The Edinburgh festival is hard on your wallet and your liver. Late night opening hours mean that my day has normally started around midday most days. I have tried to eat one big meal a day. I have written a list of my five favorite cafes to recover from the night before that are kind to the pallet and the wallet.
Fair Trade Cafe
Located slap bang in the center of the quirky Leith Walk is Fair Trade Coffee. The owner of the shop Jamal is using his years of working in Australia (a country where making coffee is an art form not a job) and is now serving up the finest Flat White in the whole of Scotland. His breakfast pancakes are also a delight and he serves up a mean lunch time Panini and delicous locally sourced burgers which will indeed aid that hangover from ever. The chat from his staff is worth the price of the coffee alone and the music played officially makes it the coolest cafe in Edinburgh.
Word of Mouth
Word of Mouth is a cute little bolthole catering for hungry locals in search of comfort food and good coffee. The Mezzanne menu offers five dishes for 15 pound but in reality is enough to feed four people and everything comes with delicous curly fries. Shelves of board games and candy from your childhood lend the place a retro feel, The staff could possible learn to smile a bit more but, hey, who cares about effusive service when the food is this good and cheap.
El Falafel
Busy days at the festival rarely lend time to sit down and enjoy a meal. El Falafel is my favourite festival cafe. Based literally round the corner from both the Underbelly, Udderbelly and Pleasance it provides the perfect place to grab that all important one meal of the day that I tend to manage at the festival. The falafel is made fresh infront of you and a meal deal with drink and chips is at 3.95 GBP before five and only a pound extra for the rest of the day. This will leave you suitablely full enough not to want to eat again. They also have a open salad bar concept you can help yourself to 15 different varieties salad prepared fresh on the premises and over 10 different varieties of sauce toppings to really enjoy your meal. Student discount is also available.
Loudons
Often mysteriously quiet, this huge airy space tucked between Haymarket and the bustle of Tollcross is a great place to nurse a sore head. Get there earlyish and you can even bag one of the big sofas. Weekday breakfasts are worryingly healthy, but if you have an urge for warm spiced fruit with quinoa or an aloe vera shot, this is the place to be. Otherwise, come by at weekends to indulge in four kinds of eggs benedict, home-made granola and great flat whites. There’s also outside seating for those elusive sunny Edinburgh mornings
Mums Cafe
Formally known as Monster Mash, Mums Cafe is ideally located for the festival. Selling traditional British food at very reasonable prices makes it a very popular cafe most weeks of the year however come festival time the line to get a table sometimes stretches out the door. This place tends to be a real favorite with performers at the Fringe. Takeaway is also available.
When you decide on Malta holidays, everybody will be happy. The beaches are fine, the weather is great and the cuisine is delightful. Choose the holiday experts for the cheapest deals.
