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    The Blue Bear

    4.6 (115 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 3:30 pm

    The Blue Bear Photos

    THE BLUE BEAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Casual
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - The Blue Bear

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    Very affordable
    Scott D.

    Came in on a Monday morning and were able to be seated right away. However, it was quite a wait for the first cup of coffee and opportunity to order. Parking is metered out front in 30 min increments, so...be prepared to wait and have coins at the ready for multiple trips to the parking meter. We are on vacation, so it wasn't an issue. If you have a schedule to maintain, plan accordingly. Today is on the back end of the Fringe Festival and it's a "Bank" holiday. In speaking with the kind lady at the cash register, weekends tend to be busy like today and the other issues previously mentioned added to today's wait. Now, on to the important stuff! The food was absolutely awesome and well worth the wait!! I had the build a bear: two fried eggs, mushrooms, hash browns, bacon and coffee- perfect.

    The big bear.
    Al P.

    The first thing you get when you walk through the door is a smile. The staff are super friendly and no matter how busy it is, they seem to manage a quick chat to welcome you into their fantastic cafe. I went in on the second day they opened - and returned two more times before the weekend! It's comfortable, brightly decorated, art on the walls that you can buy if you so desire, and you don't feel under pressure to gobble your food and leave. After just 4 or so months of being open, their breakfast menu is legendary. I'd recommend the Big Bear breakfast (veggie and non veggie) - it's huge, delicious and an ideal way to start your day. Today in fact, I had the lunch time special - which was a steak burger. Simple and seriously good. Hands down the best breakfast place I've been to yet.

    French toast
    Jody B.

    I can't believe it's been over a year since I fell in love with Rebecca... So how has The Blue Bear held up in the 13 months since this first review? Well that heart that I gushed so much about? It wasn't a one off story. I have a lot of favourites in Edinburgh, but The Blue Bear remains high on the list. The interesting thing is, the food isn't life changing. Now now, don't get me wrong - it's good, it's REALLY good - but in a year that involved Michelin starred dinners and crazy culinary innovation, how has this humble little brunch spot stayed at the top? Because alongside their solid brunch mix, their encouragement for day drinking (yay brunch cocktails!) and their ever present cute as heck pooch manning the front door - this place remains the definition of Service Ninja. I honestly don't think you can find two nicer, funny folks than Ben & Jemma. Their love for the place and their wickedly great sense of humour is apparent in everything they do and there's something so lovely about walking through the door of a place and being met with an ALWAYS enthusiastic welcome. Just over a year ago, The Blue Bear was one of the first brunch places I tried in the city and 13 months later, it still strongly holds my top spot.

    Baked eggs with chorizo.
    Nicola C.

    The Blue Bear has all the makings of a five star brunch spot, believe me. And I'm literally pushing for that fifth star. I've absolutely no doubt that after a visit or two more, I'll be throwing that fifth star at you, Blue Bear. I had the baked eggs with spicy chorizo, tomato and spinach. It was a bowl full of the stuff; warming and comforting and flavourful; just what you need on a cold winter's morning. And with bread for dipping, this was my kind of brunch. I do wish the egg yolk was the glorious, oozing kind. I think that would make this awesome eggs dish completely out of this world. I was excited to dip my bread into a runny, warm yolk but, alas: there was no yolk for dipping. - The eggs were a little too far into their oven journey for that. Still, a solid brunch, no doubt about it. I've never seen baked eggs on a menu before so I commend The Blue Bear for keeping things interesting. I really loved the energy of Blue Bear this Saturday morning, and the fact that staff were still so warm and attentive despite being packed out. The variety on the menu was great, with waffles, french toast and the classics: porridge, granola and toast. Blue Bear know how to do brunch, for sure. - That's why I recommend you book a table. I'm looking forward to visiting again and (fingers crossed) living out my yolk-bursting dreams.

    Joann H.

    Food was phenomenal...we had the best french toast ever with bacon on top. Our server was awesome and oh so helpful. Thank you Scotland... everyone was so nice and friendly. My friends and I definitely want to have a longer visit next time. #goodtimes #goodfood #vacation2019

    Scrambled eggs with salmon on granary toast
    John R.

