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    Spoon

    3.9 (78 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Spoon Photos

    SPOON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy
    Classy
    Casual

    Recommended Reviews - Spoon

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    Reviews With Photos

    Spoon cafe
    Marijke C.

    Lovely quirky café. You come in up the stairs and are seated either on the big leather sofas or at a table. All the furniture is mismatched in a stylish way, the decor is vintage and quirky. I had a blt sandwich which hit the spot and a flat white that was served in old school coffee cups. Serving could be a bit faster, but it was a very busy day. Their selection of food is very good, something for everyone. They're one of the few coffeeshops that also serve beer, which is nice if half of your company would rather go to a pub for lunch. Would definately recommend.

    This isn't even the whole of it!
    Cressida F.

    I was unprepared for the vastness of Spoon. From the outside, it appears to be little more than a teaspoon, but once you've squeezed through the entrance and trotted up the wooden stairs, you emerge into a veritable serving spoon of a space; light, airy, and dotted with white muslin curtains, Spoon is a spacious joy. Our table of ten, over to one side, included a nice squidgy pew along one of the walls, and nearby was a snuggling of Chesterfield armchairs (yes, that's totally the collective noun) in which I could imagine whiling away hours on end over a hot chocolate and a book. In terms of the place itself, no question, five stars. It's a shame, then, that on this occasion the service was something of a letdown; we waited twenty minutes for our orders to be taken and a further hour for our food to arrive, though it was far from busy, and not a word was said on the delay. And once it had, nobody returned to check on us although I'd have loved another orange juice and was wedged between Yelpy pals on the squidgy pew so getting out was tricky. I'd ordered the muesli and yoghurt. Perhaps I was imagining something a little more constructed, but what arrived was precisely that - a vast bowl of muesli with a slightly carelessly-shaped flurp of yoghurt across the top. It was very yummy, but the muesli to yoghurt ratio was large; more a case of too much muesli than too little yoghurt, and I ended up taking Jenna L's unused milk jug from her tea to moisten the remaining melee. A trip to the toilets was a fun treat, though, decorated as they are with cuttings from old beauty magazines, all of them the print version of "keep young and beautiful if you want to be loved", which is highly entertaining reading while one carries out ones functions. In short, I adored Spoon and really want to give it a better rating. I'm not sure what was up - at one point we were laughing because every single member of staff appeared to have vanished - but I fully intend to return here and give it another go. It HAS to be as good as it could be. I'm not usually apologetic over a three star review, because it's a good rating - "A-OK" is fine by me - but would break my heart if "A-OK" were truly representative of somewhere that ought to be such a delight.

    Dawn Y.

    I cant really make a rank of the cafe between these around the George Square. Spoon, Brew Lab, Peter's Yard and even the starbucks next to the sainsbury are all my first choice. Spoon have two areas, one for drinking and casual talk, another one for food. i tried the food once, which is nice but still not good price for a student lunch. but i go to Spoon to meet friends and have drinks often, and sometimes order a piece of cake. the cakes of Spoon must be mentioned because they have different selections each time you went to. so that means their cakes are fresh made everyday. The drinks are lovely, especially the hot chocolate,which is made from the real dark chocolate. You can tell it from the taste. i love the inside decoration of spoon so much. i love every detailed stuff of it. :) definitely a good choice for meeting friends or just stay there alone yourself.

    Alex L.

    I'm glad Spoon is around. I think the best part is the layout. It's a big space, and the tables are mismatched so its a good place to meet people as they can accommodate small or large groups easily, and there is an area with just couches for while you are waiting, or if you just want to go alone. (I don't think they do food in that part.) The menu is small but varied with breakfasty things which are on the cheaper side, and lunch things which are a bit higher, but not ridiculous for what they are. Also, you have to know you're paying a bit extra on everything for the place. The tea isn't great, I've gotten English Breakfast and Earl Grey, and both were lacking. Also got a flat white which was smaller than usual and quite bitter. Food is good, space is good, prices & drinks are average.

    Jonny L.

