Clarinda’s Tea Room

I went twice!!!
The place is amazing!
First time I just took tea and scone! The scone was the best one I had ever ate!
Today I went for complete breakfast, it was perfect!
The ladies are really nice and the food is perfect!!!

Clarindas is a charming wee café, named after Agnes Craig M’Lehose, known as Nancy, who formed a mutual love interest with the Scottish poet Robert Burns, mainly through letter writing. Lace tablecloths, a painted screen and framed photos of Clarinda make for an old-​fashioned setting. Food is simple but freshly made and satisfying. The range of home-​baked cakes is good, to sit in or take away.

The perfect spot to stop for an inexpensive snack or small meal near Holyrood Palace. I stopped here with my two children after several hours of sightseeing and found it was ideal for our needs. We had soup, hot tea, and scones. Everything was served promptly and cheerfully. The food was very good, not excellent, but very good. We would certainly return and we definitely recommend Clarinda’s to others. Overall, it’s a relaxing place for good food, friendly service, and an excellent value.

I’m glad for the visit. I enjoyed the main course: butternut squash and carrot soup with a salmon/​cucumber sandwich. I also ordered Scottish breakfast tea, which they forgot but brought out very quickly. For dessert they have some appeasing varieties; I had a peppermint chocolate bar. I was not a fan, though, because the peppermint dominated the other flavors and ended up tasting like toothpaste.
Good place to some as a tourist and get some affordable lunch and high tea.

If you’re looking for a cute and wholesome tea experience, I reckon Clarinda’s is the place for you.
I’d noticed Clarinda’s before and thought at a quick glance that it was my name, Clarissa, on the sign. Wishful thinking perhaps, but it did piqué my interest. That said, when my American-​as-​apple-​pie parents came into town, I began exploring my options for an afternoon tea for all of us (it seems the thing to do!). Because of the timing, and my inability to muster up the gumption to put on some proper «nice-​ish» clothes and venture into a place like the Waldorf Astoria, I decided to take a chance and drag my folks to Clarinda’s.
I’m quite happy with that decision all around. While Clarinda’s doesn’t offer the whole afternoon tea per se, they do offer a cream tea, which is tea accompanied by a scone with jam and cream, which works just as well, so you’re not stuffed to the rafters full of sweets by the end. The place itself is full of kitschy glory – china plates hung all around the wall, a portrait of Rabbie Burns (naturally), info on Clarinda, supposedly a lady love of his at one point, and all of the floral wallpapering you could ever hope to see in a lifetime. It’s charmingly cozy inside and all the flowers on the tables are fresh and pretty, and we were able to be sat as soon as we arrived. Our service was almost a little too prompt – our server kept returning several times while we struggled to peruse one menu between all three of us, until I requested a second menu, and we finally managed to place our order accordingly.
We all ended up ordering lunch along with cream tea for my parents, and a huge, gooey chocolate cake slice for me. I was impressed by the presentation of my parents simple sandwiches – it seriously kicks it up a notch when they look better than you’ve seen at some proper eatin’ establishments. I’d give it a solid Clarissa seal of approval: the food and tea were nice; the service was good; the décor was lovely; the sweet treats were yum.
All in all, Clarinda’s is a lovely and laid-​back tea experience. I could see myself returning as a treat to myself in the future for sure, but even if I don’t, I know my parents definitely enjoyed the experience!

A warm and quite spot on the middle of the Royal Mile’s buzz.
Friendly, warm and with the best of quality and variation both in food and drinks.
I recommend it… For its environment and quality!
But for us… the «clean freaks». I’m very disappointed with the milk and sugar that lie on the tables all day long, no matter how many customers use them… The milk needs to be refrigerated and the sugar to be closed… not exposed to anyone’s sneazing or talking over the cup.
Also the cakes are beautifully exhibited. But everyone is going to take a look over them. and the waitresses pass next to them.
I love Clarinda’s. But anyway I drink my coffee black.

