Royal McGregor

Delightful spot. The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable, and I felt like I had discovered…read moresomeplace special and a bit hidden from the general run. The staff is very friendly and attentive. The food was great--beautiful presented, fresh, full of flavor. We had an assortment of salads and a toastie and were well satisfied, and looked at what neighbors ordered and thought about returning.

Lovely wee spot for breakfast for lunch that has been around for years and is still consistently…read moregood. Staff were friendly and the food was nice quality.

Entrance

Baked eggs

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Traditional eggs Benedict with streaky bacon (crispy muffin requested). Mocha coffee.

Cote Brasserie - Edinburgh

4.3(35 reviews)

Incredible brunch experience here! I had the most delicious, very fresh juice and a croque…read moremonsieur. The sandwich was incredible. My husband had the granola bowl which was quite small and really more of a side than a breakfast item. The service was good and the interior was gorgeous!

Service was very mixed. Slow, had to ask for water, then had to ask for water glasses. Calamari…read moretasted like they were prepackaged. And the floor vibrated constantly because of an overpowered air conditioner

0.3 mi•Grassmarket, Old Town

Amazing French Toast and berries. Streaky bacon was great

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La Barantine Victoria

4.7(89 reviews)

LBV feels like something straight out of a storybook! While browsing around the Grassmarket, I was…read moreall but lured into the shop by the window pastries alone. Truly, it's such a darling spot to tuck into if your feet need a break or you're in need of a coffee pick-me-up. The café smelled dreamy when I wandered in, and there was a small table open in the corner, so I decided to stop for a coffee and sweet treat. And it was divine! The staff were so friendly and even helped me narrow down my pastry choices. The only thing to note is that the café doesn't offer a customer restroom, which is a bit of a bummer. They did direct me to the nearby public library, though, so it's just something to keep in mind. But don't let that stop you from taking a café break here! There are even a couple of outdoor tables if Edinburgh weather cooperates. And if it doesn't, the inside is cozy and comfy too. A lovely little spot to rest, recharge, and indulge in something sweet while exploring Edinburgh.

Ended up here twice within a couple of hours and then again the next day. The quiche was very good…read moreas well as the fruit tart.

0.1 mi•Old Town, Royal Mile

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The Milkman

4.6(148 reviews)

Wonderful gathering spot and lots of vegan options! Definitely worth a stop by! You should be…read moreprepared for minimal seating as it's a cozy little cafe.

When visiting Edinburgh, everyone knows The Milkman is a must try spot. A staple to the quiet,…read morequaint yet bustling corner of Old Town, The Milkman menu features a small, simple yet unique offering of pastries, coffee & tea. It is the perfect spot for those on the go as seating is very limited. Inside, you'll find the place to be quite charming. Stone covered walls, warm lighting & the aroma of freshly made coffee makes this place feel like one out of a storybook. Both times I've gone, I was greeted by the friendly staff who did a wonderful job keeping everything in order as it was quite busy. I usually don't opt for hot coffee, but as it was a cold and rainy day, I opted for what I believe was a brown sugar honey latte. For munching, I had the strawberry croissant. The coffee itself was very small in size, but it had great flavor. It was subtle, with the perfect amount of sweetness. The croissant was flaky and the layers of the dough filled crust were incredibly delicious. is it the best coffee I've ever had? Certainly not, but the service and the charm of the cafe make it all well worth It. It truly is a must try spot when visiting Edinburgh. Stop in for a hot cup of coffee, take a stroll and get carried way in the streets of Edinburgh.

Inside

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Papii

4.3(51 reviews)

This is one of our favourite brunch spots in Edinburgh…read more Papii is located less than a 5 minute walk from Princes Street. It's fairly small inside so you'll need to head there early or be ready to wait (it's worth it!). They have a good menu (displayed artistically on the wall), with both breakfast and lunch items but you need to get the waffles! They are THE best! Price wise, you're talking £7/£8 pp which is really good value for money. Bacon & Maple Syrup OR Strawberries & Maple Syrup. Perfection. To read more about Papii, check out our blog post! https://www.sandlblog.com/post/the-first-place-we-re-going-after-lockdown-is

Oh my goodness! The Strawberry Maple Bacon waffles were sublime. I ll the waffles were light and…read morecrispy. The sweet and salty blended together perfectly. It's a small cozy wonderful place for breakfast brunch or lunch.

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Fredericks Coffee House

3.8(32 reviews)

love the couches! Honestly, I've walked by here so often,…read morewould have never noticed it if my friend didn't take me there. It's a white door which takes you to stairs, and the cosy coffee house is on the first floor. I had a white chocolate which I would not rate very high. Not rich enough flavour, more sugary milk. I am quite picky being Belgian maybe, but still. However, my sandwich (grilled) was great! I had the hummus cream cheese chargrilled veggies panini, yummy! Came with greens and potato salad. They custom made it with no onions for me. I really like the cosiness, friendly staff, and will be back if I look for a chill cafe to catch up with friends.

It may not look much but the food is really good! Nice and cosy litle place…read more Nice view, not to crowded. They have more then the scottish breakfust. I found it here on yelp. And i just Love this place!

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Lady Libertine

5.0(9 reviews)

0.3 mi•New Town

5 Stars for cocktails and late-night bites in a moody atmosphere!…read more We'd just arrived in town late at night and were thrilled that Lady Libertine was open and had space for us. As you enter, you'll go down a set of stairs into a dimly lit bar and restaurant that seems perfect for a sexy date and people watching. One table near us had a group of young women celebrating a birthday and the other had folks who were clearly regulars and knew all the staff. The also had a DJ playing, but not so loud that you couldn't whisper to your date. There was a special negroni menu, so my partner ordered from there and I got a martini (creature of habit). We also ordered a fish dish from the menu and some fries. Service was slow, but friendly (make sure to ask for silverware before the food comes, hehe!), and we weren't in a big hurry. I'd definitely return and highly recommend it for the cocktails and mood alone. Next time, I'd come hungrier to try the bigger dishes!

