Wow this place takes me back. I can't believe it's still here! Elephants and Bagels got me through 4 years of intense university deadlines and group projects. In that time I probably ate 100+ bagels here and drank 500 cups of coffee. I'll be honest and just say the coffee isn't amazing but the bagels here are next level. There's nowhere better to get a bagel in all of the UK in my humble opinion. Lots of variety and lots of toppings to choose from too. Gets very busy at lunch time because of the student crowd. Expect to wait and then not be able to find a seat. Quietens down later in the day. read more

The clue for this place is in the name... The theme for the décor is all things elephant-related and bagels are what's on the menu. What's good about this place is the sheer variety, not only of fillings to choose from but also the type of bagel itself. However, with almost 10 types of bagel to choose from, from seeded to sundried tomato to cinnamon and raisin, and the endless amount of fillings ranging from maple syrup to salami to peanut butter, the wait in the queue is often a long one. What's more, the prices aren't as cheap as you'd think. The average bagel with three fillings can cost up to £6, which in my opinion is a little excessive for a midweek grab-and-go lunch. In addition, there are only 5 tables which usually means a takeaway is your only option, which again makes the price a little less appealing especially given how many other cafés there are within 2 minutes walking distance. In theory, it's a great concept but in reality I would say it's one of those places that has been around for years and has become a bit complacent as a result. I wouldn't say avoid it, but nor would it be my first choice. read more

Elephants & Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

I was always thought the name for this place was quite strange, but when I walked in it all made sense. The decor inside is filled with all things elephant related and bagels are their speciality. Situated just across the road from the University students playground, George Square, Elephants and Bagels is an incredibly handy place for students to go for their breakfast or lunch on their way to classes. I come here quite a lot to feed my bagel addiction as their bagels are truly amazing. Elephants and Bagels sell a vast variety of different flavoured bagels including onion, cinnamon and raisin, multi-seed, sesame seed, tomato, and of course, plain. There is an even bigger selection of fillings to put inside, ranging from the traditional fillings such as ham and cheese, to the more obscure such as tuna and chicken curry. I have always loved the food at Elephants and Bagels, and they have a huge selection of drinks available too. Perhaps my favourite aspect of this place is the FREE Wi-Fi - I can't think of a better place to go in Edinburgh to bring your laptop and to work whilst eating delicious food. The coffee available here is also worth a mention as it is really fresh and tastes delicious. The staff are always super friendly and willing to accommodate any requests you have. Definitely worth a look. read more

Elephants & Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

I've been to Elephants and Bagels several times over the past yhear and it always delivers the same great service, tasty and decent prices. It's linked to the restaurant 'The Elephant House' next door, but distinguishes itself through its bagels. The interior decor is inviting whilst the service is friendly and efficient. They serve a range of sandwiches, soups, paninis and salads which all look delicious. I usually go for the tuna mayonnaise sandwich which is served on tasty bread with kettle chips. It only costs about £3 and goes perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee. Elephants and Bagels is great for its central location, cosy environemnt and delicious food. read more

Elephants & Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

I used to be a really big fan of Elephants & Bagels. Before, you would find me here at least once a week. However recently, I have not had the best experience. I am not sure what exactly it is that has changed the food quality so much but prior to February 2017, I was a huge fan of their bagels. A friend of mine was visiting Edinburgh so I decided to show her this place. Little did I know that I would be home sick right after eating my bagel. I usually get a pesto bagel but with my friend, I decided to get a cream cheese bagel as she chose another option. Next thing I know, as soon as I leave Elephants & Bagels, I have the worst stomach flu of my life! However, I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt and assumed it was just me coming down with something. Yet, I was still afraid of going back so for a year I did not return. Fast forward to March 2018 and I come back with a friend of mine who said she always wanted to try this place. I order a pesto bagel this time and she orders a cream cheese one. I let her know of what happened to me last time I got the cream cheese bagel but she says that she would still like to try it because it would be rare for that to happen to her as well. After we leave, my friend is suddenly complaining about feeling sick and how her stomach feels twisted (same symptoms as me when I got sick here). I still give Elephants & Bagels 3 stars since this has not happened to me with other bagels other than the cream cheese ones, the servers are very kind and the place itself is calm and a good place to study and meet up with friends when it is not packed (aka usually around the morning time, close to their opening hours). However, I do not think I will come back as often as I once used to... read more

From a New Yorker: bottom 5 bagel. Lenders status. I would avoid. I got Everything with butter. Wife got everything with cream cheese & lox. read more

Went here after doing some research for gluten free food. Arrived midmorning, and got a gluten free bagel toasted with cream cheese and a bottle of water to go. The prices are a little bit more if you choose to dine in, which I found odd. The bagel was still cold in some areas even after being toasted. As if it had been frozen previously then placed on the shelf to thaw. They only have one flavor of gluten free bagel, which is plain. It was decent. read more

Don't get a mocha, it's literally a bag of hot cocoa with black coffee and milk ...but they don't mix it properly so it's chunky and grainy.