    The Blue Bear is obviously a bit of an Edinburgh legend. We'd heard of it LONG before moving to the city and had stopped in a few times. Our most recent visits were for brunch. After having tried multiple brunches around the city, Blue Bear is easily still one of my favs. My go-to for breakfast and brunch is the scrambled eggs with salmon on toast. Every bit of it is good. They use Scottish smoked salmon that brings just the right amount of saltiness to the eggs. The bread is freshly baked and thick cut, with real butter; perfect to be topped with salmon and eggs. I do wish, however, that they had better tea... this is a personal preference, I know, but a lot of cafes around town are using Eteaket, Suki or even Pekoe. I would love to have a pot of one of these to go along with their incredible brunch. They have a decent choice of cakes. But if you simply want a change of scenery afterwards, then you're a short walk to Cuckoo or Earthy.

    Scrambled eggs on buttery white with salmon. Mmm....!
    Joey A.

    Following on from my Elite Event review (http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/elite-event-yelps-brunner-the-blue-bear-edinburgh#hrid:zBpBuSai0klhs1pqXH2OzA), this place deserves it's own plaudits. Exactly what I would look for in somewhere for lunch, brunch or any other derivative of such a meal. They have board games and art for sale on the walls. Quality art at that. They have alcoholic options and a menu that is simple but holds pretty much all you could want from brunch. They have french toast and pancakes and waffles and eggs done a variety of ways. Bacon and berries and black pudding and sausage. Ooft! To top it off they have two of the friendliest founders the city could ask for. Hats off to Ben and Jemma for making the place as much about enjoying the experience and your time here, but also about quality grub. You'll see me again. Can't wait to try the Eggs Benny!

    Mason R.

    Best brunch in Edina! A supporter of the Arts... Don't miss the 'Big Bear'!

    Spinach, Onion, and Pepper Omelette. Salmon Bagel with Cream Cheese, Salad and Chips.
    Scott P.

    As said in the check-in, if feeling 'blue' was a good feeling then i'm feeling VERY blue right now!" // L O C A T I O N // Being a 10 minute stroll from the Leith side of Queen Street, there isn't really an excuse to not visit this place. // B L U E B E A R // Less than a year old it is one cafe that is bursting with potential. From their very thoughtful framed sign in the bathroom saying that they know the toilets don't look that great, but they are planning on giving them a revamp in the near future, quoting the 'ugly duckling' phrase, they show that they are dedicated to having a great looking place. And to be honest, I've seen worse gents toilets. \\ M E N U \\ Having the blinkers on again and not noticing the clearly labelled "Available Mon - Fri" on the top of the first section of the menu we starting looking at the very pleasing "1/2 sandwich 1/2 soup options" which would of went down nicely. But after discovering that this was midweek only we verged over the page to another world of options that had to get the approval of our disappointed soup and sandwich taste buds! Having heard great things and reading great reviews from Jenny L, Kirsten B, and Elizabeth G to name a few I knew we were in for great things to come whatever we ordered! So...yeah. We got a Spinach, Pepper, Onion omelette, and a Salmon Bagel with cream cheese, salad and potato chips. Glass of Apple Juice & Cranberry Juice to sweeten the deal. The food was tres YUM and very filling. On their website they even had the websites of where they source their food from, listing their suppliers http://www.cafebluebear.co.uk/#/our-food/4572958614 \\ G E N E R A L O P I N I O N \\ The whole place very bright, allowing a lot of natural light to shine through which really compliment the decor. The cakes and pastries at the counter look indulgent also and can be taken away in a bag for postponed munchin' \\ C L I E N T E L L E \\ A lot of different folks here, young pros, laptop Larry & Lucy, middle aged peeps, and even some chilled out soon-to-be OAPs - which is an awsome mix. And their isn't any sense of this mixture affecting your cafe routines, for example, chats, working on a laptop, having children around - it's not a LIBRARY! it all goes :D Definitely be a regular spot for me!

    French toast! Yuuuuum!
    Cressida F.

