Best brunch Edinburgh: 18 must-try spots to start your day

Steeped in culture and history, there’s a reason why Edinburgh is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK. Whether you’re just visiting, or a fully-fledged resident, brunch recommendations always come in handy. We’ve rounded up some of the best brunch places in Edinburgh below, to help kick-start your day (after a lie-in of course).

Brunch: the magically chaotic meal sandwiched between the normal times of breakfast and lunch. It is a meal time with no rules, so we can understand its popularity. With more of us building our days around brunch, restaurants have listened; chefs have donned their thinking caps (or chef's hats, we should say), and got down to the important business of devising new, exciting brunch dishes. It’s safe to say that they have not failed us - with limited restraints on what actually classifies as brunch food, restaurants all over Edinburgh are serving up an incredible range of dishes. Fancy a meaty full English? No problem. Craving some sweet (or savoury) waffles? Eggs? Burgers? Or even a curry? Brunch is sure not to disappoint with its creative plates and combinations.

From famed, nationwide chains like Dishoom, down to small, independent café's like Snax Café, the streets of Edinburgh are packed with diamond brunches. Searching for the best brunch in the Scottish capital is an extremely difficult (and important) task, one that we take very seriously. We've tried countless pancakes, and scoured the city for shakshuka and avocado toast, from early morning to late afternoon, in order to bring together this list of Edinburgh's best brunch spots. That said, it’s not just the food that’s important, but the whole experience; these restaurants have speciality drinks, cosy interiors, charming atmospheres and, if you’re up to it, boozy brunch cocktails.

On that note, it’s time for us to share our findings and for you to pick next weekend’s brunch outing.

Ardfern

What: Located in Edinburgh's Leith district, Ardfern is a cool little cafe-cum-wine bar, with brunch dishes spanning more refined and innovative recipes, to hearty classics. There's everything from filled doughnuts - choose chocolate and hazelnut or plum jam and custard - to hash browns with creamed corn, pork and black pudding sausage roll, BBQ prawn skewer, and roast cauliflower with green harissa. After something familiar? Their full breakfast with streaky bacon and lamb haggis is hard to beat. On the weekends, the brunch menu is available late into the afternoon so need to set an alarm!
Where: 10-12 Bonnington Road, EH6 5JD
Book Now: Ardfern

Greenwoods

What: Greenwoods first made a name for itself in Amsterdam in 1988 as the place to get your breakfast, brunch and lunch fix. This Edinburgh site is the third and most-recent opening from the brand, and has become known in the city for serving some of the best brunch plates in the capital. Served all day, options include a full Scottish breakfast, eggs benedict, 'breakfast stack' pancakes and banana bread tumble topped with banana, vanilla mascarpone and treacle toffee shards. 
Where: 61 Frederick Street, EH2 1LH
Book Now: Greenwoods

The Olive Branch

What: This little neighbourhood gem is the perfect place to settle into for a cosy weekend brunch. The Olive Branch's menu spans snacks, sandwiches and salads as well as their signature range of fried breakfast plates, with veggie and vegan options too! We particularly love the sound of the OB potato rosti, served with poached eggs, haggis and black pudding. If you're in need of a bigger feed, why not try the bone marrow beef burger? Brunch is only available over the weekend so be sure to get down there early to bag yourself a space!  
Where: 91 Broughton Street, EH1 3RX
Book Now: The Olive Branch

Black Ivy

What: With its modern decor and all-day dining offering, Black Ivy is a pretty popular hangout in Edinburgh. It's also a reliable place for brunch, with its brunch menu available seven days a week. Whether you're a meat-lover, veggie or vegan, Black Ivy's skillets are hard to beat, featuring all the fry up classics like sausages, eggs and bacon, as well as potato scones, haggis and black pudding. The Black Ivy Bennys are also a great way to go, served with Scottish smoked salmon, crispy streaky bacon or avocado. For those of you with a sweet tooth, there's a range of buttermilk pancakes too.
Where: 4 Alvanley Terrace, EH9 1DU
Book Now: Black Ivy

