Cafés
Sorted by place / most viewed / distance. Showing 25, 50, 100 per page.
- Gallery Café
Simple, fresh food and al fresco dining in contemporary surroundings - Stereo
A great vegan themed bar in a Mackintosh-designed building - Belay Café
Tasty food with amazing views of world’s largest indoor climbing wall - Valvona & Crolla VinCaffé
Classic Italian cooking using the finest ingredients and a tasting list of over 50 wines by the glass
Café at the Palace
Palace of Holyroodhouse,
Edinburgh,
EH8 8DX
Situated next door to Holyrood Palace, this café is the obvious place to grab a sandwich or hearty bowl of soup after visiting the Queen’s Gallery and Palace, or after an invigorating trek round Arthur’s Seat or tour of the Scottish Parliament. With…
Foodies at Holyrood
67 Holyrood Road,
Edinburgh,
EH8 8AU
At first glance, this airy, light-filled café seems a touch out of the way. But factor in the tourist draws of Dynamic Earth and Holyrood Palace, as well as politicians popping over the road for their daily bread, and you’ll understand why it’s…
The Manna House
22–24 Easter Road,
Edinburgh,
EH7 5RG
In its few short years on earth, the Manna House has become an institution beloved of ladies from Morningside, builders on their way to a job and all walks of life in between. A first-class bakery and patisserie, it’s also branched out of late into full…
The Engine Shed
19 St Leonards Lane,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9SD
Well off the beaten track in the Pleasance area of the Southside sits this quiet little gem of a café, run by the Garvald Community Enterprise, a charity which helps people with learning disabilities into the workplace. Despite its inconspicuous…
ArtCafe Morita
204 Canongate,
Edinburgh,
EH8 8DQ
Positioned halfway down the Royal Mile, ArtCafe Morita combines traditional café, Japanese fast food outlet and ambitious gallery space. Proprietor Kozo Hoshino is the custodian of a large private art collection, the Victor Murphy Trust, from which he…
Café Truva
251–253 Canongate,
Edinburgh,
EH8 8BQ
You can now pop in for the same Café Truva Mediterranean menu at three branches across Edinburgh. Leith, Lady Lawson Street and Canongate are all serving Turkish plates, a wide range of cakes and your usual café panini list against a varyingly elaborate…
Empires
24 St Mary's Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1SU
There’s a dark, exotic, Aladdin’s Cave feel to Empires – a one-off kind of place that has walls covered with Middle Eastern fabrics and tiles, multi-coloured globe lamps dangling from the ceiling, and an upstairs seating area full of scatter cushions…
Circus
8 St Mary's Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1SU
The stone-walled courtyard in the back of this Old Town café/ restaurant is a mini sun-trap in the summer, and a good spot for enjoying some calm while the High Street might be getting unpleasantly hectic with crowds. Circus is run by the same folks who…
Ten Hill Place
10 Hill Place,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9DS
Surrounded by academia and festival venues, Ten Hill Place is ideally placed for a great bistro. But hotel restaurants so often fail to shine, and whether or not Ten Hill Place rises above its peers depends on a major refurbishment which the owner, the…
Dovecot Café by Stag Espresso
Dovecot Studios, 10 Infirmary Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1LT
Nestled at the bottom of Infirmary Street, Dovecot Studios has established itself as an innovative drop-in for those fond of tapestry and contemporary crafts – and last year it got better still with the arrival of Richard Conway’s bright, airy daytime…
Kilimanjaro Coffee
104 Nicolson Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9EJ
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…
JoJo's Danish Bakery & Café
26 St Mary's Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1TA
This is the kind of operation which can give Edinburgh a cosmopolitan name. Fresh, well-crafted pastries from the hand of half-Dane Joanna Coleman (aka JoJo) are baked in the basement of this Old Town café and sold not just from the premises but also…
Carrubbers Café
Carrubbers Christian Centre, 65 High Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1SR
It’s the café wing of Carrubbers Christian Centre, but only the occasional food-related Bible quote on the wall or the menu hints at these origins. Still, it’s worth pondering the notion of Christian charity a little more, because with some of their…
The Storytelling Café
Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43 High Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1SR
Nestled inside the Scottish Storytelling Centre, halfway along the Royal Mile, the Storytelling Café is a light and spacious, child-friendly venue offering breakfast, lunch, coffee, and cake. Their home-style cooking caters for a mixed clientele of…
Black Medicine Coffee Company
2 Nicolson Street, Southside,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9DH
