Caffe Nero

I love this Caffe Nero tucked away at the back of Blackwell’s bookshop. It’s the perfect place to duck into after some book shopping to browse through your purchases and relax with a decent coffee.
You can access it either from the street or directly from the bookshop, so it’s perfectly situated if it’s raining outside.
Because it’s not positioned right on the main street, it perhaps misses some of the passing traffic, but that’s no bad thing as it means that it’s usually quieter than the trendier Black Medicine coffee house the next block up. Not that I don’t like Black Medicine — far from it — but I find Caffe Nero has a more relaxing atmosphere, maybe because of the proximity of all those books?
Free Wi-​Fi too!

I didn’t realize this was a chain; I thought it might be an independent coffee shop that was attached to a book shop. This place doesn’t really FEEL like a huge chain or anything… every time I’ve been in there aside from the Fringe festival, it has had an intimate atmosphere and it’s a really nice place to check emails on a laptop or iPad and enjoy an espresso beverage.
I really like stopping in there and I enjoy the Nero Café card you get, if you buy 9 drinks then you get the 10^th one free. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a card like that ever since Subway discontinued theirs a few years ago.
You want to look at books while drinking coffee? Check. Want to drink coffee while reading books? Check. Wi-​fi. Triple check.

Usually I really don’t like chain stores, chain cafes, well anything too branded really.
However … this place is not half bad. The fact that it’s right outside my apartment helps of course. Because it is situated inside Blackwell’s it’s really rather nice to just spend a little bit of time reading and studying in here. It’s difficult to put my finger on the sore spot with this one. The drinks are surprisingly good, the staff is friendly yet… something’s a little off.
I came here a lot especially when I first moved here, been away for a while but am slowly coming back to it. The coffee is sometimes burned but mostly surprisingly good, and the staff is friendly and has good banter.
If you sit here for long enough though, it does get clear that this place exists to make money. It’s the difference in feel that you have between a chain store and an individually owned café. It’s not bad, it just hasn’t got much heart. Sometimes you can tell that the staff really doesn’t want to be there. Well, not much heart, but good coffee. I guess that just about sums it up!

Okay so I know this place is a chain store. And I agree with some of the reviews for Blackwells (the bookshop to which this coffee shop is attached) that an independent coffee shop would be far better. But this Café (sorry CaFFe) Nero really is not bad as chain coffee stores go. Normally I would rate somewhere like this 2 stars at best.
The reason for its elevates status seems to be its great location. Attached to Blackwells is the best thing it could have done. Reading a book while sitting down and browsing a book you just picked off the shelf and don’t even have to buy (at least in practice if not in theory), makes for a great time. There isn’t even the pressure here to buy like you would find in every other Caffe Nero. I’ve asked the staff before if they mind me just sitting and having some water and they were quite happy.
Like every Caffe Nero, the food is way overpriced and the coffee is average. I usually just get a de-​caf (what have I become?) cappucino and sit for way to long whilst I read. What makes a nice change too is the friendly staff.
An otherwise bog standard chain coffee shop that elevates itself with its placement within the great bookstore Blackwells, making it a an ideal spot for a quick coffee or a long read.

This branch of the popular coffee chain is made doubly special by the fact that it’s adjoined to Blackwells, the large bookshop on South Bridge. I’ve been in Edinburgh for a whole year and only realized last week that I could grab a book and read in comfort in Café Nero! It’s a partnership Starbucks has had with many a bookshop, and I’m glad to have found something like that here in Edinburgh.
Apart from the slightly more laid back atmosphere (for some reason books have the power to make people talk in more hushed tones), the branch is the same as any other, serving a range of coffee, tea, sandwiches, panini’s and desserts! I’m especially a fan of the book sections right next to Nero, which include travel guides and cookbooks, so I really could be stuck there all day.