Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Southern Cross Cafe

    4.3 (122 reviews)
    ModerateCoffee & Tea, British, Cafes
    Open 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Southern Cross Cafe Photos

    SOUTHERN CROSS CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

    Recommended Reviews - Southern Cross Cafe

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Cappuccinos
    Clau R.

    This cafe is just steps away from the Milkman and the royal mile. It has lots of seating options: outdoor tables perfect for people watching, and 3 floors of indoor tables. The three of us chose a table outside, since the weather was nice. Service was attentive and friendly. As we were there, another party left but forgot one of their bags. An employee ran out after them and returned it. So nice of them! We ordered 2 cappuccinos and 1 latte. I wasn't able to finish my cappuccino because it was quite large and got cold a little quickly. Nevertheless, it was good while I was drinking it. We could see plenty of pastries in the window which looked like they could be tasty, but we didn't try any of them. Finally, there were several individual bathrooms that were clean downstairs and upstairs.

    Menu
    Christina H.

    Do not miss this cafe, it is so cozy and cute!! Inside it is two stories with a cute overlook for the second floor. All the freshly baked pastries in the window look so decadent! We got the yogurt and granola and a chai latte. The yogurt and granola was so good! It came topped with fresh fruit and plenty of honey. The yogurt itself was light and creamy. The chai latte was a bit light on the chai spice flavors but it was still good. A sweet milky treat with hits of chai. The service staff was friendly and the food came out quick! Loved the chill and cozy atmosphere.

    J L.

    Delicious food, friendly service and a cute little place on my favorite street... Had breakfast here three days in the week and was great every time!

    Vegetarian breakfast
    Ranjini S.

    The cafe is located in the heart of town close to the castle. They have a wide array of options, plus some very tempting pastries. I wound up getting the vegetarian breakfast which includes eggs, toast, baked beans, mushrooms, roasted tomato, potato scone and hash brown. Very filling to keep you going on a long day of sightseeing.

    Menu
    Rick P.

    Loved it! First time having a traditional Scottish breakfast and trying haggis. Yum!!

    Cappuccino
    Beth Ann P.

    Super cute Cafe!! We went for breakfast early enough so we could start our day of walking adventures. When we arrived we were promptly greeted and asked to go upstairs for seating. Once upstairs we were seated immediately. We ordered water and cappuccino's right away. We had to flag down our waitress to put in our food order. She was definitely very busy but remained polite. We received our cappuccino's after about 10-15 minutes and our food approximately 15 minutes after that. The food was hot, but bland. We never received our waters. The seating area was tight and they seated 5 people at a 4 person table next to us which made it even tighter. The guests at the table next to us were playing music videos obnoxiously loud and the staff never asked them to turn it down. Would go back in a pinch but after being here for a week we found other lovely establishments.

    Halloumi salad and Haggis Spring Rolls
    Bridget H.

    This is one of my favorite cafes I stopped at during my time in Edinburgh. They have indoor and outdoor seating. I sat outside since it was a beautiful day. They have beer and wine here as well. They have a nice lunch menu. I had the haggis spring rolls and the halloumi salad. Both were excellent and reasonably priced. The server was friendly, and it was fun talking with her. This is a great location by many great shops. I ran into several people I'd met during my time in Edinburgh while I sat and had lunch. They have many different homemade baked goods. I tried the carrot cake which was great! It was not at all too sweet and paired nicely with a flat white. I highly recommend coming here if you're in Edinburgh. Next time I am in town, I will be sure to go here!

    Sweet place to eat Eggs Benny!
    Cheryl B.

    Busy and vibrant with lots of tight comfy places to sit. Our waitress was sweet and we were seated and had our orders in befor you could say, Scottish Breakfast. Lovely and a great place for breakfast!

    Erin M.

    Fantastic breakfast spot. Came at 9 am and was seated right away. Ordered a blueberry stack with a flat white and both were delicious. Waitress was attentive and friendly. Ambiance was nice as well. Do yourself a favor and try this place!

    Hong T.

    Not sure if It's due to the rain but this place was packed. I ordered the flat white and chicken quesadilla. Both were mediocre. The chicken Qes was overwhelmed with chicken and a bit bland. It barely had any cheddar cheese in it. The chicken was a bit dry too. Service and vibe were great though. I came alone and was seated at the corner which is perfect for a solo traveler. Not a lot of places are attentive enough to seat solo travelers at the "right" comfortable table.

    Updated menu
    Kelly A.

    Delicious food and great service. There is seating outside, on the first floor and upstairs. Would highly recommend.

    Kirk B.

    From the street, it doesn't appear to be a very roomy place but there are two levels and loads of seating. The staff are very friendly, and make you feel welcome to stay as long as you'd like. I had the Eggs Royal (smoked Scottish salmon and poached eggs atop a split English muffin), which was fantastic. Their coffee is also incredibly good. I highly recommend this place if you're in the Royal Mile area, and I'll be back!

