One of the better places to lunch at King's Buildings, given the severe lack of choice we have down here. However, like all Edinburgh University outlets, the Upstairs Café is too expensive for the quality you receive.
The café is located on the seventh floor of the Swann Building at the KB campus. The views are thus tremendous, stretching all the way to the city centre in one direction, Blackford Hill in another, and south into Midlothian as well. I do enjoy sitting in the café for the views.
The food is generally good. I like the soup, and the daily hot food option is usually wholesome and nutritious as well. Annoyingly, there's an extra charge for all sides (rice, vegetables, fries etc.). So if, rather reasonably, I want potatoes and peas with my haddock, I have to fork out another two sides costs. This can add up quite quickly indeed.
As a university outlet, I can pay using my student card under the Cashless Catering system. This means I can build up loyalty points and get special deals, which can sometimes be good. There's also a discount on hot drinks for using a KeepCup, so there are benefits available.
Overall, the tremendous lack of lunch options at KB is a major weakness of the campus, but Upstairs Café is one of my two preferred choices. Worth a stop. read more