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Top 10 best coffee roasters in Edinburgh

There are so many reasons to visit Edinburgh and at Rise we especially love a trip to the Edinburgh fringe festival in the summer. This captivating Scottish city is full of history, winding cobbled streets and of course the castle is incredibly impressive. If you're headed to the city there's also an amazing trek up Arthur's Seat, where you can see brilliant views of the city. All that being said, if you’re reading this, you probably want to know where you can find the best coffee in Edinburgh! Below is our top 10 guide to the best coffee roasters in Edinburgh, some of which have featured in our RiSE COFFEE BOX or we've visited in person. If you're looking for recommendations for further afield, head over to our blog (here) to read all about coffee roasters across Scotland.

Why Edinburgh – 103,430 searches

Woah! 103,430 sounds like a big number and it is! This is the number of times people search for coffee in Edinburgh on Google each year! If like us, you are self confessed coffee lovers then Edinburgh should be at the top of your visit list. Edinburgh is famous for its never ending supply of coffee roasteries and cafés.

We recently featured Glasgow's Dear Green coffee in our March 2024 coffee subscription and felt compelled to write about the coffee scene in the neighbouring Edinburgh.

At RISE coffee box subscription we look for high quality coffee beans, as well as ethical and responsibly sourced beans from coffee roasters who truly care about the coffee. We have a 5 step process in selecting our coffees which includes:

We source coffee beans to taste test from across the UK
We hold regular blind cupping sessions to taste test the best coffee
Our in house head roaster gives their views
Our Rise taste test panel of customers tell us what they think
Ben and Alice give the final go ahead and select the coffee for the box

Edinburgh and Scotland in general is a hotspot for discovering amazing coffee roasters, with a number of roasters really progressing the UK coffee industry. We are really excited about this city and the coffee it has to offer. Without further ado, see our Top 10 roasters below.

1. Fortitude Coffee

Trying to find decaf coffee thats high quality is not easy and we have managed to feature some fantastic options in our RISE decaf coffee box however this is where Fortitude specialise. These coffee roasters in Edinburgh are dedicated to offering fantastic decaf options and providing high quality delicious coffee to everyone!

Where to find Fortitude coffee:

📍3c York Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3EB

We currently love their Honduras Comsa which tastes like dulce de leche, almonds, and apricot. Here is some info on the coffee below.

They have 4.5 stars from over 1140 reviews and if you take a read through them you can see how enjoyable their cafe and coffee is. They also go a great cinnamon bun if you do pass through here too!

2. The Milkman

We LOVE this place. Just take a look at the beauty of this building.

The Milkman cafe is an Edinburgh destination. This iconic institution has been around since 1898 and there's often a long queue outside.

You can find The Milkman at:

📍7 Cockburn street, Edinburgh, EH1 1BP.
📍52 Cockburn street, Edinburgh, EH1 1PB.
📍11 High Street, Peebles, EH45 8AG.

Alice and Ben stopped by for a coffee here in the summer of 2022 and enjoyed a beautifully made flat white and a black filter coffee. The coffee was from Origin coffee roasters. We love Origin coffee but it would have been nice to have seen a Scottish roaster being served. Either way, head to one of their three beautiful cafes to enjoy an afternoon people watching and drinking delicious coffee.

3. The Black Medicine coffee co

Leaning to more Partisan than Artisan, we love these guys for being grumpily independent. They are edgy and cool and Black Medicine promise us they will never be disloyal to the caffeine cause.

Where to find Black Medicine coffee co:

📍 2 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DH

These Edinburgh coffee roasters sells food, drink and offers a social space with counter service for sit in or speedy take-away.

They aim to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as they can ... not allowing take-aways in the shop, and always moving toward a less wasteful operation, a wholly owned subsidiary of planet earth.

They have a great range of food and smoothies (if you are looking for something other than coffee!). They don't take themselves too seriously and certainly a fun place to come and hang out for a coffee.

4. Machina Espresso

Where to find Machina Espresso

📍 38 Marchmont Rd, Edinburgh EH9 1HX
📍 Roastery: Unit 9 Peffermill Park, 25 Kings Haugh, Edinburgh, EH16 5UY

With cool, slick recyclable packaging and an ethos of “Making great coffee accessible to all” the guys at Machina have one coffee shop in Edinburgh and a fantastic online selection of coffee to choose from. They have a range of espresso and filter based coffees from a variety of origins such as Uganda, Mexico, Honduras and more.

One thing we love about Machina is they only work with a select group of coffee suppliers who not only source and supply exceptional coffee but are also highly regarded as attaining the very highest standards when it comes to Ethics and Fair Trade. Their suppliers have developed grassroots relationships with coffee farmers, washing stations, and processing mills at origin.

In 2004 the Edinburgh coffee scene had just started to enter the 'third wave' as we know it, but it was definitely in its humble beginnings of hipster-dom, which was not really what they had in mind for Machina originally but it is definitely what they have become.

5. Artisan Roast

Artisan Roast, established in 2007, is another Edinburgh institution that has grown in the third wave of coffee. Their coffee can now be found across the UK and is incredibly popular in the specialty coffee scene.

Where to find Artisan roast:

📍 57 Broughton Street , Edinburgh
📍 100A Raeburn Place, Edinburgh
📍 138 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh
📍 Little King Street, St James Quarter, Edinburgh
📍 Roastery: 25 Kings Haugh, Edinburgh

We love that they have a Lab on Howard Street, in the city centre which is full of cupping equipment, and brewing equipment where they make final decisions on which coffee to sell. Together with Coffee Nexus they test and grade all their green coffees for density, moisture content and possible defects before and after they've bought them. Quality here is high, and rightfully so.

