Reviews of The Elephant House. (Coffee Shop) in Edinburgh (Edinburgh).
The Elephant House
21 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EN, United Kingdom
Description
Information of The Elephant House, Coffee shop in Edinburgh (Edinburgh)
On this page you’ll find the address, open hours, more popular times, the contact, photos and real reviews of this business.
We don’t have any review or comment on this place.
Map
Open hours of The Elephant House
Sunday
10am–6pm
Monday
10am–6pm
Tuesday
10am–6pm
Wednesday
10am–6pm
Thursday
10am–6pm
Friday
10am–6pm
Saturday
10am–6pm
Reviews of The Elephant House
J. M.The Elephant House is a regular stop for Harry Potter fans and long bore a sign declaring itself as the “birthplace” of the fictional young wizard.
The café was also once frequented by a number of other now famous writers such as Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall-Smith.
It’s important to note that this place suffered smoke and water damage after a blaze broke out at the patisserie next door and it remains closed until now.
N. Y.Magical place for Harry Potter fans! The coffee shop is actually quite lovely, they have beautiful views by the windows. Hot drinks and cakes were good. Harry Potter fans have written tons of messages all over toilet's doors and walls. Liked the place and our waiter, I believe his name was Aitor, made the experience much better. He was lovely and allowed us to seat in when it was close to closing time, and overall, he was super nice and helpful. It can get really busy, so if you are not a Harry Potter fan, there might be other coffee shops as good as this one, but it's definetely a charming one!
J.I was lucky to visit during the early evening, we stayed until they were closing because the ambiance was so perfect. The alleged birthplace of Harry Potter was enchanting. Great coffee, I would suggest the whiskey coffee & victoria sponge (pictured).
Thank you for a lovely experience :)
H. P.Our train was delayed a few hours so we had a quick afternoon in Edinburgh. We were delighted to find this place after visiting greyfriars bobby. Probably the lucky nose led us here! The staff served us quickly as we were rushing back for the train. Great coffee and cakes, interesting and clean interior. Recommended.
S. A.Good elephant cappuccino and a huge homemade muffin I had there. This cafe seems be very famous for tourists and was busy even around 11am on Monday.
It was a bit challenge that I stayed there with relaxed feeling as JK Rowling said, but it’s worth visiting to taste good coffee and cakes, and see the atmosphere where she wrote the Harry Potter!
k. g.good cappuccinos, with a really cute elephant decoration! super lovely staff, nice place to come and sit down/shelter from outside! (even better if you’re a fan of harry potter!)
mediocre bruschetta (not easy to eat, not too good imo) wish it was a little better - it would have made this place 5/5 stars!
large cappuccino £3.10, bruschetta (4 half slices, only one pictured) for £5.95
would definitely recommend coming here for a coffee and (rather expensive looking) cake! lovely place :)
thank you!
(inc some pics of the harry potter loos!)
M. J. T.Not sure why many bad reviews. Food was amazing (had the Scottish pancakes with bacon and syrup and the scone with clotted cream and jam). Super fresh, tasty and good size! Prices are reasonable. And I got JKR’s same table with lovely views and peaceful around. I just loved it! Yes, you’ll have to bear the stares from the rest of the people around that will just want you gone to have the table
J.So, this cafe is famous because of JK Rowling (as they claimed). I liked the interior, which was spacious and fulfilled the (tourists’) imagination of old styled UK buildings.
The food was rather basic in my point of view. Coffee tasted plain to me (although the elephant on it looked cute). The pancakes were nice but not impressive. My friend ordered chocolate cake and it was too sweet that she wasn’t able to finish it.
I would say if you are a JK Rowling fan you can give it a try, to enjoy the atmosphere there. However I will not visit again.
A. T.OK so we passed this place on our coach trip to Edinburgh, and it was pointed out that some parts of Harry Potter were created here, so as a fan I thought I would pop in for a visit. Enjoyed an acholic hot chocolate, but the lack of a fifth star was down to the atmosphere, it seemed nice overall, but a little busy and stilted, so left pretty quickly. Nice drink, warmed me a little.
M. W.It's overcrowded due to its popularity but there are better cafes, more authentic and traditional ones. Maybe you should start writing a book in an other cafe? Because Edinburgh is so inspiring.
A. Y.A bit overrated for the food which is only ok. But if you want to tick the boxes for all the attraction places then this cannot be missed. After all it is where some of the pages of HP were written
C. R.The staff was nice enough to help me choose a cake but I didn't like the Peaches and Cream cake that I ended up with. I might have expected more about their food which is not that bad but not really excellent either. I like the place though, bright and cozy just as I expected cafes to be.
