We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but what about brunch?
That mid-morning sweet spot really is the perfect time to fuel up for the day ahead, especially when you have a full agenda of sightseeing and exploring to get through!
But ‘where can you find the best brunch in Edinburgh?’, I hear you cry.
Well, Edinburgh is renowned for its impressive food scene (which is arguably a tourist attraction in itself), so you won’t be hard-pressed to find a little café or coffee shop to start your day.
But, just in case you’re the kind of person who likes to plan their food stops in advance, I’ve rounded up the 15 best brunches in Edinburgh that are guaranteed to start your day off right.
See how many you can squeeze into your visit!
1. The Pantry
Address: 1 North West Circus Place, Stockbridge, Edinburgh EH3 6ST
Phone number: 0131 629 0206
First up we have The Pantry. Located in Stockbridge, this charming café has made quite a reputation for itself since it opened its doors in 2012.
The Sunday Times even said the eggs benedict is “reason alone to come to Edinburgh”!
A review like that sets the bar pretty high, and honestly, the rest of the menu lives up to it.
Aside from the multiple fancy eggs benny variations, you’ll also find the likes of Belgian blueberry waffles, sweet potato rosti and the classic fry up (with plenty of veggie options, too).
With generous portion sizes, excellent presentation and beautiful flavours, what’s not to love?
The Pantry does tend to get a little packed at the weekend.
But so long as you’re up and at ‘em early enough you should have no problem getting a table.
2. Salt Café
Address: 54-56 Morningside Road, Edinburgh EH10 4BZ
Phone number: 0131 629 5910
A newcomer to the Edinburgh brunch scene, Salt Café opened up in Morningside in summer 2020 and has already made its mark on the city with its specialist, seasonal menu and perfectly brewed coffee.
Seriously, these baristas are some of the best around!
At first glance the menu might look small in comparison with other brunch places; rather than serving anything and everything, Salt Café have a more selective line-up of dishes that they do really, really well.
With breakfast muffins, burritos, bagels and more, you can guarantee every dish has been prepared to perfection.
All ingredients are carefully sourced from local producers and suppliers and everything is made freshly in-house by the Salt team. It’s clear to see they take this brunch business very seriously.
And to top it all off, Salt Café is open for brunch seven days a week so you never have to worry about missing out.
Can you tell why it made it onto this list of the best brunch in Edinburgh yet?
3. Rabble
Address: 55A Frederick Street, Edinburgh EH2 1LH
Phone number: 0131 622 7800
If you’re visiting Edinburgh for a special occasion or a girls’ trip, you just might be on the lookout for a little mid-morning tipple…
Now, due to Scottish alcohol licensing laws, venues in Scotland aren’t allowed to serve a proper ‘bottomless’ brunch.
However, the Boozy Brunch at Rabble in the New Town is the best brunch in Edinburgh for the full tipsy brunch experience. (Or, you know, the nearest thing to it!)
At £30 per person, you can enjoy continental pastries, meats, cheeses and toast followed by a dish of your choosing from the full breakfast menu and, of course, a brunch cocktail and a few glasses of prosecco.
Available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 11-3 pm. Sign me up!
4. Urban Angel
Address: 121 Hanover Street, Edinburgh EH2 1DJ
Phone number: 0131 225 6215
Another brunch hotspot in New Town is Urban Angel, a popular choice amongst tourists and locals alike.
Inspired by travels in Australia and New Zealand, the Urban Angel team focus on using seasonal ingredients to create everyday food and – spoiler – it’s delicious!
They offer classics like baked eggs, porridge and granola, but something that Urban Angel do really well is their Acai Bowls (an Aussie favourite) and fresh smoothies.
Packed full of goodness from fruits, nuts and milk, these colourful creations are a nice, juicy alternative to the usual hearty breakfast that brunch places have on offer.
It’s a relaxed, intimate location with a cool interior that makes you feel right at home – but without the dishes!
5. Loudons
Address: 94B Fountainbridge, Edinburgh EH3 9QA
Phone number: 0131 228 9774
Loudons, a simple but stylish café and artisan bakery, is an independent Edinburgh brand with a strong ethos focused on creating brilliant breakfast food for all appetites.
The original branch is located in Fountainbridge, with a relaxed interior suitable for all sorts of meet-ups and all sorts of brunches!
They offer an impressive selection of bread and cakes baked on-site fresh every day. But of course, what we’re looking for is the full brunch menu.