The 3.5 star rating would be handy right about now. Plenty of people have said what I want to say about this place. I come here, I come here often... but I don't go out of my way to come here and I assume no one really would. It's got 3 star coffee, 3 star bagels (3 star because of the price only really), and 4 star atmosphere. The elephant drawings are a-dorable and give a massive amount of character to an otherwise 'whatever' place. The drip coffee price is fucking horrendously expensive - but they have it. The bagel and cream cheese is weak on the cream cheese - but they have it. The staff is obviously "at work" but they're nice enough in the "it's my job to be nice" sort of way. It's a good place to meet. It's a great place to chat. It's a decent place to grab take away coffee. It's an ok place to grab sit in coffee... Which takes me to the ONLY MAJOR ISSUE. Guys, it's a COFFEE shop. It's called something + BAGELS. You sell COFFEE and BAGELS pretty much exclusively. I don't need coffee and bagels at 3pm when you're staffed to the brim. I need coffee and bagels at 8.45 am before I head off to that lengthy seminar on neuro-bio-whatever. Be open earlier. read more

This adorable bagel shop sits on the corner in Nicholson Square just south of the Royal Mile. They have lots of types of bagels and various toppings. They also have something called a 'stuffed bagel', not sure how that works. There obviously has to be some sort of elephant connection right? There were kids drawings of elephants on the walls and several glass cases filled with elephant figurines. The place is always packed in August during Edinburgh's festival month. I ordered the smoked salmon deluxe bagel on a sesame bagel. It was really good! I am a huge fan of lox and cream cheese bagels and they added a squirt of lemon juice and cracked black pepper. A great place to grab a quick bite when running to a performance during the fringe festival! They also have free wireless but you have to ask for the password at the counter. read more

Just rolls with holes They compensate for the lack of bagellyness by having tons of fillings like roasted vegetables, chicken, hummus, etc. which just makes it even less bagelly. Good bagel places have 80 kinds of cream cheese & sometimes lox but, that's it. I'm from New York, and I've been warned about pizza and bagels outside the city, but I'm sure there are places in Edinburgh that do it right. It's not a one star because if you think of it as a sandwich, they're okay, they're just not bagels. Also, not a comfortable place to be, always crowded, tables close together & it smells a bit strange (maybe from the yeast). read more

Bagels were a pretty cool, add-a-bit-of-excitement to your lunch invention, let's be honest. Stick a hole in the middle of some bread material, then make it circular so it looks a bit more fun to eat, then fill it with a variety of tasty fillings so it never gets boring. Am I the only one who enjoys eating food more when what you're eating looks amusing? Probably. Anyway, I'm sure there's much more to the bagel's history, recipe and formation than my simplistic description, but you're finding your staple cheese sandwich a bit boring and you want to shake things up a bit, then this is a great place to climb onto the bagel wagon. Any filling you require, and various different bagel varieties are provided here, and they're all very tasty. This is actually a really nice wee cafe for sitting in too, and they have free Wi-Fi, which can be hard to source in Edinburgh sometimes. read more

The most noticeable aspect of this cafe is the fact that it really does smell of hippie. Regardless of how good the food is, the scent of mung beans, sweaty sandals and free love is all a bit much for me and as a decidedly unfree spirit I prefer to sit at the outside tables when I visit. And I do visit fairly regularly, as ill-informed lefties aside, it's pretty good. The bagels aren't always the best value but there's a lunchtime meal deal on for 5 pound odds that certainly fills the gap. There's a huge selection of fillings but I tend to play it safe and go for salmon and cream cheese option, a habit which I should really knock on the head on my next trip here. The contrived beatnik shite is all a bit annoying, and I can imagine the owners sitting round a table before it opened, sniffing glue and mumbling stuff like "Elephants man, that's so like, random" when deciding on the name and general ambience. It doesn't take away from the good quality nosh though. read more

