Edinburgh is a great city but it can be a manic one too: filled with must-see historic attractions and buzzing all summer long with internationally acclaimed festivals. The secret to enjoying its cultural riches is to take the city at a leisurely pace and there is nowhere quite like the Edinburgh cafe scene to people watch and appreciate the city's charms from a streetside table. Enthusiasts will even mention it in the same breath as they would Paris' Montparnasse district or New York's Greenwich Village when it comes to the eating and drinking scene.
Edinburgh's historic city centre is divided into the Old Town (around the Royal Mile) and the New Town (also several centuries old) just to the north. To the south of the Royal Mile is the area around Edinburgh University also known as Southside. These three areas together offer the best of the city's cafe scene. To the northwest of the Old Town, there is also Stockbridge, another "up and coming" area with plenty of fine cafes. Edinburgh is no stranger to cafe culture (it boasted one of the earliest coffee houses in Europe) but there has never been a better time to visit and try it for yourself.
Here are ten of the best Edinburgh Coffee Shops.
Always Sunday, the Best Royal Mile Cafe
Cheery staff and interesting, fresh, reasonably piced food make this bright cafe near St Giles Cathedal stand out on a street all too often filled with cheap, bland souvenir shops to go with the wonderful historic buildings. The location means it is nearly always full.
-Address: 170 High Street
Elephant House, Old Town
The Elephant House is large and does the greatest variety of coffees anywhere in the city. It's quite an effort getting passed the cake stand, which is at the front. Once in there are plenty of more filling mealsto be partaken of, all at decent prices. It may be busy but it's laid back too: you may have to share a table with strangers but it's all part of the atmosphere. At peak times you have to wait for a table. It's one of those haunts JK Rowling supposedly sat at writing Harry Potter books, although many cafes in Edinburgh claim this.
-Address: 21 George IV Bridge
Gallery Cafes — Fruitmarket Gallery Cafe and Forest Cafe
The Fruitmarket Gallery is an exciting, independent gallery right in the heart of Edinburgh and this is the cafe that goes with it: it's close to Waverley Station, nearly always full and, if you are lucky enough to get a seat, an intimate cosy space to enjoy crisp salads, baguettes and a hot drink amidst funky art. If you can't get a seat, try the more Bohemian Forest Cafe (3 Bristo Place, near the National Museum of Scotland) nearby for another nearby gallery cum coffee shop experience.
-Address: 45 Market Street
Chocolate Soup, Royal Mile, Old Town
You can get all your usual caffeine requirements here in a modern-look cafe right on the Royal Mile, but there are also elaborate chocolate cakes, deserts and hot chocolates. The staff are not too friendly: but then they are dedicating lots of time to making very, very delectable drinks.
-Address 2 Hunter Square
Urban Angel, New Town
One of the coolest New Town coffee-slurping venues is this ever-popular, ever-packed cafe-cum-restaurant. The food is organic and the place caters to everyone from students to office workers. The omlettes are sublime.
-Address: 121 Hannover Street
Cafe Grande, the Original Southside Cafe
Cafe Grande has been around a long tme and maintained a good standard of food and friendly service. Set in refined area of Southside, it looks straight out of a scene from the Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (a novel set in the area about the snobbish upper classes of Edinburgh). It's a cosy bistro come night time, and within easy access to the nearby theatres such as the Churchill Theatre.
-Address: 184 Bruntsfield Place
Kilimanjiro Cafe, Southside
This laid-back venue has lots of books to peruse whilst you sip coffee,check out the African photographs on the walls and munch on one of the tasty brownies.
-Address: 126 Nicholson Street
Kaffe Politik, Southside
This former bank has been converted into a very suave, relaxed coffee house. Expect political quotes on the walls and easily the best waffles in Edinburgh. It's a place to linger, particularly for top notch breakfasts.
-Address: 146 Marchmont Road
Black Medicine, Southside
The name gives it away: the coffee here is some of the city's best, served inside the best of Edinburgh Bohemian environments and also popular with students at the nearby university. Smoothies here are good too.
-Address: 2 Nicholson Street
Booking.com
Cafe Newton, Stockbridge
This is a glam venue with a touch of Vienese coffee house grandeur. It does good cakes and soups as well as coffee. Being at the top of the coffee trade in Stockbridge, though, and being part of the Dean Gallery to boot, it does get rather crowded. The atmosphere is inspiring, and the windows look out over parkland. Check out the toilets, something of a colourful homage to city artist and proud feature of the Dean Gallery, Edmund Paolozzi.
