Loft Cafe & Bakery

Peffers Place Haddington EH41 3DR »Map«

Mon-Sat Espresso, Chemex Coffee: Artisan Roast Also: Meals, cakes, beans

Coolness: The charming stone building belies the bakery indulgences within!

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The Loft Cafe & Bakery (4♥) is in a large, listed stone building, tucked away from Haddington's High Street in amongst East Lothian Council's buildings and behind the The Plough Tavern.  The locals are certainly enjoying The Loft, so if you have any trouble finding it, just ask someone to point you in the right direction.

The Loft's lead barista Jake does a cracking job at the espresso machine with Edinburgh's Artisan Roast Janszoon beans, their signature Sumatran/Brazilian blend. It's great to see his passion and focus being appreciated by his regulars and visitors alike with well-extracted (and regularly calibrated) shots brought together with expertly stretched milk. At this stage the Loft is one of Scotland's 'coffee oases' - in that you'll need to go a long way in any direction before you'll find coffee as good as The Loft's!

Coffee lovers can also buy take-home bags of Artisan Roast beans and aeropress machines. Jake has hopes to be able to offer more brewing equipment soon, as well as potentially offering filter coffee. Pekoe Teas are on the menu and a range of Coco, Ailey Mae and Chocolate Tree hot chocolates, which we were impressed with.

The food is equally enjoyable with a variety of gourmand preserves, oils, smoked fish, free range eggs and more. Breakfasts on the menu - available until 11.30am - include bacon and egg rolls, scrambled eggs, pancakes and granola. Lunches are wide and varied including mezze plates, toasties, sausage rolls, quiches, ploughman's, pulled pork rolls, smoked fish pate with soda bread, home-made soups and inventive salads.

The hint's in the name of this establishment that breads and cakes are a major feature. They source their ingredients locally including bread from Dunbar Bakery (who use no artificial ingredients) and Khleb Bakery in Pencaitland for stone-baked sourdough breads.  All their own baking and cooking uses Mungoswells flour which is made entirely from wheat grown on their farm in East Lothian. All manner of sweet treats also await you such as brownies, tartlets, traybakes and cake, laid out on the front bench for you to choose from.

As well as the large and spacious upstairs dining area, spread over an L-shaped space and furnished with light timber tables, chairs and the occasional sofa, The Loft also has a sheltered courtyard with outdoor seating. Due to their popularity, owners Charlotte and Anita, have also installed a take-away shop downstairs for coffee, cold drinks, sandwiches and other goodies for those on the move.

More: facebook.com/loftcafebakery/

Leo's Beanery

23A Howe St EH3 6TF »Map«

Open every day Espresso Coffee: Rounton Coffee Also: Meals, cakes and beans

Coolness: New Town nooks and crannies meets great food

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Leo's Beanery (4♥) is in the beautiful Georgian New Town and a lovely spot.

Out front you'll find some inviting tables and chairs before stepping into the deceptively large interior. Leo's has a friendly, elegant but cosy feel and are very customer-focused. 

We've sampled Leo's coffee for years and they continue to be a joy. They're using Yorkshire-based Rounton Roasters, which they make with care and serve at the perfect temperature, warm but not scalding which allows the rounded milk texture to support great flavour.

As well as their coffee, they take their food seriously with lots of yummy, locally sourced fresh options - small or big breakfasts as well as a good choice of lunches, snacks and cakes. There really is something for everyone.

This one's a charmer and one to put on the regular visiting list.

More: Leo's Beanery Facebook

Papii

101 Hanover St EH2 1DJ »Map«

Open every day Espresso Coffee: Artisan Roast Also: Full meals, beans, Frank Green cups Child-friendly

Coolness: Friendly, cosy with a light and airy feeling

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Papii (5♥) in the New Town has a welcoming crisp white frontage and almost summery feel inside with friendly, friendly staff.