    Menu

    See all

    6 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Clau R.
    222
    380
    1095

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of J L.
    0
    103
    102

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Had the full Scottish breakfast and was not disappointed. The food was delicious, served hot, and with excellent service.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of J B.
    0
    19
    1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of M A.
    0
    109
    0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Hong T.
    14
    173
    109

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of sean g.
    196
    59
    25

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sue C.
    0
    45
    1

    2 years ago

    Wonderful and fun cafe with great food. Our server was friendly, efficient and on top of a quite busy cafe. Highly recommend.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bruce K.
    2415
    25950
    76170

    16 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Nice atmosphere + good food! Large baked goods selection, new slices of cake every day.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Eric S.
    2
    24
    16

    4 years ago

    Absolutely delicious. Friendly and accommodating staff. Quick service. Fantastic location. A winner all around.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Yoda B.
    0
    131
    162

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of B L.
    41
    233
    1344

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Amazing food and really friendly service. Very homey ambiance would recommend the granola

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 4

    Southern Cross Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Coffee & Tea 145 times last month within 5 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    The Garden Cafe - O restaurante é muito bonito, Domo é maravilhoso.

    The Garden Cafe

    3.7(7 reviews)
    0.3 miNew Town
    ££

    Had to visit this place for a drink, after passing it on a tour and the tour guide highly…read morerecommended it. It is amazing to see! Beautifully decorated, very expertly run and very welcoming. Sampled a 14 year old Oban, the Honey had a glass of wine and we shared a cheese plate. An excellent experience! The server who took our order was very knowledgeable, efficient and courteous., as was the server who brought us the drinks. The entire experience was very satisfying. Must stop here when possible!

    The Dome is made up of three different restaurants, and they're all so different I thought the…read moreGarden Café definitely deserved its own review. Slotted in on Rose Street, at the back of the huge and imposing columned Dome buiding, this gorgeous little city-centre oasis is the perfect place to rest your shopping-weary feet and have a tasty lunch. It's only open from april to early september, and although it's tucked down a narrow street this place is a great little suntrap. You can get wraps, salads, soups, burgers, that sort of thing here - not a full á la carte lunch, but the portions are fairly generous so you'll only need one course. The service was ok, but our waiter didn't even bother to bring us our change back. We had been planning to leave it as a tip for him, but we thought it was a bit cheeky of him just to assume, especially when service is already included in the prices. For a salad and a soft drink you'll spend just over £10 a head, which makes it slightly pricier than a lot of other lunchtime cafés nearby, but this setting is just so gorgeous I'd happily pay the difference.

    Photos
    The Garden Cafe
    The Garden Cafe - O nome diz tudo!

    O nome diz tudo!

    The Garden Cafe

    See all

    The Elephant House

    The Elephant House

    3.2(308 reviews)
    0.2 miOld Town
    ££

    The original cafe on George IV Bridge, which has been shut since the tragic fire on 24th August…read more2021, is now open at Victoria Street. Again, that's alleged, but it's everywhere- Author J.K. Rowling had her first book published while she was writing in the back room overlooking Edinburgh Castle, making The Elephant House the "birthplace" of the series of Harry Potter novels. The Elephant House Cafe proudly calls itself the 'birthplace' of Harry Potter above the front door. This claim is slightly controversial, as the sign alludes to the birthplace of parts of the books, not necessarily the beginning. The Elephant House in Edinburgh, Scotland, is a pilgrimage site for any Potterhead. From the outside, and honestly from the inside as well, it seems like your average cafe. However, this cafe is one of the cafes that provided space for J.K. Rowling to create not only a book series, but an entire magical world. The

    Who doesn't want to go where the birthplace of Harry Potter is? They are known for the Butterscotch…read moreBeer so we decided to go in and try it. My hubby got a hot chocolate and I got the infamous Butter Beer. It tasted like cream soda with amazing whipped cream on top. They also have an alcoholic version with Scotch. The hot chocolate came with a Sorting Hat design.There were some nice looking desserts that went by but I was too full from lunch. There can be a long queue outside but it moves quickly and they also have a take away window when you enter. Come on Potter fans! Give it a go!!!

    Photos
    The Elephant House
    The Elephant House
    The Elephant House - Mallow delight hot chocolate

    See all

    Mallow delight hot chocolate

    Lowdown Coffee - Maple granola with apricot compote, Greek yogurt & lemon verbena.

    Lowdown Coffee

    4.7(18 reviews)
    0.4 miNew Town
    ££

    LMGOSH the banana cake is amazing!!! Please try the banana cake. It is different from what you…read morenormally get at Starbucks or any other cafes.

    Four out of seven on the Disloyal 7 Challenge. We were running out of time in Edinburgh, and the…read morecoffee shops left on our list closed up really early in the evenings. But, we were determined to get all those stamps (and the satisfaction of having accomplished something that was specific to Edinburgh), so this was the first of two coffee shops visited in the space of an hour. Crazy? Yes, indeed. I really liked the feel of this shop. It's open, clean and bright. It's about on par, size-wise, as some of the other shops we visited, but it wasn't as busy. There were two guys working the counter when we arrived, and they had several tables open, which we took advantage of. We ordered our drinks and sat down to wait. They came out quickly, and they were delicious. The guy who brought our coffee to the table was very friendly, checking to make sure that we were set, that we had everything we needed, and that we knew they had fresh-baked pastries at the counter. I was interested in the pastries but knew that we had one more coffee shop to visit before really starting our day, so I had to abstain. The coffee was delicious - well brewed and served piping hot. I could see making this place into a normal haunt, if we were in the area more often.

    Photos
    Lowdown Coffee - Menu, as of 18/10/22.

    Menu, as of 18/10/22.

    Lowdown Coffee
    Lowdown Coffee - Exterior

    See all

    Exterior

    Southern Cross Cafe - coffee - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...