Halò my fellow adventurers, this 'restaurant review' post comes to you today written in a bit of an unconventional form, for the purpose of this article will be to introduce you to a series of coffee shops I have been to during my stay here in Edinburgh, Scotland!
Perhaps one of my favorite things to do in life is to coffee shop hop! My daily routine usually plays out though the following steps: wake up in the morning, make a hearty bowl of oatmeal, check the weather, get dressed, gather up my bags, check my list of 'coffee shops to visit', pick a place, walk out the door and begin my morning adventure on the hunt for the best cup of coffee with study worthy ambiance.
Aside from the beautiful, breaktaking Scottish Highlands, here in Edinburgh there is just SO much to explore! From the Edinburgh Castle to The Royal Mile and all the little Closes' in between, no matter how long you stay is here in Edinburgh, you can always be sure that you will find something to do! Now if your like me, you are going to need a good solid cup of coffee to start your morning!
Before I start reviewing my list of coffee shops to you, first let me explain how I will be rating each place I've explored...
First off, during my visit to each cafe on the following list I have at least had one cup of coffee there (some places I have gone back to and gotten tea or food items) but rest assured since this is a 'coffee bar crawl' post, every place I have at least had my drink of choice being a straight-up black coffee (no cream, no sugar, yes I know that's unusual for someone so young to drink coffee this way haha), or just a simple black Americano coffee will do.
Secondly, it is important to note that the coffee shops on this list really are in no particular order in terms of their ranking (from most to least favorite or vice versa), rather they are in order of which ones I visited from first to last.
Thirdly, in ranking each coffee shop, I will be using a scale of 1-5 stars to rate 3 categories about each place. The first category I will rank is the level to which I enjoyed the taste of my standard black coffee drink with 1 being I strongly disliked it to 5 being it was perfect! Using the same rating scale I will then also rank the cafés ambiance and lastly the cafés overall score (including the combined rankings of coffee and ambiance as well as other amenities such as wifi, food, noise level and location).
Of course if I have had anything else to eat or drink at any of these cafés other then just a cup of coffee then I will mention it. And for all you fellow University of Edinburgh student's out there like me, I will be sure to mention whether or not the café has free wifi available for you to use to study!
Now remember before you embark on your journey, remember to drink responsibly, know your caffeine limit, always carry a good book with you in your bag to read while you have your cup of joe, eat lots of yummy pastries, make new friends, when you get tired of coffee maybe you'll fancy yourself a cup of tea instead, and of course remember here in Scotland most coffee shops will give you a discount if your bring your own reusable coffee cup (some even offer a student discount), so don't forget your ID either because they will card you, haha! :)
So without further adieu I give to you Meghan's Coffee Bar Crawl, have fun, cheers & sláinte!
Coffee Shops
One Square
Coffee Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, no student discount and no reusable cup discount. It's also important to note that this café is actually located over at the Sheraton hotel here in Edinburgh. Since this was the first place I stayed back when I arrived in Edinburgh in January, I had my first cup of coffee after a long flight from the USA right there at the bar along with a fantastic goat cheese, spinach, chicken salad! Aside from the various times that I have stayed at this hotel, I would not necessarily go out of my way to get coffee here because it feels like a hotel rather than a cafe (because it is), but nonetheless it is still a good cup of joe and they have some good lunch food options (dinner on the other hand, not so great...). Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Starbucks
Coffee Rating: 5/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 3.5-4.5 stars (depending on the location) - this is a chain coffee shop
Overall Rating: 4.75/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, no student discount, BUT there is if you bring a reusable cup and if you bring a reusable cup OR choose to sit in, you can get black filter coffee refills (for free)! To be honesty, simply because I have a plethora of Starbucks gift cards plus the notion that they just remind me a little bit of home, since there are no Dunkin Donuts here in the UK, I would have to say Starbucks is my usual daily go-to. I personally have two favorite locations, the one located on the Quarter Mile and the other on Princes Street and you can be guaranteed to find me at one almost daily! Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Red Coat Café at Edinburgh Castle
Coffee Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4/5 stars
Overall Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Notes: no free wifi, no student discount and they will fill up your reusable cup if you bring one but you won't receive a discount. I also had a falafel wrap for lunch and it was just alright, nothing special. Since this cafe is located within the ground of the Edinburgh Castle (aka you have to pay the entry fee to the castle in order to reach the cafe), I only ate here because it was the only cafe inside, thus it was convenient. If you are inside the castle ground and are looking for a quick bite then I would say go for it, however I would not go out of my way to go back, and seeing as how I have been to the castle twice and only ate at this cafe once, needless to say I would rather get my coffee elsewhere. Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Press Coffee
Coffee Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4.25/5 stars
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, student discount and reusable cup discount! They also have a good loose leaf jasmine green tea! If you are studying near or at the University of Edinburgh then this could be a particularly good location for you to visit because they are right next to the universities George Square, kinda just behind the library. While I have only been here twice, I walk by it nearly everyday, it's in a relatively quiet location so if your looking for a little less noise then this place is perfect! Gluten Free options available.