Aaah, Elephants and Bagels are two of my favourate things - so generally, right from the off, Elephants and Bagels is in my good books. Its great then that this place lives up to its name, because aside from the large amount of elephants on the walls (not literally) there is also a huge amount of bagels to choose from. And thats just the actual bagels, not the fillings which you can put in them! The filling seem to go from the conventional to the crazy - but the best is the traditional smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, which frankly is amazing. The queue in here are always large, but this is a combination of being so close to the uni and the choices that must be made when creating a bagel. The wooden seats and tables are somewhat uncomfortable, and a bit too close together, but other than that its really nice - you can even take your food away if you are so intollerant of the chairs. read more

Elephants & Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Cheap(ish) Filling(ish) Elephant(ish) Pretty typical decor with loads of young kids' drawings of elephants and Festival posters. Fairly rubbish bagels, though. I'm not sure that poppy + sesame seeds count as "everything'. Somehow the bagels are chewy without being the right kind of chewy. Here's a tip: Make bagel dough. Form into shapes. Proof. BOIL NOT STEAM. Bake. Repeat. TOAST THE BAGELS PROPERLY. The (smoked) salmon was good & plentiful. It was fine, but i tjust wasn't all that. read more

A decent-enough bagel and coffee shop. Service was friendly. Atmosphere is nice, pretty relaxed, would be a nice spot to hang out and talk with friends. Good location right on the Uni campus. Bagels are good enough by UK standards, but they are a bit big, bready and chewy and not in a good way. I also agree they arent toasted properly as my wet scrambled eggs and lox turned the bagel to mush inside. Overall a decent option. The lunch bagel sandwich menu looks tempting, but I dont see this being the type of place Id go out of my way for. read more

You'll often here the odd toff spurt out 'yah yah yah...meet in Elephant in Bagels for brunch?' when wandering around Edinburgh university's campus. The shop seems to be more of a fashion statement that anything else but does nonetheless house some unique and tasty bagel concoctions. Prices can be a little daunting and as a result Elephants & Bagels is often a lunching spot I often avoid. read more

Elephants & Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

What a great sandwich shop! The name first got me interested in the shops - what an odd combination - but I think that's precisely what they were going for. An odd combination! You can have anything your heart desires in this small-ish bagel shop. I always have a simple ham and cream cheese on a poppyseed bagel with pomegranates and it's delicious. My only criticism is how difficult it is to eat the darn things! I used to nip across here when I was in the University Orchestra and i would always have to take myself to the bathroom, shamefully with pomegranate all down my front. I would definitely advise you take-away too, because in all the times I've been I've never once seen a seat free. read more

Hmmm, I was quite surprised doing my little once over the previous reviews here on Yelp. I've just popped in Elephants & Bagels and had a rather lovely experience. The service was great, the bagel delicious and smothered in cream cheese and the coffee surprisingly good. Rather expensive, I agree, but then, so are most things around the South Bridge area. What I'd suggest is having a wee look for yourself, I rather liked it. The atmosphere was nice, no kids, which I personally favour in a coffee shop, and it seemed like a place to potentially curl up with a book. All in all: omnom. Perhaps because I was hungry, but I'd definitely rate their bagels omnom. read more

Another "bistro" that is conveniently situated close to Campus and still in the city centre: Elephants & Bagels. The name gives it pretty much away, they specialize in Bagels. At their bar you may choose a bagel (white, whole grain, poppy seed, etc) and then either select a combination from their bagel menu (which is sightly overwhelming if you came in and "just" wanted a bagel... but if you "just" wanted a bagel then you could have made one yourself at home... couldn't you?) or you go and build your own bagel with as many toppings as you like !Careful, after two toppings it becomes rather challenging to eat the bagel in a civilized manner... but they are very tasty. Combine the whole thing with a tea or a coffee and there you go (or sit in) It's sad though that they only sell orange juice in little plastic bottles straight from Sainsbury's, they could work on their style there... maybe also invest in a bit broader range of coffee/tea selection to match their bagels? What else it there to say? Oh yes, the Elephants: well they are everywhere. The whole room is plastered with pictures and drawings of elephants that have been made by customers over the years. I enjoy coming in and find new ones in every corner. read more

