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This cafe is just steps away from the Milkman and the royal mile. It has lots of seating options: outdoor tables perfect for people watching, and 3 floors of indoor tables. The three of us chose a table outside, since the weather was nice. Service was attentive and friendly. As we were there, another party left but forgot one of their bags. An employee ran out after them and returned it. So nice of them! We ordered 2 cappuccinos and 1 latte. I wasn't able to finish my cappuccino because it was quite large and got cold a little quickly. Nevertheless, it was good while I was drinking it. We could see plenty of pastries in the window which looked like they could be tasty, but we didn't try any of them. Finally, there were several individual bathrooms that were clean downstairs and upstairs.
Do not miss this cafe, it is so cozy and cute!! Inside it is two stories with a cute overlook for the second floor. All the freshly baked pastries in the window look so decadent! We got the yogurt and granola and a chai latte. The yogurt and granola was so good! It came topped with fresh fruit and plenty of honey. The yogurt itself was light and creamy. The chai latte was a bit light on the chai spice flavors but it was still good. A sweet milky treat with hits of chai. The service staff was friendly and the food came out quick! Loved the chill and cozy atmosphere.
The cafe is located in the heart of town close to the castle. They have a wide array of options, plus some very tempting pastries. I wound up getting the vegetarian breakfast which includes eggs, toast, baked beans, mushrooms, roasted tomato, potato scone and hash brown. Very filling to keep you going on a long day of sightseeing.
Super cute Cafe!! We went for breakfast early enough so we could start our day of walking adventures. When we arrived we were promptly greeted and asked to go upstairs for seating. Once upstairs we were seated immediately. We ordered water and cappuccino's right away. We had to flag down our waitress to put in our food order. She was definitely very busy but remained polite. We received our cappuccino's after about 10-15 minutes and our food approximately 15 minutes after that. The food was hot, but bland. We never received our waters. The seating area was tight and they seated 5 people at a 4 person table next to us which made it even tighter. The guests at the table next to us were playing music videos obnoxiously loud and the staff never asked them to turn it down. Would go back in a pinch but after being here for a week we found other lovely establishments.
This is one of my favorite cafes I stopped at during my time in Edinburgh. They have indoor and outdoor seating. I sat outside since it was a beautiful day. They have beer and wine here as well. They have a nice lunch menu. I had the haggis spring rolls and the halloumi salad. Both were excellent and reasonably priced. The server was friendly, and it was fun talking with her. This is a great location by many great shops. I ran into several people I'd met during my time in Edinburgh while I sat and had lunch. They have many different homemade baked goods. I tried the carrot cake which was great! It was not at all too sweet and paired nicely with a flat white. I highly recommend coming here if you're in Edinburgh. Next time I am in town, I will be sure to go here!
Not sure if It's due to the rain but this place was packed. I ordered the flat white and chicken quesadilla. Both were mediocre. The chicken Qes was overwhelmed with chicken and a bit bland. It barely had any cheddar cheese in it. The chicken was a bit dry too. Service and vibe were great though. I came alone and was seated at the corner which is perfect for a solo traveler. Not a lot of places are attentive enough to seat solo travelers at the "right" comfortable table.
From the street, it doesn't appear to be a very roomy place but there are two levels and loads of seating. The staff are very friendly, and make you feel welcome to stay as long as you'd like. I had the Eggs Royal (smoked Scottish salmon and poached eggs atop a split English muffin), which was fantastic. Their coffee is also incredibly good. I highly recommend this place if you're in the Royal Mile area, and I'll be back!
