A charming, retro-leaning Leith brunch café with strong coffee, memorable sandwiches and cakes, but occasional service lapses, inconsistent fry-up execution, and some real price sensitivity.
The Old Spence Café delivers solid food quality anchored by standout sandwiches, coffee, and cakes that keep regulars returning, though cooked breakfasts occasionally falter. The quirky, nostalgic design creates genuine neighborhood appeal, and warm service mostly compensates for minor inconsistencies in attentiveness. What prevents a higher grade is uneven breakfast execution and modest space comfort that limit its reach beyond a beloved local spot.
The Old Spence Café feels like a proper Leith neighborhood staple with a personality: retro cassette decor, big windows, and a steady stream of locals, dog-owners, and weekend wanderers. The best reviews make it sound effortlessly welcoming — think “warm, cozy, and buzzing” rather than polished or precious — and the regulars are clearly attached to it. That said, a few diners have run into slow service, uneven breakfast execution, and the occasional cleanliness or allergy-handling wobble. On the food side, this is a brunch-and-lunch café that leans most confidently into sandwiches, cakes, coffee, and lighter breakfast plates. The menu has a mildly playful streak — kimchi, harissa hummus, veggie haggis, truffle pesto — but it is still fundamentally comfort food with a modern café twist, not a high-wire culinary project. In other words, it’s strongest when it keeps things simple: good coffee, solid focaccia, soup, waffles, and homemade cake. The more classic fry-up-style dishes seem more variable than the sandwiches and bakes. Families can make this work, but it’s not a dedicated kids’ café. There are plenty of familiar items kids could eat — waffles, rolls, porridge, sandwiches, cakes — and the menu is broad enough to avoid trouble. Still, the space can feel tight when busy, and the menu is built more for brunching adults than for picky eaters. If your kids are happy with toast, waffles, rolls, or cake, you’re fine; if they need a full children’s menu and lots of elbow room, look elsewhere.
Area vibe: Former industrial port turned vibrant, waterside neighborhood known for independent eateries and creative culture.
Safety: Generally safe with active streets by day; quieter evenings in some pockets so standard urban caution advised.
What's nearby: Near Leith waterfront, local shops, cafes, Ocean Terminal/Port of Leith and bus connections to central Edinburgh.