Union of Genius
- Telephone 0131 226 4436
- Opening times Mon–Fri 9am–4pm.
- Food served Mon–Fri 9am–4pm. Closed Sat/Sun.
- Average price £4.20 large soup and bread (lunch)
- Website www.unionofgenius.com
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The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).
This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.
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 and potato or a warming Scots-Mediterranean chorizo, black pudding and white bean broth) coming in two take-out or sit-in sizes with a choice of artisan breads – or you can have the soup in a bread bowl. However, over and above the excellent business model and deft local sourcing (for example coffee by Artisan Roast, hot chocolate from Chocolate Tree and Coco and gluten-free cakes from Love Pure) their ethical approach is an example to us all, with a loyalty point scheme that rewards for returning the fully compostable packaging.
- High point: Inventive, affordable, ethical soups
- Low point: Good luck getting a seat at lunchtime
Union of Genius is Scotland's first soup café, providing six different home-made soups with matching artisan breads every day. The soup can be taken away or eaten in and all packaging is recycled and compostable.
Guaranteed minimum of one vegan soup every day and usually at least half of the soups are vegetarian or vegan. Nearly all soups are gluten-free (never thickened with flour or corn starch) and there are various gluten-free alternatives to bread available.
Also offered is coffee from Artisan Roast, gluten-free and vegan cakes from Love Pure Cakes, artisnal bread from Dough Re Mi, gourmet hot chocolates from Coco and Chocolate Tree and a wide-range of other snacks and drinks including bottled water from Belu Water which provides all profits to Water Aid. All packaging is compostable and recycled packaging and a recycling loyalty scheme is in operation that rewards customers for bringing back their packaging.
Text supplied by third party.
- Provides: Vegetarian options (at least ¼ main courses), Wheelchair access, Outdoor tables, Free wi-fi
- Capacity: 10
- Largest group: 8
- Open since: 2011
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