3 years ago
I grabbed breakfast here during my stay in Edinburgh and it's such a near little café. It's much larger inside than it looks from the outside, with three floors of seating available. Service is fast and friendly and I really liked the Eggs Benedict. Coffee is a bit weak though. read more
They've got everything I want a full coffee bar and a great Scottish Breakfast menu I've only been to Scotland once though visited this place three times while I was there, as crazy as it was at the Fringe festival they made sure we felt welcome and mad us look forward to our next visit. Ps here is a link for the owner http://www.beautiesltd.com/category/sale-neckties?utm_source=bulletin&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Necktie+Sale+August+4 read more
7 years ago
10 years ago
8 years ago
We happened across this café after we arrived at our hostel and dropped our bags off. It's a cute café, full of tables, and bakery items near the espresso machine. We sat at the window on the stools. I ordered the big belter, which was a step up in size of the Scottish breakfast and added hash browns. I liked all the food, except for black pudding. I will not eat black pudding or anything that contains blood. I guess it's my line in the sand. I didn't care for the service. It wasn't busy, but the server was a bit of a dingbat and didn't take our orders and we had to flag down another server. Also, it's not specified, but we were charged another cup of tea for more water, and another cup of coffee. No refills. Would have been nice to know, since I would have passed up and saved a couple of pounds. read more
Among the cobblestones and stonework of Old Town Edinburgh, the Southern Cross Cafe offers a more modern interior, while still serving traditional classics. Make the hike up the narrow Fleshmarket Close to Cockburn Street from Market Street below, and sit down for your morning coffee. My friend and I were in for breakfast, and they have many well priced options. I was naturally drawn to the full Scottish breakfast, but then indulged in the Double Belter, which was the same thing, just more prodigious. Two eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, mushrooms, beans, tomato - the works. And with coffee, it only ran me about £9. My companion had a more modest egg sandwich, which looked delightful. The Southern Cross is highly recommended. read more
10 years ago
We came here a few times over the course of our short trip to Edinburgh. The food was always excellent and the staff was friendly and attentive, even when it was busy. I got the blueberry stackers on one day, which were delicious though a bit too sweet. I think the outside of the pancakes were caramelized so they outside was extra sweet and crunchy and the inside was soft and chewy. Despite the fact that the sugar content was intense, I finished the whole thing because ultimately it was really tasty and filling. On another day I got the ham and cheese croissant. I wasn't expecting it to be particularly filling, but I was wrong! Not only was it delicious, I didn't feel the need to eat afterwards for quite a while. I would recommend this place to travelers and locals alike! read more
Southern Cross is situated just around the corner from the Royal Mile, nestled in between numerous cute cafes and gift shops. One quick peek of the menu from outside was all it took to lure me in. I was only after a light bite so when Chicken & Cheddar Quesadillas with Fresh Salad jumped out at me, it was a done deal. I opted for a seat in the back room, which was dimly lit, with colourful, quirky art on the walls and Vampire Weekend playing on the music system. It took a few minutes for someone to come over and ask what I wanted to order but when they did, they were smiley and polite so I forgave them instantly. The food wasn't anything amazing but then I wasn't really expecting Michelin Star cuisine from a small cafe. It could have been a little more flavoursome though. A few herbs / spices would have helped but it's not the end of the world. I washed it down with a glass of Fentiman's Ginger Beer then settled the bill - £7.90, which I suppose isn't too bad. Next time I'm in Edinburgh (there WILL be a next time), I don't think I'll go here again as there are sooooo many other cute cafes to choose from, but it certainly did its job in ensuring I had a good feed and watering ahead of my long and tedious journey back to Manc Land. read more
8 years ago
Southern Cross is a really cute breakfast place in old town. The front window is full of delicious looking cakes and desserts. There is free wifi and the atmosphere is really cool. Inside the cafe there is seating on the lower level, as well as an upper level, so a lot of people can fit into the tiny space. For the price portions were quite generous and filled us up for a day of exploring the city. Absolutely delicious! read more
12 years ago