With a fantastic variety of sweet, savoury, light and hearty dishes, you’ll easily find something for everyone on this brunch menu.
The team also offer great alternatives to cater for a whole host of dietary requirements and preferences – a testament to their dedication to serving up food for everyone, without exception.
Just one visit to Loudons and you’ll see why it’s a multi-award winning spot!
6. Dishoom
Address: 3A St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2BD
Phone number: 0131 202 6406
For a deliciously unique twist on the brunch category, head to Dishoom, a contemporary Indian restaurant serving up breakfast inspired by the street food of Bombay.
As you might expect, the dishes here are going to be a little more on the hearty/savoury side, so make sure you bring your appetite with you!
Located in St. Andrew Square, Dishoom boasts a huge breakfast menu filled with options you won’t find elsewhere in the city.
Think a selection of naan rolls (bacon, egg, vegan sausage) and Bombay cooked breakfasts bursting with flavours and spices.
And as if this spot couldn’t get any better, Dishoom also works with two charities to ensure that for every meal purchased, they donate a healthy, nourishing meal to school children in the UK or India.
You really can’t go wrong with this place!
7. Hula Juice Bar
Address: 94A Fountainbridge, Edinburgh EH3 9QA
Phone number: 0131 629 1441
Possibly one of the most Instagrammable brunch spots in the city, Hula Juice Bar is Edinburgh’s first ever juice bar and healthy eatery designed to feel like an “island in the city”.
With its bright interiors and even brighter smoothies, it really does feel like you’ve stepped right into a resort in Bali!
Hula’s dynamic menu offers a whole host of fresh, healthy treats: smoothie bowls topped with fruit and granola, poke bowls filled with grains, beans and veg, and some of the best avo toast around.
There are also tons of sides and extras to add to your brunch food or smoothies, making the whole experience customisable to whatever you fancy.
Hula is also an entirely plastic-free zone, so they get extra brownie points for that.
8. Toast
Address: 65 The Shore, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6RA
Phone number: 0131 467 6984
You might not think a wine café (Edinburgh’s first-ever wine café, in fact) would be a particularly fitting place to serve brunch, but Toast has a reputation for far more than their wine.
Located in a former art gallery at the Shore in Leith, Toast celebrates the wholesome enjoyment of eating and drinking with friends – whether that’s coffee and brunch or wine and dinner.
Of course, they have a lot of toast dishes on the menu (avocado, benedict, French).
But there are also some less expected items, such as Huevos Rancheros and Shakshuka.
The outdoor seating overlooks the Shore and is a really perfect spot for alfresco dining. (Well when Scottish weather allows for it, that is.)
Better to check the forecast before you ask for a table outside…
9. Montpeliers
Address: 159-161 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh EH10 4DG
Phone number: 0131 229 3115
Long-standing local’s favourite Montpeliers, located right in the heart of Bruntsfield, have truly mastered the brunch game over the last twenty years.
They pride themselves on their ‘local suppliers, up-and-coming artisan producers and passionate chefs’ and honestly, the proof is in the pudding (or pancakes?).
Go all out with The Full Monty, Montpeliers’ take on a Scottish cooked breakfast with the usual suspects (bacon, sausages, haggis, potato scones) plus a few surprise additions (chargrilled chicken and minute steak).
Or you can keep things simpler with a breakfast buttie or croque monsieur.
And if you feel like sprucing things up to a liquid brunch, you can add a cocktail for just £5.
After all, is there any better combo than a cooked breakfast and a Bloody Mary?
10. Snax Café
Address: 118 Buccleuch Street, Edinburgh EH8 9NQ
Phone number: 0131 662 9009
This one might not seem like your typical aesthetic girls’ brunch location, but let me tell you: if you had one too many wines last night and now have that woozy feeling that can only be cured by a gigantic, no-nonsense breakfast roll, Snax Café is the place to go.
A tried and tested cure for hungover students all over Edinburgh, Snax Café in the Old Town will sort you out with whatever’s needed to soak up the alcohol in your system.
Full cooked breakfasts, toasted wraps, breakfast baguettes, avo toast – you name it, they’ll make it. (And at a fraction of the price of other brunch spots nearby!)
Pair your brunch with a cold can of Irn Bru and you’re on to a winner!
