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Café Reviews |
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by Harriet Smart, January 23rd 2004
Edinburgh has a long heritage of civilised living and has proved a fertile home for a flourishing café culture. Here are a few suggestions from the Anthemion team that might be useful if you happen to be visiting. Meanwhile let us know if you have any favourite writing cafés in your neighbourhood and we will add them to the guide.
ME-N-U, 44 Leven Street, EdinburghThe name is an awful pun - but it's a great wee spot. It's a tiny chic corner café with a marvellous view of the Barclay Church. It has two huge leather sofas, a fish tank and plenty of glossy mags as well as very good coffee and fantastic, unusual sandwich fillings - for example chicken and pine nuts. At dusk, they light nightlights that nestle in tumblers of roasted coffee beans - a very stylish effect. It does takeaway too, handy if you are on your way to the playground in nearby Bruntsfield Links. It has mellow, non-intrusive music. You could work here - but then you might be too busy eating and relaxing.
The Elephant House, 21 George IV Bridge, EdinburghThe Elephant House is a bit of an institution, possibly Edinburgh's most famous café these days, with those Harry Potter connections. Certainly worth a visit as there is always an intriguing diverse crowd. However it can get very crowded and smoky. Non-smokers are pushed out of the generous back room with the big tables and the view. And the coffee is not amazing, although the food (elephant-shaped shortbread) and pots of loose leaf tea are recommended. Entertaining for children, with lots of model elephants, although the smoke problem might put you off. A pity. I used to write here too, when it first opened, but I can't quite imagine doing so these days.
The Terrace Cafe, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Inverleith Row, EdinburghThis ought to be great because of its location, but it fails to be as relaxing and inspiring as the gardens that surround it. It always feels chilly and cafeteria-like. And of course there are always lots of parents and children which doesn't do much for the tranquility factor, but if you have your parent hat on, it is extremely handy and child friendly. Not a writing café.
Rachels, 7 Inverleith Row, EdinburghStuck in its own self-imposed time warp and a bastion of Edinburgh eccentricity, Rachel's is tucked away by the entrance to the Botanics in Inverleith Row. There has been a tea room here for ever, as the black and white photographs on the walls show. This is the place to go for bowls of homemade soup and bacon butties - and you can have stovies and oatcakes as well as other Scottish specialities. There is a large range of cakes and biscutis to go with your mugs of coffee. The chilly vintage loos are all part of the experience. You probably wouldn't write here - it's a bit cold to tell the truth, despite the calor gas heater - but it scores for sheer quirkiness and friendly service. There's a piano in the corner. Does anyone ever play it?
Starbucks - evil empire or comfy sofa?Branches at:
8-10 Bakers Place, Stockbridge Love them or hate them, Starbucks have made a strong showing in Edinburgh, and although we are now all very familiar with the formula there is a great deal to be said for their reliability and professionalism. And the coffee is good, the seats comortable and the music isn't so annoying as to make work impossible. It's the Marks and Spencers underwear equivalent of the café world, I fear. We all wear it and love it, but can't bring ourselves to admit it. Some locations are better than others - Stockbridge is very cool and cosy, for example. Try not to let your ears flap too noticeably... The Forrest Road branch is full of students who look like models for the Boden catalogue. Starbucks thoughtfully provide power sockets for juice-impaired laptops.
Brodies at Ottakars Bookshop, George Street, EdinburghA revamped version of an old favourite - the café at the Edinburgh Bookshop. They have kept some of the shiny green leather chairs and the huge chandeliers, but supplement it with sofas and colourful artwork. One wall is covered with posters of familiar children's picture books and great to look at for children and adults alike. And the seats under the window overlooking George Street and the Assembly Rooms are still highly covetable. Quiet and calm, with a good mixture of classic Edinburgh types. You could work well here, especially if you had been downstairs to the basement stationary department and treated yourself to a new notebook and pen. A den of potential indulgence.Caveat: introducing combination locks on the loos to stop book browsers nipping upstairs to use the facilities seems a bit mean. Given that Edinburgh is a bit short of public conveniences generally the shops and cafés should be more generous. It would be the sort of thing to drive people away in the future, just because of a previous bad experience.
Café Grande, 184 Bruntsfield PlaceThe place for brunch at the weekend, (try the all-day breakfast) but anytime it's a reliable spot for good food and an enveloping cosy ambiance. Breakfast, morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea, an early supper with the kids and then in the evening it turns itself into a bistro with a different menu. Something of a Bruntsfield instution but has maintained quality over a very long period of time. The staff are always wonderful and the food isn't to be sniffed at either. Gets very busy at lunch time, especially at the weekend, so pick your moment.
National Trust for Scotland Gallery, Charlotte Square, EdinburghElegant and charming, this feels like it has been an Edinburgh institution for years. The house is one of the largest in the New Town and the café is generously laid out in three warm toned and rooms of exceptional beauty. Grey painted Gustavian style tables and chairs complement the architecture perfectly. The café sells enormous sandwiches featuring Scottish produce.
Atrium, Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
A spectacular setting in the huge glass hall of the Royal Museum
in Chambers Street, which adds instant ambiance. This is not
really a place to sit and write, but it is a great place to go
and watch the world going by. The menu is modern and the
portions are enormous - buckets of tasty home-made soup and full
afternoon tea is served with great style on a cake stand - you
might want to share it. A good place for a everyday celebration,
especially at the weekend when the the museum is buzzing. There
are often events running in the big hall, such as Highland
Dancing or African drumming, and even if not the huge musical
clock provides plenty of entertainment.
Soupson, Royal Museum of Scotland, EdinburghSoup, as you might guess, is the big thing here - three or four varieties daily, with extra toppings available. They also do a good sandwich and generous cups of filter coffee. A children's play area and lunch boxes does mean this is a family place and consequently sometimes incredibly noisy, but the soup is good and it's a good spot to break up a trip to the museum.
Café Newton, Dean Gallery, Belford Road, EdinburghWith its matt black panelling, black tables and chairs, and lots of mirrors, this is a chic spot. It's just the ticket after exploring the reconstruction of Eduardo Paluozzi's studio and wowing over his giant stainless steel sculpture of Vulcan in one of the most visually exciting gallery spaces in Edinburgh. A seat by the window gives a view over parkland and Edinburgh beyond and the general arty atmosphere is just the thing to relax you into a spot of creativity. A pot of tea and an enormous shortbread would keep you going for some time and on a weekday in the winter I doubt you'd have to fight for a table. But popular at the weekends. Check out the ladies' loo as well - a homage to Paluozzi with multi-coloured tiles. Fantastic!
Black Medicine Coffee Co., Marchmont Road, EdinburghProbably the only café in town with its own Totem pole. A unique handcarved wood interior is the backdrop to a stylish but bohemian spot in the heart of Marchmont. Great toasted paninis (Turkey and mango chuntney for example) and the chocolate milkshakes are to die for. Non-obstrusive mood music and plenty of seats make for a congenial working atmosphere and given where it is, it's popular with students.
Kaffe Politik, Marchmont Road, EdinburghA stylish converted bank with potted palms and padded banquettes creates and elegant setting to drink, work or simply people-watch. Very good cakes and tea and a contemplative atmosphere.
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