Lowdown Coffee in Edinburgh, City of

Didn’t like the experience at all. Service was not very welcoming which is fine. Seems a bit pretentious about their coffee. I get milk in a filter is not everyone’s thing but categorically denying service for it may also not be necessary. Filter seemed a bit underdeveloped and murky flavor profile. Espresso was a just a bit under extracted. Fruity but too much on the acidity side for my taste at least. And I usually favor fruity African coffees. The Coffee was alright but not what you would get in other speciality coffee places around Edinburgh or in other cities. If you are limited to this street and need a coffee that’s better than the chain next door to it ok. But not for the overall experience and not if you can head towards the meadows for example where there are better choices.

The best coffee ever!!!! Shame that they can’t do hot food. If they’d have done a crusty bacon roll I’d have been in heaven. But go just for the best coffee in Edinburgh.

We were staying in New Town in Edinburgh and stopped here for a quick breakfast. We got there right when they opened and grabbed a table by the window. Within a few minutes, the restaurant was full and given how good the coffee and food was we definitely understood why. Our coffee was delicious. We also had the avocado toast, which was spectacular. We're from California so we have high expectations for anything with avocado, and wow they really hit a home run with their recipe. It was fresh, filling, and delightful. We also got the breakfast sandwich with egg, ham, and cheddar and it was great. The staff were very kind and friendly. Overall, it's a great place for a quick and delicious breakfast with fantastic coffee. Definitely recommend.

Best coffee in Edinburgh! The baked goods and savoury food options are outstanding too. Coffee and food are made with care, and the staff are very friendly and welcoming. There are only 6 tables inside, so I advise going in expecting some waiting time - but it’s worth the wait!

It is what it is but that fine. Great stay nice choice good staff.

I love their espresso, I'm a coffee enthusiast, I have no words to express the amount of tasting notes in their espresso is really amazing. I highly recommend this place. Very high quality beans.

Excelente espresso, acogedor y bien atendido

In a city full of coffee spots this is a gem. The coffee is simply excellent and made with love. Great food and friendly efficient service meant we had to find time for a return visit during our short trip to Edinburgh

Always a great selection of coffees, and the staff really know and care about their craft. The best cafe in Edinburgh!

The best coffee place in Edinburgh for sure! These guys know what they’re doing! The coffee was just a symphony! Couldn’t be happier!

These people get it. Great service, world class coffee, tasty baked goods. They make having a cafe look easy.

Decent coffee, nice wee cafe though feel the coffe was quite expensive.

Nice coffee and cozy vibes :) Had a nice bowl of chili too.

Double espresso was next level good. Had not tasted one like that before.

Nice place and decent staff however they did not heat the food because they did not want to turn on the oven instead it was microwaved, furthermore the hot chocolate was bitter and this is coming from someone who enjoys dark chocolate. Overall would not recommend you come here however if you are in a pinch it’s an acceptable place to eat.

Very nice coffee and tasty small eats. Some might call it pretentious 😁 but when the quality is good I'm happy to pay and enjoy the atmosphere. Don't order a caramel latte though 🤣🤣🤣

Heel klein koffiehuisje. Toen we binnenkwamen werd ons gezegd dat de lunch helaas uitverkocht was, behalve een kop soep en één chickensandwich. Aangevuld met zoete cakes/pastries was dit toch een heerlijke lunch!! Genoten.

Great Coffee at affordable prices

Desayunos excelentes! Dimos con ella por casualidad en el segundo día de la visita y desayunamos allí toda la semana. El trato es fantástico y los desayunos aún más. Los cruasanes, tostadas, bizcochos, café... todo super super bueno.

Beautiful light, healthy brekkie at a good price. Lemon & verbena tea was delicious too. Cool, easy going staff. Shout out to Ben for being super lovely! :)

Very strong coffee Cake was old Not as good as last year visit Quality coming down A pity I probably won’t be coming back now

Visited on my first time Edinburgh. Had the most delicious Choco-banana bread. staff was very sweet! Great little cafe

Excellent lunch spot with two soups of the day- and we had both. Coffee was delicious and well presented, I would definitely recommend if you're free and can get a spot! Interior felt a bit cold (not literally) but in the scandi exposed granite type style, so I'd more say this is a spot for the quality goods for sale, less so the atmosphere- which is a great point of difference in this Instagram world!

