Scotland's Best Coffee Stops

Black Medicine Coffee Shops in Edinburgh
Now, strictly speaking, we never drive past these shops on our way anywhere for work.  But they are so good that I would happily fabricate a reason to drive past, park and go inside.  There are three shops: Nicolson Street, Marchmont Road and a new one in Barclay Terrace, Bruntsfield.  They all have a very distinct style, with North American style wooden seats and tables, a really friendly atmosphere, great food, particularly fab coffee (well, it IS a coffee shop!) and FREE WIFI (always worth a mention - look out for a rant on this coming your way soon...).

My children particularly enjoy the smoothies and milk shakes.  There is a ridiculously evil Oreo Milk Shake, which pretty much serves as a full meal.  They serve great cakes - things like Rocky Roads, Tunnocks Teacakes and Brownies.  And, like many of the coffee shops I enjoyed when I lived in Belgium, they put a little biscuit on the side of your coffee saucer - a very nice touch.

They have a funny website at www.blackmed.co.uk and sometimes the webcam in the Nicolson Street branch is working and you can see what's going on inside.  There is an alleged link to JK Rowling, but you don't need that as an excuse to visit.

Here is a pic.  Highly recommended - make up a meeting so that you can go!

 

Scotland's Best Coffee Stops

I spend a reasonable amount of time in my job, driving around Scotland to meetings.  I go to Aberdeen quite a lot, but also Inverness, Glasgow and the west coast.  As a result, I and my colleagues have a list of the best coffee stop-off points on some of the more frequented routes.  Top of the list is Peggy Scott's!  Half way to Aberdeen at Finavon on the A90, Peggy's (as we call it) might look like a trucker's cafe, but is actually a really nice tearoom that does homebaking and huge fry-ups (not that I have tried those).  Top of our list is their custard cream.  Also worth trying is the carrot cake and the paradise slice.  And our top tip is make sure you ask for a type of coffee (eg Americano) rather than just coffee - or they give you the filter stuff.  The black Americano + a custard cream is the perfect early morning pick-me-up.  I took a group of girl cricketers there in June and they devoured the lot and gave the place a massive thumbs up, particularly because of the sofas in the corner - very popular early on a Sunday morning!  Here is a picture, which does not do it justice. One day I shall post a picture of an actual custard cream.  And keep an eye out - I shall post on other top coffee stop-offs.