Looking for the best spot to get brunch in Edinburgh? I’ve got you covered!
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Ever been unsure about where to go for brunch in Edinburgh? If you’re in this city you’ll be seriously spoiled for choice… and it won’t just be your bog-standard brunch menu either.
Of course, there are your stalwarts of the brunch and breakfast menu: eggs benny, bagels, French toast, granola, etc. However, you’ll also see some curve balls in the mix that keep it interesting – which is entirely what you would expect from a city like Edinburgh.
Brunch in Edinburgh
Going for brunch is one of my favourite things to do in Edinburgh You have some nice food, sip on a cocktail or two, and you can still have the rest of the day to explore the city. Most of the places I’ve included in my list of the best brunches in Edinburgh are wham-bam in the centre of town so they make the perfect location to kickstart a day of sightseeing!
So without further ado, here’s my list of where to eat brunch in Edinburgh…
Badger & Co
Best for: Amazing cocktails and stylish surroundings
Address: 32 Castle St, Edinburgh EH2 3HT
I’ve been to Badger & Co a few times and it never disappoints. Located on Castle Street, just a 15-minute walk from Waverley Station, Badger & Co is a great spot if you live in Edinburgh, whether you’re spending a few days there, or if you’re just popping in for the day. Like me. We literally jumped on the train from Stirling to come to Badger & Co then went home again!
Badger & Co is a Wind In the Willows themed bar and restaurant and one thing I love, love, love about it is the décor. You’ll get a taster from the street – the entrance is framed by this beautiful floral arch that everyone wants to get a picture under when they visit… or simply walk past. This part is peak Instagram.
Inside, Badger & Co channels stylish-yet-old-fashioned drawing room vibes – or a contemporary take on Toad Hall if you like. Expect tan leather chesterfield sofas, dark-panelled walls, and framed pictures of Toad and other characters from The Wind in the Willows. Along with the bright yellow neon signage of course. It really is stylish!
So what’s on the menu at Badger & Co? I know this place for its pies. Badger & Co does a mean pie. This time, my partner ordered a Cullen skink pie which I’ve never come across before – it looked and tasted amazing. I opted for a classic eggs benny, which was delicious and was perfectly accompanied by a Watermelon Sugar cocktail, which I would highly recommend.
There are a ton of other dishes on the menu I want to try. I will definitely be back for the waffle with peanut butter, caramelised banana, and jam. Yum!
Loudons
Best for: A twist on classic brunch dishes
Address: 94B Fountainbridge, Edinburgh EH3 9QA
I’d wanted to go to brunch spot Loudons in Edinburgh for a long time. My partner seems to go there all the time with his office and I always feel jealous when I see the pics! There are actually two Loudons in the city – one in Fountainbridge on the west side of the city and one tucked in a square next to the Royal Mile. We ended up at the latter, Loudons New Waverly.
The space is huge. And unlike the one on Fountainbridge which is always jammed, it was actually pretty quiet on the mid-Saturday afternoon we opted for. Of course, I’d already pored over the menu before we arrived and pretty much decided what I wanted.
What I really love about Loudons is their remixed versions of that classic brunch dish, eggs benedict. And I don’t just mean your typical eggs Benedict, Florentine, and Royale. Nope, these guys keep it interesting! I opted for a Caprese eggs benedict, which consisted of a toasted muffin, tomato, sliced mozzarella, poached eggs, and a pesto hollandaise. There was also a haggis variety of eggs benny that I also have earmarked for my next trip.
Loudons is located in a square just off the Royal Mile so if you’re looking for a quick bite before you head off to do some sightseeing in the old town it’s the perfect spot!
Honeycomb & Co
Best for: Great coffee and interesting flavours
Address: 1 Merchiston Pl, Edinburgh EH10 4NP
Not kidding: I think I had possibly the best brunch I’ve ever had here at Honeycomb.
The last time I was there was straight out of lockdown so that may have made it taste even sweeter… but actually, I don’t think it was that. I think it’s just really good! My sister used to live nearby and always used to rave about it so I was really keen to check it out myself.