University of Edinburgh Library Café
Coffee Rating: 3/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Notes: free wifi (for students), no student discount since almost all the customers are students but they do give a reusable cup discount! I have also had a few shots of espresso, a hummus veggie cup, tea and a quinoa salad from the cafe, all have been just alright, the food is premade for convenience and the espresso tasted like it came out of the machine. Nothing special, but it is cool that the library has a cafe! If you're gonna pull an all nighter then this is your place! (note: the library is open 24/7 but the cafe has its own separate hours depending on the day so check online before you go to see if they are open). Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
The New Amphion (Teviot House)
Coffee Rating: 4/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4.75/5 stars
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Notes: free wifi (for students), no student discount since almost all the customers are students but they do give a reusable cup discount! I have also had many of the hot teas, and usually bring my own snacks to munch on while I study/hang out to save some money :) I also love the music the café plays (a lot of orchestra/jazz/lyricless music and Michael Bublé)! I guess you could say I have a bit of an old soul when it comes to the music I enjoy, my cup of coffee choice and swanky little places I like to go, such as the New Amphion, but since a lot of other people seem to enjoy this place too, be sure to get there either early in the day or late afternoon otherwise you will have to just take your chances getting lucky, finding a table (note: they also serve nachos and other yummy smelling foods), Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
The Library Bar (Teviot House)
Coffee Rating: 4/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 5/5 stars
Overall Rating: 4.75/5 stars
Notes: free wifi (for students), no student discount since almost all the customers are students but they do give a reusable cup discount! This bar located on campus at the University of Edinburgh and is perhaps one of my favorite places to go in the afternoon (after I go to Starbucks in the morning), because not only is their coffee alright but they have good food, an amazing ambiance (you feel like your sitting in the Beauty and the Beast library) and they have just the right amount of noise/company/music for me to love hanging out in there and studying! And of course first and foremost they are a fully operation bar so if you prefer something stronger than a coffee, they have a full range of alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks as well. Even if you don't get anything to eat or drink, if you visiting Edinburgh I highly recommend just walking inside to see the ambiance of the place because it is truly unique! Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Greggs
Coffee Rating: 3/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 3-3.5/5 stars (depending on the location) - this is a chain coffee shop
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars
Notes: no free wifi, no student discount, but there is a reusable cup discount. I have also had hot tea from here and since you can find a Greggs almost anywhere on the go around Scotland, I have managed to fill up 2 punch cards (and get 2 free cups of coffee) during my time here! They also sell prepackaged food and sweets which I have heard are good but I've never tried anything. Nothing special but also nothing terrible, I know plenty of people who go to Greggs quite often as their great for convenience but since there are better places to go, I won't be rushing back anytime soon. Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
The Milkman
Coffee Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Notes: Free wifi, student discount and reusable cup discount! This place, even though its exceptionally small and my portion of coffee was on the small side too, had great quality coffee beans that made for a very good, delectable cup of joe! While they do sell other drinks and sweet treats, aside from the one cup of coffee I had here I've only been once because it is a bit out of the way of the mainstream of things, but definitely worth the adventure if your looking for a good cup of coffee! Note: While this place is very cute, it's VERY small inside, so you'll be lucky if you find a seat (seriously i'm not joking, I walked in and when they asked me if I was sitting in, I looked around and said 'where', and they said 'over there in that little corner' which I kid you not was just large enough for my computer, cup of coffee and barely me), but good coffee! Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Black Medicine Coffee
