steampunk coffee at the den

steampunk coffee @theDENstudio is not actually in edinburgh. it's in north berwick at 17 market place which is roughly a 50 minute drive from central edinburgh

it's also the home of edinburgh regular and vw campervan vending steampunk coffee - so we were keen to drop in and say hello

@theDENstudio is a creative feeling place with a relaxed, retro style. it has a big communal table (shown in the left of the pic below), a mix of other lounge chairs and a polished concrete floor. you enter from forth st, around the corner from semichem, a stone's throw from the beach

because steampunk are great roasters as well as baristas, you'll always get fresh and unique coffee, made to perfection. and you can buy beans to take home

to go with your coffee are delicious brownies and other baked goodies. they're also active in their community and stock high quality, local providers' goods. when we went we snagged some local chocolate truffles (peanut butter & dark chocolate but there were other choices too) and there were also cloudy apple juices on the counter.

we can definitely recommend a visit to the friendly steampunk folk after a stroll along the beautiful north berwick beach

- coffee: their own roasts
- coolness: retro, communal feel and their own roasted coffee
- website: steampunkcoffee.co.uk
- dog-friendly

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lock up coffee

lock up coffee, 14 broughton street lane, is a pop up enterprise by dave freeman of freeman's fame

they're open every saturday and sunday (from april 2013) for the foreseeable future, including the 2013 edinburgh international and fringe festival seasons

dave aims to serve up a different and delectable bean each week, providing locals with a veritable feast of tasting opportunities over coming months

the plan is to extend the concept to fill the floor so we can all 'watch this space' as it evolves. pictured below is the masterful barista ben wylie, also of freeman's fame. he made the delightful 6oz coffee pictured above

very much looking forward to indulging in regular new flavours!

- coffee: whatever's great that they can their hands on
- coolness: ditto above plus their loyalty door (write your name on it and update your tally with each coffee)

just nip through the laneway near the top of broughton street (very near picardy place) and lock up the pop up is on the left

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pep & fodder

pep & fodder, 11 waterloo place, is a cafe that's open all day, serving breakfasts, snacks and lunches

by way of a side promotion, pep & fodder has the same owners as the lovely bon vivant restaurants in both thistle street and stockbridge. though the restaurants are not renoun for their coffee they are great for evening meals and drinks

pep & fodder is centrally located for visitors and locals. waterloo place is really a continuation of princes street at the east end, near the st james shopping centre

on offer is all-day-breakfasts, pastries, cakes, soups, salads, sandwiches and pannini. the set up has low and high timber tables and a few tables outside on the pavement in good weather

also, and most importantly, pep & fodder serve artisan roast coffee. nice and strong with good stretched milk, meeting all the essential criteria. definitely a good spot to drop into when you're out and about

- coffee: artisan roast
- coolness: grab a coffee on your way to one of edinburgh's most amazing attractions, calton hill
- website: pep & fodder facebook

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wellington coffee

wellington coffee, downstairs on the corner of hanover and george streets makes fantastic coffee. they've been using a smaller independent coffee roaster square mile for some years now - a london outfit - and change their beans with the seasons.

all the friendly folk behind the machine produce consistently excellent coffee. i relish the flat white (short, double shot latte) and trusty partner the capuccino. the coffee smells amazing, the flavours combine strength with delicacy, it's temperature-perfect, has luxuriously smooth milk and is all served up in a regular cup-size.

along with great coffee, it's a cute little place and the staff are friendly.

all the baristas really know their art and clearly love their coffee. they're certainly doing the right thing by square mile and square mile by them.

- coffee: squaremile plus sometime guests
- coolness: view to fife from outdoor tables (in good weather!)

view the edinburgh coffee shop map

uk coffee week 2013

Get involved in UK Coffee Week and help bring clean water to African coffee growing countries

Go to the UK Coffee Week website to see how you can support.

printworks coffee

printworks coffee, 42 constitution street leith, is totally committed to high quality ingredients - locally sourced where it makes good sense.

the space is light-filled with simple low-fuss furnishing resulting in an open uncluttered feeling. the staff are attentive while remaining equally low-fuss :)

printworks is open seven days and provide incredible looking cakes and other goods from local bakers extraordinaire (dough re mi and love pure cakes), creative and hearty soups (from union of genius) and chocolate (from coco).

they use monmouth coffee, an ethically sound and independent outfit from london, with great skill. we had a delightful couple of flat whites. rich, robust, caramely flavours without a hint of bitterness. lovely textured milk, jam-packed with micro bubbles - positively luxuriant.

if we lived closer, we'd be in here every day. until then we'll just have to settle for weekends!

- coffee: monmouth

- coolness: locally sourced delectable cakes and soups

view the larger edinburgh coffee shop map

circle cafe

the circle cafe & bakery at 1 brandon terrace canon mills is a lovely joint. it has a stoney cosiness about it, high ceilings but smallish and with lots of freshly baked breads and buns and sticky sweet pastries & tray bakes. it also has a great and ever-changing menu of freshly prepared meals and sandwiches.

the folk a circle take their coffee very seriously about which we're delighted. it is consistently cracking for some years now. great milk texture and temperature maximising the fresh, open choclately coffee flavours. trusty partner also very much enjoys the cappuccino regularly.

we drop in here often because we know it'll always be great coffee. the people are also really nice and friendly and the service spot on.

(reviewed regularly since 2009 and consistently cracking)

- coffee: artisan roast
- coolness: stone, stylish and great breat
- website: www.thecirclecafe.com

view the edinburgh coffee shop map