Southern Cross is the first place I think of for a quickish lunch with a friend before they have to catch the train. Just a little less than halfway down Cockburn Street, which winds colourfully toward the Market Street entrance to the station, it's ideally located and, inside, bigger than it looks. I've been here a couple of times; on this most recent visit, I opted for the smoked salmon toast with cream cheese. It was really good, but - and I can't believe this is actually a criticism! - too much salmon. I are well over three quarters of it but by the time the toast and cheese were all gone, it began to be a little sickly just downing the salmon. They have lots of cakes and things which (amazingly) I've not tried yet, but they look good. Be aware that they also will not split a bill for you. That seems totally weird to me; I understand it during the high visitor volumes of August since it can slow proceedings but on a regular day I don't see why they'd simply refuse... Service is also variable. The first time I came, I had a delightfully charming young man who admired my brooch. This most recent time, the young lady was civil, but slightly curt. Nonetheless, the three of us got fed amply and had a drink each, and the bill came to £26, which really isn't bad in the Mile area. read more
7 years ago
Really cute "cottage" feel café. Came here for breakfast one morning and it was quiet busy but managed to get a seat. They had tasty coffee and a large menu. I decided on the "Blueberry Stackers" which was three blueberry pancakes with golden syrup and cream for £7.95 - which was a little steep for what you get but was yummy none the less. read more
The Southern Cross cafe is a contemporary eaterie where you can get everything from panini's to haggis as a main! I must say, my eyes almost popped out my head when I saw the price of said panini's - some of them were over a fiver! But they looked tasty, were well made and this seems to be the standard charge for any food business near the Royal Mile. There's quite a lot of space to stretch out inside, and I like the shape of the restaurant since it's windy, abstract and off kilter. There are some intimate tables tucked away in cosy corners and enough space for a sneaky bit of people watching towards the front door. As for the food, it ranges from Italian pasta options to Mediterranean fillings for sandwiches. As well as fulfilling your quota of carby goodness, there are also haggis options, including an appetizer pot for £3.50! This is great for the adventurous tourist or the Scottish fan of this spicy snack. So although I almost grudged paying £2.40 for a hot chocolate, I was too swayed by the quality of this lovely little den to care about the cost. read more
7 years ago
Delicious food! It was our first time trying black pudding and haggis and we were not disappointed. Everything was perfectly, exactly as it was described. We hope to visit again on our next trip read more
7 years ago
Loved this place! Very cute and well done atmosphere. Service was very nice and food was amazing! I got the big belter and was a very hearty meal with the best sausage I've ever had. My wife had blue berry pancakes and loved those as well and all the food felt very clean! Would highly recommend! read more
FOOD 2//SERVICE 4// AMBIANCE 3 I was very diappointed by the quality of coffee and scone at this location. The ambiance is nice and cozy ( but definitely a bigger cafe) and the service was super duper pleasant but the scone was tasteless and just so bland. The cappuccino I got was aesthetically pleasing but the espresso was weak and it was too milky/watered down. read more
We popped in here for a quite bite to eat, hot drink and rest whilst it was raining. It was quite busy which made for a nice atmosphere and they managed to squeeze our group of five in after a short wait. Whilst everyone else had coffees and tasty looking scones and jam (but with squirty cream rather than clotted!), I indulged in haggis bon bons! They were deep fried little balls of haggis accompanied by a mustard mayo. They were not only really yummy but also a great way to sample haggis whilst in Bonny Scotland! Ps. The signs downstairs and in the toilets are fantastic! Pop down and make your favourite your motto for the week! read more
4 years ago
11 years ago