After a hike up St. Arthur’s Seat, my wife and I stopped here for tea and lunch in May 2015. We were seated immediately and the café was buzzing, but the service didn’t suffer. The tea was delicious and strong. The scones and cream were some of the best we had in Scotland. I ordered a ploughman’s lunch and was not disappointed.

I was just walking along the Royal Mile when their sign caught my eye, and it occurred to me that I hadn’t had tea anywhere since I landed in the UK. I went inside, picked a cute little table in the corner and ordered the Cream Tea (house tea, a fruit scone with jam & fresh cream). The ladies were friendly, the tea was very nice, and the scone was absolutely delicious!
From my table, I could see into the kitchen where the ladies were busy baking, kneading bread, and plating up the gorgeous scones for the table full of sweets along one wall. My highest recommendation, I would certainly stop in again.

Im Canongate, kurz vor Holyroodhouse, liegt Clarinda’s.
Es war ein Fehler, gleich am ersten Tag meines Edinburgh-​Aufenthaltes hier reinzukommen, aber die Atmosphäre dieses kleines Teeraumes hat mich angelacht.
Am Eingang empfängt einen ein Schild: nicht «Wait to be seated», sondern «Seat yourself» steht darauf. Manchmal hat man aber Schwierigkeiten, einen Platz zu finden — so voll ist es hier, dass man sich an einen Tisch dazusetzen mus. Stört mich persönlich aber nicht.
Zur Einrichtung kann man eigentlich nur sagen: Kitsch as Kitsch can. Eine Fülle an nicht wirklich zueinanderpassenden victorianischem und Art deco Krimskrams.
Beim Reinkommen fällt der Blick sofort auf die Kuchentheke: Darauf lachen einem eine riesige Auswahl selbstgebackenen Kuchen, Pies und Scones an. Da fällt die Auswahl schwer, welches Gebäckstück man zu seinem wirklich guten Tee heute möchte (mein Favorit: heißer Applepie mit Eiscreme!)
Natürlich kann man hier auch gepflegt schottisch frühstücken mit z. B. Haggis and Baked beans.
Zum Lunch gibt es auch Kleinigkeiten wie hausgemachte Suppen, Lasagne, Sandwiches etc.
Der Service ist sehr freundlich und bemüht, die Damen umschwirren die Gäste wie Motten das Licht. Aber leider wirken sie manchmal etwas unorganisiert, besonders wenn es voll ist.
Denn leider steht Clarindas Tea Room anscheinend in vielen internationalen Reiseführern. Der Hauptanteil der Kunden besteht nämlich aus deutschen, japanischen, amerikanischen und anderen Touristen aus aller Herren Länder.
Aber mir hats so gut gefallen, dass ich an 3 von 4 Tagen hier war. Und das sagt ja wohl alles, oder?

Dreadful service and mediocre cream teas. The sign says to seat yourself, so we did. 10 minutes later, a woman popped her head out and saw us. She (the older woman) took our order without saying a single word. I said, «Two cream teas, please,» and she just scooted off without any smile, greeting or acknowledgement of the order at all. Later I asked for some more clotted cream because the jars they give you are quite small in contrast to most other tea rooms. She did not inform me that there was extra charge for that. I wouldn’t have minded paying for it, but certainly you should at least tell the customer that you charge extra. The scones didn’t taste freshly baked and were just so-​so. The jam was just out of a jar and so-​so. On the good side, the place is pretty cheap. £3.65 for a cream tea. I’d recommend spending a little more and going to a nicer place.
Also, this tea room does not take debit or credit cards, only cash.

What an adorable little spot! We walked over here from a good hike at Arthur’s Seat, and were looking for a casual spot to grab some coffee/​tea and little nibbles. Since it was early afternoon, there werent many people in the space, which was great for us since we were a group of five and were seated right away.
We ordered a bunch of items, including the lentil soup and minestrone soup, which tasted heavenly from the bitter cold outside. They were hot and definitely tasted home-​made, which was a welcome change from what we had been eating for so long.
We also ordered grilled cheese sandwiches, rhubarb pie, and some other sweets, which were all great and went well with our LOVELY tea ;).
The bill for five of us ladies was only £30, which is a steal and I will absolutely go again when I’m back in Edinburgh. Ah, I miss Scotland!

