Himalaya Shop

Very friendly café that really is a little slice of the Himalayas in Edinburgh courtesy of it’s welcoming Tibetan owner Reka. Traditional Indian and Tibetan food is available, lassis, thalis, momos, chai.
Soothing music plays in the background, incense wafts through the air and thangkas line the wall.
There’s also a shop that sells Himalayan/​Tibetan buddhist products, singing bells, beads, Indian clothing and the like through the back.
So if you’re feeling withdrawal symptoms after backpacking around India or if you’re just looking for a chilled out place that sells good veggie food, it’s the place to come!

This was my first visit and it was amazing. I was introduced to these guys by my partner who loves to visit at every possible occasion. I really can’t blame her.
We went in for a bit of lunch. We had a couple of dishes. Roasted veg chow main and some veg dumpling things with some spring rolls. Every part of the meal was moreish.
We had great service and the whole setup was amazing.
There is a little shop out the back with some lovely craft bits.
It is one of these slightly out of the way food destinations that you need to visit at some point. Give them a go and you’ll probably be back again and again

Rushing out the door with 2 minutes to catch a bus that will get you to your lecture with only 5 minutes to spare is a pretty good excuse for leaving your healthy packed lunch on the kitchen table. But, there’s no excuse for settling for a bad/​unhealthy lunch when you have the super handy Unilocal App at your disposal.
I was pretty near starving when my lecture ended at 2pm. I don’t spend much time in the Newington area so wasn’t sure where to eat — but the lightbulb went off and I pressed the ‘Nearby’ button on my Unilocal App. SCORE! Himalaya Shop and Café was just across the street! This has been on my to-​do list for ages so off I went. For some reason I stopped at the Cash Machine — which was a good thing as Himalaya is cash only.
The front is the café with colourful, tactile tablecloths and nic-​naks that certainly set the mood. The shop is in the back, however, the sale items also serve as table decorations. It was cool to have something to look at while waiting to be served, but I sat on my own at a 4 person table and only had just enough space!
One of the reasons I wanted to go to Himalaya was to try the famous Chai tea. Rumour has it that theirs is the best! So, I sat down, flipped the menu to the hot bev list and was in for a shock. There was a Chai Latte listed with the coffees and then a whole separate Chai Section with like 7 or 8 options! I then looked at the food and saw that nearly every item was made up of all my favorite ingredients: spinach, falafel, chickpeas, sundried tomatoes, peppers, olives — how do I choose?
There seemed to be just one waitress — who was also looking after the shop in the back. Most of the tables (just about 8) were occupied and there were a couple people in the shop but she made her rounds and effortlessly saw to everyone. When she came to take my order, I explained my chai dilemma. I wanted their famous Chai but which one was it? She explained that the Masala Chai was the most popular — a little spicy but milder than the Super Masala which had chillies. Since I decided to have the spicy falafel wrap I thought it best not to get the spicy chai.
During my short wait I checked out the incense and Tibetan goods on my table and recognized many items from the shop the Tibetan Monks set up during the Fringe. It took all my restraint to resist the temptation to have a go at the singing bowl and amused myself with sniffing incense instead. And with eavesdropping. It seemed there were a lot of other first timers and the waitress expertly guided them through the menu, discussing her favourite dishes. So, even if the menu seems a bit foreign — don’t be afraid to ask for help.
My food arrived pretty quickly and it all looked fresh, tasty and plentiful. I could smell the spices from my chai before it even reached the table. A nice touch was that I was offered honey or sugar — always honey in tea for me. Steam was pouring off it, and I usually prefer my tea closer to room temp but I couldn’t resist a taste. Woah! The first sip nearly blew my head off! I make pure ginger infusions at home with a good 2 inches of fresh ginger but the other spices must have contributed to the head blowingness. After the initial shock, I could taste all the other spices. I gave it a few minutes to cool — which I think also allowed the spices to blend and the next sip was divine. Still enough kick the clear out my nasal passages and tingle my throat but in a good way. A really good way. If you ever have a cold, flu, sinus infection, allergies… head here for a chai and you’ll soon be cured.
My wrap was equally good. Deeply stuffed with soft falafel, sun dried tomatoes, olives and a gently spiced sauce. The fresh crunchy mixed salad helped cool everything down.
This is food that is good for the body and ethics that are good for the soul.
ps. some of the reviews I’ve read led me to think this was a veggie café and although 80% of the menu is, there are a few items with meat.