Slightly better than average place with free wi-fi. I don't exactly love it, there's nothing unique about it and something about the atmosphere wasn't totally comfortable, but there's nothing really wrong with the place. As other reviewers have said, the service is variable, usually fine, but sometimes I don't know, stern maybe? There is lots of natural light despite being in perpetually balmy Scotland. I've been twice now and got breakfast both times (their breakfast menu ends at lunch time, but they do a full or full vegetarian till later in the day). The vegetarian haggis is not really what I imagine hangs to be. Usually with vegetarian, it is cooked like the regular but is just slightly smoother as it doesn't have those bits in (the suet I think), but the Southern Cross version seemed like basically kidney beans and barley mixed together, so texture wise it was like chunky mashed potatoes. Anyway, it was alright as it's own thing, but I wouldn't call it veg haggis. The first time I went, my friend was visiting and tried (real) haggis for the first time and said it was surprisingly good. I'm not sure if this is worth anything because he tends to only eat things that don't require utensils, and he ordered it as a challenge, expecting a monstrosity of organ parts, but still. It is an okay place to bring people if they want to try haggis cheap as there are filled rolls and what we got which were the bon bons. Not the best in the area, but not a commitment either if they don't like it. Prices are as expected, and it's a convenient location as it's by the train and just off the Royal Mile. You could do worse, but I probably won't bother going back. read more
8 years ago
We came here based on the Yelp reviews, and were very underwhelmed. The toast was store-bought, the bacon was dry, the haggis was the end of the tube, the egg was fried hard, and the hollandiase sauce had no acidity. The mushrooms and beans were good, and the inside was cool, but I wish we'd gone elsewhere. read more
9 years ago
I only had one weekend in Edinburgh, so having a really good full Scottish breakfast was important. Looking through Yelp and TripAdvisor, we found the Southern Cross Cafe that had consistently good reviews and had a full Scottish and a veggie full Scottish (!!). We arrived just before they stopped serving breakfast (11:30am) and the waitress was so lovely and told us she'd get our orders in quickly so we didn't miss out. I ordered the veggie Scottish and my boyfriend had the Belt Buster (a full Scottish plus extra eggs, hash brown, meat etc). My veggie breakfast was really good. I had two eggs, a hash brown, veggie haggis (made of lentils, oats and some other things- I asked), toast, beans, mushrooms, tomato and a potato pancake thing. It was so nice to have such a good option as a veggie and I really enjoyed trying "haggis" for the first time. My boyfriend's breakfast was massive with everything I had plus sausage and bacon and real haggis. It doesn't sound like much more food on the menu, but it was massive. Probably better to order the normal size and get something afterwards if you're still hungry. I also had a latte with my breakfast, which was good, as was my boyfriend's filter coffee. Overall, a great way to have started our weekend in Edinburgh with good food and nice service. Overall we paid around £25 or so (veggie breakfast is about £10, belt buster £12-13) read more
8 years ago
8 years ago
11 years ago
Good place to have breakfast. The price is fair. You can have breakfast here under 10 pounds. free wi-fi. The service is good. The staff are friendly. I had a hot chocolate and it was amazing. For my breakfast, I had Eggs Florentine which was also good. My friend had Blueberry Stackers which was fine. I recommend this place to have breakfast in. read more
8 years ago
A lovely cafe next to the royal mile. The chains of light, signs and extraordinary furniture create a great atmosphere. Really friendly staff, fantastic cappucchino and cafe and lovingly arranged breakfast. The pancakes and joghurt with fruits are awesome! I recommend it to everyone! read more
9 years ago
Charming breakfast place with big old stone walls, which is part of what I love about old town Edinburgh. Great young staff. Very friendly and service was excellent. Had the eggs benedict which were simply yummy. I'll definitely be back. read more
9 years ago
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15 years ago
Came here for breakfast because if you stay at Edinburgh Backpackers you get a discount and it was well worth it. Just under 4 pounds for a full breakfast with vegetarian haggis (made of lentils, I think they only call it haggis because it looks the same) that was delicious. I was told it was better than the real haggis my friend tried the night before. Really cute interior and I would definitely have come back for lunch if I was staying in Edinburgh longer, especially to try the soup special they had that day--spicy carrot! read more
Perfect for hanging out and wasting time with free wifi. Solid coffee, but only average food. I wouldn't necessarily seek this place out at lunch, but if I'm heading in or out of Edinburgh it's a great place to set up shop for a few hours. read more
More info about Southern Cross Cafe
63a Cockburn Street
Edinburgh EH1 1BS
United Kingdom
Old Town, Royal Mile
Directions
0131 622 0622
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Southern Cross Cafe - coffee - Updated July 2026
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