Coffee Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, student discount and reusable cup discount! However, the wifi is a bit slow and since this is a popular place for many of the locals, students and travelers to go, the signal can get bogged down pretty fast, but nevertheless I have been to this cafe about a dozen times (that may or may not have anything to do with a cute Scottish barista guy) and aside from coffee which was nothing special (it does come with a small gingerbread biscuit), I have had some of their teas which are also good! They serve breakfast and lunch, so if you're looking for a trendy place to spend your day, Black Medicine could be the place for you, they also have upstairs and downstairs seating. Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Machina Espresso
Coffee Rating: 3/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4/5 stars - this is a chain cafe in Edinburgh
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, student discount and reusable cup discount! While this place in my opinion has a very nice and relaxing minimalist interior design aesthetic, the taste of their coffee was just slightly underwhelming for me, combined with the price (even with my student discount) I can't say I will be running back here anytime soon. However the one time I went I did enjoy my time in the cafe, it was just small enough to keep a lot of noise out, but also big enough to give me a place to sit. Other than coffee they do serve tea and other pastries, none of which I have tried. But they are near many of the universities accommodations which makes this place attractive to students. Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Hula Juice Bar & Gallery
Coffee Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4/5 stars
Overall Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, student discount, but no reusable cup discount, but if you have a reusable cup they will fill it up. Aside from just a regular, ok cup of coffee, I have to say the real star of this place was the smoothie I once got! Known for of course their juice and smoothies (hence the name juice bar), being the health nut I am, I got the Chia Fields Smoothie which consisted of cucumber, apple, chia seeds and kale (YUM)! Even if that's not your taste, don't worry they have TONS of other smoothies, milkshakes, juices and food items for you to choose from so you can be as healthy or as adventurous as you want! As a side note, Hula Juice has a great instagram account which is what inspired me to venture here in the first place, but while they are a bit pricey, I would say check them out at least once while you're in Edinburgh and then from there decide if you wanna go back! Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Lovecrumbs
Coffee Rating: 4/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4/5 stars
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, student discount and reusable cup discount! This place is what you might call very 'trendy'! It has a living room/cafe vibe to its interior, always smells like the good, yummy pastries they have behind the counter (which fun fact, everything they sell is vegan and gluten free), they also have a good variety of teas and other drinks aside from coffee, which to mention, the coffee was pretty good and since I enjoyed the atmosphere, I have been back three times (however they are a bit far from the university), but nevertheless if you can't decide whether or not you wanna go, I suggest you should just for the cute name :) Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Elephants and Bagels
Coffee Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, student discount and reusable cup discount! In terms of the coffee, again like I've said before, there was nothing really very special about this cup of joe and actually I found it quite on the bitter side. However if you love bagels then this is the place to go! Something I found to my liking was that they had an option to put hummus as a spread on your bagel (and I do love hummus)! They are also located fairly close to George Square at the University of Edinburgh which means in between classes if you want some fresh, non-packaged food, then this could be the place for you, but I wouldn't go back for their coffee again. Gluten Free options available.