This was just what I was looking for. Vegi tastefull food, nice people, not expensive.
And in my neighbourhood!
Colorfull place as you would expect from a place called Himalaya.
Try it and you’ll come back for sure.
Also opened on sundays starting from today…

Love the interior of this place. It’s so peaceful and calming. It helps me to work my essays and I would love to come back here just to enjoy the masala chai tea. They apparently made it from scratch so it’s definitely special. The room has a really nice ambience with colorful wall decorations and instrumental music.

Small area and not much seating, but some of the best chai I’ve ever had! The atmosphere was very cozy and decorative, with cultural themed drapes, wall adornments, and books everywhere. I’d recommend going for the beverages, but the location and size make it difficult to remain there for a lengthy period of time. As a student, I did not feel like it was a place to come with books and stay for a fee hours. But for an hour-​ish coffee/​tea meeting, it’s very quaint and lovely!

I cannot give this place any more stars, though I wish I could!
I came here for the first time a couple of weeks ago with my boyfriend, and we were very hungry. Upon entering, we were already in love with the décor: Indian tapesteries and fabrics, buddhist mantras and colourful cushions, covered in sequins. This is a vegetarian café, and a very ethical one. The café and shop produce partially go towards helping out charities in Tibet, and the premise is often used to host University tibet society meetings, vegetarian society socials and various other events.
There was one waitress working, and she was really attentive and smiley. She showed me the menu, and then when I was indecisive about what to order, she showed me the two curries of the day. I went for the ‘small’ curry, and my boyfriend chose the large one. We also ordered two soya chais. Whilst waiting for our lunch, my boyfriend went around taking photos as the interior was so beautiful! It eventually arrived, and couldn’t have looked more appetizing: a very colourful curry with potatoes, courgettes, runner beans and various other local ingredients, in a spicy curry, accompanied by a large fresh salad, saffron rice, and a variety of dipping sauces (thai sweet chilli, hot chilli etc). My boyfriend had the same, but with the addition of a potato and spinach curry. Our chais arrived with the meal, and the waitress offered us honey or brown sugar. All this for £14!
Everything was really delicious, the service was superb, and I felt like I could have stayed there all day! There is wi-​fi, there are a variety of exciting looking cakes (including some which are vegan), and there are also a few falafel wraps on offer. Do come here if you’re in the area, I very much doubt that you’ll regret it.

This exporter of Tibetan arts and crafts is one of Edinburgh’s independent store gems. As well as selling great little ethnic-​naks, Himalaya houses a cute tea shop, with some amazing herbal teas. Walking in, it is apparent that the shop has a very indie feel to it, with scarves and multi coloured hats, bags and accessories adorning the walls. To add to this, it is also a charity shop, raising money for Tibet, which I think most people would agree is a worthy cause.
The shop is similar to many of those Asian stores you can find dotted around selling pashminas, but the quality is much better, and it has a much more varied stock. They sell cool alternate jewellery, very hippy-​ish but at the same time fashionable. The bracelets and necklaces are really good, and for the ladies there is a good selection of earrings. They also have bags and other accessories and weirdly yoga sessions at affordable prices.
The tea shop is awesome as well, selling some amazing types of chai. There is a really chilled out (almost stoner-​esque but a bit more productive) atmosphere, and many people end up chatting to each other without knowing who they are, there is a good community feel. The staff are good fun and the prices are cheap. Definitely one of the best cafés around and you are helping out a good cause so well worth a visit

I went into Himalaya to meet a friend, and to hide another. It was a surprise visit. And we smuggled my friend in wearing a scarf and a hat and under the impression that we had done a good job. But what a fail. It was the first time I’d been there and I had no idea what to expect, but it was a really sweet space full of autumnal colours (mainly their merchandise) that I had to avert my eyes from out of a fear of buying everything at hand.
And when you walk in, you might be under the temporary impression that that’s that, but through another doorway there’s a sweet little café permeated in a delicious smell – of chai and homemade food. This Shop/​Café is pretty much exemplary of a city’s little secret. Go on discover it.

The Himalayan shop is so amazing.
Chilled out with a family friendly atmosphere, the staff are unbelievably accomodating and very friendly. They make you feel at home as your browse the Himalayan jewellery and hats in the shop, and chat away to you as you sit in the café.
The café is particularly awesome. I tried some of their chai tea which was lovingly made by a girl who was relatively new to the café. She had moved to Scotland for a few months from Estonia so we had an interesting chat about uni and life in general. She was very passionate about making me the perfect cup of chai tea — I wasn’t brave enough to try the chilli in it this time but it had enough of a kick to wake me up.
As much as their cushioned tea room was inviting, with the lovely smell of soup wafting out from the pot and with their wooden seats littered with colourful cushions, I had to go. I had some serious reviewing business to attend to. But I promised the girl that I would return to give her a verdict on the tea, which I am now about to do — it was terrific! Spicy and comforting, I drank every drop.
I will go back to this shop/​tea room for sure — very unique and utterly delightful!

