Review: The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant, afternoon tea under NGS

The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant sits directly beneath the National Gallery of Scotland on The Mound, and is run by Victor and Carina Contini. While the venue is physically below the gallery, floor-to-ceiling glass looks straight out across the manicured lawns of Princes Street Gardens, completely avoiding any dark basement feel. It is a large, airy dining space that escapes the noisy cafeteria atmosphere typical of major museum cafes.

You cannot simply wander down the stone stairs on a whim for this three-tier afternoon tea; the experience requires booking in advance. The cafe serves a variety of everyday menus, but afternoon tea is a dedicated sitting that costs just under £40 per person. That price point is notoriously hard to find on the website ahead of time, putting it into a premium tier, yet the generous spread and bottomless tea refills deliver strong value.

Three tiers of Scottish produce

Each diner receives their own three-tier stand rather than dividing portions from a shared rack. The menu includes a gentle heads-up that dishes are freshly prepared and can take up to 25 minutes to arrive, but our set reservation meant the kitchen sent our stands promptly.

The bottom plate starts savoury with a thick slice of warm homemade sausage roll wrapped in flaky pastry. Alongside it sit neatly cut finger sandwiches: Grierson’s organic egg and cress, Isle of Kintyre cheddar with sweet onion marmalade, and cooked ham layered with mustard crème fraîche. A separate vegetarian afternoon tea is also on offer with crowdie cheese, roast tomato, and broad bean pesto.

The middle tier bridges savoury and sweet with two distinct scones. One is an Isle of Kintyre cheddar scone topped with smoked Scottish mackerel. The second is a warm fruit scone served with strawberry jam and thick clotted cream.

The top tier finishes with five petit fours: a crisp profiterole, a rich coffee opera cake, a traditional iced Empire biscuit with a cherry, a raspberry macaroon, and a mini Victoria sponge crowned with a fresh raspberry. Every item feels individually crafted, adding up to an exceptionally filling feed.

Garden views and endless tea

Securing a window seat gives you a prime view across Princes Street Gardens. Sitting right against the glass gives you an unmatched spot for watching tourists stroll along the gardens against Edinburgh’s dramatic skyline, even if being positioned away from the central aisle makes catching a waiter’s eye slightly harder.

Staff are warm, polite, and attentive once they reach your table. Hot drinks are served on an infinite-refill basis, including Scottish blend tea, Earl Grey, herbal infusions, and Americano coffee. We easily worked through three rounds of fresh tea during a leisurely hour and a half at the table. It is the sort of relaxed, unhurried afternoon tea ritual where you can pause between courses, chat, and pace yourself without feeling pressured to clear out.

Things to do in City Centre

Positioned directly on The Mound, The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant places you right at the junction of Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns.

• Attractions: Explore the Scottish national art collection directly upstairs at the Scottish National Gallery, or take a brisk walk up the Mound into the historic Royal Mile to visit Edinburgh Castle.
• Shopping: Cross over onto Princes Street for high street shopping, or wander along George Street and Multrees Walk for boutique retail.
• Transport: Edinburgh Waverley railway station sits just five minutes away on foot through East Princes Street Gardens. Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams run frequent services along Princes Street, while travellers arriving from further afield can book rail connections directly via lastminute.com.
• Accommodation: Central overnight accommodation is dotted across the New Town. You can check room availability in nearby historic townhouses through Booking.com or book self-catering apartments across the city centre on Plum Guide.

Overall

The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant delivers one of the most satisfying afternoon tea spreads in central Edinburgh. Pre-booking is essential, and the £40 tariff requires commitment, but between the smoked mackerel scones, generous sweet tiers, and endless tea refills with postcard views, it earns its place in the city’s top rank. It is an ideal spot to spoil visiting parents or unwind after exploring the galleries.