The Thistle Stop in Edinburgh, City of

Awful place. Basic food served without flair or care. Staff so obviously didn't want to be there. A trap for poor, unsuspecting tourists (locals would not patronise). ONE TOILET, DISGUSTING. NO LOCK ON THE DOOR, GRIM, DIRTY, HEALTH HAZARD. A horrible experience.

Food was average at best. Unfortunately the food didn’t match up to the prices that are reasonable. The coffee and coke were okay

This has been our favourite lunch spot in Edinburgh for quite a few years now and every time we visit each year we pop in for our favourite jacket potato with haggis and cheese - sometimes with black pudding on the side. Admittedly as it was during the fringe things were a little busy here - but was sad to see the reduction in value for money. Yes I know that things are more expensive now - but usually our jackets were served with a little side salad and tacos. On this occasion our potato was cold so the cheese didn't work, and no side salad, or tacos. So the food was mediocre and we felt disappointed. Service was fine - if you chat to the staff they chat to you, even if it is a wee bit busy. I'm not sure we'll go back again - there's plenty of alternative food venues on offer in Edinburgh.

Stopped here on a rainy lunchtime for a bite and a coffee. The place is down a little backstreet and is popular. The staff are attentive and do well for being so busy. Nice coffee and toastie, lots more on the menu to choose. Indoors is a bit cramped but it's nice if you can get a table. Pub is next door if you want a beer too Many thanks to the staff

Very bad experience Food was mediocre at best for prices charged Customer service was poor and rude. Food was basically thrown onto the table. Gave feedback in regard to poor service and was told to get out Would strongly recommend tourists to swerve at all costs

We found this little cafe by chance, we’d just arrived in Edinburgh and were hungry, I got a bacon and haggis roll, and a latte, and my daughter had sausage and (I cant remember the name) some scotch breakfast cake and a coke. Yes, the bacon could have been a bit more cooked, but it was lovely and the haggis was divine! I tried my daughter’s scotch cake and that too was lovely. The young lad who served us was great and it was really quirky in the outside area where we sat. It set us up good for the day! Great little place

Found this little cafe just off the royal mile when visiting the castle with the grandchildren great service and food. My grandson said it was the best burger he had tasted. Would thoroughly recommend

Looking for a bacon and sausage roll for breakfast, and came across this place. Done exactly what I wanted. All the family were happy with theirs aswell. Bit cramped inside but didn't bother us. I'd recommend for quick fry up or breakfast roll.

Not the prettiest cafe but that doesn't matter when the food and prices are so good. Extremely pleasant helpful staff. Went for breakfast rolls and couldn't fault a thing.

Excelente desayuno Escocés y unos wafles exquisitos , la atención muy buena y rápida. Es un lugar escondido en el...

Daughter and I had been walking around Edinburgh castle and surround and it started snow and was really cold - saw a sign for this cafe . It was so cosy and warm - friendly staff and nice coffee and snack food - cake panini...

A lovely, cozy little cafe with really friendly and helpful staff. It was a busy, wet Sunday lunchtime when we entered. Our order was taken quickly and we received our drinks quickly. The chips were beautiful and the cracker crisps on the side of our...

Pequeño café en el centro. Desayunamos el English Breakfast y el Scottish y los dos buenísimos. Buena relación calidad precio....

We arrived after a long morning of walking around and were desperate to sit down in the warm. We were greeted with “I only have that one” and the waitress pointed to a dirty table with dirty mugs. We sat down for a good 10...

We visited yesterday for breakfast. It was one of the few cafe/restaurants open in Edinburgh Old Town before 10am on Rembrance Day. The cafe is down an alley in a basement, accessed by a few stairs. The cafe itself is quite small and narrow. My...

We found this cafe by chance (unfortunately) and on arrival it appeared to be a normal cafe, looked clean, was very small and not much room to move around the tables. We were a group of 8 (6 adults and 2 children) and therefore was...

Excellent value for money - especially given its location. Great sized portions for low prices. Friendly staff

We found this cafe by chance when we visited a few years ago and we recently visited Edinburgh again and went back to the Thistle Stop for breakfast. I was really surprised by some of the slating reviews on here. Let's be clear - this...

Myself and hubbie went there this morning and enjoyed a full English breakfast with an addition of haggis. The breakfast was £11 and was simply delicious. The staff were friendly. Only suggestion we would make .....buy decent sausages please. All ingredients tasted amazing but the...

Visited Thistle Stop Cafe for lunch on 29th August. No social distancing inside and no hand sanitizer on any table either inside or outside. Staff not wearing face masks when cooking or serving. Tables not cleaned between customers and when finally cleaned,it was with a...