I’d say the best place i’ve been for brunch in Edinburgh! Food was amazing, Service was wonderful. I’d comeback any time.

Best Place for specility Coffee in Edinburgh

Small place, can get really crowded When I visited it was busy and the staff seemed to be overwhelmed. I had a flat white which was good. I enjoyed it. Not the best, but it was good. I also had a nice morning bun.

Lovely little breakfast/ lunch spot. Great coffee, lovely food and the CAKE!! Yum. Thanks guys.

One of the best coffees I've had in years.

Their coffee is OK but it always seems like the staff is in a bad mood. Weird energy! I can find better coffee and better service one street over in Hanover Street - I would recommend any of the lovely locally owned coffee shops there.

it’s my cousin and I’s first day in edinburgh and we stopped by this wonderful cafe while walking around , we were firstly going to have a takeaway coffee and sit outside as they were full but the lovely staff at the counter made sure we were in and out of the rain .. we both ordered the avocado toast and it has been the best I’ve ever tasted , the coffee is amazing too . Thank you so so much.

Food is great and a lovely atmosphere with very good coffee. Staff are nice I will come back for sure I should say the bill for the avocado toast + soup was 9£ Where the latte+ carrot cake around 7£

Very disappointed with their service when I came yesterday for brunch. I got here yesterday at around noon to try their mozzarella toast and have a capuccino. The place was packed. I had no rush, came in and asked for a table. The girl at the counter told me it would be around 15 minutes. I told her that I had no problem, that I could wait for a table. Then, 6 people who were in 3 tables together finished and left. I therefore asked whether I could have one of the tables once they had cleaned. They did not answer and said that "they didn't know". I was like, hey I have been here for 10 minutes and I do not mind waiting, but do tell me if you have bookings or if there's any more people waiting for the tables because as far as I can tell I am not blind and I do not see anybody else. Well there was one French couple, but they were seating in another table who was already cleaned. Then when I went to seat in one of the 3 empty tables, the overweight older man looked at me as if I was doing something wrong and couldn't sit there. He bluntly told me to sit in the table in the corner. I had not said anything and later realised that it was because they wanted to join the tables and put 4 people in there. Was it that hard to let me know? I do understand the cafe was busy and that's why I said I did not mind waiting for 15'; I was simply listening to a podcast and had a book with me. Why can you just not let me know that you are going to sit some other people on the side? I have no problem sitting in one place or the other; but I hate when they treat you as though they are doing yourself a favour. Because you were not. In fact, I stood up and left. Found this place called The Cobbled Roastery where I got a Mocha and a Pain au Chocolat. The barista there was extremely nice!

Visited Lowdown as part of my Edinburgh trip. It remains one of the best specialty coffee places. There is a good selection coffee from different roasters. I had the luxury of enjoying my coffee in the their porcelain cup which was truly a piece of art. A lot of effort has been put in to their coffee making facilities. Their cakes were amazing, too. I paid them 2-3 visits and had around 5-6 pour overs. Fabulous consistency and quality at each visit (also some really amazing latte art - please don’t stir them) I’ll definitely recommend if you are a coffee connoisseur or want to try some specialty coffee and see if this is your thing. Staff and baristas were knowledgable and welcoming too. will definitely come back!

Really friendly service, delicious pastries and coffee

C'est un bon endroit pour boire et manger librement et en toute sécurité, rapprochez-vous

"Lowdown Coffee" is a charming city café that I recently visited. Opening its doors at 9:30 am, a growing queue signaled its popularity. The café exuded a warm and welcoming ambiance, a testament to the owners' passion for their business. The quality of the coffee was exceptional, reflecting the skill and dedication of the baristas. The menu offered a variety of options, and the staff provided knowledgeable and friendly service. The café also featured a delightful selection of pastries and light bites, complementing the robust flavors of the coffee. Overall, my experience at Lowdown Coffee was delightful, and I look forward to returning to this charming establishment.

Delicious long black with good body and fruity tones

Un sitio muy agradable con café especialidad bastante rico, quizás un poco pasado de precio comparando con otros cafés de especialidad de la ciudad.

رهيبه قهوتهم بس مكانهم تحت الارض

Probably the best speciality coffee shop in Edinburgh, just make sure you can get a seat! Some real treats, with amazing pourovers and a boutique selection of well selected beans. I had a £21/100gr Columbian that blew my mind! Absolute perfection for real coffee lovers.

