Best Bakery and Cake Shops in Shandon

"Mimi's motto is "it's all about the cake", but this delightfully retro cafe also boasts one of the most luxuriant breakfast menus in the capital. The "Belly busting" breakfast menu incorporates local treats such as delicious Crombie's sausages, award-winning Stornoway black pudding and Ramsay of Carluke's bacon, as well as truly delectable homemade bread and deliciously warming porridge with nuts and honey. The pink and black burlesque wall paper complements the decadence of the menu and even after a generously proportioned breakfast you will find it hard to resist their cakes and pastries."

"What: Boasting four locations around the city, Mimi’s Bakehouse is a hit with young families and sweet-toothed locals. Mimi’s is best known for its selection of pastries and cakes, but its breakfast menu is not to be sniffed at. Swing by here in the AM to tuck into the likes of halloumi and avocado on toast, French toast topped with crème fraiche, and crunchy granola mixed with Greek yoghurt, honey and berries."

"Good news for vegans out there, Mimi’s Little Bakehouse offers vegan cakes!. Aside from the traditional cakes, the shops also create cupcakes, traybakes, and brownies so you would have wider option to choose from."

"For one of the best brunches in Edinburgh, you should definitely visit Loudons at the weekend, when their breakfast menu extends until 4pm. It’s a popular venue with visitors and locals alike, where you can relax and unwind, in a bright and cheery dining room. You can choose from a huge variety on their menu, including cooked breakfasts with Scottish elements like haggis and tattie scones, as well as traditional porridge with various toppings."

"Loudons is a stylish, spacious café in Fountainbridge that's ideal for getting some work done, or just relaxing on one of the comfy couches. They offer home-made breakfasts and cake, with gluten-free and dairy-free choices too. Their cooked breakfasts also come with a choice of brown and gluten-free bread."

"Loudons represents the perfect place to take your parents, with garden centre vibes (in the best way), it is the ideal backdrop for lying to your folks that the reason you’re tired is from an all nighter in the library, not because of the eight vodka cranberries you had at the club last night."

"With their slogan ‘Real Bread For Everyone’, Breadshare is a social enterprise bakery with the noteworthy mission to bring affordable all-organic slow fermentation bread to the people of Edinburgh. Visit the Portobello bakery to see the place where all the real bread baking action is happening or pick up a loaf in their Leith branch. It’s the spirit behind the operation as well as the tasty breads that make Breadshare my top choice for the best bakeries in Edinburgh."

"This non-profit-distributing social enterprise is based in Portobello and has the mission of ‘real bread for everyone’. They create nutritious bread using organic, local ingredients to help create a more sustainable food system. Their recipes are simple but packed full of goodness and no artificial additives or preservatives!"

"Located near the Meadows, Considerit is a relatively new addition to Edinburgh’s exciting foodie scene. If you’re vegan or lactose intolerant, this is one for you as Considerit believe in a plant-based future and therefore all their sweet treats are free from animal products!. Also, their doughnuts, chocolate, and ice cream are all hand crafted on a daily basis."

"Vegans don’t have to miss out on dessert, especially in Edinburgh!. Considerit is a chocolate, doughnut and ice cream cafe that’s entirely vegan. They sell the most amazing and indulgent doughnuts, like this amazing chocolate hobnob creation, which is glazed with Biscoff spread, topped with crumbled oaty Hobnobs and finished with a chocolate drizzle."

"Considerit is a must-visit for all the vegan sweet-tooths out there!. This place specialises in decadent chocolate, doughnuts and, in the warmer(?) weather, ice cream. Whether you are vegan or not, you are going to love the baked delights here at Considerit."

"Last but certainly not least we have Artisan Gelato Edinburgh in the Old Town, with their authentic Italian-looking store that is the perfect backdrop for a shot of your Instagrammable ice cream. Their hand crafted ice cream is to die for and some of their most popular flavours include pistachio bronte Sicily, chocolate orange and cheescake...we will take ten scoops please. One reviewer said it is the "best gelato outside of Italy" and, like their neighbours Over Langshaw Farm, they offer vegan, gluten free and dairy free options."

