A gloriously sunny Saturday + a heaving Grassmarket due to the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues festival = a very busy Mary's Milk Bar! I'm a big fan of the West End's Affogato, so was keen to try the newest gelateria on the block, Mary's Milk Bar, having opened a mere ten days ago. Given I was on the Grassmarket anyway for the Jazz & Blues festival, and hot and sweaty from swing dancing in the sun, ice cream seemed like just the tonic. And it was. When I arrived I joined a fairly short queue, but had to wait to see the ice cream flavours due to a family being served completely obscuring it. Mary offered to take my order, but I explained I couldn't see what was on offer and waited a few more minutes before deciding. I plumped for a medium cup (£3, 3 scoops) of strawberry and elderflower vinegar (from Victoria Street's Demijohn), salted caramel and espresso. The strawberry was the standout, obviously made with real strawberries and so delicious, I sort of wish I'd just got 3 scoops of that instead! The salted caramel was okay, but a little lacking in flavour in comparison to Affogato's, and the espresso was subtle but clearly made with real coffee. Sadly, after recommending it to my dancing friends, they all piled in and the queue was so long that only almond was left! Rest assured though that Mary was in the back making more, just not quick enough for the post-dancing rush. Mary's Milk Bar is good, and will no doubt be deservedly busy over the summer. Affogato is better (and has a better range of flavours), but the two are sufficiently far apart that they won't prove to be competition. There's plenty space for more than one gelateria in Edinburgh. read more

There are moments that become fleeting in your adult life. Little regressions into what it was like to ride your bike the fastest, your first knee skid at a wedding or even those quiet moments before you open the living room door to see if Santa has been this year. Mary's Milk Bar is like stepping into a time machine and experiencing all of those moments again. The rush of memories can be troubling at first because you want to long for the melancholy of adult life but with that second taste you're experiencing everything from your childhood mind and it's intoxicating. Nothing can compare to the shimmer of those endless summers and Mary's Milk Bar helps you down memory lane by not telling you the direct route but rather the more ambling stroll along the coast road. 10/10 read more

So Mary's Milk Bar has recently been featured in some articles including "Best Cheap Eats in Edinburgh", and it is indeed cheap, best, and in Edinburgh; well deserving of its inclusion in that article and others. However, because of this, I suspect that MMB will have some growing pains (much to our delight, they are doing really good business! I hope she is able to expand to other parts of town soon, too!!!). If you are stopping by at the weekend, please note that the closing hours are sharp-- they begin curtailing the line before they close in order to serve those in line by closing time. Weekend afternoon and evenings are the busiest and while Mary herself may wonder "why everyone comes just before closing time", she may also discover that her fans would definitely be interested in a gelato cone at 6pm or afterwards, and I would venture to say well into the evening hours on a weekend (and dare I recommend it,? even after a meal until 10pm!). So, to review what many others have already said: 1) this is real gelato. GOOD ingredients, fresh taste, thoughtful, artful pairings, unique flavours, evocative of Italy, Spain, or France with the decoration of a 1948 milk bar in the US. 2) she could easily charge 1.5 times to twice what her gelatos retail for and we would all still pay for it because it is a delightful treat (at the time of this writing a single scoop of gelato was £2). 3) cash only, so make sure you go to the cashpoint before dropping in, otherwise you'll be disappointed and will probably hold up the queue 4) milkshakes, hot chocolates, inventive flavours, warm interior, great Castle view. It is wonderful 5) I'm partial to the ever-present dark chocolate but the creative flavours are always so so good. Try flavours with cheese in them or pear. You won't regret it. Keep up the great work!!! Before MMB, I have to say that the rest of the gelato in Edinburgh simply wasn't up to snuff. ¡Olé! read more

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The quality of Mary's Milk Bar does live up to the hype. My sons ordered delicious cones of ice cream, and I went for the legendary Hot Chocolate Float with Salted Caramel ice cream. My only regret is that I couldn't go back in and order more ice cream! read more

I'd heard that Mary's Milk Bar did the best gelato/ ice cream in Edinburgh so I had to give it a try! A tiny shop with a constant queue, this shows the popularity of the place! I had two scoops - salted caramel (a favourite of mine, this one was delicious!) and the unusual but absolutely delectable violet gelato with dark chocolate - sweet, creamy, and slightly perfumey, with the dark chocolate providing just the right richness to cut through the intense flavour. I think it's limited edition so try it while you still can! They also do gourmet chocolates, and hot drinks. Overall, a little pricey - great for an occasional treat though :) read more

