Edinburgh's 'best cafés and coffee shops' crowned for summer 2025
Edinburgh's "best cafés and coffee shops" have been named. The top coffee venues around the city were crowned by The Telegraph.
The Scottish capital is home to countless cafés, ranging from historic businesses to trendy new spots. If you are a coffee lover, all of the options can be overwhelming.
On Tuesday, July 22, The Telegraph published a list of the top cafés and coffee shops in Edinburgh. A total of 10 venues across the city were included on the roundup.
One of the coffee shops singled out by The Telegraph is Ante Coffee. The café, which is located on Leith Walk, is the sister venue of the upstairs wine bar Spry.
Ante Coffee is a bakery and café that serves up both coffee and seasonal food. In addition to cakes, customers can also enjoy breakfasts and lunches at the venue.
The Telegraph wrote: "Duck down the steps of an elegant Georgian building off Leith Walk to find this tiny coffee shop (four tables plus counter seating) where the coffee is both intense and creative, with pistachio flat whites and pecan latte seasonal specials. The in-house baking, both sweet and savoury, is exceptional and seasonal."
As well as earning a spot on The Telegraph's roundup, Ante has also received highly positive feedback from the general public. It has an overall rating of 4.7 out of five on Google based on 237 reviews.
One recent customer wrote: "One of my favorite places to visit in Edinburgh. The staff are so friendly and create a great atmosphere.
"The food always tastes so fresh and delicious and the coffee is next level. Love this place."
Elsewhere, another coffee shop featured on The Telegraph's list is Cult Coffee. The business can be found on Edinburgh's Buccleuch Street near The Meadows public park.
Cult Coffee is a contemporary coffee shop that is open every day for both sit-in and takeaway. In addition to its food and drink offerings, it features a stocked retail coffee shelf with a wide range of coffee gear for sale.
The newspaper stated: "Think bare brick, bulkhead lights, chilled music and a passionate devotion to the bean: both house brew and a menu of special beans with tasting notes that rival those for fine wines. There are equally fine baked treats and things on toast, including banana and peanut butter with house espresso syrup; poached eggs, fruit and soft cheese; or miso baked beans."
Another Edinburgh coffee shop that was singled out by The Telegraph is The Milkman. The business is comprised of two separate venues that are both located on Cockburn Street, a short walk from the city's famous Princes Street.
The Milkman is an independent speciality coffee shop that offers up both coffee and a wide selection of cakes. The latter are sourced from local bakeries, and include carrot cake and peanut butter cookies.
In particular, The Telegraph praised The Milkman for having the "biggest stickiest buns in the city". The newspaper also noted the venues' "bare brick, wood and slate floors".
The full list of Edinburgh's "best cafés and coffee shops" can be found on The Telegraph website.
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