The big daddy of the Edinburgh caffeine scene stands out amongst its competition in the snack bar-heavy locale for its emphasis on fresh, decent food and, naturally, rather fabulous coffee. The ambience is warm and slightly eclectic: customers perch on…
Anteaques
17 Clerk Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9JH
Fans of tea in all its forms should be sure to wend their way to this charming café-cum-antique shop for an experience few others offer. This is a place where one takes – rather than merely imbibes – tea, and it’s best to set aside a couple of hours in…
Edinburgh Larder
15 Blackfriars Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1NB
Tucked just off the Royal Mile, Eleanor Cunningham’s café features a menu that's a roll call of Scottish food heroes. From Creelers’ smoked salmon to Great Glen venison, Rannoch smoked chicken and Cunningham's mum’s jam and dad’s chutneys, everything…
Spoon Café Bistro
6a Nicolson Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9DH
Home life getting you down? Move here. Seriously. It’s open from 10am till 10pm, serving everything from morning rolls through to a three-course dinner. There’s free wi-fi. People bring you drinks. The furniture is cool kitsch-retro-chic. If only the…
Bar 50
50 Blackfriars Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1NE
Set inside a shiny modern hostel and marketing itself squarely at its backpacker residents and the students from the halls next door, Bar 50 is the kind of place it’s easy to walk past. While not exactly a hidden gem, its location and focus on cheap…
Elaine's Cuppa Cake
18 South Clerk Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9PR
Situated in the heart of student-heavy South Clerk Street, this recent opening is a good choice for those in need of reasonably-priced classic café fare done well. The décor is still evolving behind the bright stack of teapots in the window: Starbucks…
Café Lucia
Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 13/29 Nicolson Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9FT
Situated on the bright, airy ground floor of Edinburgh’s popular Festival Theatre, Café Lucia is a decent pit stop for those seeking some respite from Southside shopping, a break from the office on their lunch hour, or a stop-off for local students on…
Double Dutch
27–29 Marshall Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9BJ
Under new management since the summer of 2008, but still trading under the same name, any former Dutch influence which this café boasted has long since disappeared. There’s plenty to take its place, although it could be argued that the extensiveness of…
Elephants and Bagels
37 Marshall Street (Nicholson Square),
Edinburgh,
EH8 9BJ
If you’re looking for a lunch or snack option that healthy and filling, planet-friendly and low in salt, sugar as well as food miles, then Elephants and Bagels offers a handy solution. A penchant for pachyderms is a bonus; mostly customer-drawn they…
Café Renroc
91 Montgomery Street,
Edinburgh,
EH7 5HZ
Open from early in the morning until late, this corner café is the heart of its very own little local scene and a hub for Hillsiders, with frequent live music, poetry and story-telling evenings, even featuring – of all things – a beauty salon…
Metropole
33 Newington Road,
Edinburgh,
EH9 1QR
Taken over recently by the folks who make Canonmills’ Circle Café go round so nicely, the improvements at Metropole are clear. Always a pleasant, airy space, the mix and match floral crockery remains, as do the diner-style booths, though they’ve been…
Press Coffee
30 Buccleuch Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9LP
Owned by the same people as nearby Kilimanjaro and with a similar, downsized menu, Press Coffee serves up great coffee to a largely student clientele. Formerly a bookshop, it’s now a bright, light and minimally decorated space with clean lines…
Café Cassis
Salisbury Hotel, Salisbury Road,
Edinburgh,
EH16 5AA
Tucked under the Salisbury Hotel in the quieter reaches of Edinburgh’s southside, Café Cassis makes good use of its semi-basement situation. Beyond the tight entranceway, the interior is warmly lit, welcoming and relaxed, and backs onto a…
Tea at 94
94 Buccleuch Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9NH
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…
Scoopz
25–27 West Nicolson Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9DB
Scoopz
Situated in the Southside of Edinburgh, in the region of The University of Edinburgh’s central campus and the Peartree pub, Scoopz brings a truly novel and unique experience to Edinburgh. Specializing in premium ice-cream, fresh milkshakes…
Captain Taylor's Coffee House
18 South Bridge,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1LL
If the Eating & Drinking Guide had a 'one to watch' category then Captain Taylor’s would undoubtedly be in there. Opened in August 2010, this is a side project from the incredible minds behind long-standing homeless charity Streetwork. Essentially…
Brazilian Sensation
117–119 Buccleuch Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9NG
