Edinburgh coffee talk

Welcome to the first official post for Edinburgh Coffee Talk. Join me on my journey to find the best of coffee, baking, and food in Edinburgh. If you’re looking for a pre-work coffee, a relaxing brunch, or a cozy study place, I will be looking to find the hidden gems that can be found in the capital.

To start the blog, I thought I’d share one of my favourite summer coffee experiences, Ante, located near the top of Leith walk.

After a visit to the fantastic Edinburgh Zoo, my partner and I decided to head down to Leith so we could try out one of our most recommended coffee spots. The location is brilliant, situated on Haddington PL at the top of Leith Walk, just under their partner’s Spry Wines. We walked down the steps into the café; although small, the location is stunning, with outside seating also available for sunny days. Upon entering, your nose is met with the gorgeous smell of freshly baked goods, and even better, your eyes get to see them at the counter.

We got taken to seats right away by the lovely staff who then handed us menus. The shop has a seasonally changing coffee and food menu with a wide variety of options available for vegetarians and vegans. After some back and forth thinking, I decided to order cardamom latte and quinoa porridge with strawberry preserve and pistachio butter; my partner also decided to get the cardamom latte and then for food the asparagus with almond hummus and chive emulsion. After placing our order with the waiter, he told us he would recommend the cardamom latte iced, so we decided to get one of them warm and one iced to try both.

Hot and iced cardamom lattes.

Cardamom is known as the “queen of spices” it originates from the evergreen forests in southern India, it has a complex taste that is a balance of sweet and spicy. After only a short wait both our drinks arrived at the same time, both tasted spectacular a sweet kick with a satisfying spice in the aftertaste balanced together with a great tasting coffee base. If i had to choose id go with the iced version, it was really refreshing on a hot summers day, however the regular one was extremely earthy and brought a nice warm vibe, on a colder winter or autumn day my preference may change.

Not long after the arrival of our drinks, the food came, still fresh and warm; they both looked and smelled fantastic. Clearly using fresh ingredients, the quinoa porridge was a fantastic base for the lovely strawberry preserve and pistachio butter, the perfect mix of sweet and salty. As you can see above, the presentation of their food is a sight to see, with good portion sizes too. They had already passed with flying colors with the coffee and food; all that was left was those amazing-looking pastries at the front counter.

We got ready to leave and went up to the front counter to pay; the pastries were calling our names, so we decided to get one each to go. I chose the croissant bun while my partner opted for the baked cream and redcurrant scone. They had already impressed us with the coffee and food, but after these, I knew I’d be coming back (and regularly too). The croissant bun was as fresh as they come; it was perfectly salty with a satisfying crunch on the outside and a smooth inside, by far the best croissant I have come across. I was lucky enough to grab a bite of my partner’s scone, and wow! Not only was it fresh, but it was delicious, a lovely sweet treat to end our lunch.

Ante is no regular coffee shop; it’s art in the form of food, coffee, and definitely pastries. They have been open since 2022, and not only is the food great, their attitude is too. They use local suppliers for their ingredients, and everything is done fresh, giving the best experience to those willing to try.

i chose Ante for my first post because out of all the coffee shops i have visited i think this is the best. I would say it’s on the pricier side of things, with our bill coming to around £40, but for the quality they provide, it’s a more than fair price and although it is small, it has the right vibe; the staff were helpful and kind, chatting to us about our drinks and food, and they knew their stuff; you could sense a real passion coming from the team. If you’re looking for a cozy place to sit in and eat for breakfast or brunch, this is the place, and they offer there amazing coffee and pastries to take away, perfect for someone looking for an on-the go tasty treat.

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