E.Nice little cafe that serves good coffees and cakes for your afternoon tea! The birth place of harry potter where J.K rowling wrote her first book of harry potter.
Place is quite crowded as it is one of tourists destination, especially a big harry Potter fans.
But the cakes and coffees are really good! Definitely recommended
G. N.Would highly recommend for a coffee and delicious cakes - particularly if you’re a Harry Potter fan. Great views of the castle and really big slices of cake! Can’t really go wrong here!
A. K.Good place to hangout
Known for inspiration of jk Rowling book Harry Potter
Good selection of food and tea
Tried the hot chocolate - wouldn’t recommend, nothing great.
Covid safe measures were taken
M. P.I loved this place! Before coming I had a lot of doubts because they said that wasn’t a big deal, but I loved it. I like the decoration, the views to the castle and the cakes are delicious, especially the one with chocolate and orange 😍the portions were big and really good coffee. The magic of JKRowling stays there!!!
J.Went here for brunch. The hot chocolate is to die for! It’s so delicious. Also tried some pastries there. It was amazing but may be too sweet for some. Overall great place to have a chat with friends and the staff are very kind and helpful
L. P.We were lucky to stop when we did. It was about 11 a.m. and the lunch crowds had not descended yet. Usually when we walked past, the place was crowded. We decided to stop for an early bite to eat. I knew a bit about the history of the place; how J.K. Rowling had started writing Harry Potter here. The waitress asked if we wanted front or back, we chose back. The view of Greyfriars Kirk and Edinburgh castle and the university is visible from back there. We chose a small table by the window. The lunch menu was not out yet, so we had hot chocolate and porridge. The porridge came with honey and milk. The hot chocolate was the perfect size, not too big and not too small. The waitress was very chatty and when we asked where Ms. Rowling sat when she wrote, she said, "Right here at this window." Couldn't believe our luck! You have to visit the bathrooms. People leave their mark and devotion to Harry Potter in there. The place was warm and cosy and the view was fantastic. Perfect views of Edinburgh castle and the graveyard. Definitely stop in early before the crowds start coming.
A. W.We all know why you’re here, but while you are here take time to appreciate Elephant House on its own. It’s a very cute cafe with decent food, okay coffee, and a nice vibe. Get here early though, because it is a touristy and there is no point in waiting to eat.
Views of the castle from the window, views of Harry Potter markings from the bathroom. Ghost of Snape hangs around here tale has it.
A. C.Nice place, famous for being one of the location where J.K. Rowling has written Harry Potter. Quite crowdy so you have to wait for a table first and for the meal afterwards. Overall there is a cosy atmosphere, good food and if you go in the toilet, people used to write up messages and draws, quite impressive.
T. C.Mmm.. I would say that this place was just OK. It was worth a visit if you are a big fan of harry potter (like I am).
The place was nice and clean. The staffs were attentive and friendly. But the food was just average.
S. T.A fun place to visit if you love Harry Potter. This inside is a fun elephant themed cafe with great views of Edinburgh castle. However the scone was pretty dry and the hot chocolate was luke warm. I would recommend peeking in but other cafes near by have better food.
N. P.Fun place to visit if you’re a Harry Potter fan (JK Rowling wrote the books here) but also just a generally nice cafe even if you’re not. Tasty drinks and though we didn’t try the food everything that came by us looked super tasty. Loved the elephant decoration on the got chocolate!
A. G.Very crowded. Line is long. They sell merchandise there but not Harry Potter merchandise. This was the birth place of Harry Potter. Need inspiration, come here and have a coffee and start writing!
M. R.Lovely coffee house with great staff, a good selection of cakes and lunches, and tasty coffee. Service was quick and friendly despite it being quite busy. Its good to see cafes with a famous edge still deliver such good products and service (Being j.k rowlings go-to- cafe while she started writing Harry Potter!) A must-visit for anyone coming to Edinburgh!
M. T.Oh man... What an experience! We went on and "off day and off time" and you know where I sat? RIGHT THERE WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENED.
Excellent coffee, wonderful staff, and the Millionaires Shortbread is delicious.
Not pretentious, and they don't over-capitalize on the HP aspect.
Cheers EC!
s. w.I visited here today and really enjoyed pretty much everything ,the good food, I had the haggis it was seriously good,the ambience and the view of the castle from the windows. It clearly has a great reputation as the long queue testified, but is worth standing in line for. Also a word about the staff who're always helpful despite being very busy.