I’m from a small rural Yorkshire village — I basically lived in an episode of Last of the Summer Wine for twelve years — so believe me when I say I KNOW tea shops. Chintzy, lacy, doily-​laden tea shops. Shops where the clinking of translucent china cups and saucers rings like Christmas bells under the chatter of guests and the cold hiss of rain outside.
I didn’t expect to find this slap bang on one of the busiest streets in the middle of a city.
I’ll confess that I was mildly biased toward this from the off, simply because Clarinda is one of the names that people tend to come out with when they’re flailing around desperately trying to remember what I’m called. But unless there are a lot more Cressidas, Clarissas, Cassandras and Clarabels out there than I thought, and some of them are male and over 60, that same reasoning doesn’t explain the long line of people that materialised in hopeful tea-​hunting shortly after our party filled the last table. What does explain it, and the fact that the place was already almost packed when we arrived, follows:
Mighty fine quiche lorraine, warm and solid, served with crisps and a simple yet effective salad, for the un-​wince-​worthy sum of £5.50; tea for two, served in a cuddly bulbous teapot blooming with roses (I believe I have mentioned my love of roses in other reviews); dazzlingly swift service; cakes from just £1.75; cheery atmosphere.
Explanation served! Alright, so it’s a little kitschy, and the laminated menus are a little battered and budget, but if you’re down on Canongate and looking for a cosy cuppa and bite, you could do a lot worse than hop through the door and into village-​land.

Popped into Clarinda’s enroute to the Scottish Parliament. If you are down the Royal Mile/​Holyrood side of town then it is probably worth a visit — it is so cheap!
The décor you will love or hate — all plates and chintz and a bit much for me, but cute vintage tea sets being used. Being GF then options are more limited — no ckaes but ask about soups and sandwiches and they also do baked potatoes.
I only had tea but the girls all munched down on savouries and cakes which were well received. It is small so you may have to queue at the door to get a table…

A really lovely tea room with an inexpensive array of tasty sandwiches.
I had a corned beef and pickle sandwich with an iced tea, and while it’s not corned beef in the American sense it was still really good. Besides, I’m a sucker for a good chutney! The iced tea was freshly made and perfect for a sunny afternoon.
The whole affair was a painfully cheap £5.45, sans tip.

This was an amazing find on the Royal Mile. Tired and hungry, this charming place provided good food with fresh fragrant flowers on each table. The rhubarb pie was yummy!

Expectation and Experience changed…
…Maybe it is because I am not coming to Edinburgh as a tourist anymore and have experienced other places, which offer so much more.
It saddens me to cut down the stars from 5 to 3 and the reason being:
1. The place is overcrowded and feels claustrophobic. Lots of people (mainly tourists) queuing and you might need to share a table with people you have never met before. It might be cool if you are of chatty and adventurous nature, but not when you try and catch up stories with a friend you have not seen for ages!
2. The cream tea is simple and you are not getting much of it, just the spare minimum. nothing special. 1 scone, whipped cream, jam and tea. Ok the price is £3.60 for the cream tea, but if you I would have a choice, I would prefer a bit more creativity.
3. The cakes were laid out on a table for people to look at and choose from. No self service so. They looked a bit try to me. Not sure if its the fact that the items potentially might be displayed for a whole day.
4. My friend got additional goods she had not ordered, but still needed to pay for. I think they should get their orders straight!
Overall, the interior is really cute with Victorian pictures and ornaments placed all over the room (yes, only 1 room), and provides the perfect experience for tourists on the Royal Mile getting a proper touristy taste of Victorian style tea room.

This is a funny little place — old and dusty a bit. But, the tea is good and it has a lot of character (s). And the price is right.

Lovely little place, feels like having lunch at Granny’s. Del-​i-​cious rubarb pie!
Cheaper, smaller and better service than Elephant House.