A nice looking place just down a close off the Royal Mile. The breakfasts coming out the kitchen looked nice and I was tempted until the coffee we were served arrived. The coffee was genuinely the worst latte and an even worse flat white I...

The cafe appears as nothing special, it seems very much like a greasy spoons. Saying that the food was still good! Unfortunately, it’s not cheap and cheerful… BUT you are like on the royal mile… I don’t think you could get a cheap breakfast anywhere...

Don’t waste your money. Burgers are cheap, full of fat and tasteless. Services - well if they smiled their face would crack and do t even ask if everything is ok, won’t touch the place with a barge pole and won’t be back

Sadly pretty poor show. Burger cheap and cheerful, Scottish fries nothing to write home about. Really quite underwhelmed

Stopped here for lunch. Really good location close to the castle. Two decent sized lunches, both tasted lovely, service was good. Maybe a bit pricey though at £3 for a can of Coke. Nice little find though.

Went In for breakfast, before having a look at menu!! Bad idea, but as we were already sitting down we decided to stay. Ordered 2 Scottish breakfasts at £11 each and 2 cans of coke which were £3 each! Very over priced !!! It wasn't...

Good Toastie but not so good coffee (from a basic machine) The courtyard is really pretty though and the staff are super nice ye

Went for breakfast this weekend to the Thistle Stop as ot was just along from our lodgings. I should have gone with my gut instincts & left, but I was needing a good breakfast. So we ordered 2 full Scottish breakfasts ar £11 each. Plus...

Lovely cafe in a quiet courtyard, ideal for taking a step out of the busy High Street. Great friendly service and I didn’t have to wait long at all for the food to arrive. I loved the haggis, neeps and tatties and even the tea...

We visited this cafe twice for breakfast, I had a full Scottish breakfast each time, great food, and good value for money, very friendly staff, what more do you want?

Me and my boyfriend came to this cafe thinking it looked cute and different. We walked into a very small room crammed with tables and no social distancing. We were so hungry we decided to find a table that was the furthest away from people....

I was a bit disappointed in the food. The hot tea was served in a stained cup. I ordered a ham and cheese panini. It was okay. I asked for some mustard and was told they had none. What restaurant doesn't have mustard? My partner...

Quick, easy and competitive on price considering the location! Would come again when me and my partner are next in Edinburgh!

Visited on a Sunday for lunch on a city break. Absolutely chucking it down. So happy to be welcomed and seated. Really quaint little cafe, two lovely girls serving and cooking the food. Super friendly, really chilled atmosphere. One of the best cappuccinos I’ve had....

What a great find! Really nice girls who where the waiting on staff and cooking all the food - we stumbled across this place for breakfast and paid £31 for 2 adults and one child (8 years). We ordered a Scottish breakfast (LOVED the haggis...

After visiting Edinburgh Castle, we spotted and stopped off at this cute cafe with plentiful outdoor seating tucked off the Royal Mile for toasties served with garnish. Toasties were tasty. A unique experience-garnish of mixed crisps!

Found a little gem down an alley The Thistle Stop Cafe in Edinburgh. Had a lovely breakfast with great atmosphere and staff. Totally recommend a visit whilst in the city 👌🏽

Visited WSC whilst on holiday in Edinburgh. Returned from my holiday and reflecting on how much a great time my family and I had. One great memory was sitting in TWSC with my family. Amazing. We sat with the owners and listened to story’s of...

After being in Edinburgh for a long weekend which was beautiful, our last day was spoilt by this cafe. We stopped in for a spot of lunch before heading home. It was a very tired cafe, the vinyl flooring was cracked and coming away from...

We found this little cafe/lunch bar in a one of the side of royal mile. It doesn't look impressive from outside but inside you have that feeling that you came to your grandma kitchen. Their burger's are amazing. Tasty crispy and delicious. Highly recommended.

Visited edinburgh with my boyfriend for the weekend and stopped here for something to eat after visiting the castle! It was nice and cozy cute little family run business staff were friendly and welcoming! Food was simple but nice! We ordered 2 pannins and a...

Really friendly service! the girls were more than happy to answer any questions we had about travel and tourist spots (we are from Aus). The food was delicious and well priced. Would go back again any day

Good spot for a breakfast in the center of Edinburgh very close to the castle. Food and service was good. They serve Scottish breakfasts which is very similar to Irish or English except with potato scones and haggis which are lovely. Possibly a bit expensive...

I visited here with my two sons on Sunday, the cafe was fairly busy with one person making food and a younger red hair girl serving food, the younger girl and an older lady were very friendly and chatty and we’re helpful answering any questions!...

Stopped here for a bite en route to the castle - served quickly however all 3 girls/women had their hair down whilst preparing food - 2 had long hair so this was unhygienic as well as potentially dangerous to the girls with a fryer etc...