Open since 1998, this Brazilian restaurant in the Southside has been helping the people of Edinburgh delude themselves – despite any cold temperatures or grey skies – that they are in fact somewhere tropical, where the sun shines and the dancing never…
The Fruitmarket Gallery Café
Fruitmarket Gallery, 45 Market Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1DF
The Fruitmarket Gallery is well respected for its cutting edge contemporary art exhibitions, its specialist bookshop crammed full of artist publications and a café that is well established on the Edinburgh food scene. Located at the back of Waverley…
Fruitmarket Gallery
45 Market Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1DF
Located behind Waverley train station, this world-class gallery showcases work by many of the leading names in contemporary art. An all-glass frontage allows passing pedestrians to observe the lower level of the gallery beyond the bookshop and café, and…
Café Marina
61 Cockburn Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1BS
Forget Ikea: this is where you’ll find the best meatballs in town. They're more of a hearty sausage shape than a ball here: get them cut up in pasta or squeezed into a ciabatta for a chin-dripping panini – but whatever you do, get them. With just a…
City Art Centre Café
City Art Centre, 1 Market Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1DE
Having functioned in a few temporary guises since the main building’s refurbishment, the City Arts Centre Café is due to re-open in April 2012 following a refit of its own, complete with revamped menu and the welcome addition of new hot and cold…
Valvona & Crolla Caffè Bar
19 Elm Row, Leith Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH7 4AA
No one who cares about good food in Edinburgh is unaware of the Contini family’s excellent Italy-inspired deli and café, the former being an Aladdin’s Cave of cured meats, fine cheeses and fresh-baked breads. The caffè bar itself is a deserving stop for…
Café Marlayne
13 Antigua Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3NH
Longevity is not something always associated with Edinburgh’s French restaurants. That Café Marlayne has stuck around for a decade is testament to its ability to consistently please an eclectic range of diners. Tucked just north of George Street the…
Café Camino
Parish Centre, 1 Little King Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3JD
Pick your moment at Café Camino and you could find your coffee and sandwich accompanied by the solemn, yet uplifting, tones of a Catholic Mass being sung next door. This is the St Mary's Cathedral café and, since 2005, it has been doing excellent…
Palm Court
The Balmoral Hotel, 1 Princes Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2EQ
Through the foyer and into the heart of the Balmoral Hotel lies one of Edinburgh’s grandest and most striking bars, a plush room with faultlessly polite staff and a bright, lightwell-effect high ceiling. In its vintage and its air of pricey refinement…
Embo
29 Haddington Place, Leith Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH7 4AG
With more than a decade’s history as a top o’ the Walk fixture, Embo is the kind of place which has established a personal touch for its regulars. Owner and head cook Mike Marshall knows them by name and their orders by heart, and it’s this which lends…
Favorit
19–20 Teviot Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2QZ
Favorit is a late night diner for the young and hip and – most importantly – for those with the munchies. Black and white chequered tiles, retro tables and benches and a large, red neon Favorit sign set the scene. All that's missing is Pulp Fiction's…
Angels With Bagpipes
343 High Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1PW
Don’t let the High Street buskers put you off. Through the back in the restaurant you won’t hear them. Instead, the smart sophisticated décor and modern tableware sets off an approach to Scottish ingredients that acknowledges centuries of continental…
St Giles' Cathedral Café
St Giles' Cathedral, High Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1RE
If you think St Giles’ Cathedral is just for tourists and a Sunday service, think again. Tucked round the back is a long, narrow, functional-looking canteen serving exemplary cooking from locally sourced, seasonal ingredients – and a dazzling array of…
Fair Trade Coffee Shop
30–31 Albert Place,
Edinburgh,
EH7 5HN
Inspired by the tiny coffee shops of San Francisco’s Mission District, the Fair Trade Coffee Shop’s owner Joe Jerome has created his own small slice of urban bohemia on Leith Walk. He’s gone one further, in fact –- the top secret brand of single source…
Union of Genius
8 Forrest Road,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2QN
Elaine Mason had regulars just two weeks after opening Edinburgh’s first soup café last year. No matter how popular the little shop, she won’t expand the bitesized menu, preferring to do one thing well. Six soups are chalked up, all relying as much as…
Word of Mouth
3a Albert Street,
Edinburgh,