    I'd heard several people rave on about Spoon and decided to finally visit when with my mother after she helped me move into a new flat nearby. I was initially impressed with Spoon. It was a large spacious cafe bistro, with interesting pictures with chairs imprinted with maps and pages from comics. It had a sort of a tidy "bits and bobs" feel. I was also impressed by the friendly waitress. It was a big improvement from the Chinese buffet house that used be here. From then on it went downhill. The menu was small, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but there was little for vegetarians. I wanted to have soup with something else but my only options were basically soup with mushrooms or some mushroom quiche. In the end I just went with the soup. Hoping it would be enough to at least temporarily fill me up, I was given one of the measliest bowls of soup ever with a little slice of bread. It tasted okay, all two sips of it. Maybe this place is named after its maximum portion size. A spoonful. I had heard this place was inexpensive (one of the reasons I was excited) for what you got but it wasn't, and my wallet was all the lighter for it. What I thought was a simple, cheap place to grab some filling lunch was a disappointing experience. I left almost as hungry as when I went in. The only other problem about this place is you are only allowed to eat with spoons. Nothing else. Even the steak. Spoons only. Okay that's a lie. But I do feel like I might as well have pocketed some of the cutlery with me to make up my money's worth. I have since heard from others that this place has gone down hill a bit, that it used to be cheaper and the portions bigger. Maybe the recession hit it hard. Maybe it will improve again. Maybe I will try again one day and just ask for coffee.

    Lauren G.

    Spoon Cafe Bistro is a quirky and pretty neat place to eat. Situated in the centre of the busy and bustling Nicolson Street, Spoon Cafe Bistro is just across the road from the main University campus George Square and is a short walk from the city centre and so it is a convenient place to reach. It looks pretty small and poky from the outside, but it is really spacious and open inside with wooden floors and lots of spaces between the tables which doesn't make it feel cramped and crowded. They have a selection of home made cakes, pastries and antipasti style dishes available. Spoon Cafe Bistro also offers soups, salads and cooked meals such as sausages for lunch, which cost about six pounds each. I come here quite a lot between my classes for a snack and a coffee, and I always have one of their home made cakes which are really beautiful, especially the chocolate brownie which is really light and fluffy which chunks of chocolate in it - yum! Spoon Cafe Bistro also offers a very sophisticated dinner menu, if a bit short, which includes braised pork, squid and aubergine stew. I think sometimes they are trying to make themselves look more posh than they really are, but the food they produce is really gorgeous.

    Amy G.

    Spoon Cafe is a trendy little Bistro located across from the Festival Theatre. My Dad took me here a couple of months ago before we went to see Scottish Ballet at the theatre, so perfect for the pre-theatre menu. The restaurant has an almost laid back, student feel to it while still trying to be quirky and sophisticated with it's mismatched chairs, bookcases and lamps. My Dad and the rest of our party all had the pate and sour dough bread for starters, which came in a cute little pot. I sampled some and was instantly jealous, giving me high hopes for the main. Firstly, the pre-theatre menu had very little choice so I felt I kind of "lumped" for my main of ham, egg and chips. Of course it was done in a very chic way with approximately 4 hand cut chips positioned perfectly on the plate. It was nice, but it was so damn salty that I couldn't finish it. I didn't add salt to the dish but the chef clearly added it by the bucket load. I was the only one to have dessert, a clementine jelly. It was refreshing and sweet, quite delicious really. This restaurant has the potential to be so much better. I'm stuck between three and four stars, so I am going to be generous and give them four due to it's reasonably priced pre-theatre menu and location.

    Coffee and cake at Spoon
    Francesca R.

    OK, this review has a slightly positive bias because I am a HUGE Harry Potter nerd and Spoon Cafe Bistro is located in the former Nicolson's Cafe, where JK Rowling first started penning her masterpiece. So if, like me, you are a fan of the HP series and are also having a touristy day/weekend in Edinburgh, this is an excellent choice for lunch as it has a direct link to that beloved series and is also handily just a 1/2 mile from Edinburgh Castle. Now, if this had just been a regular place without the patina of JK Rowling's presence giving it that extra magical glow (pun most definitely intended), I would probably have only rated it 3 stars, because the cost to food ratio just doesn't add up. The individual options are pretty inexpensive but there is not much on the plate, and so you have to order a few things to feel satisfied. This means lunch will probably cost you about £10 to £15 if you want to achieve proper fullness. And you do, if you've been tromping about the castle and are preparing for some more tromping down the Royal Mile and up to Arthur's Seat. However, it is an amiable little spot, with big bright windows, subtly kooky furnishings, plenty of seating, lovely service and very tasty food. While all those things do much to recommend the place, if you are not a mega-HP fan like myself you might leave a little miffed (and hungry) about the small portion sizes.

    Ali W.