    Blue Bear, marry me and I shall bring forth all of your little blue cubs. The Blue Bear's my kind of place - board games stacked high, newspapers to read while you wait, and the chirpiest, chattiest service imaginable. I could easily begin to nest at The Blue Bear if it were nearer to my house. I need to talk about the tea. I ordered a breakfast tea, and couldn't believe the size of the pot that arrived! It came with a super-adorable Noah's Ark design on it and was, by my estimate, 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits tall. It was an OCEAN of tea. All for me me me me me! I also had my first-ever French toast, and discovered that this thing people talk about is what we straight-talking folk of Yorkshire provenance call "eggy bread", which sounds far less sophisticated. Nevertheless, it was stunning; the maple syrup was spot on and the bacon just how I like it (i.e. not overly crispy). It's a pretty good portion for the price (£6.45) too! Finally - if you're coming for brunch, book a table! The Blue Bear's reputation as a super-hot spot for brunch precedes it and you don't want to be left out when there's so much fun and goodness to be had inside.

    Eggs Royale
    Brittany B.

    Absolutely fantastic! Food was perfect and the service was amazing! A bit of a wait for Sunday brunch but definitely well worth the wait! Next time we will call ahead. Love it!

    David D.

    I loved Moo Cafeteria and was sad to see it go. I was curious to see if The Blue Bear could fill the void and they have managed that difficult task. There are a lot of cafes in this area and you might wonder what set this place apart. Waffles and pancakes and all day brunch. Amazing. I love what they have done with the interior, nice and cosy with a lot of photos/art on the walls themed around Edinburgh and its surrounding areas. It is run by a very friendly and always smiling young couple. It was my second visit this morning to check out their takeaway breakfast roll for our Friday office roll (Well, that's my excuse). We have a winner. Very good Lincoln sausages in a possibly the best rolls in the area. Their coffee is from Illy and cakes from Lovecrumbs.

    Delicious Scottish Breakfast. Seriously good food.
    Jessica C.

    This adorable spot, central to nearly everything in Edinburgh, is a gem. Tasteful decor. Good ambiance, plenty of energy, but not obnoxious. Friendly waitstaff. Good music. The owner (we think) is an Aussie dude. He made sure I didn't get glutened (I'm a celiac, so that would have ruined my trip). The coffee is top notch. The food is completely delicious. Perfectly salted.

    Banana, honey, and creme fraiche french toast, Camembert sharing patter lurking behind the giant bread, and a croque monsier!

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Nice small spot for breakfast and lunch. The breakfast has a bit more American feel. Unique, but very good omelet. Nice coffees.

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    8 years ago

    Such an adorable place. Lovely staff and quick service! Breakfast was yummy and very filling.

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    The Blue Bear Reviews in Other Languages

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    The Outsider

    The Outsider

    4.1(278 reviews)
    1.0 miGrassmarket, Old Town
    ££

    Such a cute place. And the view of the castle from here was amazing…read more Super helpful staff! I am a member of a flight crew and as I was eating dinner I was asked to get catering for a flight literally the next morning. I asked the manager if he could make me some take away (to-go) steaks cooked rare to be cooked further on the plane. (I'm a private flight attendant and we cook and plate everything onboard). He went out of his way to make sure I recieved all the items cooked perfectly. Passengers left raving about the food!!! And these are passengers that definitely eat the best steaks. The manager even talked me through a playing game plan and I ran my thoughts of the dishes with him and wow, perfect outcome. I personally got the coley fish dish and started with some cheese. I am a big bleu cheese/stilton girl and it was all amazing. Everything was so good I used the bread from my cheese to mop up every ounce of juice left from coley plate. Great service, great views, and incredible food. All local and ever changing menu to fit what's in market. You'll see handwritten additions to each menu like the cheese and fish. The steaks were the 35 day dry hung flat iron steaks.

    Three of us stumbled upon The Outsider while out looking for a place for dinner. It was so good we…read morewent back with 2 more friends a few nights later. Nice pleasant room with good size tables and very helpful, friendly courteous wait persons. Very good steaks, and fish, and affogato for dessert. Go to read the creative food descriptions on the menu!

