Cafés and "Edinburgh"
- Café Milk
Café Milk offers seasonal, delicious food at fantastic prices! - Urban Angel
Urban Angel use local, organic and fairly traded produce in a cool environment - La Cerise
La Cerise is a fresh and innovative patisserie cake and coffee shop that will leave you hooked on Cafe Culture - The Stables Tearoom
Enjoy a traditional delightful afternoon tea in historic surroundings
Earthy Canonmills
1–6 Canonmills Bridge,
Edinburgh,
EH3 5LF
With two popular food markets and a thriving café under their belt already, the Earthy empire is set for further expansion in April 2012 with the arrival of their new Canonmills enterprise. As well as another store, the site (formerly Dionika) will also…
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…
The Treehouse
44 Leven Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9LJ
Its enviable location on the corner of Bruntsfield Links makes the Treehouse a perfect impromptu picnic provider on a summery day, although eating in is no bad choice either. The interior has a slightly offbeat, kooky charm about it – from the vintage…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Centotre
103 George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 3ES
Centotre manages to pull off a neat trick. Despite the austere, ex-bank interior, from those lost days when financial edifices were akin to cathedrals, it still manages to maintain a feeling of warmth and intimacy in the evenings or bright and breezy…
Wellington Coffee
33a George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2HN
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…
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…
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…
The Gateway Restaurant
John Hope Gateway Centre, Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place,
Edinburgh,
EH3 5LR
Although lacking the panoramic views of its sister venue, the Terrace Café, the restaurant in the Botanics’ gleaming new John Hope Gateway enjoys a pleasant outlook over the Biodiversity Garden, especially from the lovely al fresco tables on its…
Glass & Thompson
2 Dundas Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6HZ
Ask proprietor Russell Glass nicely and he might show you the copy of Alexander McCall Smith’s novel The Forgotten Affairs of Youth he keeps behind the counter, the one in which he and his café make a cameo appearance on page 173. It’s not an unlikely…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Grand Cru
79 Hanover Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1EE
Theatrically chic, Grand Cru is an energising venue for an upbeat evening meal. Though the large bar is devoted to drinkers, a separate dining area is juxtaposed comfortably enough to give you some space to enjoy your food. For a less noisy seat, though…
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…
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…
Cucina LC
68 Haymarket Terrace,
Edinburgh,
EH12 5LQ
The initials LC come from the owner’s name (Lorena Crolla), but they could just as easily stand for ‘Lotta Choice’ considering the amount of items on the menu here. Including Asian, Italian and Scottish elements, there are almost 40 sandwich…
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…
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…
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 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…
Dalriada
77 Promenade, Portobello,
Edinburgh,
EH15 2EL
Situated in an imposing building at the Joppa end of the Portobello Promenade, Dalriada is a fantastic bar-cum-café that's just perfect for an afternoon coffee and cake while you watch the waves roll in, or an evening drink as the sun sets over the…
Project Coffee
196 Bruntsfield Place,
Edinburgh,
EH10 4DF
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…
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…
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…
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…
Maxi's
33 Raeburn Place,
Edinburgh,
EH4 1HX
Enjoying an airy, double-fronted location on Stockbridge's bustling main thoroughfare, Maxi's is a popular pitstop for almost-all-day (until 3pm) breakfasts, filling sandwiches and hearty but healthy lunches. Vegetarians are well catered for with a…
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…
Rocksalt Café Deli
46 Constitution Street,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6RS
In recent years owner Callum Morrison has established a strong local reputation for café Rocksalt and its sister deli, Relish, just round the corner. Although the departure of talented chef Craig Long has been felt, Morrison is keen to move forward and…
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…
Toast
146 Marchmont Road,
Edinburgh,
EH9 1AQ
Marchmont's residents have been withholding information from the rest of the city: they have jealously guarded the fact that Toast, tucked up at the top of Marchmont Road, is such a delight. It's understandable, given that queues for seats in the small…
Two Thin Laddies
103 High Riggs,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9RP
Pitch pine, exposed timber and white walls – the interior of Two Thin Laddies is reminiscent of an alpine ski resort, which is appropriate really, considering they serve the sort of food you’d want after a hard morning on the pistes. The décor might be…
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…
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…
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 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…
Le Marché Français
9a West Maitland Street,
Edinburgh,
EH12 5DS
From the outside Le Marché Français looks like just another of the flurry of delis that have sprung up around Edinburgh lately. But delve beyond the cold cuts and cheese counter, past the wines and assorted French goodies and you arrive in a modest…
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…
Urban Angel
121 Hanover Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1DJ
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…
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…
Café Milk
232 Morrison Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 8EA
Sporting bright white tiles, pale pastel colours and reclaimed benches, Café Milk could easily have been plucked straight from the streets of trendy Shoreditch (although thankfully there's not a hipster in sight). But, while the interior decoration…
Café Modern Two
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Two, 73 Belford Road,
Edinburgh,
EH4 3DS
Café Modern Two (formerly Café Newton at the Dean Gallery) would be a fairly understated setting, with dark wood panellling and simple furnishings, if it weren’t for Eduardo Paolozzi’s impressive steel creation ‘Vulcan’ towering over everything in…
Circle Café
1 Brandon Terrace, Canonmills,
Edinburgh,
EH3 5AE
Behind the sleek glass frontage, Circle's stylish interior features lofty ceilings, bare brick walls and galvanised metal and wood furniture. But all those hard edges can mean that a noisy clatter replaces the convivial buzz when it's busy, which is…
