5 Best Cafes in Edinburgh

We're passionate about great coffee and always on the lookout for new spots to explore, unique drinks to sample, and exciting brews to enjoy. With that in mind, we decided to share some of our top picks from different cities—this time, we're taking you to Edinburgh. So here is the unbiased Unorthodox Roasters guide to the best five cafes in Edinburgh!

#5: Room & Rumours Coffee

Location: Arch 13, 25 E Market St, Edinburgh EH8 8FS

An unpretentious gem just a stone's throw from Waverly Train Station which offers a rotation of coffee from roasters in the UK as well as abroad. We love the seats inside, some high backed for reading a paper and others more chill for meeting friends. The window seats offer views across to Calton Hill and ample people watching. We've never had a bad cup of coffee from here and the owner/staff are just the best people on the planet. Oh and they also make donuts!

#4: Two Children Coffee

Location: 124b Raeburn Pl, Edinburgh EH4 1HG

The newest cafe in our list is in none other than Edinburgh's cafe concentrate - Stockbridge. From day one the cafe was exploding with busyness and no doubt when you can pick up a Square Mile brew with a great pastry and cake selection. Two Children Coffee will certainly soon be established as one of Edinburgh's go to catch up spots for you, friends and all the family. It's so refreshing to find a cafe like this actually serving good coffee too!

#3: Little Fitzroy Coffee

Location: 46 Easter Rd, Edinburgh EH7 5PJ

It almost feels like a coffee pilgrimage making your way to Little Fitzroy. Only recently have they added indoor seating again but that never stopped the community from queuing up for coffees even in the pouring rain. Being off the tourist trail at the top of Easter Road means it really does have that small town cafe buzz. The staff are excellent and it feels like you are being served by your own family rather than an Edinburgh cafe. Little Fitzroy is in many people's eyes one of the Edinburgh greats.

#2: The Milkman

 Location: 7 Cockburn St, Edinburgh EH1 1BP & 52 Cockburn St, Edinburgh EH1 1PB

If a cafe was built for Instagram then it couldn't capture the wonder that is The Milkman of Cockburn Street. And the beauty is that it delivers! How awful is it when you find a great place on Instagram with all the bells and whistles, then you arrive and it doesn't have the magic? Well the Milkman is what it advertises and better. If you can cosy up on one of the few tiny alcoves inside looking out then you are a winner.

Truly a cafe that sells the best of Edinburgh.

#1: The Source Coffee Roasters

Location: 4 Spittal St, Edinburgh EH3 9DX

When it comes to alternative The Source is exactly that. They might even be more Unorthodox than us!! Each coffee is processed in new and bizarre ways that even us professional coffee roasters are struggling to keep up with. Think Pineapple Soaked and Double Fermented. If you want your coffee to zing and buzz and give you adventure then The Source is surely the best coffee in Edinburgh, which is why we give it the #1 spot. When it comes to bravery in serving only the wild and wonderful then that's all these guys do. Respect.

Bonus Ball: Hata

Location: Hata, 5 Rodney St, Edinburgh EH7 4EN

It would be crazy for us not to mention one of the most admired cafes in Edinburgh - Hata. They serve a cup of the best coffee in Edinburgh - Wee Stoater, a Brazilian Natural Processed coffee roasted by yours truly - Unorthodox Roasters. Alongside your coffee Hata specialises in porridge, but having said that their cakes and sandwiches are unbelievable too! Hata is perfectly located at Canonmills (on route to the Botanical Gardens) which makes a stop off perfectly necessary on a weekend day trip.

Feel free to leave comments on your favourite coffee places. We love hearing your opinion on the best coffee in Scotland.

Take care,

Team Unorthodox :)