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Edinburgh Reporter
3 days ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Edinburgh's Expanding Espresso Elite
In a column last summer, I featured what I then considered to be Edinburgh's best specialty coffee places; its 'espresso elite'. These were (in no particular order) The Source, Beatnik, Lowdown, Little Fitzroy, Cult Espresso, Williams and Johnson, and Origin. That list was far from exhaustive. Pleasingly, high quality new coffee spots continue to arrive in the city, while several established places continue to serve tasty brews. This new list includes a new spot, as well as one of the city's specialty coffee pioneers. There are , it should be noted, many other places serving fine coffee in the city. What the list shows is that the availability of high quality coffee continues a steady rise. It's all part of a general shift in the UK towards coffee, evident since the 1990s. In this sense the UK is starting to resemble continental Europe where cafes are often very numerous. Despite Brexit, we are becoming more European in this aspect. It also illustrates the way in which cafes are much more than places to drink coffee; they are for many work and study hubs, and what the sociologist Ray Oldenburg termed 'third spaces' by which he meant publicly accessible locations where social interaction can take place. Ante Ante, on Haddington Place, is a compact basement coffee spot with a clear focus on standards, complementing Spry, the highly rated wine bar, on the floor above. On my first visit, my coffee was brought to me as if it was a goblet full of a liquid with immense religious significance. Though, what I imbibed did not produce a spiritual awakening, it was richly flavour-packed. My taste buds at least experienced something divine. The care and attention expended on it had been worth it. Ante is clearly a high class addition to the coffee scene. 1b Haddington Place, EH7 4AE. Cafēn Cafēn has, in a few short months created a definite buzz, not least among others in Edinburgh's coffee scene. All those I've asked have been very impressed. In all my visits, I've been served consistently excellent brews, showing off the interesting range of beans they stock. As with some of the very best places, this includes a real focus on different brewing methods, beyond espresso. The only drawback of this instant popularity is that seats can be difficult to find. It's well worth it if you can. 44 Dundas Street, EH3 6JN. Room & Rumours Room and Rumours in the Old Town initially attracted a lot of attention for its highly rated donuts but this should not eclipse the very fine coffee that they serve. This is made with skill and precision with their under the counter machine. Room and Rumours rotate the coffees they are using, changing every few weeks. These have included beans by Clifton Coffee, based in Bristol, and Girls Who Grind; an all female roastery. More recently, they've offered Hundred House Coffee, ethically sourced from sustainable, eco-conscious growers from around the world. In all cases, the quality of the coffee served has been outstanding, a testament to the consistency of their friendly and knowledgeable baristas and the well chosen beans. Arch 13, 25 East Market Street, EH8 8FS. Artisan Roast Artisan Roast, established in 2007, is one of Edinburgh's specialty coffee pioneers. I left Artisan Roast off the list last year as I felt there was a degree of inconsistency across its four venues. This seems to have been addressed and over the last few months I've been served superb cups at all four. I'd pick out their Bruntsfield Place location as consistently the best of the bunch, while their original Broughton Street branch has a distinct bohemian vibe. It's good to see that they have maintained a strong position after all these years. 138 Bruntsfield Place, EH10 4ER. Detour Espresso This place is marked by its lively, welcoming vibe. Manager Matt Rees has created an engaging place that attracts a substantial band of regulars. Many of them are students and academics from the university, on the other side of the Meadows. Detour is something of a creative hub, with a writers group meeting there, regular art exhibitions and a well curated selection of books available. Their customers are attracted by the interesting music choices, the varied discussion and banter – and by the coffee. This has, I feel, gone up a notch or two in recent years. A tribute to a small, well trained barista team. 39 Argyle Place, EH9 1JT. Fauna Fauna, and its sister café (Heart and Bottle, near Holy Corner) make excellent use of beans by the highly rated London-based Redemption Roasters. Redemption helps provide 'prison leavers with the skills they need to gain secure and meaningful employment'. Fauna's Turkish/ Greek pastries make a great accompaniment to their coffees: especially their very moreish cinnamon dusted vanilla bougatsa. The café itself is long and thin, with an uncluttered feel. The minimalist décor creates a cool and calming atmosphere on a bustling city centre street. Fauna's arrival was part of a post-Covid revival for specialty coffee in the centre of Edinburgh. 19a Queensferry Street, EH2 4QW. Cairngorm Cairngorm in Melville Place is one of the most elegant places to drink specialty coffee in Edinburgh. Cairngorm is also close to Dean Village and other fantastic spots to wander towards, clutching a cup of one of Cairngorm's well crafted brews in your hand. Established in 2014, Cairngorm manifests some of the trends we see in the coffee scene, including a general mainstreaming of specialty coffee. Cairngorm's original basement bar on Frederick Street, which eventually closed in 2023, opened when specialty coffee was something new and edgy. Specialty coffee is no longer an underground movement – literally in Cairngorm's case. 1 Melville Place, EH3 7PR. Like this: Like Related
Telegraph
12-05-2025
- Telegraph
California's perfect two-week road trip (and how to explore it like a local)
