Best cafés in Edinburgh

From tea and coffee to cake and pastries, these Edinburgh hotspots do café culture right

Peter's Yard

Edinburgh's independent café scene goes from strength to strength. Coffee enthusiasts are never more than a few blocks away from that perfect flat white, while Chemex, pour-over, direct trade and single origin coffee are fast becoming a fixture on the café landscape. Gluten and dairy-free options are becoming the new norm, with many cafés specialising in whole menus of allergy-free or plant-based options.

Best cafés in Edinburgh

Alplings
16 Henderson Street, Leith EH6 6BS
After supplying their Austrian dumplings around the capital's street food markets, the Alplings team now have their own restaurant in Leith's Henderson Street.
alplings.co.uk | read our review of Alplings

August_21 Coffee House
89 Causewayside, Newington, EH9 1QG
Cool little neighbourhood café offering breakfast, lunch, hot drinks and home baking from quality suppliers.
facebook.com/August21CoffeeHouse | read our review of August_21 Coffee House

Earthy Market Café
33–41 Ratcliffe Terrace, Southside, EH9 1SX
An atmospheric café and an indoor food market, Earthy showcases farm-fresh, local, organic and seasonal produce with a difference.
earthy.co.uk | read our review of Earthy Market Café

Milk
232 Morrison Street, West End, EH3 8EA
More than just your average cafe – Milk has inventive choices for breakfast, lunch and a sweet treat.
cafemilk.co.uk | read our review of Milk

Ostara
52 Coburg Street, Leith, EH6 6HJ
Friendly new Leith café-bistro with an engaged attitude to its local neighbourhood, suppliers and good, fresh food.
ostaracafe.co.uk | read our review of Ostara

Peter's Yard
27 Simpson Loan (Quartermile), Southside, EH3 9GG
The home of Swedish baking, strong coffee, open sandwiches and conversation.
petersyard.com | read our review of Peter's Yard

The Roamin' Nose
14 Eyre Place, New Town, EH3 5EP
Everything you could want in a neighbourhood café and bistro – delicious food, great atmosphere and a warm welcome.
theroaminnose.com | read our review of The Roamin' Nose

Best wee cafés in Edinburgh

Size is no barrier to ambition. It's testament to Edinburgh's thriving food and drink scene that wee places – those imaginative, independent businesses – thrive on a smaller scale on our streets and spaces. Here you'll find everything from canal boats to police boxes, espresso bars to street food, as well as a few places that defy compartmentalisation.

Archipelago Bakery
39 Dundas Street, New Town, EH3 6QQ
Artisan New Town bakery committed to delivering all the joy that properly made bread can bring.
archipelagobakery.co.uk | read our review of Archipelago Bakery

Baba Budan
East Market Street, Old Town, EH8 8FS
Hip coffee shop and 'donutterie' serving drinks, breakfast, baking and freshly made lunches under the arches near Waverley Station.
bababudan.coffee | read our review of Baba Budan

Dough
172 Rose Street, Old Town, EH2 4BE
Stylish Rose Street takeaway and sit-in with fine imported ingredients and some of the best pizzas in town.
dough-pizza.co.uk | read our review of Dough

Holy Cow
34 Elder Street, New Town, EH1 3DX
Vegan café building a buzz about its take on the burger.
read our review of Holy Cow

The Milkman
7 Cockburn Street, Old Town, EH1 1BP
Tiny wee pit-stop coffee shop with excellent coffee and charming service.
facebook.com/themilkmancoffee | read our review of The Milkman

Union of Genius
8 Forrest Road, Old Town, EH1 2QN
Edinburgh's first soup café uses locally sourced ingredients to create wholesome, comforting, better-than-homemade soups.
unionofgenius.com | read our review of Union of Genius

Vino
27 East Market Street, Old Town, EH8 8FS
Independent wine shop-cum-café-cum bar: pick up a bottle to take home or pay a small corkage fee and drink it on the premises with a snack from nearby Food + Flea.
vinowines.co.uk | read our review of Vino