Ein schnuckeliges Café, was am unteren Ende der Royal Mile liegt und sich daher gerade so aus dem Touristentrubel heraushält. Leider steht das Café offenbar in diversen Reiseführern als Geheimtip (so auch in meinem), so dass es zu Stoßzeiten, z.B. beim Fünfuhrtee, sehr voll sein kann. Es gibt nicht viele Tische, ich schätze mal so acht maximal.
Wir waren um ca. 9.00 Uhr zum Frühstücken da, und da war es noch angenehm leer. Wir hatten uns schon auf ein Full Scottish Breakfast capriziert, was eine gute Entscheidung war, denn es war sehr lecker und für 5 Pfund inklusive Tee auch nicht eben teuer. Bedauerlicherweise stand das Kuchenbuffet für den Nachmittagstee schon da, und so lächelten uns während des ganzen Frühstücks auf verführerischste Weise Scones, Apple Pies, Flapjacks, Victoria Sponge Cakes, Pound Cakes und viele andere diverse Leckereien zu. Das Kuchenbuffet war so voll, dass kaum noch Platz für die neuen Teller mit weiterem, anheimelndem Gebäck stand.
Mein Tip: Früh kommen, für den Tag eindecken und zu Hause oder in der Ferienwohnung schnabulieren.
The Critical Hamster was extremely amused.

Great place for a casual tea. The pastry cart was loaded with goodness and the salmon sandwiches are to die for!
This is a small tea house but the food is great and the staff was friendly and patient with those of us not familiar with the menu or how to order.
When on the Royal Mile, this is a great place to stop in for a snack (or full meal if needed).

When you think royal mile, you usually think «overpriced, overly-​touristy wares and food surrounded by everyone you’ve never met AND their mother». Well I suppose a tea room might still be considered «touristy» by some, but hey: there must still be a few legitimate olde tyme tea houses out there, right? (wrong)
Clarinda’s has a lot of rules, which are really not that big a deal if you manage to find a time when it’s not packed. Toilets for customers only, no serving yourself, during busy times you may have to share your table etc. However if you think you can handle these small inconveniences, you will find Clarinda’s to be a quaint little spot for tea and pastries.
The décor consists of small tables bathed in white linen and paintings of stately looking nobles. It’s exactly the idea every American (including myself) has of what «tea-​time» should be. That being said, the tea is actually quite good and not all that expensive. I shared a pot with a friend which set us back a little over £2. We also each partook of a scone, which lemme tell ya, were homemade, buttery and delicious.
I think I will be making periodic trips down to Clarinda’s, as it is a great place to grab some tea and do some light socializing over a delicious pastry.

It feels like being invited in a private home. Very tiny and tight. Friendly service and fine scottish food. Haggis of course, and a choice of cakes presented so lovely! A «must go» along the Royal Mile. Just opposite of the worth seeing scottish parliament.

Coming to Clarinda’s is a very welcoming, homely experience, and very much like sitting in the «good room» reserved for special occasions in your great-aunt’s house, or somewhere similar, with old fashioned yet comforting décor and with a nice safe familiarity about it all.
What’s nice about Clarinda’s is the non-​pretension of it all, and that reassuring, some things never change feeling you get when you come here for a nice wee cup of tea, or a home made scone, or something equally as life calming.
I do feel a bit like I should keep my elbows off the table when I’m here and mind my Ps and Qs, but then again, I should probably do that wherever I am. The food here is so reasonably priced, and you get a lot of it too, none of these measly, recession friendly, food portions. There was nothing pretentious about my tasty sandwiches, which came with crisps and salad on the side, and I also managed to wolf down what I think was, or remember as, a yummy slice of banana loaf.

Also Clarinda’s Teastube ist sehr nice eingerichtet und versprüht britishes Flair. In dieses Café kann man sowohl Oma, Mutter als auch die feste Freundin ausführen. Die Getränke sind sehr gut, den Cinnamon Kaffee kann ich nur empfehlen, aber vom Eistee sollte man die Finger lassen. Der warme Apfelkuchen mit V-​eis ist für 2,20 unschlagbar. Leider schließt der Laden schon um 5 Uhr.
Bitte unbedingt aufsuchen!