California is a land of clichés: glitzy movie stars, rolling vineyards, sun-drenched surf, towering redwoods – you get the picture. But these iconic images barely scratch the surface of the Golden State's allure. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I know there's a more authentic California: tucked-away coves, barking sea lions, historic Spanish missions, charming small towns, hidden desert trails, and countless other treasures revealing the state's true character. Then there's California's sheer scale. Its economy now ranks as the world's fourth largest, and its vastness fuels one of its most enduring rivalries: North vs. South. NorCal flaunts its Beatnik soul, Napa wines and the Golden Gate Bridge, while SoCal dazzles with celebrity beaches, chic boutiques and Hollywood glamour. How do you settle the score? Hit the road and experience it all. I've mapped out a two-week, 1,500-mile driving adventure that captures California's finest spots, replete with rugged national parks, jaw-dropping coastal views, wineries, historic towns, and more. Beginning in San Francisco, you'll drive the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) south, roll into Los Angeles, explore two national parks, dip into Gold Country, and finish in Napa Valley. While the loop could be done linearly, my route avoids pricey one-way rental car fees. Finally, you don't need a car during your first few days in San Francisco; pick up a rental at SFO airport on day three. Let's go…
New York Times
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘Straight Girls' Poetry Night
Several creative circles merged in the Red Room at KGB Bar in the East Village of Manhattan on a recent March evening. Sipping stiff martinis and enjoying a dedicated playlist of '2008's top hits,' the intersection of literature, fashion, art and internet filled the room with a throwback, almost Beatnik buzz. They were here for the sixth installment of 'Straight Girls,' a monthly poetry reading hosted by the poets Riley Mac and Montana James. In just a few short months Ms. Mac, 30, and Mr. James, 28, have gained reputations for escaping the sometimes frumpy poetry scene of the outer boroughs. Their knack for pulling together a vaudevillian, stylish repartee is a breath of fresh air for many regular attendees of poetry readings. 'There are a lot of great poetry events in the city, but they can be so insular,' said Meg Yates, an artist who makes work under the name Meg Superstar Princess. Ms. Yates, 27, praised the two not only for their ability to curate a potent lineup of readers, but also for their effortlessness in organizing a stylish fete that attracts established literary-world figures as well as 'scenesters, socialites and artists that don't leave their house.' The goal, Ms. Mac says, is for the milieu to mirror that of the house parties she would host in high school, which she characterized as 'every social clique you could imagine in my mom's basement.' The night's roster included the writer Gideon Jacobs, the poet Jordan Franklin and the digital artist Molly Soda, among others. The flyer with the event's details featured a photo from the show 'Jackass' — which debuted on MTV in 2000. The readings are often a mix of original poetry and found texts that the readers find accidentally poetic. The mood is a mix of ironic and sincere in equal measure, with plenty of pastiche and a heavy appreciation for the profundity of cultural detritus. The poet Erin Perez opened the evening with work about homoerotic friendships, followed by readings of her own LetterBoxed reviews. The audience laughed when Ms. Perez, 27, delivered her review of 'Phantom Thread, from 2017: 'Why was he so mean?' Ms. Soda, 36, brought a stack of printed-out images from the casting website She had written captions in the voice of each model. 'After about 15 minutes, I'm OK again,' she said. 'But, I guess, for those 15 minutes, Picasso would be proud,' she added, holding a photo of a would-be model crouching in a field. Ms. Franklin, 34, who wore a hooded sweatshirt printed with an image from 'The Re-Animator,' a sci-fi film from 1985, was the final act of the evening. Her set included a work titled 'Break: Ode to the Indonesian Action Flick,' and she ended her time onstage by telling the crowd that they were so supportive she found it 'disgusting.' Ms. Mac and Mr. James said they started 'Straight Girls' because they were feeling relegated to basements in Bushwick and wanted to bring a queer sensibility to the poetry scene in Manhattan, where they both live. 'Poets deserve a stage and a spotlight,' Mr. James said. 'And the audience deserves to be separate from the stage, in the dark. You should be able to roll your eyes in private.' Ms. Mac met Mr. James at a poetry reading in 2021. Mr. James had read a poem about a 'beautiful spoiled cow,' and Ms. Mac read one on the actress Lea Michele. Mr. James suggested they 'do lunch,' and Ms. Mac replied by saying she had been 'really into hot dogs lately.' 'I was in love,' Mr. James recalls. (The two are not romantically involved. Ms. Mac is engaged to the artist and sometimes-model Coco Gordon-Moore.) In 2023, Ms. Mac quit drugs and alcohol, and Mr. James followed suit a few months later. When the two started Straight Girls last November, the name was a partial wink at their newfound sober status — as well as an ode to heterosexual girlhood. Mr. James said it was not so much the attraction to men that defined a straight girl, but rather the themes of self-discovery, longing and a propensity for 'self-romanticizing, keeping a diary.' He added, with appreciation, that 'they're totally self-conscious and not at the same time.' Sofia Coppola and Lana Del Rey were cited as exemplars of artists working in the genre. 'I credit the straight girls in my life for loving me and letting me love them,' said Ms. Mac, who has the phrase 'everyone on earth is a teenage girl' tattooed in lowercase on her abdomen. A bit of poetry, made permanent.