Amazing, amazing bar staff. Friendly and very welcoming to visitors from countries…read more The drinks, chats and atmosphere were lovely. absolutely recommend and a must stop when in this lovely city.

0.1 mi•Royal Mile, Old Town, Newington

Baked aubergine (bottom) Roasted cauliflower (top)

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The Edinburgh Larder

4.5(351 reviews)

If you're in the Royal Mile in Edinburgh and it's time for breakfast this is the place…read more A hint is the Little Larder is next door and open for breakfast so this is the place to eat. The larger restaurant is amazing for all the other meals but the little larder is an amazing breakfast spot. The service is excellent and they treat you like family. Helpful and very accommodating if needed. The place is small (hence little larder) but worth any wait as you will not be disappointed. Go, order the traditional breakfast and coffee or tea, sit back and enjoy.

I made a reservation the night before to try their full Scottish breakfast…read more I arrived a little early, the larder has two store fronts on the same address! Once one area is full they will sit u to the other area! I was sitting right by the window and it was lovely. The decor is cozy and homie! The server is very friendly and I ordered full Scottish breakfast to try out everything and chai latte. It came fairly fast and it was a very full dish. I tried all the food and they are all yummy. The blood pudding is not quite my favorite. And the bean with the red sauce is a little too spicy for me. But overall it is very good. Chai latte is super yummy and not overly sweet!

Seating area

Scottish Breakfast

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Chai latte

Cairngorm Coffee

4.5(37 reviews)

I only had a few lattes and cortados here but they were so amazing! The guilty pleasure espresso…read morewas soooo good, I had to buy a bag to take home with me! The staff was relatively nice but the cafe was very busy. It was hard to find somewhere to sit. The food options looked great but I only got to try one pastry.

Six of seven, on the Disloyal 7 challenge, and we were swiftly running out of time to collect 'em…read moreall! We clearly didn't plan things out well, as we had to scramble to hit stops 6 and 7 within an hour of closing, on our last full day in Edinburgh. But, in our defense, coffee shops close up super early in Edinburgh! We hustled our way from the Mile towards Cairngorm, side-stepping tourists and hurrying across intersections. On a normal day, it would've been a nice jaunt through town, but on this day, it was a hectic seemingly-longer-than-it-should-have-been-half-sprint to the front door. I did love the feel of this shop, from the steps leading down to the cozy interior and the bags of spent coffee bean lining the ceiling. The girl working that day was very nice and welcoming. We placed our order and settled into a small table near the back of the building. I kept an eye on the barista (hubby's back was to the counter) so that I could pop up to grab our drinks when they were ready, but she brought them to us, instead. She saw our Disloyal 7 cards out on the table, and said, "Be sure to bring that by before you leave so that I can stamp them!" The lattes were good, with a nice, rich and creamy flavor. I think I could've ended our night here, wrapped up in the warmth of a good latte and a comfortable chair, but my husband pointed out that we had time to get to the final stop on our list, if we hurried. So, we went up to the counter and had the barista stamp their slice, and then hurried once more into the cold Edinburgh dusk.

0.2 mi•Grassmarket, Old Town

Flat White with Guilty Pleasure House Espresso Blend

Careful - it's hot.

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Coffee. Grilled cheese.

Scotts Kitchen

4.6(35 reviews)

While traveling in Edinburgh, my friends and I decided to try Scott's Kitchen for breakfast,…read morelocated on the Upper Bow of Victoria Street. It ended up being one of my favorite breakfasts in Edinburgh! For my main, I ordered the eggs Benedict with bacon, and it was absolutely delicious. It truly exceeded my expectations. The coffee was also great. I ordered an Americano and indulged in a few mimosas as well. My friends and I had such a great time. Between the excellent service, delicious food, and charming location, it was a wonderful experience all around. Highly recommend stopping by for breakfast if you're in Edinburgh!

Service was great. It was nice to eat outside looking over Victoria street. The food is of great…read morequality and reasonable prices. The haggis was delightful. The Cullen skink was good but you need to like smoked fish to truly enjoy it.

Eggs Benedict

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Americano

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Tim J.

Elite 26

210

123

209

3 months ago

I ordered haggis for the first time, and now I understand why some people never order it a second time. We ducked in here to get out of the rain on the Royal Mile, and if you're searching for this place on Yelp, know that it's listed as Royal McGregor there, which apparently closed for good back in 2020. The signage and menu say Copper Still, and that's the name to look for going forward. I got the full Scottish breakfast with haggis and black pudding, figuring if I was going to try them, I might as well try them together. The black pudding actually had decent flavor, but the texture threw me. It came out cake like and dense, and I'm just not a cake guy, so that worked against it. The haggis tasted about like you'd expect from a bunch of organ meats pressed into a patty, and honestly the smell alone killed most of my appetite before I got very far into it. I'm a committed carnivore and still couldn't finish it. My bacon, and my wife's, both came out nearly raw. I guess Scots just don't crisp their bacon the way we do back home. My wife ordered the eggs benedict and said it was good, not great. Service was forgettable, neither bad nor memorable, just there. The space itself is warm and has some character, a nice enough refuge from the weather, but prices ran a bit higher than I expected for what showed up on the plate. Worth a stop if you're caught in the rain on the Royal Mile and want to say you tried haggis. Just don't expect to be converted. read more

Vicki M.

10 years ago

Great Steak and ale pie. I would go there again.

Royal McGregor - british - Updated October 2026

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