The menu here is compact but confident – you only make your menu small when you know that every single dish on it sings, right? Expect to find a full breakfast, shakshuka, sweet potato fritters and the dish that I ordered in the end: hot and spicy French toast.
This is not your usual French toast. It’s a savoury twist on the dish and comes with bacon, sweet chilli and pepper jam, cardamom tahini yoghurt, and hazelnut dukkah. Just in case you’re wondering, dukkah is a middle eastern condiment made using a mix of spices. It was so good and made a welcome change from your usual maple syrup. So good!
Honeycomb is located in the Bruntsfield area of Edinburgh, just on the very edge of Morningside. It’s a little bit out of town but it’s definitely worth making the trip. You can mosey along the Edinburgh canal, walk down into Morningside to discover the hidden Wild West of Edinburgh, or simply have a browse at the local boutiques and charity shops.
Want to learn more about the Bruntsfield area of Edinburgh? Check out my blog:
The Ivy on the Square
Best for: A bougie brunch experience
Address: 6 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2BD
If you’re feeling fancy then I highly recommend The Ivy on the Square in Edinburgh for brunch. The Square that it refers to is St Andrews Square, just off Princes Street. It’s a super central location so it makes the perfect pitstop if you’re out shopping or similar.
The Ivy on the Square oozes bougie vibes. Outside it’s all sleek glass panelling, pale green paintwork, and leafy potted plants with its famous name spelled out in chic gold lettering. However, it’s not so fancy that you can’t rock up and grab breakfast. In fact, despite the amazing décor and iconic brand, The Ivy was a lot more chill than I expected.
Brunch at The Ivy is pretty varied. You can have anything from pancakes to lobster linguine to aromatic duck curry to the Ivy on the Square hamburger. There’s also a twice-baked cheese soufflé on the menu which caught my eye. I don’t go out for breakfast all that often though and on the day, I just wanted my usual brunch dish of choice: eggs benedict.
The eggs benny comes topped with toasted seeds and watercress, which makes it feel that little bit extra. I’m all about the opulence! The chips that it’s served with were also really welcome as sometimes a brunch dish just isn’t enough to fill the hole, right? We ended up staying even longer and having crème brule and wine. What could be better?
Want more detail? Read my in-depth review of my experience at The Ivy, Edinburgh
Bross Bagels
Best for: People who love bagels
Address: 4 Little King St, Edinburgh EH1 3AR
If you’re a bagel fan I’ve got a feeling you’ll love Bross Bagels. This is coming from one bagel lover to another. I basically can’t get through a weekend without having a bagel and while I normally stick to cream cheese when I’m at home, this place takes it to the next level.
The menu is split into hot and cold bagel options, which I’ll get to in a minute. There’s also a range of bagels to choose from, which influenced what I chose. Who can say no to a chipotle cheddar bagel, really? Other options include a plain, sesame seed, pretzel bagel, and an everything bagel. Whatever that happens to be! There’s also a vegan bagel.
Onto the toppings at Bross Bagels. You can choose from a huge variety – smashed avocado with cherry vine tomatoes, haggis and smoked applewood cheese, cream cheese and red onion with capers… the list goes on. Basically anything you could ever want on a bagel.
After much deliberation, I went for the Dirty Rachel. It comes with turkey, melted swiss cheese, bacon, sauerkraut, crispy onions and mama bross’ rock sauce, which is amazing. I can’t under describe what it tastes like but it’s bright yellow and tastes AWESOME.
We enjoyed our bagels al fresco on the wall looking out onto Portobello beach. But the good news is there are a handful of Bross Bagels located all over Edinburgh. There’s one in Bruntsfield, one in Stockbridge, one in Portobello, and one in the St James Quarter at the top of Leith Walk. So you can take your pick depending on which part of Edinburgh you happen to be in. I will definitely be returning to Bross Bagels another time!
That was my guide to where to eat brunch in Edinburgh!
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