Down the Hatch on Antigua Street in Edinburgh, a Canadian-Scottish diner near the Playhouse serving skillet breakfasts, haggis poutine and burgers until 16:00.
Must order: Haggis poutine or the buttermilk pancake stack with Canadian maple syrup.
Tip: A stone's throw from the Playhouse; good before or after an evening show. The haggis poutine is the standout dish.
Address: 13 Antigua Street, Edinburgh EH1 3NH
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
