The Grind House

I can certainly see the appeal of this place on a rainy day. There’s free wifi, places where you can actually plug in your laptop, the tea is lovely, didn’t have the cakes so can’t judge that, why only three stars then?
Well, this is going to sound silly, but it’s the lighting. When I’m in a café, I want it to be cosy, and lovely, and snuggly. It has bright white fluorescent lighting my friends, bright white. As in, fitting room in a Dutch clothing store (and that’s bad).
Don’t get me wrong, two thumbs up for the incredibly friendly and genuinely interested staff. You don’t experience that often. They’re not just helpful they’ve got good banter too and aren’t afraid to use it.
But, after a while the lighting got on my nerves, it gives the atmosphere of an office instead of a café, if they changed it. I’d give them 1.5 more stars, just like that.
I guess I’m a bit sensitive to this sort of thing, if you’re not, head over! You’re not going to be welcomed more warmly anywhere in Edinburgh!

Well the cakes are meh and the coffee is just OK .So why the 4 stars?
Firstly, the staff are super friendly — really great service.
Secondly, credit where credit is due — this is the ONLY place where there is Free Wi Fi AND a couple of seats at plug points. (Well there is Black Medicine on the Bridges but there is only one bar stool where you can plug in there and it is more of a walk to get there for me in the rain) In this day and age, I reckon if you are going to supply wifi then you should have plugs — Beanscene used to, but they are now all boarded up. I have an ancient laptop. Without being plugged in, my charge is gone by the time it boots up…
So, the moral of the story is, I guess, more plugs, more points!

I’ve been meaning to pop into the Grind House for quite a while. After reading a ‘quick tip’ on my Unilocal app about how big the BLT’s were, and hearing all about their coffee being some of the best this end of town, I finally stopped by for lunch on a Sunday (most other places were shut — what’s up with that?!)
It’s quite plain inside with rows of tables and chairs. Maybe lacking a little personality in style, but the baristas and waitress certainly made up for that. They were very cheery with a genuine warm smile on their face. I was potentially their most awkward customer of the day. I took the soup and sandwich deal, but asked for just half a sandwich. Ok. And then asked if I could switch up some of the ingredients so there were olives instead of cheese on my sandwich. Again, ok. Sweet smile and was told it’s not normal but they’d go ahead. I like this sort of personalisation and customer service.
The food took a wee while to come out, but I think it’s because the bacon (on my friend’s chicken and bacon sandwich) was grilled fresh — so no complaints. The soup was a little watery and underwhelming. I like hearty big broths and prefer chunks of veg rather than blended. Nothing spectacular.
The bread was fresh and cut very thick. My houmous, mediteranean veg and olive half-​sandwich was oooook. THe ingredients were certainley tasty but because the bread was so thick the ratio of bread-​to-​filling was skewed and I ended up taking the top slice off and just cutting it up.
However, another dining partner’s ham and cheese toastie looked and smelled really delicious. So I’d perhaps recommend the toasted sandwiches over the dry bread sandwiches.
It was nice here, there is free wifi and I probably will come back but there wasn’t anything in particular to write home about. Really really friendly staff though!

Nicholson Street is absolutely packed with little coffee bars and this is one of the better ones. They do excellent coffee, and whilst it’s not the cheapest around, you definitely get good value for money. The place itself is nice to come in and do a bit of work if you’re a student, or just for a chillax. The staff are cool as well and always pretty friendly.
The coffees are really good, with a wide selection. Particularly good are the hot chocolates, made from different chocolate bars. They also do good paninis, cakes and other tasty goodies.
One of the better offerings at coffee goodness in Newington, despite its unassuming shop front and weird lack of customers

It’s sleek, clean cut and its contemporary décor is modern. You can tell from the offset that The Grind House is a shiny new coffee establishment on this side of Edinburgh, and that the quality is going to be good.
Selling healthy panini’s and the usual sandwich shop suspects, The Grind House is a great place in this neck of the woods to grab a cup of brew and a bite to eat. The food is fresh and tasty, the staff are friendly and should you manage to get a seat the surroundings are relaxed and pleasant. It’s open a bit later than some of even the most mainstream coffee houses in Edinburgh, and a nice alternative to the many takeaways scattered around South Bridge and Nicholson Street. It’s a step up from many coffee shops which battle it out on Edinburgh’s (not so) mean streets, and with its minimal, edgy interior and healthy servings, it’s a safe bet that you will enjoy your luncheon.
I also like to think their name is inspired by the Grindhouse cinema genre. That would be appreciated!

As with the other reviewers– I’m a fan of this place. As a student this was the perfect alternative to the Edinburgh Uni library which was always packed and totally overpriced!
The staff here are really friendly and you can tell they actually enjoy working here.
The food is really reasonably priced and is wholesome and yummy.
The Grind House offers student discount but also has some really good offers for those not lucky enough to be a student (myself included now!!). I often pop by here to take advantage of the takeaway coffee with free breakfast roll.

It’s really difficult for me to get past the layout of the Grind House, which is extremely minimal and modern. There is nothing wrong with it, if that’s your kind of thing, but I’m just not a great fan, which makes it hard for me to properly relax and enjoy a cup of coffee in here. This does contradict my love of the Swedish café Peter’s yard, but c’mon it’s PETER’S YARD.
I’ll just say that for some reason, the place is usually buzzing with customers, and the menu’s pretty good for a nice lunch break. They serve really good sandwiches, paninis and I’ll admit I’m a big fan of their desserts as well.