Elephants & Bagels could never be done for false advertising. As soon as you walk in to this relatively tiny bagel shop you are encountered with hundreds of elephants and an entire wall of bagels. Fortunately for food lovers the bagels are real, the elephants are not. This place is positively charming and I've spent many hours here drinking the excellent coffee with a lovely home-made cake. The walls are adorned with pictures of elephants that customers of all ages have proffered to the eatery making it a colourful and cosy place where you can pass the time reading all the messages and taking in all the elephants. The bagels are a whole different thing. There is an extensive menu, including breakfast bagels with scrambled eggs and the like, and you can choose what kind of bagel you'd like with whatever fillings you'd like. From simple options like plain with butter to as deliciously complex as an olive & jalapeno bagel with pesto, melted mozzarella and salami. Almost everything is less than a fiver and it's ruddy luscious. The only problem is that I always want more, and oh, if you don't like bagels you probably won't find much to your liking. read more

As someone with coeliac, I feel totally safe here. They have separate toasters and they always ask if it's an allergy. As an American, I'm so happy I can get a great bagel sandwich away from home read more

Fantastic bagels, really very good. However it is let down by its grumpy staff. Something that seems to be a common theme with the elephant cafes. They always seem like it is such a chore to serve you. Other than that, the bagels are great, as is the coffee. Perfect for a quick sit down lunch. read more

I love this place too. A range of drinks. Free wifi (to customers!). A cosy little cafe with a collection of wooden chairs and tables that wouldn't look out of place in your granny's living room. And the bagels. Well. I got there at 4pm today and there were 3 left. But first thing, you can choose from sesame seed, poppy seed, onion, multi-seed, tomato, cinnamon and raisin, plain (why would you?) and the list goes on. Fillings galore also. I would recommend roasted peppers, cream cheese and pine nuts. But I'm a terrible creature of habit. read more

The elephant themed cafe (sister to the elephant house) is the perfect place to chill out. The laid back staff and bright elephant themed decor make this a welcoming and homely place to be! Be amazed by the enormous selection of bagels (my faves are spinach or cheese and jalapeno) and the inventive selection of fillings (can i recommend cream cheese and pesto? amazing!!!) Then sit back and marvel at the number of paintings and drawings of elephants all over the walls (or even draw one yourself with the provided art materials!) read more

This is truly a great place for a Saturday morning leisurely breakfast. It reminds me somewhat of Einstein's Bagels in America, before they got all corporate and lost their soul. They have a wide selection of bagels and and even wider selection of what can be put on them. From bacon to cream cheese to sandwiches made out of bagels, toasted or not, the list seems endless. But they also have excellent coffee, hot chocolate, and tea. They do good soup as well. And there's a wide range of vegetarian and vegan options. The whole place is (obviously) decorated with an elephant theme and is cosy and cheerful. If I could possibly say anything negative about it, the only thing I would say is that the location is too small for the number of people who try to fit in on typical Saturday mornings. read more

Great bagel sandwiches with a ton of options for filling. The bagels themselves are nothing to write home about and a bit small, but the sandwiches as a whole are delicious and the coffee is good. I often come here to get work done, and the multiple outlet-equipped window alcoves make for cozy spots to eat and study. read more

Well, if you like bagels, that's a good start. If you like elephants that's pretty good too, cause you get plenty of both here. While it may not have the JK Rowling-induced fame or the stunning view of its sister-cafe on the bridge, i personally think the atmosphere in here is great, and the food even better. The bacon brie and mango chutney combo is a particular favourite of mine, but i'm not too fussy when it's all so delicious. Slightly steep on the pricing scale is my only negative, but other than that, i love it. I just wonder how much time you can spend not working and trying to read every single elephant-related poem up on the wall... read more

What an amazing little spot for breakfast. Food was amazing, coffees spot on, and the chat with the lady working made us feel so happy ahead of our first full day in Edinburgh. read more

I love this place! The smaller sister of the eternally busy Elephant House, Elephants and Bagels sells, well, bagels. But oh the choice of bagels! Fruity, oaty, plain, savoury.. my favourite is a spinach bagel with cream cheese. But a blueberry one for breakfast wouldn't go amiss. Or a cheese and jalapeno bagel with some chicken and sundried tomatoes. Oh and they do a lovely hummous and pesto filling too. mmm, I'm off to buy a bagel. read more