"Also dating back to the 1800s, Old St Paul’s has since been renovated multiple times – the nave extended and the chancel floor raised with marble. Nearly all of the many panes of stained glass, ornaments and vestments were made possible by fundraising or donations. Unusually, the gargoyles at Old St Paul’s are located inside, not on the exterior of the church as is common on buildings of this period."

"Address: 61 York Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3JD, Scotland, UK Tel: +44 (0)131 556 1798 This popular Roman Catholic church dates back to 1814, being designed by James Gillespie Graham. Each month on the third Tuesday, look out for the organ and choir recitals. The adjacent Cafe Camino provides a rather tempting menu, offering bacon sandwiches, freshly made soup, lunchboxes for children, a choice of beverages (including coffee, tea, wine, beer and cider) and tubs of locally produced ice cream."

"St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral, originally called the Chapel of St Mary’s, held its first masses in August 1814. The Cathedral houses the National Shrine of St Andrew, Scotland’s patron saint, and even has an underground passage leading to a priest’s house in York Place. It wasn’t until the 1970s that passers by could see the Cathedral in its full splendor when tenements in front of the building were demolished."

"Address: 28 Manor Place / Palmerston Place, Edinburgh, EH12 5AW, Scotland, UK Tel: +44 (0)131 225 6293 Designed by George Gilbert Scott, the Cathedral Church of St. Mary the Virgin is located on the western side of the city centre. Construction of the cathedral began in 1874 and whilst the nave was opened just five years later, the twin spires on its western side were not actually completed until 1917. Highlights include impressive neo-Gothic architecture, well-preserved stained-glass windows, murals and an outstanding art collection, as well as daily choral services."

"St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral is a short walk from Princes Street towards Haymarket. Its spires are visible from most places in Edinburgh, especially looking west from Princes Street. Not only does this cathedral offer a place of stillness in the bustling Scottish capital, there are also opportunities such as learning to be a stonemason in the Cathedral Workshop or a Cathedral Chorister at St Mary’s Music School."

"The neo-Gothic St. Mary's Cathedral is a striking building set in large grounds. Designed by George Gilbert Scott, it was consecrated in 1879. St. Mary's is the largest ecclesiastical building to be built in Scotland since the Reformation."

"Cold Town House is situated in the famous Grassmarket area of Edinburgh and has a range of traditionally brewed offerings along with their signature dish, the stone-fired Neapolitan pizza. There is a full roof which is rolled back when the rain stops, revealing ‘that’ Edinburgh Castle shot. There’s a decent selection of drinks including Cold Town Beer, which is freshly brewed on the premises and served by the glass or in the six-pint tower."

"CTH opened in 2019 and has already proven popular with the stag weekend crowd. Set over three stories and with a rooftop terrace overlooking Edinburgh Castle, the former church has the added advantage of having its own brewery on hand. As well as its own-brand beers, it has a range of cocktails, prosecco, whisky (obvs), and a locally-sourced menu."

"Cold Town House is one of Edinburgh's prettiest outdoor restaurants with an incredible space that overlooks the castle. Make your way through their menu of droolworthy pizzas and refreshing craft beers while topping up your tan in amazing surroundings."

"Located in the heart of Edinburgh’s old town, this bar is anything but old-fashioned. The styling is industrial featuring exposed brick and stainless steel but fret not, the atmosphere is warm and lively as residents and visitors flock to sample the now world renowned, headline grabbing beer. Perhaps unsurprisingly the beer offering is vast and not just from the brand itself, which can be sampled in a range of measures."

"In 2007, founders James and Martin started BrewDog with a mission to make other people as passionate about great craft beer as they were. BrewDog’s HQ can be found in Ellon, Aberdeenshire. The state of the art Scottish eco-brewery is also home to Overworks Brewery, BrewDog’s testing lab for sour beer."

"Born and bred in Scotland, Brewdog is such a successful brand that it’s gone global, with 78bars spread around the world. Though founded in Aberdeenshire, three are located inEdinburgh. Choose between the Lothian Road or the Cowgate location (which is a little bit more central)."