6. Steampunk coffee

Steampunk coffee changes on regular basis as they roast in seasonal small batches are constantly changing as they roast the freshest seasonal beans! Steampunk’s packaging is 100% plastic free and home compostable, making it an all round environmentally friendly, tasty coffee roasters in Edinburgh. Steampunk are one of the most planet friendly focused in the list with a real focus on reuse and recycling.

Where to find Steampunk coffee:

📍 49A Kirk Prts, North Berwick EH39 4HL

"This area is an absolute minefield and can be so confusing, even to those who are nerdy enough to have written multiple blog posts on the subject*" - so here is how Steampunk takes that packaging nerdery knowledge and put it to good use:

Tins - they recycle with metals
Bags (1kg and 250g subscriptions pouches) - they use (LDPE4—Low Density Polyethylene) which can be recycled with carrier bags. These are widely collected at supermarkets and may even be collected by your local council.
Shipping boxes and tape - can be recycled with cardboard
Shipping peanuts - these are made of non toxic plant starch and dissolve in water - they can be thrown in your compost or go in the bin

7. Luckie beans

📍 Edinburgh Haymarket Station, Edinburgh EH12 5EY

An award winning coffee roaster since 2016, Luckie Beans have 9 Great Taste Awards. They have recently installed a state of the art electric Giesen coffee roaster that uses 50% less gas than other comparable roasters. Plus, they offer delicious roasted beans that you can purchase on their website delivered in fully recyclable packaging. Luckie can be found around Edinburgh in one of their famous coffee carts which serve up their award winning coffee (did we mention they have NINE great taste awards?)

8. Mr Eion

Where to find Mr Eion:

📍 9 Dean Park St, Stockbridge, Edinburgh EH4 1JN

Although small, we’ve heard good things about Mr Eion coffee roasters, who offer exquisite coffee found in three locations across Edinburgh. Worth a trip if you’re in Scotland’s capital. They ethically sourced their coffee with the help of DR Wakefield and they have hinted they are looking to get B-Corp soon! They have some delicious coffee form interesting coffee regions such as Papa New Guinea. They have a great rating of 4.8/5 on Facebook. Not surprised with great coffee in a great comfy spot.

9. Format coffee shop

Format coffee shop was our favourite coffee shop in the city and had to include them in this list.

Where to find Format coffee shop:

📍 124 Buccleuch St, Newington, Edinburgh EH8 9NQ

The are located in the bustling, slightly edgy student area and the cafe is a little place cramped (in a nice snuggly way!) with an interior to match the edgy local surroundings (think concrete floors and lots of plants!). It's what you would expect from a small specialty coffee shop.

The have the coolest coffee machine which produces some of the best coffee in Edinburgh. Like RISE, they have a variety of coffee being featured in their cafe and work with roasters locally (such as Williams & Johnson who are nearby in Leith) as well as Elsewhere Coffee who are based near Ben and Alice in South London.

This is a lovely spot to stop and take a break from the busy city and enjoy a well made, well sourced coffee.

10. Unorthodox coffee roasters

Where to find Unorthodox coffee:

📍 Unorthodox Roasters, 129 High St, Kinross KY13 8AQ

OK OK not quite Edinburgh, but almost, right? As many of our members may know, Unorthodox is a RiSE favourite, with their “Mindblown” coffee from Papa New Guinea coming in at number 1 as voted by our members last year (2020-2021). After a 10.5 month trip across South America the founders set up their own roastery in Scotland, and are now stocked across the country. We shouldn’t be biased but this is probably the best coffee in Scotland!

FAQ: Have a question about coffee in Edinburgh?

As we take you on a journey of discovery we try to answer a few questions you may have about the coffee in Edinburgh.

Let's continue below...

What Is the Best Coffee in Edinburgh?

In our expert opinion, Unorthodox coffee roasters serves up some of the finest coffee in Edinburgh. They featured in our subscription in 2022 and were voted "RISE coffee of the Year 2022" by our coffee club members. We featured a single origin from Papa New Guinea called 'Mindblown' and it really did blow your mind.

Where to Buy Coffee Beans in Edinburgh?

Edinburgh is home to a host of amazing coffee roasters such as the top 10 coffee roasters we have listed above. You can buy high quality beans from Unorthodox, Machina Espresso, Fortitude Coffee, or discover a variety through RISE coffee box. All these roasters sell online but try to check out their cafes and shops in person if you are in Edinburgh town.

Is There Coffee Cupping in Edinburgh?

Many coffee roasters hold cupping sessions with their customers. If you find a coffee roaster you like check out their website or drop them an email to ask. If you are interested in attending a RISE coffee cupping session then drop your email below to hear more.

How Much Does a Coffee Cost in Edinburgh?

As an average, in 2024 the cost of a coffee in Edinburgh is: £3.40 for a flat white, £3 for an americano, £0.20 for oat or soy milk, and £3 to £5 for pastries.

The cost of a bag of coffee in Edinburgh varies depending on the quality and type of bean and roast you choose. You can get coffee ranging from £6 to £45+. Factors like whole bean origin, roasting method (dark or light), and quality play into the cost. At RISE we help you explore some of the best coffee the UK has to offer through our multi roaster discovery here

Conclusion

Edinburgh is one of our favourite cities in Europe, especially as coffee lovers and foodies who love to explore new and exciting high quality products. Each roaster in Edinburgh really cares about the quality of their coffee, where it has been sourced from and the ethics that go behind it. The experience of the cafe culture in Edinburgh can not be beaten with a great variety of cafes to sit, relax and enjoy a cup of delicious coffee.

At RISE we care about finding the UK's most sustainable, high quality coffee to deliver to your door each month.

We're not just a subscription but a coffee journey to enjoy, if you aren't already a subscriber join us and be part of the best coffee subscription in the UK - as voted for by magazines including GQ, The Independent, and BBC Good Food.