EH7 5HL
It’s only five years old, but already Word of Mouth is one of Edinburgh’s definitive neighbourhood cafés, a recommended stop not just for the food but for the range of activities they manage to cram into the small dining space. An open mic poetry and…
The Elephant House
21 George IV Bridge,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1EN
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…
Global Deli
13 George IV Bridge,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1EE
There are lots of places to get a panini and a cup of soup in the studenty heart of Edinburgh and an awful lot that serve lacklustre lunches from the sandwich conveyor belt. Global Deli has locals so regular they don’t need to bother giving their order…
Café No 9
9 Croall Place, Leith Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH7 4LT
For a new LGBT café owner in Edinburgh, straying away from the pink-tinged pavements of Broughton Street might be a bold move, but one which Innes Drummond believes is necessary. Having previously run a guesthouse with her partner for ten years, she saw…
Urban Angel
1 Forth Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3JX
Seasonal, local and organic are the buzz words for these bright, informal, modern bistros. A high proportion of the menu is made up of daily specials making the most of what produce is best that day. A nourishing parsnip soup is enlivened with mustard…
Drill Hall Arts Café
34 Dalmeny Street,
Edinburgh,
EH6 8RG
This café caters for a varied clientele of Out of the Blue Drill Hall resident artists, members of the Leith community and attendees of flea markets, vintage fairs, yoga or pilates classes not to mention their Bruncheon! event. The ethos here is very…
Gaia Delicatessen
32 Crighton Place, Leith Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH7 4NY
The bustle is infectious in Leith Walk café Gaia, as various members of the Dragotta family busy themselves preparing food behind the counter. A family-run Sicilian delicatessen and café, everything here is homemade from scratch, including various meaty…
Mediterranean Gate
48 George IV Bridge, Old Town,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1EJ
Although the Earl of Sandwich has done much for meal-times, variety is the spice of life. Mediterranean Gate has spice, it certainly has variety, and it provides a host of options that might be the best thing since sliced bread. It can be easily…
St Giles' Café Bar
8 St Giles' Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1PT
This comfortable café bar has you sinking back into your chair and disappearing into a little piece of Provence. A magnificent stone building, St Giles' Café stands proudly just off the High Street and offers a little taste of France on a plate. The…
Earthy Market Café
33–41 Ratcliffe Terrace,
Edinburgh,
EH9 1SX
With reclaimed wood panelling and rustic hues, this converted warehouse could easily be the set for a new Channel 4 cookery show (you half-expect to see Jamie or Hugh pottering about). Thankfully though, like the food market upstairs, the style doesn’t…
Peter's Yard
27 Simpson Loan (Quartermile),
Edinburgh,
EH3 9GG
The location of this aspirational Swedish establishment couldn't be better. Tucked alongside Middle Meadow Walk in the expensive glass forest of the Quartermile development, Peter’s Yard is a bright, well-ordered space that exudes a soothing…
Caffe Espresso
15 Bank Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2LN
The Brits might love to queue, but there’s got to be a good reason. So when you see a gaggle of solicitors, judges and students patiently waiting to reach the counter of this galley-like Italian café, you might want to get in line. Have they come for…
Valvona & Crolla Vincaffè
11 Multrees Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3DQ
Valvona & Crolla’s Vincaffe is only a short distance but several years away from the densely packed cornucopia of the family-run business’s original branch on Elm Row. With a bright, contemporary décor, evenly spaced, white dressed tables and a bank…
Artisan Roast
57 Broughton St,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3RJ
As the roasters and distributors of Scotland’s definitive coffee, it’s impossible to see beyond either branch of Artisan Roast as your first stop for a pick-me-up coffee buzz at any time of the day. Long black, flat white, espresso, macchiato or ice…
Asti
73 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3RJ
Owned by the same people who run the neighbouring Rapido, Asti is a refined, relaxed eatery in comparison to its neighbour, specialising in decent Italian dishes rather than fast food. Painted a pleasing shade of mocha, this café-cum-restaurant takes…
Oink
34 Victoria Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2JW
The concept is simple: soft white or brown roll, haggis or sage and onion stuffing, chilli or apple sauce. A great pile of sweet, succulent roast pork straight from the pig in the window is mandatory as are plenty of napkins. Pork comes from Reston Farm…
The Bakehouse Co.