    Ticks all the boxes and more! Spoon is a fab place to come for brunch, lunch and I think they also do dinner. The space is beautiful with a light airy feel, quirky decor, mismatched furniture which gives it a lovely comfortable living room feel whilst also remaining chic and smart. It is all open plan but they've cleverly sectioned it off with light curtain dividers. It's an idea space for large groups as well as being still quite cosy for smaller groups too. I've been a few times and again just recently where a friend and I shared a veggie grill breakfast and a lovely bowl of homemade soup. Everything on the grill was delicious - best veggie haggis I've ever tasted! I really couldn't fault it. Staff are friendly, warm and helpful. You also don't feel rushed at all and can leisurely soak in the soothing atmosphere. Prices I feel are about average for the quality and overall dining experience. Cakes look lovely and again fresh and homemade but alas we never had room... next time!!

    Fiona H.

    The original Spoon used to be a gorgeous little café, perfect for meting friends or wasting a sunday afternoon eating cake. Then they moved to Nicolson Street and tried to turn themselves into a bigger, bistro-style place, and I don't think they've really pulled it off. Being opposite the Festival Theatre means they do have a good pre-theatre menu in the evenings offerings a choice of three different starters/mains/desserts, which is really good value at £12.95 for 3 courses or £9.95 if you can only fit in 2. But what they've lost in the new Spoon is the cosy, inviting atmosphere that there was in the old place. Where they've tried to be stylish and minimalist, they've ended up being clinical and cold. It all depends what you want, personally when I go out to eat the thing I care most about is the food and not the décor. But if you're sitting with someone who clearly has their priorities the other way round, and so will not stop whingeing about it, it does end up ruining your meal.

    Gibson A.

    Spoon Cafe is a great place to go for lunch on Nicholson Street. I came across it with some friends earlier this year and we came away satisfied that we'd had a tasty, filling meal with quick service. As soon as we walked in the staff made us feel welcome and sat us at a table right away. The menu doesn't just have the usual soups and sandwiches, but also some more interesting dishes like smoked chicken salad. I went for the wild boar sausages which were served with stewed peppers. Our meals seemed to take no time to arrive and tasted amazing when they did, costing only about £6 each. I definitely recommend Spoon Cafe for great food and service at reasonable prices.

    Delicious coffee. A great place to chat with friends.
    Sam J.

    Lovely spot with good coffee, food, and amazing staff/service. A full breakfast cost me £10 which is pretty standard. It was quality food. Open floor plan but still cozy. Great big windows offer fantastic light. Weekends can be very busy with the college crowd.

    Soya latte

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    11 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Have had a tremendously lovely time. Pretheatre menu magnificent. Can't wait to go again.

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    10 years ago

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    14 years ago

    This is very nice quiet cafe to go with some friends on any day. The staff is not very fast but the environment and the decor is nice.

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    9 years ago

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    13 years ago

    I love this place! The white coffee with soy milk is awesome. In addition the workers there are super nice and easy to talk to.

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    10 years ago

    The most delicious breakfast I've ever had. The staff are very friendly and has a very nice atmosphere. Could not recommend this place more!

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    15 years ago

    nice atmosphere and a good halway house between a cafe and a pub in the evening. tasty food too.

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    14 years ago

    One of the nicest breakfasts I've ever had. A lovely place. Makes me wish I lived in Edinburgh.

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    Spoon Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Spoon

    Situated so close to the high street I'm surprised it's not beefed up the Scotland is Great theme that everyone else seems to have sillily done.

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    The Edinburgh Larder - Scottish Breakfast

    The Edinburgh Larder

    4.5(347 reviews)
    0.2 miRoyal Mile, Old Town, Newington
    ££

    Wow... this was one of the best breakfast spots on our 2-month trip! We were there in early…read moreSeptember and had to wait only about 5-10 minutes for a table. The food was absolutely delicious! My porridge was so hearty and yummy, I wanted to lick the bowl. My spouse's eggs benedict dish was also fantastic, and you can tell they use very fresh, high quality ingredients. The way they serve the meals in little stainless steel lunch boxes is adorable. My chai tea latte with oat milk was fantastically spicy and not too sweet. The server was friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, and always nearby, so it was easy to ask for our check when we were ready. And the inside of the restaurant had a warm, cozy feel. I would gladly eat every breakfast here the next time we're in Edinburgh!

