Interior of Peter’s Yard
Those who know me well understand that part of my traveling experience is snapping food and drink photos. I didn’t travel to Edinburgh expecting a big foodie city, but left impressed with its charming cafe culture. From artful lattes, to marvelous tea, nutty whole wheat scones and warm, spiced breakfast quinoa, I was a happy girl!
Upon my jet-lagged arrival into Edinburgh, I needed coffee and lots of it! Thankfully, my friends had already scoped out the local cafe scene and discovered Peter’s Yard, an airy, modern cafe in the in Edinburgh’s Quartermile area. Featuring breads and sweets inspired by Swedish artisan baking techniques, I was smitten from the moment I walked in.
Coffee and a whole wheat/nut scone at Peter’s Yard
During the trip, I went to Peter’s Yard at least three times, which was just enough to savor scones, coffee and a scrumptious vegan asparagus and pesto sandwich.
Coffee and a lovely view at Peter’s Yard.
The only thing Peter’s Yard could add to make this lovely cafe perfect? Free Wi-Fi!
Latte art at Peter’s Yard
As if Peter’s Yard wasn’t a fabulous enough find, we also discovered Looking Glass Books and its adorable cafe right around the corner. Part of the Quartermile’s rapid development, Looking Glass Books is on the ground floor of a modern high rise building. For those familiar with Edinburgh, you step away from the nearby University’s historic buildings into a very modern development in progress, which is a unique experience in itself.
Upon entry, you’re greeted with a small, yet adorable cafe displaying a tempting assortment of pastries on an open counter. Alongside there are an eclectic mix of tables, chairs and a sofa to cozy up at. Explore the shop’s bookshelves and you’ll see the most beautiful books displayed, many of which are either popular or famous classics.
Blooming Marvellous Tea and Macaroons from Looking Glass Books
As for the food, don’t come to Looking Glass Books expecting a full meal, as this is more of a coffee, tea and snack venue. I visited several times and tried a few delicious coffee beverages, plus the blooming marvellous tea and macaroons. Served in an adorable tea pot, the blooming marvellous tea lived up to its name. The sweet treats and coffee also didn’t disappoint, especially the coconut and dark chocolate macaroon on the right above. Looking Glass Books also offers free Wi-Fi, which made it a nice place to linger and indulge.
How can you resist this pasty counter? Photo courtesy of @Lookingglassbks on Twitter.
To round out a fun long weekend of eating and drinking (massive quantities of coffee and tea that is!), we stopped at Loudons, a charming light and airy bakery/cafe in Edinburgh’s Fountainbridge. Only a few blocks from our apartment rental, I’m sad that I didn’t visit more frequently. Open daily until 6:00 p.m., Loudons caters to the breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch crowd. On my visit, I ordered a cappuccino and the warm spiced quinoa. My greatest regret of the trip is that I had left my phone back at the flat for charging (major blogger faux pas), as I would love to show an image of this beautiful brunch item. In lieu, here are a few images to give you an idea of the barkey/cafe’s loveliness.
Image courtesy of http://www.loudons-cafe.co.uk/our-cafe-edinburgh/
Loudons Cake Altar (yes, that’s what they call it!). Image courtesy of the Loudons Facebook page.
All in all, I had a fantastic time in Edinburgh. Between exploring the city’s parks and landmarks, and making pit stops at fantastic bakery/cafes, I was one happy traveler. Oh, and that heavenly warm spiced quinoa? I’ve been making my own spin on Loudons’ at home. I like to think of it as an ongoing souvenir!
All of the images in this blog post were taken by Jessica Gioglio (The SavvyBostonian), unless otherwise attributed.