قهوة مختصة فعلاً 👌👌 نادر تحصل مثل هالجودة في أي مكان بالعالم

THE spot. We found this place by pure hasard and we had a great experience. Latte and hot chocolate were excellent, brioche breakfast bun amazing and the croissant (we are french) was the best we had in Edinburgh (and Scotland). Loved the cozy vibes, open kitchen ! shout-out to Lauréline who is so friendly :)

مقهى وبرنش .. صغير وملموم .. جميل وبسيط .. منيو متنوع .. طاقم عمل رائع . أتيت لوجبة الإفطار وكانت طلباتي : - ساوردو أفوكادو ٧/١٠ . - ساوردو الدجاج ٨/١٠ . - حساء اليوم ١٠/١٠ . يستحق التجربة .

Such a lovely place. Food is great and a lovely atmosphere with amazing coffee. Staff are super helpful! Had soup Last time and it was so tasty!

5 star experience. Fresh food, excellent coffee, this all in a cosy setting. Normally I use a tad of sugar in my coffee, but with taste, using sugar, it would be a crime!

The good coffee and the cosy atmosphere

Great coffee shop serving specialty coffee. Staff are friendly and very passionate about coffee. One of the best coffee shops in Edinburgh in my opinion.

Amazing coffee shop, the baristas knows their stuff, and the coffee is delicious. Such a smooth taste! Love your vibe. You guys don’t deserve a one star review. I am sorry you have to deal with customers that are used to big names like costa/nero/Starbucks and doesn’t know anything about coffee appart from having it burnt/tasteless/ultra sugary. Keep up the good work 🫶🏼

My partner and I love LOWDOWN! Whenever we visit Edinburgh, LOWDOWN is a mandatory stop for us — it’s just phenomenal. The service is great. The vibes are great. Staff are lovely, professional, chill, and have excellent coffee knowledge. They will talk to you about what espresso they have (in depth if you’d like), which is very appreciated for coffee nerds. The food? Great! The baked goods? EXCELLENT. The salted caramel brownie is so good I could cry. The cinnamon bun is perfection (the doughs texture?? Unbelievable, how do you make them?!). I think about these treats and this coffee nearly every day. LOWDOWN is a common topic of conversation for us. It is the coffee place we compare all others to. The espresso is the best we’ve had — it is serious coffee, and that’s exactly what we like! I’ll throw this in because of some other comments I’ve seen — if you want sweet, sugary coffee please just go elsewhere (Edinburgh has enough Starbucks)! Don’t bring down the reviews of a place that is truly exceptional at what it is meant to be exceptional at — and what we love it for! Thank you LOWDOWN and staff for always being phenomenal — never change!

As a lover of specialty coffee, Lowdown hit the mark in every way. The coffee was unbelievably good (I had the flight), it was served and discussed with passion and love, and the space to drink it was beautiful and wonderful refuge from the Edinburgh rain. Do your research and come prepared to drink something new, prepared by amazing baristas who are obssessed with great coffee, and you won't be disappointed. This is not Starbucks!!

In understanding why so many people from all over are drawn to Lowdown will allow you to understand why it's a truly special place, the people and the coffee alike. Keep on being remarkable x

Never disappoints! If you are interested in coffee with sublime flavour profiles, Lowdown is the place for you. If you want uninteresting or decaffeinated coffee, try elsewhere. Staff are always very accommodating, keep it up folks!

Never had a bad experience here, the staff are super knowledgeable and very friendly. They always take the time to explain their different filter and espresso coffees on offer and are helpful if you are unsure what to choose. The food is really good too, would recommend the chilli bowl or roast chicken sandwich.

Came solely for the coffee with my partner and we were extremely unimpressed. Thousand people, thousand tastes, but this was incredibly acidic and had a generally horrible taste in our opinion, I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone I know and can’t understand people who like it. But to each their own. Haven’t tried any food and was disappointed they didn’t offer decaf but glad they gave us tap water without asking.

Avocado bread was fantastic! Super nice personnel and interior only the oat milk in our cappuccinos was not the best.

Staff lovely, service speedy. Get the chocolate, almond amaretto cake, it is epic. The earl grey tea is delish!

