On the Royal Mile, It’s Always Sunday…

There’s one place on the Royal Mile where it’s always a Sunday, with steaming mugs of coffee and good ol’ comfort food served up daily.  It’s quite central so a hopping and bustling place, but well worth the attempt to try and grab a table.  What’s it called?  Well, It’s Always Sunday actually!

Atmosphere

This small cafe is a place you probably will either love or hate.  It’s tiny, for one, so the tables are fairly crowded in what I call “Manhattan style” – e.g. you’re sharing the place with everyone else.   But it’s very light and airy in the single room shop, with the sounds of the barista hard at work giving the place a nice coffeehouse feel.

The cafe is on the Royal Mile, just west of Hunter Square, so it’s smack in the middle of the action (so probably not a place to attempt to visit during the Edinburgh Festival).  The street facing wall is all glass so you have an uninterrupted view of the pedestrian traffic, great for people watching and the like.

The Food and Drink

I think people come for the inviting ambience, and stay for the killer food.  I’ve  never had anything bad here and it’s always at the top of my list for guests, whom I always try to join when I can for a meal  They do a couple of different menus so it’s worth clarifying so you know what will be on offer when you go.

Breakfast

8-11:30 weekdays, 9-11:30 weekends

This is exactly what it sounds like.  You can choose from a standard a la carte array of breakfast options, but Always Sunday does some fantastic set breakfast dishes.  For just under £8, you can get their signature ‘Always Sunday full breakfast’ which includes (drumroll please): 2 rashers bacon, sausage, haggis or black pudding, free range scrambled eggs, speciality bread or toast, butter, tomato, mushroom & potato scone.  This thing is heaven and is the perfect start to a day of touring or sightseeing – you’ll never run out of steam.  You can get the vegetarian portion of the same, or scale back with the ‘small’ version of the above.

There’s also a salmon breakfast (salmon and eggs), a continental breakfast  (yoghurt and pastry), and of course you can just mix and match a la carte with any of these options if you want.  Don’t forget tea or coffee!

Lunch

Noon-4:30 (soups/sandwiches until 5:30)

Oh man, the lunch (or in many cases, brunch) at Always Sunday is a gust-busting and smile inducing feast.  There is no set menu, so you just sort of show up and see what they’ve got.  There’s always sort of a roast or other similar hearty option, some soups and sandwiches, with several sides.  It’s all sitting out so you just have to point.  Their pot roast is a world wonder, but other winning tastes include their risottos and if you see a pie (steak or chicken), grab it.  Prices depend on what you choose, but an entree with a side dish will run you anywhere from £5-8, very good value for portion sizes here.

Cakes and Scones

All Day

You can just come in for tea and scones – and trust me, you won’t be disappointed.  I love their scones, really nice and buttery (and only £3 with all the trimmings), though a friend of mine swears by carrot cake.  Sometimes they have speciality scones, such as a cranberry and brie scone!  Don’t be afraid to be adventurous.  This is another item where you just need to see what’s available in the cake, drool, and point.  Really, you can’t go wrong.

Drinks

Yes, there is tea and coffee as well as juices and soft drinks.  But why not splash out for something like a Bailey’s latte or a rum hot chocolate?  Both are a touch too sweet for me – I’ll stick with a glass of Peroni; after 11AM both beer and wine are available.

Downsides

If you’re wondering if it sounds too good to be true – well, I’m not embellishing.  Though I would say that it does get very crowded so don’t count on a seat and this is not the place to bring any more than 4 people – ideally suited for a couple.  And if you come towards the end of one of their menu periods, you might find  your preferred option is out.  Just something to keep in mind.

The Essentials

Want to know more?  Here’s the essentials:

• Website: www.alwayssunday.co.uk
• Address:  170 High Street (just west of Hunter Square)
• Hours: Mon to Fri 8-6, Sat & Sun 9-6.

There are no reservations taken.

All images courtesy of the venue.