S. T.The line gets pretty long during lunch - the hot drinks are really good and so is most of the food. The service is a bit slow, but as you can imagine the staff are constantly overwhelmed with Potter fans. In reality this isn't JK Rowling's first choice cafe, but she did spend a lot of time here creating the beloved Harry Potter series. The best seats are in the back, if you are lucky like us then you'll get good seats too. It's worth visiting just to say you were here !
S. M.Long waits and always busy. Coffee and cakes we're good, but menu is small. Good view of castle. Overall good experience if you are a fan of Harry Potter. If not, check out the other similar cafes around town.
M. J.If you are going for the Harry Potter experience like I did it is worth a stop in. Male sure you use the rest room as that's where some of the best scenes are. Good drinks and food. We had the nachos for two and it was enough food.
I. A.Very nice cafe. The writing of Harry Potter took place here. There pictures describing were she sat and wrote the books. If you’re a dedicated HP fan this is the place to be.
It’s a good sorting of cakes and cookies. There’s also sandwiches. You can order afternoon the as well which was very nice.
The only bad thing, and that goes for every restaurant and cafe in UK, are the noise of the staff. It’s like they deliberately throws everything on the floor. Especially plates and steel trays. In Sweden and Denmark, it’s more often quiet so guests can enjoy eating in peace. But not in UK.
Don’t miss out this place when you’re in Edinburgh.
H. G.Always busy cafe but there wasnt any queue when got in. Tried the cheese cake and flat white and both were great! If you dont have much time to hang around you can just take quick photos here for a little donation. Cosy space to do some light works on your laptop or tablet too
B. C.Everyone knows this place's history! Pictured: Scottish Coffee (which was strong!), smoked salmon and cream cheese wrap, and a photo on the wall. Intimate space, but try and catch them when they're not busy! The wraps were a bit small, but absolutely delicious. Love the bathroom wall art!
G. V.A famous cafe known as a place where J.K.Rolling wrote her first Harry Potter book. Very cozy and relaxing despite of many tourists. Don't forget to check out the bathrooms!! ;)
Q. N.Popular cafe from Harry Potter's fans! But expensive, always full. I ordered drink in but the staff ( after paid) said that all full and I had to take it away. So rude! I came because I wanna sit and enjoy the space. Also the food and drinks are expensive. U should take a look then leave, don't drink here, we have some very nice cafe around. I voted 3 stars cuz the cake was good. My cappuccino was normal!
A. W.Apart from being know for the birth place of the Harry Potter series they should be known for their Delicious gluten free baked goodies! Amazing atmosphere and great service! 😍
Also if you get a good seat, you’ll get a great view of the Edinburgh castle!!
F. a. F.This is a Harry Potter fan’s dream. Edinburgh is filled with amazing locations that almost fulfil your dream of attending Hogwarts. Step into the cafe where JK Rowling herself apparently wrote the first two books. They also actually make coffee to you will want to grab a cup or a pastry or two. I do also suggest those potter heads out there take a moment to visit the bathrooms as they are covered wall to wall with Harry Potter quotes scrawled by fans who love the books. I found this to location to be both LGBT friendly as well as vegetarian friendly.
T. L.Cool hipster cafe. I wish they just kept it as it was instead of pushing the whole birthplace of Harry Potter line... it would actually be way cooler if they had been more subtle about it. Still - liked the food and coffee, and the wonderful ambiance.
A. L.Luckily arrived there before it's getting crowded. Would say the cake was over expectation. And I really felt like it must have been a nice place for work or read something before becoming famous. warm and relaxing inside
F. T.They closed due to a fire August 24th of 2021, so I only got to see the outside. It looks really cool from the pictures; & if I got a chance to come back when it’s open I would.
V.came late in the afternoon abt 3pm. dont need to q and food is served within 10 mins. had the mushroom chicken pie which came piping hot and delicious! server recommended purple velvet cake, it was good but very sweet ( bcoz there is sugar coating). saw a board which states if you just want to take pictures and not dine there, there is a charge of £1. no service charge here hence tip is recommended
A. K.Probably like most of the toursit visiting this place, I came there to see the place that was an inspiration for J.K. Rowling to write Harry Potter. Everyone of course is asking for the best place next to the window but due to amount of visitor you are ending up with the view for the street next to the entrance. Beside this I can say that the pastry (carrot cake<3) and the coffee was really good. Staff was friendly and fast.
