The Fruitmarket Gallery Cafe

The Fruitmarket Gallery Cafe

The Fruitmarket Gallery Cafe offers about the best coffee and cake I have had in the centre of town.  I have had the soup too and it’s great.

It is just at the back entrance of Waverley Station, so it is fairly handy.  I have been there twice in as many weeks for that very reason: - A week last Sunday when my friend and I took her little girl to see the Olympic rings and today when I met a fellow struggling freelance to compare notes.

When I was there with Mary and Janey the gallery itself was shut, as it was hanging a new exhibition for the festival.  Consequently, the cafe was quite empty and we had it to ourselves for a few minutes.  The exhibition of Dieter Roth diaries was open by today.

The cafe is quite modern in style with one glass wall and the others white.  It has lots of its old exhibition posters on one wall. (See below.)  On the other is an interesting light mural consisting of circles of florescent tubing in light and dark blue, red, orange and white.  You can see a bit of it in above photo.

It is on the ground floor of the gallery and you walk though the bookshop to get to it.  It is table service which is always nice.  One of its benefits is that you can browse in the bookshop or look upstairs if you have to wait a few minutes for a table.  The service is really good too.

On the Sunday I had delicious carrot and walnut cake.  Janey, who is 5, had a special frog cake (sponge with pink creamy topping, covered in green icing with chocolate drop eyes).  The cakes are always good here and they have a nice selection.   I had a lovely large cappuccino in a traditional cup; some places have mugs or industrial strength cups that are like drinking out of a Belfast sink, I don’t know what’s worse!  Mary had a soda water and lime as she had a headache. This came to £10.45 which is not bad value.

Today‘s scone was extremely dry and crumbly, so avoid them and stick to cake!  Joe had the soup: - cauliflower, cumin and spinach at £4.25 which he liked, but I had already eaten and didn’t try it.  They do hot food too.  Today’s delicious sounding specials cost £8.95. The choice was chunky veg. tagine served on pearl cous cous with toasted almonds and yoghurt or, shredded pork, bean and cheddar burrito served with chips and salad.  Watch out if you go at lunch time as there is a minimum spend per person.  However, it seems to be at the manager’s discretion, as Joe didn’t spend the £7.00 and he didn’t get thrown out!

The clientele is varied but tends to be touristy and it is usually busy because of its position.

The ladies loos are clean and they have the cutest rectangular sinks and streamlined fittings.  Joe checked out the men’s and his comment was: - “Clean and basic”.

You will find it at 45 Market Street, EDINBURGH, EH1 1DF.

The opening hours are Mon – Sat 11 - 5.30pm, Sun 12 - 4.30pm but longer in the festival.  Check http://fruitmarket.co.uk/cafe/ or phone 0131 226 1843 for details, menu’s etc.