32c Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3SB
NOTE: THE BAKEHOUSE IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED AFTER A FIRE
A compact local café sitting easily alongside the ethical boutiques of Broughton Street, the Bakehouse is a cheaper, more casual alternative to nearby Urban Angel and the Olive Branch. Rusty tin…
Blue Moon Café
1 Barony Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6PD
On a corner off Broughton Street this gay-friendly diner serves up simple hearty food at reasonable prices. Lunch is a particularly good deal with main courses all under £6. Daily specials include a couple of soups, which might be a velvety smooth leek…
Broughton Delicatessen
7 Barony Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6PD
It’s rare for a café to try so hard to be all things to all people and not overstretch itself. Broughton Delicatessen doesn’t disappoint, though, with its front shop selling take-out snacks like baguettes, grilled sandwiches and crepes alongside cakes…
Porto & Fi on the Mound
9 North Bank Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2LP
Those who cherish Porto and Fi's café in Newhaven will feel right at home in this city centre offshoot. The morning rolls and muffins, gorgeously Bunterish home-made cakes plus dishes adaptable to a light lunch or hearty supper are all here. But while…
New Town Deli
42 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3SA
The smaller of the two New Town Delis, the Broughton Street branch offers a more concise menu including soup, stovies and sandwiches. Classic sandwich combinations include the New York-style pastrami, smoked cheese and gherkin, or to mix and match. Hot…
Hula Juice Bar and Gallery
103–105 West Bow,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2JP
Tucked just around the corner from the Grassmarket’s rugby pubs and walking tours is the refreshing – in more ways than one – Hula Juice Bar. Tropical fruit, frozen yoghurt and organic boosters, such as echinacea, spinach powder and wheatgrass, mingle…
Cafe Hub
Castlehill, Royal Mile,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2NE
Glowering imposingly from the very top of the High Street, the black Gothic splendour of the Hub was transformed when it became the official home of the Edinburgh International Festival, with a now entirely contemporary interior which glows with colour…
Spirit Café
Tartan Weaving Centre, 555 Castlehill, Royal Mile, Old Town,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2ND
You can't get much closer to the heart of tourist Edinburgh than Spirit Café, which is cheek-by-jowl with Edinburgh Castle and upstairs from the Tartan Weaving Centre. It even shares its space with a Military Tattoo exhibition and gift shop. Fight your…
The Scottish Café and Restaurant
National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2EL
From its contemporary, light-filled space in the underbelly of Scotland’s National Galleries, the Scottish Café & Restaurant looks out serenely over the green and bustle of Princes Street Gardens. Created and run by the team behind Centotre, the…
Café Nom de Plume
60 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3SA
Set upstairs from the Edinburgh LGBT Centre and owned by the same team behind the Regent pub, Café Nom de Plume is a gay and lesbian-friendly business and a relaxed hangout for all walks of Broughton life. The décor is a warm and welcoming jumble of…
Café Portrait
Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1JD
When Edinburgh's Portrait Gallery opened with new-found swagger and style, at the end of 2011, art fans had plenty to get their teeth into: a stunning, multi-million pound facelift with glorious works by Scottish greats like Henry Raeburn and…
The French Fancies
42 London Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6LX
This charming basement café, run by a couple from Lyon, proves that although the French take their food seriously, they know how to have fun with it too. The front room acts as both shop and takeaway, the owners selling their very own preserves…
Hard Rock Café
20 George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2PF
Some restaurants are all about the expectation game. Launched in London over 40 years ago, the Hard Rock has since exported its rather cookie cutter approach all over the world, but should you go in expecting generous portions of decent, if rather…
Blackcherry Café
29 Grassmarket,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2HS
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…
The Scottish Café
National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2EL
Run by the acclaimed team from Centotre – Victor and Carina Contini – the Scottish Café and Restaurant has been a stylish addition to arts venues in Edinburgh since 2009. There is a Garden Café within the gallery reception, but the main operation is a…
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