Our honest guide to the best matcha cafés in Edinburgh, from Old Town ceremonial bowls to Leith's coolest matcha lattes. Addresses, prices, and what to order.
Best Matcha Cafés in Edinburgh
Edinburgh takes its hot drinks seriously. Walk down any cobbled close and you'll find a queue outside a specialty coffee roaster. Matcha, though, was an afterthought on most Edinburgh menus for a long time. That's changed. A quiet wave of independent cafés, Japanese-inspired kitchens, and quality-focused baristas now offer genuinely good matcha across Old Town, New Town, and beyond.
These are the Edinburgh spots actually worth your time.
Papii
Papii is at 30 Cockburn Street, EH1 1PB. Cockburn Street is one of Edinburgh's most distinctive stretches, a curved road of colourful shopfronts dropping down from the Royal Mile toward Waverley. Papii fits right in: a small, friendly café with a Japanese-leaning drinks menu and a good eye for what works.
The matcha latte here is one of the best-balanced in the city. They use a quality Japanese matcha powder and take the time to whisk it properly before combining with steamed milk. No clumps, no bitterness. The iced version in summer is dangerously drinkable. Prices sit between £4.50 and £5.50. Open roughly 9am to 5pm most days. Find them on Instagram at @papiiedinburgh.
It's a warm, friendly spot with a neighbourhood feel despite being in the middle of the tourist trail. Good window seats, good light, and staff who actually know what they're making.
Papii on Instagram · Get directions to Papii
Cult Espresso
Cult Espresso is at 104 Buccleuch Street, EH8 9NG, in the Southside, close to Edinburgh University. It's a beloved local institution with a strong reputation for specialty coffee and a drinks menu that extends well beyond espresso.
Their matcha latte is clean, smooth, and properly prepared. The baristas treat it with the same attention they give to their coffee, which is high praise given how good the coffee is. Prices are around £4.00 to £5.00. Open from around 8am on weekdays and 9am at weekends, closing in the late afternoon. Find them on Instagram at @cultespresso.
The vibe is studenty but not chaotic. It's a neighbourhood café through and through: regulars at the corner table, good music, no pretension. If you're visiting from outside Edinburgh, the Southside walk from the Old Town takes about fifteen minutes and is worth it.
Cult Espresso website · Get directions to Cult Espresso
Brew Lab
Brew Lab is at 6-8 South College Street, EH8 9AA, in the heart of the Old Town. It's one of Edinburgh's most respected specialty coffee names and a serious contender for the best flat white in the city.
The matcha latte is prepared with the same precision as the coffee. They use a well-sourced Japanese matcha and steam oat milk to a proper texture. The result is clean, smooth, and satisfying. Prices run from around £4.00 to £5.20. Open from 8am most days, with slightly shorter weekend hours. Find them on Instagram at @brewlabcoffee.
The South College Street site is a spacious, well-lit room with communal tables and a welcoming atmosphere. Good for working or for settling in with a drink and a book. It doesn't shout about its matcha, but it's one of the better versions in the city.
Brew Lab website · Get directions to Brew Lab
Artisan Roast
Artisan Roast has several Edinburgh locations. The one to head to for matcha is 57 Broughton Street, EH1 3RJ, in the New Town. It's one of the OGs of Edinburgh's specialty coffee scene, trading here long before third-wave coffee became a standard phrase.
They serve a matcha latte that reflects their approach to sourcing: careful, considered, and without shortcuts. The drink is earthy and properly vegetal, not sweet-milky with a hint of green. If you want to taste the matcha, this is a good place to do it. Prices sit between £4.00 and £5.00. Open from around 8am daily. Find them on Instagram at @artisanroast.
The Broughton Street location has a classic specialty coffee feel: exposed brick, roasting equipment visible, the smell of freshly ground beans. It's a relaxed space that suits a slow morning. Worth pairing with a walk along the Water of Leith if you're in the area.
Artisan Roast website · Get directions to Artisan Roast
Cairngorm Coffee
Cairngorm Coffee is at 1 Melville Place, EH3 7PR, in the New Town. It's one of Edinburgh's most respected specialty coffee names, and their baristas apply the same precision to matcha that they do to their espresso.
The matcha latte with oat milk is simple, reliable, and well-made every time. The matcha is smooth and grassy rather than bitter. Ask for it with less milk if you want a stronger, more pronounced flavour. Prices run from £4.00 to £5.50. Open from around 8am on weekdays. Find them on Instagram at @cairngormcoffee.
Exposed brick, a good playlist, laptop-friendly but not lifeless. The kind of place you could spend a whole morning without noticing. Cairngorm proves that a great specialty coffee shop can make a great matcha latte when they actually try.
Cairngorm Coffee website · Get directions to Cairngorm Coffee
The verdict
Edinburgh doesn't have a dedicated matcha-only café yet, but the independent coffee scene has embraced quality matcha more than most guides give it credit for. Papii on Cockburn Street is the best all-round experience in the city centre. Brew Lab and Cult Espresso deliver the most technically careful preparations. Artisan Roast on Broughton Street is the pick if you want something with more history and character.
The standard is rising. Edinburgh's matcha scene is small but genuinely good, and considerably less crowded than its London equivalent.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get matcha in Edinburgh?
You can get matcha across Edinburgh at independent cafés including Papii on Cockburn Street in the Old Town, Cult Espresso on Buccleuch Street in the Southside, Brew Lab on South College Street, Artisan Roast on Broughton Street in the New Town, and Cairngorm Coffee on Melville Place. Most specialty coffee shops in the city now stock matcha, but quality varies. The five cafés listed above are the ones worth seeking out.
Is there a JENKI or matcha specialist in Edinburgh?
There's currently no JENKI store or dedicated matcha-only café in Edinburgh. The best matcha experiences in the city are at specialty coffee shops that take their drinks programme seriously. Papii on Cockburn Street and Brew Lab on South College Street are the closest things to a matcha-focused experience you'll find. Both use quality Japanese matcha and prepare it carefully.
What is the best matcha latte in Edinburgh?
For a straight matcha latte, Cairngorm Coffee on Melville Place and Papii on Cockburn Street are the top picks. Both use quality matcha and prepare it properly. For an iced matcha latte specifically, Papii edges ahead. If you want a more traditional, less milky matcha, Artisan Roast on Broughton Street serves one with more earthy, vegetal character.
Are there any Japanese cafés in Edinburgh that serve matcha?
Papii on Cockburn Street draws heavily on Japanese café culture and takes a genuinely considered approach to their matcha. Brew Lab and Cairngorm Coffee are specialty coffee shops rather than Japanese cafés, but both treat matcha with the same rigour they apply to their coffee. For a full Japanese food experience alongside matcha, Harajuku Kitchen on Gillespie Place serves traditional hot matcha alongside ramen and katsu.
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