Dishoom

What: This group of Indian cafés already has a flock of sites across London, as well as another outpost in Manchester. At the Edinburgh site, you’ll find a brunch menu which is peppered with tempting meat dishes, along with a decent number of vegan options. The obvious choice is Dishoom's signature bacon naan roll, but there are other good options too, including date and banana porridge and the vegan Bombay breakfast: spiced (eggless) akuri, vegan sausages, vegan black pudding, grilled field mushrooms, masala beans, grilled tomato and home-made vegan buns.
Where: 3a St. Andrew Square, EH2 2BD
Book Now: Dishoom Edinburgh

Margot

What: We’re huge fans of Margot sibling restaurant LeftField so it was hardly a shock when this easy-breezy all day restaurant and wine bar turned out to be equally excellent. The brunch menu ranges from some delicious classics (Turkish eggs with burnt lemon, chilli and honey) to refined breakie plates like butterscotch French toast with poached pear and mascarpone, and hearty recipes like venison and pork meatballs with roasted pumpkin seed hummus and yogurt flatbread. 
Where: 7-8 Barclay Terrace, Bruntsfield, EH10 4HP
Book now: Margot

Urban Angel

What: The timings of brunch at Urban Angel have become a little stretched since it started to become popular, but we're not complaining. At this Edinburgh mainstay, you can enjoy an all-day brunch, seven days a week. Classic options include French toast topped with bacon and maple syrup, but if you're looking for something lighter, you can opt for a nutty granola with greek yogurt and cacao nibs or a hummus bowl with focaccia and chilli jam. To drink, there are fresh juices for those on their best behaviour, and Bloody Marys for those on their worst.
Where: 121 Hanover Street, EH2 1DJ
Book Now: Urban Angel

The Ship on the Shore

What: Scotland is known for being home to some of the best seafood in the UK, and The Ship on the Shore is here to make sure you don’t forget it. All of the ingredients here are responsibly sourced and carefully prepared to create a menu to showcase the best the region has to offer. On the menu, you can expect to find classics like eggs royale with Scottish smoked salmon, or a full breakfast with black pudding and Ayrshire smoked back bacon, as well as Loch Creran oysters and King scallops with poached egg and black pudding for the seafood lovers.
Where: 24-26 Shore, Leith, EH6 6QN
Book Now: The Ship on the Shore

Loudons

What: Loudons is known for its top tier brunch menu that offers something for everyone. Think full breakfast with haggis and potato scone, and smashed avocado and smoked ricotta on toast, as well as something a little different like Gochujang chicken bowl with coconut rice. We love their full selection of 'bennys' (eggs benedict) including the Mexican benny with refried beans and feta, and the Hoots Mon benny with black pudding puree and whisky hollandaise. If you can't decide, go for the benny flight - you can choose any three!
Where: 2 Sibbald Walk, EH8 8FT; 94b Fountainbridge, EH3 9QA
Book Now: Loudons New Waverley; Loudons Fountainbridge

The Edinburgh Larder

What: A hidden gem for a hearty, delicious brunch. The Edinburgh Cafe serves up fresh dishes with locally-sourced ingredients until the afternoon, so you don't need to rush out of bed. The eggs Benedict, royale and florentine are a picture of elegance served up on thick, buttery granary toast. Or opt for the savoury and sweet option of waffle with pumpkin-spiced cream, peanut butter and added bacon. Whatever you go for, you can rest assured it’ll arrive beautifully-presented and packed full of flavour.
Where: 15 Blackfriars Street, EH1 1NB
Book Now: The Edinburgh Larder

Snax Cafe

What: An independent coffee, brunch and lunch spot in the centre of the city that has truly made a name for itself as a fantastic place to stop for brunch. The menu is so extensive that we're sure there will be something to everyone's tastes. Feast on various sizes of the traditional breakfast or a hot baguette or wrap. Go for a fully Scottish experience with the haggis breakfast roll or, for a more lunch-style option, the haggis burger with chips. Also serving salads, paninis and chips with various toppings - it is clear why this has become a popular place, especially with hungry students just round the corner.
Where: 15 West Register Street, EH2 2AA
Book Now: Snax Cafe

