The Place To Eat

Yes, there are panoramic views of Edinburgh to be had on the third floor café, but if you plan to take a seat at one of the tables in either the glass enclosed espresso bar, or the café, do bring a bottle of disinfectant. You will need it to clean whichever dirty table you choose to sit at — after you have cleared it of the dirty dishes from the previous diner, of course. Don’t get me wrong. I love John Lewis. They get many things so right in their department store. I have always enjoyed gracious and attentive customer service in the shop, which is so lacking in so many other places in Edinburgh. I have been to the third floor café on more than a few occasions and I have never found it to be in a state of acceptable cleanliness. Nor have I ever had anything but indifferent customer service at best. Plain surly at worst. After my last visit when we, yet again, had to bus a table for ourselves and pull out a bottle of disinfectant to clean it off, I have sworn it off. I will still shop in John Lewis, but until they replace the worn out furnishings, get to grips with busing and cleaning tables in a timely fashion and move some better customer service into the café, I won’t be popping in for refreshments. Oh, and a fresher selection of baked goods to accompany coffee would also be an improvement. Stale, tired and battered is just not acceptable. So, I would not hesitate to recommend John Lewis the department store, but don’t bother with the café — not even for the views.

I’ve been here about 6 times, and I’ve only eaten here twice. Why! I hear you ask. Well… it’s always bloody closed. There’s nothing more annoying than psyching yourself up for a nice bowl of soup or sandwich only to be turned away by a darkened café and a closed shutter.
Srtict opening hours aside, this place is alright. Nothing special, just alright. To be honest I don’t really know why I keep coming back! I once had a really yummy carrot cake here, maybe my sub-​conscious craves it.
It’s a self-​service, canteen-​style set-​up so you get your usual choices — mulch or cakes. The staff are friendly enough, they are observant with cleaning tables and things… but again, it’s nothing special.

The Place to Eat gets four stars from me because of the fantastic view it offers. If you can actually get a seat or make it past all the buggies, then you can enjoy said views. This place is always packed and I can only assume it is because of the view because the food isn’t actually that nice. More BHS café than John Lewis café in my opinion. They make omelette’s in front of you which is all very gimmicky but if the omelet isn’t actually that great then the gimmick is lost.
Best plan of action is to send your friend to grab a seat while you queue for coffee and cake, bypass the food and enjoy the view.

Situated on the top floor of the John Lewis department store ‘The Place To Eat’ is a great place to have some brunch and, if your budget doesn’t quite stretch to Oloroso’s prices, it’s a great way to enjoy rooftop dining without the hefty bill. Unlike Oloroso you can’t sit outside or see the castle, but there are stunning views out to the Firth of Forth and of Calton Hill.
I like the fact that a lot of the food is made in front of you by smiley chefs and I think the menu generally represents good value for money. The eggs Benedict is really tasty and the Hollandaise is homemade, not bad for £4.95