Service was friendly, knowledgeable and informal. Coffee was epic. Didn’t have any food so can’t comment but they seemed to be achieving a lot in a very small space. Will be back any time I’m in Edinburgh.

القهوة ممتازة والخدمة رائعة .. انصح بكيكة الجزر و البراونيز

Really amazing coffee!! Great stop for a coffee enthusiast

I came to Lowdown as it was recommended to me by a friend in BC. The service was lovely. Very cute space. The owner was a gem, and the coffee was phenomenal! Very pleased with my visit

Klimat i obsługa świetne, trochę małe porcje i słaba herbata

Love what they did with the space. Pastry was good!

Best coffee in Edinburgh so far

LOWDOWN never fails to delight! Their tea selection is like a treasure trove, coffee is top-notch, and the delicate pastries and cakes are pure indulgence. The cafe's bright, modern, and minimalist design creates an enchanting atmosphere that's simply magical.

J'ai pu déguster un v60 sur un café de chez Sumo, l'extraction était parfaite ! Sur Édimbourg il y a finalement peu de lieux pour boire un bon filtre en v60 ("pour over"), Lowdown est assurément l'un d'eux, avec un des meilleurs filtres que j'ai pu déguster. Ils ont même su m'aider en me donnant la recette pour que je puisse refaire chez moi, une vraie pépite. Café excellent, accueil impeccable, je recommande chaudement ! PS : Lowdown ne torréfie pas son propre café mais ils en sélectionnent plusieurs, vous trouverez ainsi que des cafés réputés chez eux !

This is without a doubt just an absolute gem of a place. Coffees are always incredible. Snacks are delightful. But the staff are always so friendly, knowledgeable, hard working and welcoming. Love this little joint.

Incredible coffees on pour over and a cool, minimal location on George St. My personal favorite third wave coffee in Edinburgh on a recent visit!

Loved it in here ! Good coffee fast service and delicious food

Byliśmy w tym lokalu 2 razy we wrześniu 2023 r. Bardzo ładny i minimalistyczny wystrój, miła i pozytywna obsługa. Śniadania rewelacyjne - krótka karta, ale każdy znajdzie coś dla siebie. Wszystko przygotowywane na świeżo z dobrej jakości produktów. Porcje optymalne. Cena zaskakująco dobra jak na taką lokalizację i jakość produktów. Do tego pyszne wypieki. Tak nam smakowało, że wróciliśmy drugi raz, mimo, że w mieście byliśmy tylko 4 dni. Do tego pyszna kawa. Warto być od razu w godzinie otwarcia, bo lokal od razu się zapalenia - jest chyba 5 lub 6 stolików. Polecam!!!

I've reviewed this place in the past with 5* and I'm re-reviewing it now. The owner, Paul is a great guy with a ton of knowledge and leads a great team in the shop. Coffee is always from some of the world's best roasters and from memory - only coffees that have been roasted on a Loring. Coffees are rotated super frequently and I love this. When visiting Coffee shops, I always go for a filter. In other shops, this is usually in the form of batch brew but at Lowdown, despite being a super busy shop, they stick to a manual pourover, which does take more time but produces an amazing cup. I've never had a bad filter coffee from here. They usually have at least 3 or 4 coffees on filter at any given time and usually at different price points, from different roasters, origins or processing methods. Staff are super helpful will chat through the options available. Love this. Food is always great. Whether that is pastry options or off menu, everything is amazing. 10/10 - Consistently great offee and Consistently great service 👏

Great service, atmosphere at its best.the staff is extremely friendly. With love from Israel

Loved our stop here, the burrata toast and chai latte were both incredible. We sat outside and table service was great. Small spot but worth a little detour.

Brilliant service, excellent coffee many variations - and FANTASTIC breakfast! Must do when you are hungry and LOVE coffee.

A hidden gem! Lovely staff and surprisingly flavourful and unique lunch food. It's only 5 or 10 minutes from the station too. Not a plain ham or cheese sandwich in sight! Prices were very reasonable, but don't except massive portions.

the customer service was great and we enjoyed our food! the portions werent huge but i felt like the prices were reasonable/proportionate

People with love and passion for coffee. Profesional service. Excellent coffee taste experience. I would recommend for coffee drinkers.