Café 1505
Coffee Rating: 3/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Notes: free wifi (but it's really bad, so technically no wifi), no student discount and no reusable cup discount! Overall I have to admit, the interior of this cute little place is actually very nice and quite big! While the food always looks amazing from the window outside (they serve breakfast, lunch, sweet treats and I suppose an early dinner), their coffee was nothing special, even though it had no bitter aftertaste, I still didn't find it satisfying enough to go back. Plus since the wifi is just really bad, I haven't been back since the first time I went. But this place looks super good for maybe a mid-afternoon lunch date, and with its proximity to Old College at the university, this could be a good place for students (but not for studying). Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Wellington Coffee Co.
Coffee Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4/5 stars
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, no student discount but there is a reusable cup discount! I actually really like this place, located up near George Street in New Town, Wellington Coffee had a surprisingly good cup of coffee, so much so that even though they are a bit of a distance from the university I have been back three times! Aside from the good coffee, they also have very good, traditional Scottish scones! Even though the inside is quite small, I instantly fell in love with the black and white tiled floor, the interior aesthetics and just the overall classy, trendy vibe of the cafe (they also have an outside seating patio which could be a great place to sit as long as it's not raining or chilly out in Scotland)! So if you're over in New Town then I suggest checking this place out for your mid-afternoon caffeine pick-me-up!
Hotel Chocolat Café
Coffee Rating: 4/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4/5 stars - this is a chain cafe
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, student discount but no reusable cup discount! Fun fact about this place, it's actually a gourmet chocolate shop and the cafe is located at the back of the store! They are also a chain chocolate shop with various other storefronts around the UK (with a few in mainland Europe). To date, I have only been to this cafe three times, not because it wasn't amazing, but because it's kinda one of those special occasion places one might stop by! Not only have I had a simple black cup of coffee, but also 2 chocolate teas (yes that's right, chocolate tea - the mint one and the spiced one), but also a gourmet dark hot chocolate! Actually on valentines day, I decided to take myself on a little date to this shop, gifting myself with a little chocolate tea! While I wouldn't necessarily ever study here because it's not really that kinda place, it is nice to stop by and try some free chocolate samples, hehe!
Social Bite
Coffee Rating: 3/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Notes: no free wifi, no student discount and no reusable cup discount. BUT fun fact, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ate here when they came to visit Scotland back in February and ALL the proceeds of sales go towards feeding the homeless (seriously). This place is actually very famous for its community service oriented mission statement and charity donations. Aside from a slightly underwhelming cup of bitter coffee, the only other thing I have had here as shown in the photo above was a butternut squash, couscous salad (with cranberries, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, roasted beets and spinach), which was good, and all their other food looked pretty good too! I've only been here once and enjoyed knowing that all my money was going to feed the homeless, but since its a bit far from campus I wouldn't go back for the coffee. Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Pumpkin Brown
Coffee Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4/5 stars
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, student discount and reusable cup discount! This place is a nice little find, with a small storefront located in the Haymarket area of Edinburgh! Everything they sell (food wise) is either vegan or gluten free, (they sell premade meals that they make fresh everyday, smoothie bowls, coffee, tea and pastries/sweets)! While I have to say I was quite a big fan of their food aesthetics and the interior of their little cafe, the coffee was just alright, not too bitter but also not amazing enough to make me wanna hike down to Haymarket everyday. The only reason why I have been just the one time is because for the same price of their student discounted small cup of coffee, I could get a medium or large somewhere else (if I really wanted to), but they too have a great instagram and good looking food, so if I ever do go back perhaps I will try something other the coffee! Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Costa Coffee
Coffee Rating: 1.5/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 3/5 stars - this is a chain cafe
Overall Rating: 2/5 stars
Notes: free wifi (depending on the location), no student discount and no reusable cup discount! Ok time to get brutally honest, I absolutely DO NOT like Costa Coffee, coffee at ALL. Which is a shame because they are literally located all over Edinburgh and Scotland, and I mean everywhere! Their traditional Americano cup of coffee (which is what I ordered the one and only time i've been there), for a medium size was just two shots of espresso topped off with a whole bunch of hot water (which in all fairness is what an Americano is, and I really prefer filter coffee), but it seriously was the most undelectable cup of watered down coffee I think I may have ever had in my life (or at least in Scotland). Now that's just my opinion, if you like their coffee then that's totally your prerogative, but I will not be going back to get my caffeine fix. Gluten Free options available.
