Coffee culture

The ‘coffee cave’ phenomenon – why Books n’ Cups works

Charlie Ellis

Books n’ Cups, on Raeburn Place in Stockbridge, is consistently busy. This success puzzles even some regular customers. 

Lacking the elegant Scandi minimalism of Edinburgh’s coffee elite, the space, with its exposed brickwork, leather seating and general ‘homely’ feel, is reminiscent of a pre-Third Wave ‘coffee cave’ circa 2005. 

Kul Coffee and the shifting demographics of Edinburgh’s caffeine scene. 

Charlie Ellis reports on the arrival of Kul Coffee at 15 Elm Row, a top-class spot that starkly illuminates the evolving divides within Edinburgh’s cafe culture.

Spending significant time in cafés means constantly stepping into parallel worlds, where the ‘clientele’ shifts dramatically from one location to the next.

There is undoubtedly a cultish aspect to specialty, third wave or ‘artisan’ coffee, writes Charlie Ellis. 

Certain cafes are revered; the best baristas venerated; the leading roasters worshipped. Cult Espresso (104 Buccleuch Street) is a playful nod to this. Spurtleshire has been deeply infiltrated by the specialty sect. 

Charlie Ellis sips and considers …

Artisan Roast were one of the pioneers of specialty coffee in Edinburgh. 

Having started in 2007, they now have four shops across the city and a well-respected roastery in Peffermill. 

Their first shop, on Broughton Street, remains popular to this day. It’s somewhat unique among ‘serious’ Edinburgh coffee spots, with an unusual vibe. 

Edinburgh’s New Town is widely seen as an architectural achievement of the highest order. It’s also seen as a manifestation of the way social divisions have been embedded into Edinburgh’s DNA.