Posto piccolo, in un sottoscala, laterale al Royal Mile. Non proprio pulitissimo, con un servizio accettabile. Si può mangiare a...

My sister and I whilst in Edinburgh had a craving for a scotch pie, as the placard for the Thistle stop advertised scotch pie we found a table and ordered. The scotch pie came with beans and haggis, very tasty but not worth the £10.90...

We stopped in for a quick bite to eat. The food was decent, the tea was hot, the Panini’s were hot. What was not so hot, was the lack of handwashing going on with the people doing food prep. When people are prepping and handling...

we went here for brekky. I had the best rolled oats i have ever had. My hubby had the bacon and eggs, which he really enjoyed. The coffee was good, made the way we like. Staff lovely and friendly, with quick service provided.

My wife and I are on a group tour in the UK. We spent the morning at Edinburgh Castle, and were quite hungry as we walked down the Royal Mile. We saw the sign for the Thistle Stop. The name was kind of cool, we...

Tout petit café dans une courette donnant sur le musée des poètes écossais. On y mange vraiment bien, les plats...

We visited this place for just a drink and snack, ordered 2 toasted sandwiches a coke and beer. First sandwich turned up in couple of minutes but the second one was left on the side while the waiter was busy on his phone this got...

A lovely small cafe, down an alley way, lovely food, great service, nice atmosphere, but can get very busy.

The food came out hot straight from the kitchen. We had the waffles with syrup and bacon which was to die for! Friendly staff too 😊 we were in a bit of a rush so was very pleased for the quick service.

It was drizzling, and it was lunch time for me (1:30pm). I was alone on the Royal Mile. Since I neglected to do any research, I picked this restaurant as I had no recommendations one way or the other. Very tiny inside, though they have...

All as I can say expensive expensive expensive £5 for slither of cake £2 can of soft drink and nothing to write home about

It began mix up with outdoor seating. We had ordered from the bar adjacent and been told it was fine to use the outdoor seating. A young waitress came to take our order from the cafe (where we had originally intended to go, but due...

It was raining so I ducked into this cafe for some hot tea and fell in love with their carrot cake. The place is tiny inside with tables also outside. The service was efficient and friendly

Very apparent animosity between thistle stop cafe and neighbouring pub “jolly judge”. Staff were EXTREMELY unprofessional and rude toward us as customers. Verbal threats, shouting abuse and staff ganging up against myself and my family. There was absolutely no need for them to conduct themselves...

Had breakfast there one day, and lunch there next day. Food was very good. Service prompt and polite. A very casual place--small hole-in-the-wall, squeezed into a small court yard at the end of an alley (referred to as a close). Had steak pie, tatties and...

Upon entering we went to the counter to see if we sat down or ordered ourself. The server said something along the lines of go sit and muttered, ‘I can’t get work done with all these tourists coming up here’ Really!? Obviously it was meant...

Good basic Scottish food, great friendly service. In a quiet alley off the royal mile. Very small so best to avoid busy breakfast and lunch times so you can get a seat.

This cafe is very close to the castle, tucked away just off the Royal Mile. The menu looks promising, and the staff are friendly and helpful - however, the snacks we ordered (scone with jam and butter) were hugely disappointing, both in terms of portion...

I had a view directly into the kitchen where I first handedly observed that the freezer, panini press and microwave were the predominant items used. All burger patties were frozen. The only things I saw fresh were tomatoes and iceberg lettuce that was being chopped...

We have been there for a short brake. My Wife ordered a capucino and got somthing like a milkcoffee. I've ordered a Burger wirh Cheese. The Burger was theribble. The beef was dry and ugly, the cheese was partely burned and partely not eaven melted....

Not literally. Down a lane, down the stairs and into a cozy, small cafe - almost hollowed out into the wall. We were looking for a good, later, breakfast to sustain us through the day. We achieved our objective. Good service, good food in a...

We stumbled across this place for lunch while adventuring down closes off the royal mile. We’re glad we did. It’s a bit of a “hole in the wall” and it’s very small with an open kitchen and not much room to move around between tables...

We found The Thistle Stop cafe off the main road, and had a great Scottish lunch. The Steak pie, mash, peas and gravy was excellent. Small cafe, but highly recommend a visit.

Went here for breakfast twice. Yes it’s small; yes it tired looking; yes it’s basic. But you get a great breakfast, good service and no frills. Just what you want on a weekend away!

This is a quaint small cafe serving up some sammies. It was a perfect stop to relax after a few hours of sightseeing around Edinburgh. Prices were reasonable. Food was good and service was friendly. Would visit again for a quick snack.

Ordered a double bacon cheeseburger, and the food was delicious, came quickly and had very generous portion sizes. The cafe was in a good location for tourists right in the middle of the royal mile. However, the cafe wasn't the nicest looking and some staff...