Patisserie Valerie
Coffee Rating: 3/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4/5 stars
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 stars - this is a chain pastry shop
Notes: free wifi (depending on the location), student discount but no reusable cup discount! Patisserie Valerie I suppose you could call the irresistible pastry shop chain of the UK! Every time I walk by one of their windows I can't help but stare at the pastries inside (just take a look at my photos above and you'll see why!) While they do serve a full breakfast, lunch, high tea time and dinner in a sit-down, waitress staff environment, their cup of Americano coffee was way too small for the price I paid, way too bitter and not worth the wait I had to stand in line to get it. I have also had a strawberry fruit tart (which was almost as good as it looked, I've had better), and overall everything was a bit pricey, but if your in Edinburgh for the day and see a pastry that's calling your name then go for it, this place is for you! Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
The Elephant House
Coffee Rating: 2/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, student discount and reusable cup discount, plus the bathroom is cool, you can sign your name to the Harry Potter 'Dumbledore's Army' on the wall! Alright my Harry Potter fans, it's time to get brutally honest with you. The only reason why I went inside The Elephant House was because I thought I owed it to the wizarding fan inside of me to visit the 'birthplace of Harry Potter' - the cafe J.K. Rowling wrote at during her time spent at the University of Edinburgh (yes that's right, she did attend the University of Edinburgh). However, i'm sorry so say the coffee was terrible, the whole cafe kinda had a weird smell to it so I didn't stay, and it felt just a bit too chaotic for me, so I left, but at least I can say I went, and I'm sorry if I offended any Harry Potter fans out there, guess you will have to go to the cafe and rate it for yourself! Gluten Free options available.
Brew Lab
Coffee Rating: 4.75/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4.75/5 stars - this is a small chain in Edinburgh
Overall Rating: 4.75/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, student discount and reusable cup discount! Now here's a good cup of coffee, great, fun ambiance and good wifi space all rolled into one that you must visit! While I do need to be honest, the coffee is probably the most expensive cup of coffee (even still with a discount) on this list, this place is awesome, they even have multiple types of coffee bean filter/drip coffees for you to try everyday, they have some good food options (including soup, avocado toast, sandwiches, sweets, salads, you name it), they also sell wine everyday after 5pm! This coffee shop actually specializes in the production and brewing of coffee beans, even offering 'coffee bartending' lessons (for a fee) on their website! I also loved my cup of coffee here (not too bitter and went down smoothly), even though it's expensive, it's right near Old College at the university, has a fair enough amount of space to sit, plus I love the music they play so in essence I feel like I'm paying for the ambiance of the place! For sure a must visit! Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
The Dome
Coffee Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4.75/5 stars
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Notes: no free wifi, no student discount and no reusable cup discount! However it is important to point out that I've only been here twice both with the purpose to dine with a High Tea time reservation. Priced anywhere from 18-26 pounds (ranging from a reservation with just tea to adding a glass of cava or champagne), for that price you also get a tea of your choice (with unlimited refills and you can even change your tea flavor if you would like), a whole tea stand to yourself with 3 different (quite large) finger sandwiches, two scones with cream and jam, and 4-5 mini desserts! It was only after High Tea one time that i was getting a little sleepy from all that eating, so I ordered a black cup of coffee and it was quite good (even though the tea was better)! Even though I am not a vegan, both times I had high tea I got the vegan sandwich options and they were fabulous (other people who ordered the regular option had wished they order my tray)! I highly recommend this place for High Tea should that suit your fancy here in Edinburgh (I love the concept of High Tea so much, I plan on having a little party back in the States)! Of course, Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Burr & Co
Coffee Rating: 3/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4/5 stars
