Tuesday, 21 July 2020

Gooseneck Cafe


22 Grindlay Street
Edinburgh
EH3 9AP
»Map«
Open Tuesday to Saturday
Espresso
Coffee: Sacred Grounds
Also: Eteaket teas, baking, savoury dishes
Coolness: Instagrammable view up to the Castle

Review by Charlie Ellis & Eva Vaporidis, Photo from Gooseneck Cafe Facebook

Enjoying a superb location with stunning views up to the Castle, Gooseneck Cafe has been part of Edinburgh's specialist coffee scene since early 2019.

Run by husband and wife Lucy and Matthew this airy and elegant coffee house has contributed to the revitalisation of this often overlooked part of the city. Indeed being slightly off the beaten track was one reason they chose the site: "it's busy but manageable for the two of us". The pair have experience of running cafes, having spent time at Patisserie Florentin in Stockbridge,  so felt ready to open their own place.

After trying a range of Edinburgh based roasters, they finally settled on on Sacred Grounds, an Arbroath based company. As Matthew explains, "we tried a lot of local places, many were good but Sacred Grounds coffee really stood out". In addition, "Sacred Grounds have been really supportive in terms of offering advice and training…we're really happy with the choice we made". The Ethiopian we tried (in Gooseneck's stylish takeaway cups) produced a really rich and smooth flat white. We'll definitely be back for another soon.

The Covid-19 pandemic has put many cafes under threat. With much of Gooseneck's custom coming from the staff and visitors to the Lyceum Theatre across the road, the loss of these customers for the foreseeable future is a big blow. So far, thanks to a combination of government grants and an understanding landlord, Gooseneck has survived the storm. Matthew and Lucy have been heartened by the support they've received from other local businesses. "lots of people have popped in giving us their support- there's a nice communal feel around here". Though custom hasn't matched normal levels, they've had a regular flow. Indeed they were nicely busy on the Saturday lunchtime we visited. They have been running as a takeaway only since June. They are hoping that they might reopen fully in September 2020.

In addition to coffee (and Eteaket teas), they also offer a range of baking and savoury dishes (quiches, soups etc), all prepared in-house. The walls are currently adorned with fine pen & ink artworks by illustrator Hannah Kelly (the art is for sale). Gooseneck is another highly welcome addition to the coffee scene in this part of Edinburgh.

More: Gooseneck Cafe website

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