Great place! Delicious coffee and food, professional service! :)

I very much liked this cute basement cafe. It was pretty busy on arrival but I managed to get a seat within a few minutes. It was table service and the staff were very friendly. There is seating both inside and outside. I had the carrot and avocado toastie and added the extra for soup on the side (spicy sweet potato, which the staff recommended). It was exactly what I needed after a morning of walking. They have a really big range of specialty teas too, I came back later to get a takeaway hojicha as well as a delicious amaretto biscuit. It was properly brewed (eg not a teabag in a cup sort of job) and very good quality tea. Only suggestion would be to have some more interesting cold drinks? That was it though, would definitely return.

LOWDOWN is a hidden gem in Edinburgh for coffee enthusiasts! Their specialty coffee selection is unparalleled, and the cozy ambiance makes it the perfect spot for a caffeine fix.

Great coffee, great experience.

Weird experience. Busy hipster cafe with the standard menu. Coffee and cake were fine but staff behavior made for a tense atmosphere. The person on the door was very loud in her seating instructions and I noticed her denying a party of 5 to pull up an extra chair so that they could share a 4 seater table. I myself arrived alone, and my two friends later, after 1hr 15 in there we were coldly told to leave (they have a strict policy on length of stay), so my friend had had barely 30 minutes in there despite ordering like everyone else. Not a very relaxing or welcoming experience.

Fantastic example of sheer quality winning the day. Phenomenally good coffee - as good as any I’ve had anywhere in the world. Food on point. Whoever is running this place has a real eye for detail. Bravo.

My daughters and I popped in here for a quick bite of late lunch before we went to the Botanical Gardens. It had started to rain and we were thrilled to find this cute spot tucked under the stairs. We had a latte, a long black and earl grey tea. We had soup and sandwich plus coconut porridge.

Great little breakfast spot (if you can get in! So either reserve, get there early, or be ready to wait). Food was excellent and the coffee incredible.

An absolute must visit. Best speciality coffee in Edinburgh. Beautiful flat whites, great pastries & savoury dishes, lovely atmosphere and friendly, professional baristas. Ignore any bad reviews of this place, anybody not rating this place 5 stars is a numpty.

The best coffee <333 and nice green square

The service was great and the waitress was really kind! I ordered coffee and chocolate cake. I personally think the taste of the coffee was slightly acidic (sour), but apparently my stomach is fine even after finishing the whole cup (I was known to have a very sensitive stomach for acidic coffee). So it was definitely just the taste, such a pleasant experience!

Delicious toast and coffee. Had a Mortadela, rocket, burrata and pistachio sourdough toast which was absolutely fantastic, and a flat white which was really good (and gorgeous. I actually had a sip before the picture because I couldn't resist). The place is not very big, so it can get full fast, but all the waiters were lovely and attentious, making it really worth it.

I really enjoyed both the espressos they were serving

It’s a coffee spot that would not be out of place among the world’s best. A gem that stands out in a city full of delightful spots to grab a cup, you’ll not be disappointed by the coffee, the food, or the people. It might just be the best cup of coffee you’ll ever have.

The best cafe for sure in Edinburgh 🥰🥰 toasts and cafe latte was delicious

Can't recommend this place enough. The coffee is incredible.

Ridiculously delicious food. My latte was creamy and smooth and my brioche bun egg sandwich was #chef's kiss.

Found this wee gem by accident. Fantastic service, lovely coffee and the cakes were to die for! The staff are really friendly and your made to feel very welcome. Will definitely be back. I asked the man who did the cakes, and was thrilled to hear that they get them from local bakers.

Perfect coffee, lovely cinnamon bun😍

One of my best croissant ever (and i am french).

One of the yummiest coffees in Edinburgh 🤤

المكان جميل .. والقهوة جداً لذيذة خصوصاً ال v60 🫡

🏆😋 They offer a unique and authentic coffee experience. ☕️💎 For a long black coffee lover like me, their brews are a true masterpiece! 🌿🤩 Each sip carries a rich, robust essence that tantalizes the taste buds. 🏞️🌌👍👉 Don't let the chance slip away to indulge in their amazing offerings! 🙌 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

A really lovely spot where you can try interesting and delicious coffees that you won’t be able to find at other cafes in the city. Tasty food, friendly staff that can help you pick the type of drink you’d enjoy and the cafe has a clean aesthetic that makes for an all round fantastic experience!