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, no student discount but there is a reusable cup discount! This place is actually located on George Street and a hotel serves as the tenants that live above the cafe. Thus a lot of the clientele that I have seen go here typically tend to either be businessmen, travelers staying at the hotel or typically middle age to older age types of people since this place has some pretty expensive prices and is in a quiet area. With that being said, my coffee was nothing special, and yes it was actually quite bitter, which was a shame because the interior of this place is right up my alley, black and white with gold accents and brass copper lights, I really wanted to like this place, but unfortunately all I ever had was the one cup of coffee there because even their food options were very expensive for their size/quality. But if you wanna check this place out, i'm not stopping you, feel free to rate it for yourself and try something other then the coffee! Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Caffé Nero
Coffee Rating: 2/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 3/5 stars - this is a chain cafe
Overall Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Notes: free wifi (depending on the location), student discount and reusable cup discount! Even though this is a chain coffee shop, the only location I have been too was at the University of Edinburgh' (unofficial bookstore) called 'Blackwells' (they are attached to a Caffé Nero which you can enter from both either the street or the inside of the bookstore). I only stopped in here to get coffee one day while I was walking outside and it was raining, thus I ducked into the book store to poke around for a bit, leaving with a warm cup of coffee from the cafe. However, I wish I had spent my money on a book rather than this cup of coffee, because not only did it taste like watered down espresso, but it also tasted very weak, and wasn't worth returning for again should I ever fancy trying a different location. They also sell pre-packaged sandwiches, oatmeals, cookies, and other pre-made things, none of which I tried but hopefully is better than their coffee! Gluten Free options available.
Levels at the University of Edinburgh
Coffee Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Notes: free wifi (for students), no student discount since almost all customers are students but there is a reusable cup discount! Now I do have to say, this was a great little find that I found while on a walk to the Holyrood Palace one day! And by great little find, I don't mean the inside of the place because it's actually quite huge! What I mean is that this place, Levels, since it's apart of the university, they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, for both sit-in and take-away, they also have a wide variety of coffee's (which honestly was just okay, not my favorite, straight out of an espresso machine), teas, wines, beers, soft drinks and free tap water in a pitcher on the center table! They also have a 'salad bar' which in the morning is a granola/oatmeal bar, the afternoon it turns into a salad bar and at night it's a fancier salad bar (with a changing menu every night)! They have couches, long tables, window seats, dining tables, booths, chairs, you name it, ever since I found this place I've gone at least multiple times each week (not to get coffee each time, I sometimes just sit there and study or blog). Aside from the okay coffee, I would highly recommend this place to university students! Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Pret a Manger
Coffee Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 3.75/5 stars - this is a chain cafe
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, student discount (at some locations) but there is no reusable cup discount. The best way to describe this chain cafe to anyone who is from America would be to say Pret A Manger is probably the closest thing you will find in the UK that's equivalent to a Panera Bread back in the States (and no, Panera Bread does not exist in the UK). Now with that comparison out of the way, I would not at all compare Pret's coffee to Panera's coffee, because I like Panera's and I wasn't so fond of Pret's, it wasn't bad but it wasn't good either, I only once got a cup of coffee here because I was buying a hummus, veggie, multigrain wrap (and got it at a discounted value for lunch). Overall, they look like they have really good other food options (my wrap was pretty good as well which I recommend, coffee not so much)! Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Café At The Palace