Great prices on tasty ice cream. Tiny little shop on Grassmarket, pop in and have a scoop or two and eat it as you wander the charming city of Edinburgh. I got the cherry chocolate and rum raising, LOVED them both. The cherry was nice and fresh tasting, not fake cherryish like so many ice creams and the rum raisin which was very rummy and also super tasty. The man got a milkshake, it was some sort of banana something. I HATE banana so I can't judge, but he said it was very good. I think two scoops was like 3 pounds or so, which in my mind is a really good deal! read more

Mary's Milk Bar - Scoop of rum raisin and scoop of cherry choc chip. Only £3! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Wonderful location -- direct view of one of the castle walls and the Haymarket area. Was delighted by the quality of ice cream !! I got the salted caramel and the peanut butter & pepper(forgot the exact nane of the flavor) in a cone! The portion was perfect (a bit gluttonous though hehehe) and the cone was soft yet crunchy. Had a great time and will be back for some more innovative flavors and the hot chocolate float!! read more

Clarissa M stole my thought! I too am a smitten kitten... except now I suppose i'll have to be taken bacon? Besotted Robot Ted (say it quickly)? A charmed swarm? .... this is difficult. Smitten kitten it is. Really - what's not to like?! It's ice cream! Not only is it icecream, but it's house made icecream by non-other than Mary herself. Not convinced? Well you jaded fool, I see the house-made ice-cream and raise you interesting artisan flavours! Like what? Like smoked salted caramel. That's right, the flavour that would be produced if caramel and whisky had a baby (full disclosure: though delicious, it's very very strong and I didn't opt for a whole scoop BUT STILL. STILL.) Or "Milk"... yeah, it's just a kinda fancy vanilla, but you FEEL cooler ordering it. It's a cute as a button shop that is always packed, rain or shine, serves up delicious hot chocolate and equally delicious ice cream... sometimes in a donkey bowl (ask... just ask). It's charming, it's quirky, it's a shop full of dairy. Case. Closed. read more

There are lots of reviews already so I will try and make it short :-) I have had the occasional ice cream from Mary's since a few years now and overall it's a very tasty creamy ice cream and nowadays you pay the price for it! A small version costs you £3.00 and the scoops are small compared to other ice cream shops in Edinburgh and a bit pricier too. Yes, the location is unique and in the summer you can sit outside on a bench with a view towards the castle. The shop itself is very small and easily crowded. Get in, buy and get out! There was no cone holder and it was difficult to joggle my intention to pay and holding my ice cream :-) Best you have the exact change ready! I went there in March and they did only have 5 flavours. Better than nothing, I guess :-) read more

THE best ice cream I've had in the UK, hands down. The variety and uniqueness of flavors is unparalleled, and it tastes great.

Choclate ice cream on a waffle cone-enough said! The ice cream is creamy and rich in flavor. Beat part is that you can enjoy it while sitting outside with the perfect view of the castle. read more

Mary, can you please open up shop in London, pretty please? I passed by Mary's when it was raining, super foggy and windy the other day but declined on trying anything bc I was too much of a wimp. Big mistake! I should've gone that time, so that I would've come back for the next 2 days of my Edinburgh trip. It's that good! I'm just sad that I tried this on my way out to the train station but happy I tried it anyway. The flavours change daily, and there are some very interesting mixes. Rhubarb strawberry rosemary, chocolate lavender, their house flavour of milk, and a few others. I had fig, and banana passion fruit and lemongrass, which was incredibly delicious!! The last one was my fav, fresh, though fig was good too. I seriously contemplated going back to get another scoop but then I really would have missed my train, considering I also got distracted by a daschund puppy as well. Puppies and ice cream, what better way to end off this trip! read more

We're not in the realm of ordinary anymore. I've passed this place for a year but my karma must not have been full because I kept walking past this gem like it didn't belong in my life, or like I didn't deserve it. Honeycomb caramel ice cream on the side of a hot chocolate with a scoop of white chocolate cardamom ice cream inside. Boom: all the happiness of childhood, unicorns and singing mermaids, pretty much what you dream about inserted here. That is the way I felt yesterday as I sat by the window and looked up at the castle (past where they used to conduct public executions, but that only occurs to me now). They do coffee, too, but not decaf FYI. I also heard something about peanut and caramel ice cream but the sugar was on my tongue and in my veins and the world was blurring out of any other sense. read more

This may be the best icecream I have ever had. This milk bar is in a great location in the grassmarket with views of the castle. There is always a queue but it is worth the wait! flavours change daily & you can find your standard chocolate, vanilla & milk alongside more adventurous flavours such as stilton & grape, rose & earl grey. They also sell a range of hot & cold drinks & sundaes. I will try it all by the time I leave Edinburgh! read more