It’s no wonder The Grind House has been a big hit with students and locals since it opened its doors in 2009.
An independent café with cosy décor and a welcoming atmosphere, it has friendly staff, free Wi-​Fi, mellow indie music and a team of baristas that clearly know their beans. The coffee is cheaper than chains like Starbucks and Costa and they serve generous portions of hearty and wholesome food from sandwiches and pies to baked potatoes. For the hungry and hungover, they even serve full meat and veggie breakfasts for about a fiver.
Good coffee, good food and good ambience? Told you it was a no brainer.

The Grind House is an excellent pit stop if you’re looking for a little caffeine boost or a snack to refuel. It offers a good selection of beverages and snacks, comfy seats and a good location.
In addition to this there’s also free wifi so if you need to browse the internet or do some emergency Unilocaling then The Grind House is perfect.

The Grind House is extremely popular with local students due to its central location and the quality of its food, drink and service. It’s quite small inside, but the contemporary and interesting décor make you feel at home. The staff are friendly and inviting, always making sure you get your coffee exactly the way you like it.
I usually go for a café latte and a chocolate muffin which comes to around £3 and is perfect for an inter-​meal snack. The coffee is served in big, thick mugs which is perfect for cold winter days.
They also serve delicious cakes, freshly made soups and sandwiches which are ideal for a great lunch.

For all those wanting to buck the trend and shun Starbucks and Costa, The Grind House is the place to go. Situated in the centre of the Newington area of Edinburgh, The Grind House is just a short walk from the city centre and it is extremely close to the University and so it is a very convenient place for students to grab their coffee.
The Grind House opened fairly recently and everytime I have been in it has always been really busy — always a good sign. The décor inside is very homely with gently battered furnishings and the smell of coffee and home baking permeating throughout the shop — mmmm!
As well as getting your coffee here, The Grind House is a great place to go for lunch as they serve delicious sandwiches and home made soups. I always come here during the winter for their hot chocolate which is really yummy and never fails to warm me up.
There is free Wi-​Fi available at The Grind House which is so handy so it is a great place to bring your laptop and catch up on work whilst having a delicious cup of fresh coffee.

Not a bad little place at all. I can only add one more little tip, Unilocalers. If you have a Mac you’re going to have a problem getting onto the network.
My friend Jack and the lady sitting across from us had the same problem, they couldn’t connect.
Should have bought a PC fools!

I stopped in here the other day when my caffeine levels were rock bottom and I needed access to some Wi-​Fi. Both boxes were ticked with The Grind House!
The cappuccino I had was lovely, creamy with a frothy top and just the right amount of chocolate sprinkles. I always find that I prefer the taste of coffee from wee independent coffee houses like this, and I just love the atmosphere in them! The baristas were friendly and chatty, and it was thankfully quite empty so I could get a comfy seat and while away an hour or so doing work on my laptop.
Definitely a shout instead of Starbucks or Costa, although I can imagine it being incredibly cramped when it gets busier.

It must be pretty difficult to get yourself noticed in such a saturated market as Nicholson Streets Café culture — but here The Grind House is, and it really is doing something to stand out.
This place is like all the best bits of its competing coffee shops that surround it. Its cheap, independant, charmingly odd, small and most of all — not a Starbucks!
The coffee is great, thats the main thing — its really rather cheap too. You wont mind spending a few hours sitting and watching the world go by with a coffee and something to nibble on such as the fresh muffins or the even nicer cooked foods which are filling and tasty.
There is a need for somebody to come into Grind House and take the edge off the hard décor, but other than that it’s really rather a great place to go for an alternative coffee.

This new kid on the block has already managed to win third place in the Scottish Barrista 2010 awards within its first year of opening. It’s a cute place and I really do like their cooked breakfast. Keep your eyes peeled for the various deals they have advertised on the door. It also offers an alternative to the next door Starbucks. Because it’s new it still hasn’t acquired the «warmness» an old café would have. However, ignoring the fact it’s in need of a decorator, the friendly service, low prices, good food and location make it a winner!

The newest addition to the multitude of coffee places in this area, The Grind House is much more authentic and original than many of it’s rivals.
Quirkier and better value than Starbucks, and not living off its own hype like Kilimanjaro, The Grind House is a great place to while away a few hours gossiping over a coffee and a muffin — or one of their yummy fresh scones baked in-​store every morning — although it’s true that the ratio of comfy sofas to hard chairs & tables could be better.
As you’d expect, there’s free wi-​fi and all the other trimmings you can find in any given coffee place in Edinburgh, but unlike a lot of other places the toilets here are always immaculate and it serves up a lot more than coffee and cakes — their full scottish fry-​up is definitely worth trying (£.5.95 or £4.95 veggie).
That said, if it’s a coffee you’re after then this is the right place. They’ve recently won 3^rd place in the National Barista Championships and it’s easy to see and taste why. The best way to sum this place up in a sentence would be to simply agree with their blackboard outside: «Not bad for the new guys».