Ephemeris Tea Room

I wish Unilocal would allow one to do half stars, as I’m afraid to say I would give 3.5 not 4.
Don’t get me wrong, I very much enjoyed Ephemeris, and am sad to hear that it has been sold on and may soon become a deli/​sandwich shop.
The biggest draw to me was the owner, I wish I had asked her name, who was very charming and a gracious host to me and my friends, and the atmosphere was very relaxed. Truely a place that should be open in the city centre and not shut til the late hours to allow for people to have a place to go that doesn’t involve alcohol.
I did have a slight worry in regards to two features, that left a bitter taste in my mouth (pun and reference intended). The teas are served in pots, a little on the small size in my opinion,(but the average none the less for Edinburgh), with no means to pull out the teas. The results of which all of my teas over-​brewed.
My second quam was that the teas were stored in glass and plastic containers. With a wide open window offering direct sunlight, this does damage the teas.
She had a very diverse selection of teas, most of them flavoured and a large herbal selection. I wish her all the best, and a speedy return to the tea world of Edinburgh.

An ‘ephemeris’ is a table that gives the position of astronomical objects. I discovered this after asking the owner how this delightful, homely café got its name. It turns out that the Polish owner, who’s nickname is a Polish word similar to ‘ephemeris’ wanted to call it ‘The Living Room’ at first, and then opted for her nickname instead.
And a living room is exactly how this place feels. Situated on the cross at Marchmont Road, it’s a small, cosy café that has a very hand-​made feel. A Polish tea shop, with a Scottish twist (scones and tea at the ready!) it’s a lovely place to catch a quiet hour with yourself, lunch with a friend, or take the family for Sunday tea.
Because tea is what Ephemeris specialises in. Tea as far as the eye can see. So many different types of tea. And it’s real tea. Not branded, fancy, labelled. Tea that’s been mixed and labelled by Ephemeris. Whilst I may have opted for Earl Grey and a scone to sit in, I came away with a bag of the ‘calming’ tea. A mix of melissa, orange, hibiscus and rose. Delightful. There’s a full menu of all the different types with descriptions of the ingredients. To give you a taste there’s also «autumn colours» of carrot, apple, pumpkin and saffron; and «Little Red Riding Hood», with apple, blackcurrant, strawberries, rose, and raspberry. Take that Twinings.
This is a wonderful, local, friendly establishment which I’ll be coming to time and again for my tea and cake time. I’ve also spied they do breakfast. Excellent!

I’ve been wracking my brains trying to remember the name of this cute café and tea room all week. I went through Elegant, Endearing, Elephant and Ethereal before stumbling upon Julia S’s review and remembering it’s called Ephemeris!
A lovely, old fashioned tea shop, they serve tea, coffee, sandwiches, light snacks and homemade cakes. The tea is made from leaves and the extensive list includes everything from herbal and fruit teas to builders teas. In keeping with the cute and chintzy interior, it’s served in vintage polka dot and flowery tea-​pots with china cups.
Forgive me for saying it Ephemeris, but in keeping with my addiction — the hilight of my visit was the freshly ground coffee. Brewed from freshly roasted beans, it smelt and tasted divine.

I really enjoyed my visit to Ephemeris and it felt like an experience more than just a cup of tea in another café.
The interior itself is lovely, calm and relaxing, not to mention spotlessly clean, making it really inviting and comfortable. Ephemeris has a menu of teas and coffees that reads more like a catalogue, everything you could possibly want is on that list. I had a seriously lovely fruity tea which I can’t remember the name of, but I will certainly be back for another pot soon!

I sincerely hope Ephemeris doesn’t meet the same end as all the other businesses that opened in that exact location. Once upon a time there was a juice bar that managed for a year before closing down. And there were others in between that I can’t quite recall.
Ephemeris seems to be doing pretty well, as far as I gather. It prides itself in serving only vegetarian food, and having a list of tea as long as Rapunzel’s hair. They also have flavoured coffee. When I went there, though, I went for the classiest of meals: a fry up. And it was pretty taste and really really cheap. I mean, cheaper than Snax cheap (Snax is a one-​stop hangover cure on Buccleuch Street).
Also, inside the café they sell artisan work. I bought myself a pair of Frida Kahlo earrings in there once, and now, I seem to be known as the girl with the Frida Kahlo earrings. Even my friends have forgotten my name.
Go on in, grab a bite. Work your way through the list of teas. It’s nice and cosy inside.

The moreish buttery toast and cinnamon/​plum tea is one of my favourite treats at Ephemis. Petite and packed with cushions to comfort your derrière, this little tea room offers a relaxing environment whilst you ponder over the ridiculously large list of teas available.
Next time your wandering around the Marchmont area of Edinburgh have a look out for this place, the tea’s are available to buy in packets too which could be that perfect quirky present for a loved one.

It’s more than just a tea room, the experience at Ephemeris is great. I was just passing the street as it is near my house and it did catch my eye. The staff are great but the coffee is out of this world. With a combination of the two and the atmosphere, you cannot go wrong with simplicity and quality. Clean, clutter free and just the place to be.
Also, I found out that the coffee is Edinburgh rosted!!!