They have a very shiny Kees Van Der Westen Mirage thermo-syphon coffee machine - for those who are fond of this level of geekery - and use local Artisan Roast Janzsoon blend coffee. If you're fond of a big, bolshy espresso-based coffee then you'll love Papii. A flat white here will keep you buzzing for a while, and it's very well made.

They offer wholesome and substantial breakfasts, brunches, soups, sandwiches, pastries, scones and much more. This is one of the New Town's best places to go if you want good coffee and a full cooked breakfast or lunch.

It's relatively small with mostly white tables and chairs of various shapes and sizes and counters against both front windows so you can sit on stools to watch the world go by. They're kid-friendly with baby changing facilities in the loo.

More: Facebook

Glad Cafe

1006a Pollockshaws Rd G41 2HG »Map«

Open every day Espresso Coffee: Dear Green Also: Meals, cakes, breads, alcohol

Coolness: Everything about Glad is pretty cool, not least their unrelenting passion for supporting local artists and their community

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Glad Cafe (3♥) is located in Glasgow's Southside opposite Queen's Park and has a deceptively small frontage given the size and scope of what goes on here - a big-hearted, inclusive and active venue for local artists as well as those from further afield.

Starting with the cafe component of this community enterprise, visitors enter via a hallway in to a large cafe space that unfolds to the right. Step up to the large bench at the back wall to place your order (although they also do table service), peruse the cakes on display and check out any menu specials.

Glad's baristas do a good job with local Glasgow roaster Dear Green's beans - in tune with their local sourcing ethos. It's great to see a high standard of coffee here given they have their hands full with a wide variety of priorities.

The folks at McCune Smith (who also have their own cafe in Duke Street) run the kitchen at Glad, providing wholesome, tasty food made from local and sustainable ingredients. The menu spans breakfast, lunch and dinner and goes out of it's way to provide tempting offers for everyone including vegans, meat-lovers, gluten-free folks and kids, among others.

The Glad Cafe is also an award winning venue that hosts musicians - indie, electronic, experimental, world and traditional - as well as film, drama, storytelling and philosophical talks. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter to see what's upcoming. But it doesn't stop there, Glad also produces their own six-monthly magazine (the Glad Rag), runs the Glad Community Choir and their own thrift shop (Glad Rags - which takes up the majority of the shop frontage that faces the street) and the Glad Foundation which provides free and affordable music lessons to local people.

And on top of all that, they still have the energy to source quality coffee and train their friendly and welcoming people to do a good job with it. Respect!

More: facebook.com/thegladcafe

Peter's Yard Quartermile

27 Simpson Loan EH3 9GG »Map«

Open every day Espresso and filter Coffee: Johan & Nyström Also: Cakes and tarts to order

Coolness: Amazing breads and buns a stone's throw from the Meadows

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Peter's Yard - Quartermile (3♥) is part of the Quartermile development and specialises in artisan crispbreads and breads, eat in or take home. They've got lots to choose from including sticky buns, cakes, tortes, crisp breads and very yummy looking pizza among others. They use Swedish roaster Johan & Nyström and do a good job with it, offering espresso based and filter coffees.

To say they 'specialise' in artisan crispbreads and breads is really an understatement. Peter's Yard is owned by the same folk as Soderberg and they've got depthless skill and experience in this field and offer baked goods you pretty much can't get anywhere else in Edinburgh. So coming here for their food is definitely the way to go!

This is a big modern space with high ceilings and virtually all the walls are glass so light pours in. It has a mix of communal and smaller tables with a Scandinavian feel to the timber flooring and furnishings. There's also a large outdoor area with tables and chairs that looks on to the walkway that, within a minute takes you either up to the Old Town's George IV Bridge or along to The Meadows. Understandably, it's a favourite for cyclists, walkers and families with kids who've got lots of energy to burn off.

You order and pay at the counter with friendly staff who then bring your food and drink to you.

More: www.petersyard.com