This place is making me fat and my dentist happy. Mary's milk bar is one of my favourite places to get a sweet treat even if it is raining and cold. Artisan ice cream at cheap cheap prices, I'm going to buy a block for the fringe to avoid the inevitable well deserved HUGE waiting line. read more

This place makes incredible ice-cream. I tasted the raspberry and litchi sorbet and they were both absolutely amazing. They both taste only fruit, like if you were really eating them. My bf tried the chocolate and orange shake and really enjoyed it. The day after, he tried the earl grey shake and it was amazing! I will definitely go back there on my next trip to Edinburgh. read more

Mary's Milk Bar - Raspberry and licht sorbet - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Unbelievably creamy and delicious ice cream made daily -- this was the best ice cream we had during a two week trip to the UK recently. Apparently Mary herself makes all of the flavours nearby every day, so it's a rotating list of choices and totally worth it. Served in a crunchy waffle cone with a generous amount of ice cream, I would have gone every day if I had known! read more

It's still good, it's still got all yummy flavours and it's still one of my favourite places to go. The only tiny little snag is it does get rather crowded and you have dive for the seat and table when it becomes free. There's only really 2 tables and a few chairs. I can just imagine that when the sun comes out it's going to be pure mental with queues going down the street :) There were a few new flavours whilst i was in for this visit - I tried lavender and vanilla, white chocolate, pepper and lemon curd and salted caramel. They were all very tasty and after I was having and creamy coma! read more

Oh, what ice cream. The texture is perfect, and the flavour strong, unique (baked bananas! Lavender and blueberry!) and just the right level of sweet. And they have different flavours daily, so definitely worth a repeat visit. read more

Mary's Milk Bar - Strawberry sorbet and baked bananas. OMG. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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What a delightful little shop! I'm a smitten kitten. I arrived at Mary's on Valentine's Day around an hour before they closed. In my mind I was preparing to fight off hoards of estrogen also trying to get a chocolate fix on the Day of Commercialized Love (or on the flip side, Single's Awareness Day). When my Valentine lady-date and I stepped inside, I was pleasantly surprised to note that Mary's was surprisingly not crowded at all and that I wouldn't have to beat the crowds of girls away so I could get some sweets. Psht, more fool every other gals in town, and more ice creams for us! Despite the small quarters and few tables (there's maybe three, four, tops) we got a seat easily and procured our sweet, sweet ice creams no problem. I ended up getting a scoop of dark chocolate and something else that I can't recall anymore, writing this belatedly as I am. I do know that both my choices were delicious, the dark chocolate in particular creamy and delightful. To add points, the lady behind the counter brought out some wee Earl Gray chocolates to compliment our creams--how lovely, and they were a real treat! Very light in flavor, with definite tea notes. What a clever idea. I'd definitely fancy a sample of the Earl Gray ice cream now, having tried the chocolate. (They also sell bags of homemade chocolates too, which I dutifully took note of for future endeavors.) Mary's is adorable, to put it simply. It's in a fantastic location in Grassmarket, has simple but cute decor, friendly staff, and ice cream that suits the sweetest toofs. I totally dig the fact that this is a local place that makes their own wares. I haven't tried the rest of the ice creams in town as of yet, but for now Mary's definitely is gonna be my go to if I ever need a fix in the future! read more

Outstanding ice cream in every respect! My niece, who has an extraordinary sweet tooth, had chocolate ice cream in hot chocolate and thought she'd died and gone to heaven. I had the chocolate ice cream on its own in a cup and was nearly delirious. Don't wait! Go now! read more

The long line was definitely worth it. The flavors are different everyday. I had Violet and it turned out to be very delicious!

The dessert here was fantastic! I got the salted caramel and dark chocolate in a waffle cone and my husband got the cucumber mint and dark chocolate. I'd never had cucumber mint in frozen form - it was amazing! I would highly recommend Mary's to anyone visiting Edinburgh or residing there. Thanks, Mary! read more

Fantastic gelato! Love the adorable shop and the service is friendly. Also got to see who Mary is and she was friendly as well! All the flavors were good... Tried the violet, orange and almond, fig, fresh mint, and dark chocolate (but not all at once!) All excellent. If only I was visiting longer I would have tried more! Definitely worth the wait in line, which actually moves fairly quickly. read more

