Best Coffee Shops and Cafes in Silverknowes

"This phenomenal museum celebrates the beauty of the earth via innovative technology. It is situated at the opposite end of the Old Town from the castle, near Holyrood Palace in the shadow of the crags and Arthur's Seat. Interactive exhibits allow visitors to experience simulated earthquakes, tropical rainstorms, the ocean floor, ice ages, glaciers and mountains."

"Take an interactive journey through the history of the earth. Go to the tundra or the bottom of the ocean, never being more than a stone’s throw from the Scottish Parliament and Arthur’s Seat.Holyrood Road, 550 7800, dynamicearth.co.uk. Daily 10am–5.30pm (until 6pm in Jul & Aug; closed Mon & Tue Nov–Mar)."

"Dynamic Earth is a state of the art family attraction near Edinburgh in Scotland. It takes visitors through our history from the Big Bang theory up to the modern-day. It's a chance to experience the primaeval forces of nature as they shaped..."

"Not many food options are more Instagrammable than a tropical açaí bowl or a multicoloured poké bowl. At Hula Juice Bar you’ll have all the most photogenic options on the menu including an epic healthy drinks menu - fresh juices and smoothies, milkshakes, turmeric lattes, matcha lattes and more. Smoothie bowls, poke bowls and lunch bowls take up most of the menu because they’re that good!"

"An oasis in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket this place feels very relaxed. Tucked away between the main run of the Grassmarket and Victoria Street Hula Juice bar is a nice surprise in a landscape of pubs and shops. It offers a range of … Read More"

"Loudons may seem like your average eatery from the outside but they have a speciality - and it’s homemade pancakes!. We’re talking everything from American style with layered bacon and baked banana topped with maple syrup, to the healthier, savoury superfood pancakes that are packed with lentils, veg and delicious garlic pea chutney. Located in Fountainbridge, it is the perfect location for a leisurely walk down the canal to digest your food, with a takeaway coffee in hand."

"A mixture of fresh onsite baking and locally sourced produce makes Loudons Cafe a great place to stop for breakfast. Comfy couches and a bright airy interior combine with outdoor seating for those rare sunny Edinburgh days. The menu caters for health conscious diners and hung over patrons seeking a fried treat."

"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."

"Situated right in the heart of Edinburgh, Urban Angel sits in a space that’s long been a meeting point for those looking for great food and fantastic coffee, all served in a relaxed atmosphere. It’s a hotspot for brunch in the city offering classics like Eggs Benedict and French Toast, alongside some of the healthier options of smoothie bowls and fresh juices – it caters to whatever type of brunch mood you are in!. They bake their bread in-house and carefully source their fine ingredients, to ensure that your brunch experience is top tier – definitely add this one to your list for when lockdown is over!"

"If you’re looking for brunch in the New Town, Urban Angel is a great place to try, with the menu available every day until closing time at 5pm. You can access it easily from the city centre, where it is located just off Princes Street, and it’s considered one of the best brunch places in the New Town. Having been open for 15 years, you can be sure that Urban Angel will provide you with an excellent meal, and they place strong emphasis on carefully sourcing their ingredients."

"The aim at Urban Angel is to provide the people of Edinburgh with seasonal, organic, local produce. They offer a range of sit-in or take away options and they have a tasty brunch menu. You can opt for healthy, with porridge or muesli, or you can get a decent fry up."

"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."

"An extended home-away-from-home for the local Leithers, young professionals and hipsters, this small-ish space is littered with quirky vintage-style armchairs and comfy lived-in sofas. A small bar with big ideas, Boda offers a drinks menu for all seasons, with decent beers, local gins and a good selection of wines and cocktails, plus events like vegan cocktail nights."

"It is cozy, welcoming and has a bohemian feel and a lively atmosphere. You'll find the clientele very friendly and chatty. The music is generally very good and they are open to requests."

"The unconventional design has long been a topic of much debate and discussion. Some people think it's the best place to house our government, others think it's quite frankly ridiculous and would prefer a more traditional looking government building. The design has won awards in the past, but we don't think we're wide of the mark in saying it's something of a marmite structure, having featured in many lists of this nature in years gone by."

"Right over the road from Holyrood Palace is the Scottish Parliament building, a relatively new addition to the city, from where the governing of Scotland takes place. It’s possible to visit the Scottish Parliament, either as part of a guided tour, or you can pop in yourself and see government at work. It’s free to visit, both on a guided tour or self-guided, although you need a ticket (free) if you want to watch a debate in the chamber."

"Enric Miralles’ Post-Modern Scottish Parliament complex was officially opened in 2004. Designed to mirror the surrounding landscape of crags and hills, the building is strikingly difficult from the traditional architecture of the Old Town it sits beside. The building, adorned with abstract, geometric shapes, sits under the gaze of Arthur’s Seat."

"Linlithgow Palace: Used as a royal residence throughout the ages, Linlithgow Palace is located in a town of the same name and was one of the most important seats of the monarchy during the 15th and 16th-centuries. In fact, it was even the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots!"

"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."

"Söderberg Bakery Shop, Queensferry St|© stock.tookapic.com/Pexels. Brought to you by the same brainchildren behind the ever so popular Peter’s Yard, Söderberg is yet another Swedish bakery and hip stomping ground. Expect the usual suspects from fantastic crispbread variations and sourdough, but prepare for the odd surprise here and there."