We stopped in on a whim for breakfast and were not disappointed. My husband and I both had the full Scottish breakfast. A little on the expensive side for drinks but I wasn’t surprised since it’s right off the Royal Mile.

Great place for a pit stop and relax with a good typical scotch and coffee. This is a small place, but very cosy.

Was served by this great guy called Lewis Reid. He wiped up a mean cappa🔥🔥🔥. Would recommend cheese and bacon toastie🧀🥓🍞.

This is a cafe near to the castle and I suppose you pay a premium for a coffee because of this. It was no more than ok with service just about acceptable.

Stop here for a bit of lunch and we were not impressed! Reminded me off a greasy spoon cafe and the staff, 2 young girls were constantly on there phones. Most of the food was microwaved. If you want to go to a decent cafe...

Found this wee cafe off the Royal Mile and we were pleasantly surprised! Had a lovely breakfast. Good service. Will definitely go back again!

Very nice, easy going. staff. Tight seating in a basement setting. We ordered a satisfying bangers and mash. A bit pricey but it was a good stop on a cold day.

Very cute little basement cafe with the nicest staff. Great coffee and tea. Yummy Scottish specials on the menu.

We had just arrived in Edinburgh and our room was not ready at our hotel yet, so we looked for a quaint place to have a bite of lunch. The cafe is in a basement, so there is not a lot of atmosphere to this...

Ventured into this rather unexciting basement cafe down an alley off the Royal Mile after checking some other places. Limited choice of anything tasty and only packet white bread on offer. Not recommended.

Great service,friendly staff and a great place to have a beautiful breakfast and sit and relax.... Can only recommend this place to everyone...

Décevant!! Restaurant très petit. J'ai commandé un burgers au poulet pour 6£. A ma grande surprise celui-ci est arrivé accompagné...

We happened to stumble upon this little place while looking for food, and I'm sure glad we did! I have never had haggis before and decided to give it a try with their haggis and beans nachos. And guess what?? I found out I love...

Great sandwiches and paninis!! Good portions. Very simple and quaint. My dad tried the haggis and loved it! Would definitely return.

We were a bit unsure of the look of this cafe as it looks a bit cheep and cheerful but the food was really nice. We all had paninis which was lovely and the prices were very good. Staff were very helpful.? Toilet looks a...

We arrived in Edingburgh tired, hungry and looking for somewhere who was still serving breakfast. We were fascinated with the little alley ways on the Royal Mile and saw a sign for breakfast so we headed down. We sat outside and waited to be served....

Good food and friendly atmosphere. A nice break off the busy royal mile to sit for few minutes and enjoy the indoor and outdoor surroundings.

Both the English and Scottish breakfasts were excellent. Thick bacon, eggs cook to perfection, haggis, sausage were the highlights. We Americans like quick service and the Thistle Dtop did not disappoint. You will find yourself going back for breakfast the next day.

Found this establishment because the other cafes on royal mile are crazily expensive.- this is not. However low expectations are needed. The food is average, the mugs of tea are actually too large for non-builders, the loo door has no bolt and the hygiene -...

Great cafe in the old town of Edinburgh, very near the castle. Excellent coffee and great Scottish breakfast. Very helpful staff when we asked for tourist site/venues to visit.

What a cheeky wee find ! Had the best cheese burger in town ... 👍 the staff where charming and the service was stop on . I would recommend people to try this family business .

Whilst exploring the closes of the Royal Mile I stumbled across this little family run Cafe. With friendly staff. The food was great, I had the burger myself. I would recommend anyone in the area that wants good food. I myself had a burger and...

My family and us are from Rome and are visiting Edinburgh for the festival. We stopped for lunch and coffee here. The coffee was as good as back home. In fact the first good coffee we have had since arriving. We all enjoyed the food...

Really looking forward to the 'mature' response to this review judging by the backlash to any negative!!!! This could be an amazing family run business tucked away just off the mile sadly it has been run to the ground by the 'children' left running it...

Nous avons fait est dans ce petit restaurant nous cherchons à la base une recette de street food à partir...

Stopped by the thistle stop cafe after a trip to the castle and couldn’t fault the place. Staff were very cheery and welcoming and the food was fab! I had a delicious bacon and brie toastie and my wife had a lovely bowl of soup...

As it is the festival here in Edinburgh. My wife and I decided to wander up the High Street. Granted it wasn't a fast pace, because at this time of year fast in Edinburgh means absolutely nothing. So we decided to pop into the Thistle...

Welcoming waitresses Prices look good, but finally the dishes you can have are not worth more. Rather fast frozen food heated in a microwave. The haggis was the worst I've ever had in my life., it took me hours to digest it. Probably the best...