer Project Coffee. Like sister businesses Kilimanjaro, Press and Wellington Coffee, they use beans from small artisanal roasters to make their…

The emphasis is on simplicity and quality at Printworks Coffee, and as the name suggests they are particularly fond of their coffee: they're the only stockists of the Monmouth brand in Edinburgh, and it's a definite attraction at what is a small but…

Sandro Del Greco, the owner of Castello Coffee, does not take lightly the task of satisfying his customers. It required in-depth research and much tasting to uncover the high quality Allpress Espresso beans he uses in his machines. Consequently, this…

Originally a bean company, Artisan Roast started brewing in 2007 and has not looked back, now with venues in Edinburgh’s Broughton and Bruntsfield districts. With a shabby chic décor that would not be out of place in San Francisco or Seattle, the…

As a street, Waterloo Place can seem a bit lost, the ceremonial extension of Princes Street that no-one but tourists and civil servants frequent, a backwater in the heart of the city. So all power to this uncomplicated but cultured…

This newcomer to the Southside café scene is a cheerful and unpretentious place to pass an hour or two. Having opened its doors just before Christmas 2011, Tea at 94 still feels as if it's finding its feet somewhat in terms of the fare on offer. While a…

If you don't already have @papiicoffee on your Twitter feed, at least tuck the name and location of Papii away for future use. It's the kind of smartly run, upbeat, friendly wee place you'll be glad you remembered next time you're after a handy coffee…

This homely little Marchmont café is easy to wander past, but after you’ve stopped once, you won’t walk by again. Jane Kermack is a cheery, engaging host, ensuring everyone, from students to grannies, feels at ease. The generous full Scottish breakfast…

Despite its tiny size, revolutionary soup cafe Union of Genius is a big presence on Edinburgh's food scene. Their fast-food approach to soups is perfectly customer friendly, with a choice of six daily concoctions (for example a traditional cream of leek…

Earthy: the name itself reeks of honest-to-goodness wholesomeness and this charmingly decorated Canonmills restaurant certainly delivers on that promise. The place feels rather like a Womble has been brought in to decorate, with found objects and…

Andrew and Fiona MacInnes, the brother and sister duo behind Porto & Fi, have a knack for views: in Newhaven they offer the Firth of Forth, and from this buzzing branch on the Mound all of New Town is laid beneath you. This is partly why booking is…

Ensuring bookworms with a caffeine habit can feed both their addictions, this amiable ‘booktique’ café boasts its own lively literary scene, hosting a stream of reading groups, author events and kids' storytelling sessions amid shelves stuffed with…

Having given up his very popular Gorgie bakery, Jacob Philip has moved more ambitiously upmarket with his spacious new Haymarket cafe. Sited in a freshly decorated corner unit with a high ceiling and lots of classic touches, the new premises were still…

With cafés sprouting up around the New Town, survival depends on being different, and this establishment with its French-themed décor is working hard on that. An extensive range of teas and coffees is the domain of John Thomson, while his wife Gail…

Skillfully combining healthy with tasty, it is unsurprising that this juice bar is frequently packed out. With around 40 people sat in between the main room and a snug at the back, as well as a steady stream waiting for takeaway, service remains…

Cafe dining doesn't come more sustainable than when the pork and most of the vegetables come from your own plot, and Gorgie City Farm's pleasant, old-fashioned cafe has the added advantage of bringing the countryside – and animal visits, if you've got…