It’s cosy season. The chill is in the air, and it’s only a few days until it officially is cosy season (the 22nd of September marks the beginning of autumn). And if you’ve been in your local Home Bargains or B&M, they’re in full autumn/Halloween/Christmas decoration mode.
It’s truly a magical time to be in Scotland. There’s nothing quite like a cosy evening, but there’s also nothing like a cosy Scottish cafe in Edinburgh. Fresh baking and the smell of roasted coffee beans and sweet hot chocolate fill the air. And if you’re hiring a motorhome in Scotland and sleeping under the stars, we think our comfort levels would explode.
Below, we’ll recommend our top 5 cosy cafes in Edinburgh for those chilly autumn/winter days.
Books N’ Cup Cafe
Books N’ Cup Cafe, located on Home Street, is everything you could want from a cafe and more. This cosy cafe captures the essence of comfort. The decor is stunning, featuring natural brick walls on the inside and framed oak doorways. The lighting is slightly dimmer, only adding to that cosy atmosphere you should be searching for at this time of year.
As you can guess by the name, the warm ambience is perfect for relaxing in the corner with a coffee or hot chocolate in hand and reading a book. Chef’s kiss if it’s raining outside at the same time.
This cafe is famous for its freshly made croissant toasties and hot chocolates. They also do an incredible lemon drizzle cake and cinnamon mocha. We’d go as far as to say you’ll love everything on the menu, but these seem to be the customer favourites.
The Milkman
Located on Cockburn Street, all you have to do is look at the exterior and its traditional grey stone, aged architecture and the warm yellow bar lights lighting up the slightly dim interior to know this one is going to be a winner.
The grey brick exterior blends seamlessly with the interior for a rustic cafe vibe. You’ve got chairs and benches that have cushions and blankets that look good enough to snuggle down into. The selection of pastries is to die for, especially the stuffed croissants. And if we do say so ourselves, the coffee is one of the best in the city centre.
Thomas J. Walls Coffee
With an almost formal name like Thomas J. Walls Coffee, you can’t help but form an opinion without even looking at the cafe.
And you’d be correct.
The dark grey, almost slate-like exterior, with the cafe’s name in gold and ‘Opticians’ underneath, is so unique and shows the history of the shop. The interior isn’t necessarily something we’d consider ‘cosy’, but the overall vibe of the cafe is.
The interior is more of a classic design with high ceilings and black and white decor. The chairs are hard, but the sort of early 1900s design makes them feel nostalgic.
And like with all the cafes we’ll mention in Edinburgh, the food and drinks look amazing, especially the freshly baked scones with jam and clotted cream on the side.
Black Medicine Coffee Co.
The Black Medicine Coffee Co. looks even more old-school than Thomas J. Walls. The dark green exterior almost draws you into the cosy mix of cobbled stone walls and wood-panelled interior.
According to the coffee shop, ‘Its character and identity are cumulative products of those many years of truly beautiful humans who have passed either side of the counter.’ Their coffee shop mascot, the Black Med Goblin, is also a nice touch.
And they’ve been serving coffee in Edinburgh since 1998, so they know how to do it well. For food, we’d highly recommend one of their bagels. The smoked salmon or pulled pork options are the highlight of the menu.
Mayvn Cafe
We’re finishing with the Mayvn cafe because it’s more Instagram-style cosy. The interior is very much a bright, bohemian-inspired vibe, but we know that some people (Gen Z and below) find these cafes more inviting than traditional and old-style decor. There’s a mix of long marble tables and smaller wooden tables, and everything about it looks like you could post on Instagram.
And any cafe that knows how to be Instagrammable typically knows how to serve great food. The bagels look to die for, and the granola bowl seems perfect if you’re looking for something healthier.
These cafes are perfect for the cosy season, but we know there are plenty more in Edinburgh. As long as you avoid the tourist trap Starbucks and go for something more traditional, you’ll find yourself in the cafe for hours.