    Photos
    The Outsider
    The Outsider - Flat iron steak

    Flat iron steak

    The Outsider

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    The Ivy On The Square Edinburgh - Toast

    The Ivy On The Square Edinburgh

    4.3(71 reviews)
    0.7 miNew Town

    Was looking for high tea while in Edinburgh and was very glad I picked The Ivy on the Square. It's…read morea bit past the National Gallery and in New Town (as opposed to Old Town). Ambiance was super cute and upstairs even cuter I think (we were seated downstairs) and service was excellent. - Afternoon tea - 5/5 and I've been to had 50 or more high teas in my life in places such as London, Hong Kong, NYC, San Francisco, Honolulu... What was great about this high teas was the unlimited tea and coffee and they had many dairy milk alternatives: soy, oat, almond which is very unusual and appreciated! I had: - iced vanilla turmeric lychee matcha - 5/5 so delicious! And so unusual! - The Ivy English breakfast tea - 4/5 solid tea offering - truffle chicken salad sandwich on small roll - 5/5 - egg salad on wheat bread - 5/5 - smoked salmon on cream cheese on top of pastry puff pastry - gave this to my husband who downed it in a second so must have been good! - two raisin scones - 5/5 delicious! With clotted cream and strawberry jam - lemon poppyseed muffin - 4/5, husband ate it, was a little too sweet for me but super cute with bee on top - raspberry crème brulee - 4/5, solid offering - chocolate mousse in a pot - 5/5 super adorable presentation of the dessert in a little flower pot with chocolate cookie crumble "dirt" and mint leaves as the "plant" I almost didn't want to eat it! For all of this the price was very reasonable and my husband who does not appreciate high teas could order his beer and some smoked salmon off the à la carte menu. I highly recommend The Ivy on The Square for high teas!

    A couple of our traveling companions tried the Ivy in Dublin. The Edinburgh location was close to…read moreour hotel. Service from hostess to chef was excellent. I have to say that at least every restaurant we ate in the first question from servers are there any allergies? Every restaurant was super accommodating with an unusual allergy. Food was excellent and the drinks were on point. Great experience and highly recommend The Ivy.

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    The Ivy On The Square Edinburgh
    The Ivy On The Square Edinburgh - The Ivy Full Scottish Breakfast

    The Ivy Full Scottish Breakfast

    The Ivy On The Square Edinburgh - Storefront

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    Storefront

    The Cellar Door

    The Cellar Door

    3.9(28 reviews)
    1.0 miOld Town
    £££

    Had 7 pm reservation. Showed up on time. Plenty of seats. They put us at the table by the door…read morewhere everyone would bump into us passing by us getting to their table. I said for the size of our group can we get the other tables towards the back. There were other tables available and all right behind us. The hostess said no absolutely not guests were to be assigned to their tables. There were people behind us but they were after us; plus they were of smaller size than ours, clearly our skin color is the main issue. They sat us down, and quite a few minutes pass, others trickle in and promptly everyone bumps into me. At which point I told the hostess this is not acceptable. They sat 2 people at a table for 4, in the back while this table of 4 is really too small for 4 people. One thing stood out to me, we were the only non whites. When the last group again bumped into me, I asked to be moved; she then said due to short of staff they cannot change the seating but seeing seriously everyone is bumping into me, she begrudgingly moved us to a corner table with no lights - and not surprisingly no service. I understand the importance of trying to make the white people feel comfortable about not being seen with non whites - the best way is tuck the non whites away - but this is 2022. I am from California and no, this is absolutely unacceptable. Like MLK junior or Rosa Parks, we protected, first by requesting to be moved away from the hallway, then by my two teens and I walking out of the restaurant and finding more tolerant non racist restaurant to eat, and we spent a lot of money on the other restaurant. You too can make a decision to either eat or not eat at this place. The choice is entirely up to you. And this will define who you are.

    Made a reservation via Fork. Evening started well drinks…read morewere excellent Order sparkling water never came to the table neither did a pitcher of tap water. We stared at empty water glasses all night. I order the carrot risotto d arrived so under cooked it had to be sent back It took more than 20 minutes to clear our table ams another 15 minutes to produces dessert menus All in all a very disappointing evening The bottom line-go somewhere else!

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    The Cellar Door
    The Cellar Door - Great restaurant

    Great restaurant

    The Cellar Door - Very nice and open

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    Very nice and open

    The Blue Bear - cafes - Updated August 2026

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