    This place seems to be very popular and know it. At first glance, it's a cute, cozy, and humble…read morecafe. Everyone there was very nice; service was good. When it came to ordering, I got an Iced Latte and a Buttery Bap. The menu is a bit difficult to decipher, as it was confusing how much or how little can be added to it and at what cost. The menu said I could only pick one filling, but when I asked I was informed that I could pick an unlimited amount. I'm glad I trusted my instinct and went with just two: Veggie Haggis and Tattie Scones. Both of these were truly delicious. However, there was an extra charge for the second filling. Prices for additions are listed at the bottom of the menu as if they were sides you could order separately. On the receipt, I also saw that I was charged 0.50 extra for ice. I don't understand why places charge extra to make an iced drink when overall you're actually getting less of the drink. Overall, everything tasted good and I'm glad I was able to try numerous Scottish classics.

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    The Edinburgh Larder - Table service

    Table service

    The Edinburgh Larder
    The Edinburgh Larder - Latte and a husband

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    Latte and a husband

    Southern Cross Cafe - Chicken ciabotta and chili

    Southern Cross Cafe

    4.3(120 reviews)
    0.3 miOld Town, Royal Mile
    ££

    This was such a cute little coffee shop just off the mile. Clearly they know how to attracts…read morecustomers in with the fresh baked cakes on full displays. Scotland's weather is basically all season daily. You never know what you'll get...lol... Of course the rain started and we happened to be right here. Just to get warm as well, this place seemed very cozy. Inside you feel the warm homey cottage feel. Fresh baked cakes, smell of coffee and tea. They also serve food as well. There's the main dining area along the entrance with the cakes on full display for everyone to see. A small room in the back as well as a loft and downstairs. Of course restrooms are downstairs. All the staff were amazing and very friendly. All so welcoming. The cakes were amazing and paired very well with a coffee or tea. I'm not sure if it's baked in house but the selections they offered, it was amazing. So many too chose from. It's not a crazy big place but the warm cozy feeling right when you walk in was amazing. Friendly smile and anything with fresh baked goods will bring people in.

    This cafe is just steps away from the Milkman and the royal mile. It has lots of seating options:…read moreoutdoor 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.

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    Southern Cross Cafe - Inside

    Inside

    Southern Cross Cafe
    Southern Cross Cafe

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    Clarinda's Tea Room - I liked the hanging teacups

    Clarinda's Tea Room

    4.3(67 reviews)
    0.5 miRoyal Mile, Old Town
    £

    **March 2024: Weekday Morning Visit**…read more A couple of things to note -No reservations -Hours: Tues-Fri: 10am-4:30pm; Mon: Closed; Sat/Sun: 9:30am-4:30pm I saw this tearoom featured on a youtubers channel and thought it would be a great breakfast option as Clarinda's is known for their scones and baked goods. I came pretty close to the opening and was able to select my choice for seats. I picked a table near the window for natural lighting. They have a table of a lot of tasty treats and while I didn't get a chance to try them all, I can attest to the scone being very tasty! I ordered the Cream Tea (I think I ordered the Lemon and Elderflower) which comes with a freshly baked homemade scone (I chose a fruit one), and a cup of tea €6.80. I decided to upgrade to a pot of tea (€7.75) and added a bowl of porridge (€5.50) with jam as I usually prefer savory breakfasts. This was more than enough to eat for one, but I just enjoy trying different items - does anyone else have this problem? lol I thoroughly enjoyed my experience here as the ambiance, food and tea were homey and intimate. This would be such a fun place to converse with girlfriends for tea time!

    If you make it down to the bottom of Royal Mile you MUST stop at Clarinda's Tea Room, a small…read morehole-in-the-wall place with so much personality. We had breakfast here on our first day in Edinburgh. It's cozy and the walls are covered with paintings, antique cups, and plates. To be honest the walls are quite chaotic but that's where the personality comes in. We ordered the eggs with toast and the full Scottish breakfast. Food was great, coffee hit the spot, and service was excellent. Even with the chaos they keep the place clean. Also, BEWARE they do not have hot sauce here LOL. I asked the server and she said "No, but it was worth a try to ask" Respect lol. We sat by the window and people watched and awed at the beautiful architecture of Edinburgh. It's a chill spot to rest and refuel. Would love to come back for their afternoon tea!

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    Clarinda's Tea Room - Treats!

    Treats!

    Clarinda's Tea Room - Inside

    Inside

    Clarinda's Tea Room - Vegetarian haggis toastie my love. And to think I thought I wouldn't find haggis I could eat in Edinburgh. LOLZ

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    Vegetarian haggis toastie my love. And to think I thought I wouldn't find haggis I could eat in Edinburgh. LOLZ

    Spoon - coffee - Updated May 2026

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