11. Honeycomb & Co
Address: 1 Merchiston Place, Edinburgh EH10 4NP
Phone number: 0131 228 4641
Another one to add to the list of brunch gems in the Bruntsfield neighbourhood is Honeycomb & Co.
As you might have guessed by the name, this buzzing little place loves all things bee-related.
They even use their own adopted beehives to produce the honey used in their signature Honeycomb & Co honey buns, home baking and granola bowls.
But alongside their love for honey, the Honeycomb & Co brunch menu is also surprisingly varied with dishes and flavours from all over the world.
Try a unique spin on French toast with their hot and spicy FrenchtToast topped with sweet chilli and pepper jam.
Or stick to something more classic like sweetcorn fritters sandwiched with avocado and topped with eggs and salsa.
The café is also dog-friendly, so if you happen to be visiting with a furry little friend they can join in on the fun and food!
Before you go, take a peek at the Honeycomb & Co gift store to pick up some of your very own honey, candles or other gifts.
12. Grams
Address: 68 Hamilton Place, Edinburgh EH3 5AZ
Phone number: 0131 226 3968
With the mantra “eat better, not less”, Grams is the place to go for those who want a generous portion size without worrying too much about what’s in it.
Grams’ mission is to make healthy food exciting and available to everyone. Sounds good to me!
There are a couple of standout choices on the menu.
The protein pancakes made with whey protein are packed full of goodness and topped with sweetness.
And they mix up the usual avocado toast by topping it with slow-cooked pulled pork.
The menu also has plenty of vegan and vegetarian options, and they also cater very well to coeliacs.
Grams has recently become a meal prep service, too, where UK customers can order healthy meals right to their doorstep.
So, if you live in the country and you end up loving your brunch that much, it’s nice to know you know you can order it straight to your home!
13. The Bluebird Café
Address: 5 Canonmills, Edinburgh EH3 5HA
Phone number: 07749 971847
For such a small space, The Bluebird Café certainly packs a punch.
Running with a southern American theme, you’ll find all sorts of USA inspired dishes on the menu.
Light and fluffy Tennessee buttermilk pancakes stacks topped with combinations including bacon and maple syrup or BBQ pork and fried egg; breakfast burritos stuffed full of haggis and macaroni cheese, with good vegan options like BBQ jackfruit; to finish off there’s even a lovely selection of freshly baked scones – the blueberry and lemon flavour always gets rave reviews.
With loyal regulars who live and work nearby, the café can get a little busy at peak times.
But if you’re quick enough to grab one of the few tables in this cracking little place, you certainly won’t be disappointed.
14. Papii Café
Address: 101 Hanover Street, Edinburgh EH2 1DJ
Phone number: 0131 466 2033
Somewhat of a hidden gem on the brunch scene, Papii Café is a small, Mediterranean-inspired café with a real neighbourhood feel to it.
Their menu is varied, but the two dishes that get people talking are the waffles and the eggs benedict.
Despite being a classic brunch food, waffles don’t seem to crop up on too many breakfast menus in Edinburgh. But that’s not the case at Papii!
Go sweet with Nutella or savoury with pancakes and maple syrup. Either way, they’ll be piled so high you can hardly see the plate.
Be sure to ask for a takeaway coffee when you leave, and maybe even pick up one of those delicious pastries tucked away at the counter. (If you have any room left to eat, that is!)
15. Greenwoods
Address: 61 Frederick St, Edinburgh EH2 1LH
Phone number: 0131 220 6799
Last but absolutely by no means least we have Greenwoods on Frederick Street.
Hailing all the way from Amsterdam, Greenwoods first opened its doors all the way back in 1988 and quickly made itself known as the go-to brunch hotspot in the city.
This means they know how to make a real mean brunch. And luckily for us Scots, they’ve now opened up a chain in Edinburgh!
You can expect all the brunch classics like a Full Scottish and Eggs Benedict, as well as more unique offerings like Banana Bread Tumble and Homemade Chia Pudding.
They also pride themselves on sourcing top-quality local ingredients so you can rest assured that their food is fresh and sustainable too.
So there you have it: a round-up of all the best brunch in Edinburgh.
There really are a hundred ways to experience brunch in Edinburgh, depending on what you’re looking for.
Whether you want an authentic Scottish brekky, a girly boozy brunch or a quick hangover pick-me-up, this list of the best brunch in Edinburgh has got you covered.
So, tell us – which of these best brunches in Edinburgh will you be booking?