-Address: 73 Belton Road
Author Sunil S.
Edinburgh's historic city centre is divided into the Old Town (around the Royal Mile) and the New Town (also several centuries old) just to the north. To the south of the Royal Mile is the area around Edinburgh University also known as Southside. These three areas together offer the best of the city's cafe scene. To the northwest of the Old Town, there is also Stockbridge, another "up and coming" area with plenty of fine cafes. Edinburgh is no stranger to cafe culture (it boasted one of the earliest coffee houses in Europe) but there has never been a better time to visit and try it for yourself.
Here are ten of the best Edinburgh Coffee Shops.
Always Sunday, the Best Royal Mile Cafe
Cheery staff and interesting, fresh, reasonably piced food make this bright cafe near St Giles Cathedal stand out on a street all too often filled with cheap, bland souvenir shops to go with the wonderful historic buildings. The location means it is nearly always full.
-Address: 170 High Street
Elephant House, Old Town
The Elephant House is large and does the greatest variety of coffees anywhere in the city. It's quite an effort getting passed the cake stand, which is at the front. Once in there are plenty of more filling mealsto be partaken of, all at decent prices. It may be busy but it's laid back too: you may have to share a table with strangers but it's all part of the atmosphere. At peak times you have to wait for a table. It's one of those haunts JK Rowling supposedly sat at writing Harry Potter books, although many cafes in Edinburgh claim this.
-Address: 21 George IV Bridge
Gallery Cafes — Fruitmarket Gallery Cafe and Forest Cafe
The Fruitmarket Gallery is an exciting, independent gallery right in the heart of Edinburgh and this is the cafe that goes with it: it's close to Waverley Station, nearly always full and, if you are lucky enough to get a seat, an intimate cosy space to enjoy crisp salads, baguettes and a hot drink amidst funky art. If you can't get a seat, try the more Bohemian Forest Cafe (3 Bristo Place, near the National Museum of Scotland) nearby for another nearby gallery cum coffee shop experience.
-Address: 45 Market Street
Chocolate Soup, Royal Mile, Old Town
You can get all your usual caffeine requirements here in a modern-look cafe right on the Royal Mile, but there are also elaborate chocolate cakes, deserts and hot chocolates. The staff are not too friendly: but then they are dedicating lots of time to making very, very delectable drinks.
-Address 2 Hunter Square
Urban Angel, New Town
One of the coolest New Town coffee-slurping venues is this ever-popular, ever-packed cafe-cum-restaurant. The food is organic and the place caters to everyone from students to office workers. The omlettes are sublime.
-Address: 121 Hannover Street
Cafe Grande, the Original Southside Cafe
Cafe Grande has been around a long tme and maintained a good standard of food and friendly service. Set in refined area of Southside, it looks straight out of a scene from the Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (a novel set in the area about the snobbish upper classes of Edinburgh). It's a cosy bistro come night time, and within easy access to the nearby theatres such as the Churchill Theatre.
-Address: 184 Bruntsfield Place
Kilimanjiro Cafe, Southside
This laid-back venue has lots of books to peruse whilst you sip coffee,check out the African photographs on the walls and munch on one of the tasty brownies.
-Address: 126 Nicholson Street
Kaffe Politik, Southside
This former bank has been converted into a very suave, relaxed coffee house. Expect political quotes on the walls and easily the best waffles in Edinburgh. It's a place to linger, particularly for top notch breakfasts.
-Address: 146 Marchmont Road
Selection of Best Cafes in the City of Light - Paris
Cafes in Vienna and Prague; Demel and Sacher
Black Medicine, Southside
The name gives it away: the coffee here is some of the city's best, served inside the best of Edinburgh Bohemian environments and also popular with students at the nearby university. Smoothies here are good too.
-Address: 2 Nicholson Street
Booking.com
Cafe Newton, Stockbridge
This is a glam venue with a touch of Vienese coffee house grandeur. It does good cakes and soups as well as coffee. Being at the top of the coffee trade in Stockbridge, though, and being part of the Dean Gallery to boot, it does get rather crowded. The atmosphere is inspiring, and the windows look out over parkland. Check out the toilets, something of a colourful homage to city artist and proud feature of the Dean Gallery, Edmund Paolozzi.
-Address: 73 Belton Road
Author Sunil S.
Comments