Really love this place, staff are dead friendly and the shop is the perfect size, not too big. Some times gets a tad on the warm side, but normally ok. Totally not hippy ish i would say, just perfect coffee shop atmosphere. My favourite bagel has to be the chicken lime and coriander on sesame, the maple syrup one was just a tad too messy for my liking. Def worth checking out if in Edinburgh as it is the perfect price range, all bagels around £3.50-£4 so perfect for my student budget. read more

if i had never lived in nyc and eaten bagels daily i wouldnt be so immensely unhappy with the bagels here. actually, even if i had never had a bagel ever, i would still not be impressed with the bagels here. theyre a step up from lenders bagels from the grocery store but a step down from the lowly brueggers bagels. but they do have some pretty tasty sandwich meat/item/condiment ideas. too bad they overcharge the fuck out of any of them. it is a cute place, often packed and often with no tables free. warning: full of american undergrad students as its a block from the univ and for some reason they are too young and inexperienced in the world of the bagel to know these dont cut it. i so want a good bagel in this city. i am unaware of other options, but this place aint it. read more

It's really good to have an independent bagel chain in Edinburgh, especially one which offers some good fillings. I have a seeded bagel filled with roast vegetables and hummus, this was embarrassing to eat, and definitely represented good value, considering how stuffed it was. It was tasty, quite a good budget option, and quite unique for Edinburgh. It was not as good as the many bagel shops I found in New York, unsurprisingly, where the bagels are really delicious and fresh. Here in kind of tasted like normal bread, a bit rubbery really. As Glen pointed out, they weren't toasted too well either, so it just wasn't crunchy or warm enough. The sitting area is really quite pleasant though, near to the uni, it offered me a couple of hours of 'tranquility' (there were people chatting away, I zoned out) whilst catching up on some readings. The cakes looked decent, though I was too full up to try it. Service was friendly and I'd rather come back here than go to that bagel chain at the station. read more

I don't see how anyone could not appreciate this place (unless you don't like bagels, and in that case, what's wrong with you?). So many kinds of bagels, so many topics.. good for breakfast or lunch! Cute and quaint with wifi (perfect study place near campus). Yes. read more

i don't mean to sound like a whinging yank, but these bagels kinda suck. i understand that i am not in new york city so i'll be generous and give them 2 stars since it was nice to find a bagel at all so far from home. if you think i'm being harsh, just imagine you're from here in scotland and you go to america and order some haggis. how many stars do you think it would rate? well enough from me... i'll quote the first to review this place, hillary r.: "if i had never lived in nyc and eaten bagels daily i wouldnt be so immensely unhappy with the bagels here. actually, even if i had never had a bagel ever, i would still not be impressed with the bagels here. theyre a step up from lenders bagels from the grocery store but a step down from the lowly brueggers bagels. but they do have some pretty tasty sandwich meat/item/condiment ideas. too bad they overcharge the fuck out of any of them." i'll add that their cream cheese was really not good at all. the best part of this place were the cunningly cute customer drawings of elephants that adorned the walls. it may have been pachyderm paradise but it was far from bagel bliss. read more

Well we certainly threw a spanner in the works when six of us fetched up for a bite to eat after visiting the Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival one icy cold Sunday in February. Each filled bagel is made to order, which is fine, but the two servers were completely flummoxed by an order for six different bagels and fillings coming at them. We kept the drinks for a separate order otherwise I think they may have cried. There is a range of different bagels including onion, and spinach and enough choice of fillings to keep everyone happy. Perhaps not the most authentic tasting bagels but perfectly acceptable. There is a distinctly bohemian feel to the place enhanced by the colourful display of elephant drawings by customers old and young which cover every available vertical surface. Service was friendly if a little shambolic. I've been before and I would return if I was in the area - but next time perhaps not mob handed. read more

A great place to go for a quick bite to eat! They had a large selection of bagels and various coffee/tea drinks. I was in a bit of a rush so I got my order to go but I wish I would've stayed. The atmosphere is perfect for doing a bit of studying or reading. read more

Great bagels, good prices. Basically exactly what you expect from a bagel place. Great place to go for a quick breakfast and a nice cafe feel! read more

Being an American, I have been in search of a good bagel shop ever since I moved to Edinburgh. I have found it! I went there based on the reviews on this site. It was everything I hoped for...a large selection of bagels, cream cheeses and bagel sandwiches. Though most reviews say it is, I didn't think this place was pricey for Edinburgh. The place has a nice feel to it. It is definitely a place to go. read more

great place for a slightly different lunch, with the mix and match bagels. A bit more expensive than a takeaway sandwich, but less than a pub lunch read more