We popped in here after going to the Museum of Scotland. It was the best idea ever. I ordered a cone Rose and Lemon sorbet but they had other lovely flavours like Salted Caramel. They mentioned that they also make a homemade Rose Lemonade. Love the retro aesthetic and enjoyed the place immensely. Cash Only. read more

Oh how I loved this little ice cream shop! If first like to share that I am not a huge ice cream fan. But this shop with its daily changing menu of unique flavors peaked my interest. There were a couple flavors I tasted but one really stood out - licorice and walnut. I've never heard of much less imagined this flavor to become my new favorite combo. The ice cream was lightly sweetened and smooth with a nutty flavor and sticky licorice syrup running through it. It was so good I came back for seconds later that day. The ice cream is t as sweet as the types from home, which I really appreciated. Much more delicate in flavor and texture. I'm a big fan of this shop and would recommend trying it to anyone visiting the area. read more

Mary's Milk Bar - Walnut and licorice ice cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Yes please. As good as it gets. I will be wanting that sesame ice cream again. Get there early and you will get ice cream.

One of my favorite ice cream places in the world. Every morning shortly before 11am, a small crowd gathers outside Mary's Milk Bar anxiously awaiting a glimpse of that day's flavors. The doors open right on schedule and the morning's first customers glance at the selections with wondrous excitement. Unique flavors fill the freezer and once they're gone, they're gone. I tend to stick with her classics: milk, sea salt caramel, chocolate because I'm not quite as daring. Her freshly made concoctions are definitely pleasant sounding. No flavor is overcome with sweetness, everything is just right. read more

We stopped in when the shop didn't have a line and the cinnamon and pecan ice cream was to die for. Highly recommend!

The ice cream was some of the best I have ever eaten. The goats milk and honey is fantastic ! Go early because there will be a line but it's well worth the wait . read more

This place has the best hot chocolate I've ever tasted. It's more of a drinking chocolate. Better yet, they make it a hot chocolate float with a scoop of homemade gelato. The women who work her are super friendly as well and encouraged us to try different flavors. read more

Friendly staff and delicious ice cream defo would go back and would recommend the chocolate

Wasn't the BEST ice cream I've ever had, but certainly yummy. I enjoyed the chocolate but ended up trashing the salted caramel. My friend really enjoyed the fruity flavors. read more

One of my favorite food stops in Scotland! Such a cute little shop! We went for the hot chocolate floats and whoah, was that some crazy rich chocolate! It was actually too much for kids, so time we may try a different flavor gelato in our hot chocolate. read more

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Follow the line. There's a reason this place had a line (Q?) on an overcast (but dry!) day in October. Only six or so flavors, but well worth the wait. The line moved quickly. read more

LOVED IT!! Even though Edinburgh was cooollldd, it is never too cold for ice cream/gelato!!! The shop is small and cute, the servers are nice and friendly and the gelato is amazing! Cost was ok/reasonable. Overall, a must go!!! read more

I don't get why it's so popular. The ice cream was ok. The kids running the shop were a bit of a space cadet.

Not going to lie. I was skeptical. Scottish ice cream? Overly sweet and creamy and overly priced tiny scoop of ice cream, right? In this case, wrong. Mary's milk bar has a fantastic location in the lively Grassmarket overlooking the castle. It's a wee place, rather unassuming from the exterior, but go inside and you may find good ice cream... There weren't many flavours to choose from. Funnily enough this in itself made me hopeful. It's better to excel at a few high-quality quality products rather than excessively piling up flavours. I opted for a small tub of the spiced stewed plums sorbet and the pistachio flavour. The friendly lady working there (perhaps Mary?) was friendly and let me try a few flavours as I was having a hard time deciding. I judge good ice cream based on pistachio, a classic. The portion size was quite generous, reminiscent of the portion sizes in Italy. The spiced stewed plums was absolutely divine. The pistachio was tasty but slightly let down by the high milk content, it could have done with being a bit nuttier/richer. I will be back to sample other flavours. Overall, tasty ice cream in a convenient location, good value for good quality. read more

Another over-hyped place. If you love REAL gelato then you won't be phased by this place. All the milk based flavours taste the same... Like milk. I tried the mascarpone and fig one and the salted caramel one, which both tasted like just milk... The cone was delicious! I think maybe it might be worth trying the hot chocolate and icecream combo - this might be more interesting. But I wouldn't come here again even if they have had amazing press coverage and a buzzfeed article about them. read more

Mary is amazing! We love her and her gelatos! A.H. Dance Company has been visiting her little shop every day since we arrived a few days before the Fringe. The handmade gelatos are unique flavors (with some classic ones too!) and they taste AMAZING!!!! read more