Hula

What: Before we’d even checked out the menu at Hula, we were already pretty obsessed. There’s plush green seating, lots of natural light and pink neon signs - a super chic setting to start your day in style. To eat, the menu is kept fairly healthy, so you can tuck in to a hearty brunch without any of the guilt - there’s smoothie bowls and avo on toast, but it’s the chorizo hash with poached eggs, crushed potatoes and ‘hulandaise’ sauce that gets our vote.
Where: 94a Fountainbridge, EH3 9QA
Book Now: Hula

The Pantry

What: Serving breakfast and an all-day brunch menu, The Pantry is a reliable source for a delicious start to your day. With the breakfast menu serving up the traditional full English, hot filled rolls and a veggie fry up, it is no surprise that the brunch menu also offers some incredible dishes. Stand-out choices like 'Sunshine on Stockbridge' (sweet potato, tomato, courgette, avocado, eggs and a drizzle of sriracha) and the adobo-glazed pork belly toast can both be combined with incredible sides. Hash brown breakfast chips are surely worth a trip, right?
Where: 1 North West Circus Place, EH3 6ST
Book Now: The Pantry

Montpeliers

What: Montpeliers Bar and Brasserie is well-known for it's 'Full Monty' breakfast and it's obvious why - including hog roast sausage, Ayrshire bacon, eggs, a potato scone, haggis, black pudding, tomato, mushrooms AND baked beans - we think we know why it's been called the full monty. If you're not sure you can tackle that, Montpeliers also dishes up breakfast butties, pancakes and eggs Benedict. 
Where: 159-161 Bruntsfield Place, EH10 4DG
Book Now: Montpeliers

Milk

What: The breakfast menu at this minimalist spot is served all day on weekends, and its bench-style seating makes it perfect for a group brunch outing. On the menu, you'll find unique riffs on brunch classics, including mushrooms on toast with maple, miso, spring onions and chilli. There are sweet classics too, such as a granola bowl with rose and pistachio, greek yoghurt and seasonal compote; perfect alongside anything from the extensive drinks list.
Where: 232 Morrison Street, EH3 8EA
Book Now: Milk

Roseleaf

What: This quirky family-run bar and café is split into two distinct areas and is kitted out with ‘pre-loved’ furniture and other random trinkets. If you fancy a pre-brunch tipple, you can grab one in the lively bar at the front, before heading to the quieter back of the venue for your food. The menus change often, but you might find the likes of French toast topped with bacon, as well as Korean style fried chicken in a gochujang sauce, served with toasted sesame seeds and charred lime.
Where: 23-24 Sandport Place, EH6 6EW
Book Now: Roseleaf

Toast

What: Known as Edinburgh's first wine cafe, Toast offers simple classics like American pancakes, eggs Benedict and avocado toast alongside more creative options that give a hint at why the cafe is named 'toast'. They prove that anything can go on toast with their masala-spiced haricot beans and poached eggs on sourdough toast or smoked Scottish haddock, pak choi and poached egg on sourdough. Covering multiple cuisines and versatile flavours, with its huevos racheros and shaksuka options, nobody is left out at Toast. 
Where: 65 The Shore, EH6 6RA
Book Now: Toast

Em’s Kitchen

What: Em’s Kitchen describes brunch as 'breakfast without the alarm clock', which means even the sleepiest of foodies can enjoy a plate of the good stuff at this eatery. The food here is so good it’s naughty, with pancake stacks doused in Biscoff sauce or topped with fried chicken and syrup, loaded French toast, and grilled halloumi cheese and chilli jam on toast. Veggies and vegans are well catered for here - there's the 'Vegan Delight' with smashed avo and vegan sausage, and 'The Flat Vegan' with hummus and Greek flatbread. 
Where: 38 St Mary's Street, EH1 1SX
Book Now: Em’s Kitchen

Want to enjoy brunch with a side of booze? Take your pick from our selection of the best boozy brunches in Edinburgh. And if you're looking for a special treat later on in the day, why not book yourself into one of the best places for afternoon tea in the city?