This little shop/​café seems to be a jack of all trades! I’ve always admired the beautiful jewellery in the display windows, which it turns out are traditional hand made Tibetan pieces. There is also a little sitting area, called the Tea Room in the rear of the shop. It’s run by volunteers, and with its fundraising efforts, Himalaya definitely reminds me of another more «organic» hang out, the Forest Café!
They also offer yoga classes, and sell several books, some on the theme of spirituality and Buddhism. It’s definitely worth a visit, and a refreshing change from some of the other stores around it, which can seem monotonous after a while.

What a cool shop!
Each and every time I come to Edinburgh I find more interesting and unusual shops, I love it! Himalaya is no exception, and this wee place is a treasure trove.
As you may have worked out from the name, the shop specialises in Indian and Tibetan products, and everything has an ethnic flavour. It mainly sells Arts and Crafts goods, which I don’t really have much call for but even browsing in here is a pleasure. I was surprised to see a small café at the rear of the shop and it was really busy, every table was taken! It’s really bright and colourful, and even has a garden if you want to sip some herbal nectar in the sun.
As well as Arty fare, Himalaya also stocks clothing, very hippy and flowing but beautiful all the same, and silk purses and scarves, all hand made and gorgeous. Nothing is really expensive either so it makes resisting that change purse that you really don’t need all the more difficult.
Bright, friendly, welcoming, interesting. All of the things I love to find in a store!

It could be very easy to walk straight past this quaint little shop, but it is definitely worth a look. It is a unique shop to Edinburgh, specialising in creating a Tibetan and Indian atmosphere. The Himalaya Shop is primarily an art shop, selling a vast variety of ethnic crafts such as hand made jewellery, clothes, candles and silk scarves.
There is a tea room in the back of the shop which sells traditional Tibetan food and has an enticing range of teas, my absolute favourite is the spiced chai, although it is a tad expensive at almost £2 a mug. They also have a variety of homemade cakes which are delicious and the staff are always friendly and inviting. The Himalaya Shop now also have Wi-​Fi so it is great place to take your laptop and catch up on some work.
The Himalaya shop also has a meditation room and a beautiful and peaceful garden in the back so it is great place to go to take some time out and relax.

Walking down South Clerk st. you may just stumble upon this often ignored little Tibetan crafts and tea shop.
The Himalaya Shop (still sometimes known as Himalaya Art and Craft) is shop specilising in Tibetan clothes, craft and other bits and bobs. At the back of the shop is a small café serving a range of teas and some simple snacks. Here they sometimes show films as well as hosting live music. It’s a small space but its cosy and they make the most of it.
The Himalaya shop supports the Free Tibet group and other charities. It also functions as a meeting place for like minded groups and those wanting to savour the atmosphere of Tibet and Northern India.
The owners are friendly and chatty. I got the impression they ran this shop because they felt they were doing something good with it. This gives the place a genuine feel.
I was welcomed in and introduced the shop. Before long I was being served some spiced chai and chatting to the man sitting at the opposite table (there are only two large tables).
A really interesting and unique shop.

Traditional art shop where you can spend the whole of your weekend studying the variety of jewlleries, malas, boxes, scarves, etc. It has a small tea room which could be combined with a further inspirational cinema screening at the film house which shows a festival dedicated to Himalayan art and culture. The festival itself is the first of this kind in Scotland after an extremely smashing debut in London in February.

The tea room at the back of the shop now has Wi-​Fi, so that’s a great improvement. Their rice and dal are nice enough but no different or better from those you can get at any curry house. The spiced chai is brilliant if somewhat overpriced at £2 a mug. The almond halva cubes are served warm, which is a nice idea because the room is freezing! They had an electric heater obviously going, but the place appears to suffer from the stubborn kind of cold which comes with poor insulation. The staff is very friendly and it is the kind of place where it’s easy to get talking to someone sitting in the another table (there are only two tables), but it is essential to sit next to the heater if you want to be comfortable.

Great lunch on a Friday. Wonderful garden.
A real gem of a place.

Very friendly owner, and lots of interesting items, including silk scarves, Tibetan malas (prayer beads), high quality incense and hand-​made jewelry. Also includes a small tea room.

Himalaya sells a lovely selection of ethnic art and crafts. The window is adorned with colorful beaded and embossed brass jewellery, sure to catch your eye as you walk past. However, it’s well worth stopping and actually going in. They sell a really unique range of things — incense, african crafts and buddhist ornaments to list just a few. And what’s more everything is pretty reasonably priced. A great place to find an unusual gift for a — perhaps unusual — friend!