Coffee Rating: 4/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, no student discount but there is a reusable cup discount! Considering the fact that this cafe is located just in front of the gates to the Holyrood Palace (meaning you don't need to buy a ticket to the palace in order to eat at this cafe), I was expecting the interior to feel a bit more regal/royal... however I was slightly underwhelmed, it looks like just your typical tourist attraction cafe with a hidden 'back room' where they serve High Tea daily to those who have a reservation. Aesthetics aside, the coffee was not bad at all, I even really enjoyed the little 'crown' they put on my coffee machine foam! Of course since it's another 'tourist' attraction, the prices are a bit steep (but not too bad so don't let that scare you, i'm just comparing it to other places in town). Even though I have been to Holyrood Palace a total of 4 times since I arrived in Edinburgh (my ticket is a year-long pass), I have only gotten coffee once at the palace, and even though I haven't gotten it again doesn't mean I wouldn't, I would just rather spend my money elsewhere! Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Söderberg The Meadows
Coffee Rating: 4.75/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 5/5 stars - this is a 'chain' restaurant/bakery/coffee shop business
Overall Rating: 4.75/5 stars
Notes: free wifi, no student discount but there is a reusable cup discount! This is perhaps one of my favorite finds to date in all of Edinburgh! I found Söderberg (a Scandinavian inspired cafe) about 2 weeks before I ventured off to Sweden, and ever since I've come back, I have gone to the cafe at least once, maybe twice a week! Aside from very good cup of coffee (the Scandinavians love their Fika - aka. coffee break), this cafe has amazing food and tea!!!! My all time favorite tea that I now usually get in the afternoons is their (caffeine free) Chocolate Ginger Tea, and let me tell you, it's so delicious I wish I could buy a whole bag of it loose leaf! As far as food goes, they actually have three locations where they sell food, all within a 1 minute walking distance of one another (they are all located over on Edinburgh's Quartermile). At the coffee shop they sell coffee, tea, a few sandwiches, soup, and lots of pastries. Right around the corner they sell more sandwiches, pastries, homemade bread and ice cream! Lastly, at their 'restaurant' they sell everything from breakfast to lunch, eggs to sourdough pizza and of course many traditional Scandinavian dishes. Now if I am going to sit/study at any one if these places, it's usually the coffee one that I will go to, the inside is nice, with lots of windows so you feel like your in a cool glass box, yet it's very minimalistic and naturalistic at the same time, so I highly recommend venturing here (good news is its right next to the universities George Square)! Vegan + Gluten Free options available.
Maison de Moggy
Coffee Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Ambiance Rating: 5/5
Overall Rating: 4.75/5
Notes: free wifi (for paying customers of the cafe only), no student discount and no reusable cup discount BUT who really cares because you get to play with CATS while you're there for one whole hour! For those of you who don't know, Maison de Moggy is 'Scotland's first Cat Cafe'! So what does that mean? Well, Cat Cafes are apart of this new trendy sensation that's sweeping the nation! Once you go to a cat cafe, depending on the place, you will get to literally play, pet and cuddle with cats! I cannot say enough nice things about this place, I had the best time during my visit (and of course since this is a review about coffee, I am very happy to announce that the coffee was actually very good which I wasn't really expecting, but it was so good that I just may have to go back and play with the cats again)! If you visit their website you will see that you need to make a 'reservation'/ book a time slot to play with the cats/get anything from the cafe since the cafe and cat area are one in the same (don't worry they don't prepare your sweet treats, tea or coffee in the same area where the cats live, they have a separate place where only employees are allowed called the 'cafe bar' where they prepare your orders and then bring them out to you while you socialize with the cats)! I had such a fun time here that in fact I will be writing a whole separate review/post (with more photos) about my time, so if you're in Edinburgh, want a good cup of coffee and love cats, then I highly recommend heading over to the Cat Cafe (just don't forget to make a reservation)!
End Of Coffee Bar Crawl
Well there you have it my fellow coffee enthusiasts! Every place I have gotten coffee at since arriving in Edinburgh!
Like I said, going to cafes is probably one of my favorite things in life to do, whether or not I am in Edinburgh, Scotland, no matter where I am in the world, I like to hunt for good coffee shops/cafes to adventure too!
I hope I have inspired you, should you ever find yourself in Edinburgh, to venture to some of these cafes! Of course everything I have reviewed has simply just been based off of my own personal experience/tastes for coffee, and just to set the record straight, I have not been asked nor paid by any of the cafes to write a review so everything I have said is true to my own point of view.
Hope to see you at a café! Until Next Time Fellow Adventurer...
Meghan Chayka
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