Dishoom on St Andrew Square in Edinburgh, the Bombay-inspired all-day cafe open from 08:00, serving bacon naan rolls, keema per eedu and house-cured meats.
Must order: Bacon naan roll with cream cheese and chilli jam, or the full Irani cafe breakfast.
Tip: Weekday breakfast before 10:00 skips the queue. The bacon naan with house chilli jam outsells every other dish on the menu.
Address: 3a St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2BD
Urban Angel on Hanover Street in Edinburgh New Town, open since 2006, a basement organic-leaning cafe serving ethical breakfasts and brunch plates from 09:00 daily.
Order: Baked eggs with tomato sauce, chorizo and chilli jam.
Tip: Book ahead for weekend brunch; the basement fills by 10:00 on Saturdays. Ask for the window table at street level for light.
Margot wine cafe on Barclay Terrace in Bruntsfield Edinburgh, from the team behind LeftField, a neighbourhood brunch room with natural wines and seasonal small.
Order: Polenta with wild mushrooms and crispy chilli oil, or the smashed avocado with Stornoway black pudding.
Tip: The natural wine list is available during brunch service. A glass of Muscadet with scrambled eggs is the move.
Edinburgh Larder on Blackfriars Street in Edinburgh Old Town, opened 2009, a seasonal cafe and bakehouse sourcing from Scottish farms, serving the city's most.
Order: Full Scottish breakfast with house-baked bread, or the soup and Scotch pie combination at lunch.
Tip: The full breakfast runs all day, not just mornings. Queue at 12:30 for the lunch crowd to thin out slightly.
Chorrito Cantina on Leith Walk in Edinburgh, opened 2023 as the kitchen arm of a hot-sauce company, a fully gluten-free Mexican cantina making hand-pressed.
Order: Huevos rancheros with house hot sauce and hand-pressed tacos with slow-braised pork.
Tip: Fully gluten-free kitchen with no cross-contamination risk. The house hot sauces are sold at the counter to take away.
Ardfern on Bonnington Road in Edinburgh, opened May 2024 by Roberta Hall-McCarron beside The Little Chartroom, an all-day cafe and natural-wine bottle shop.
Order: Lamb kofta with tahini and flatbread, or the full Scottish with house haggis.
Tip: The bottle shop sells the same wines you drink at the table. Walk in on Sunday for roast beef and a glass of orange wine.
Urban Angel on Hanover Street in Edinburgh New Town, open since 2006, a basement organic-leaning cafe serving ethical breakfasts and brunch plates from 09:00 daily.
Order: Baked eggs with tomato sauce, chorizo and chilli jam.
Tip: Book ahead for weekend brunch; the basement fills by 10:00 on Saturdays. Ask for the window table at street level for light.
Roseleaf Bar Cafe on Sandport Place in Leith, a converted pub with tea-in-teapots charm and a brunch menu that runs until 17:00 with Bloody Marys in teapots.
Order: Poached eggs with wild mushrooms on sourdough, or the full Scottish with Stornoway black pudding.
Tip: Brunch runs until 17:00 every day. Order a pot of tea to avoid the queue for flat whites.