P. H.I love this restaurant! Bright, comfortable, and spacious! The price of coffee is reasonable, and the Elephant Shortbread is the must try if you are the first time being here.
A. L.A little nostalgic red cafe in the old town of Edinburgh. Coffee was great. Staff extremely friendly. Traditional cakes, shortbread. Too much to eat. All sooooo good
T. W.Decided to give this place a go, but quite a disappointing experience with the food. I was expecting something freshly made or cook but seem it wasn’t, the entire food on my plate where lukewarm. Wasn’t able to finished my plate, nothing special or fancy about this place except the association with JK.
M. B.Understandably crowded, yet well managed. Lovely food and coffee. Great experience. A must visit cafe, especially for a potterhead!
L. A.A nice local type of place for light meals or pastry and coffee. Made famous by JK Rowling who wrote some of her Harry Potter books in the well lit back area of the place. A nice casual place with reasonable prices.
a. “. w.Interesting due to the Jk Rowling connection. Food disappointing. Staff ok. Large queues form at busy times. Clearly a cash cow due to the Harry Potter fans. Worth a visit.
I. S.Beautiful place, great atmosphere and nostalgia with Harry Potter. Wonderful chocolate cake, beer and nice service.
A. R.Nice coffee place with very nice views of the castle. Very popular as well. Thought I think is a bit overrated
F. N.This place was most likely more charming when JK Rowling spent time here writing Harry Potter. Busy with tourists, good enough coffee and cake, but not a place to relax and write a book anymore.
S. C.A special place, it doesn't need the Harry Potter connection really. The back room has a high ceiling and huge windows so it is bright and yet cosy with a fireplace and sofas. Certainly a good place to write as well as sit with friends and chat. Good food, reasonable prices and they also raise money for childrens' charities with the various souvenirs you can buy; hats and mugs with their elephant logo. Service is friendly and efficient. I came out of here feeling renewed and refreshed. What more do you want from a cafe? Oh, the Harry Potter graffiti is fun to read in the loos. It gives you a sense of the idealism, imagination and energy of the young.
M. P.Not only the birthplace of Harry Potter, but also home to some delicious baked goods and hot drinks! You can find gluten free cakes and rum-filled hot chocolates all in one menu. It can get crowded as it is a popular tourist attraction for HP fans, but it’s worth the wait. Staff is friendly and helpful. Make sure to stop in the bathroom to see the Harry Potter love on the walls!
P. R.Such a very cool part of the history of Harry Potter. Had a wonderful pot of tea and checked out all the cool literary pieces Left Behind by JK Rowling.
C. A.The food and coffee at this cafe are disappointing. Meat and vegetable pies and potatoes were extremely bland and watery. It can also be really busy because of its popularity. Thankfully their desserts are really good. If you can take out food, I would recommend that.
T.I expected more, and didn’t get it when I visited. Coffee was standard, service without a smile seemed normal practice. The whole thing was a little confusing, is it an elephant, is it Harry Potter, is it Chinese, is it Italian or Scottish, from the claim to fame, menu items, writing and graffiti on the walls, I just didn’t know.
Tables needed a good clean, not just wiped with the currently obligatory sanitiser and the toilets were, I’m afraid dirty.
Based on my experience today would I return ? ........ probably not.
A. S.Like many of the guests, we only went here because of the Harry Potter connection. The cafe is cozy and it was neat to see Greyfriar’s from the back windows. It’s easy to imagine hanging out here working away on a laptop. The coffee was great and the food was pretty good, not terribly exciting but fine for a quick bite.
N. S.Busy spot but nice food and tea.
Enjoyed a quick stop and snack here. Wasn't too expensive and they aren't playing up the J.K.Rowling thing at all.
Bathrooms were disgusting beyond belief, don't overly want to describe them!
M. W.This is one of my favorite cafés in Edinburgh. Not only is the food consistently good, and is the service excellent, but in the back room you get a beautiful view of the Edinburgh Castle. Add to this the fact that J. K. Rowling wrote some of the Harry Potter books here, and you have a magical place. I’ve been here numerous times and I will be back again and again.
J. H.We visited the Elephant House during Fringe Festival (an international festival that brought A LOT of people to town). The restaurant was unorganized and overwhelmed for the crowd. The cake was nothing special, but the environment- both the awesome elephant decor and Harry Potter significance is worth visiting!
N. S.Really great breakfast menu and coffees. The back seating area has great views on Edinburgh Castle. A must see place for the Harry Potter fan in your family!
A. J.Didn’t ger here for a meal just to take picture instead. This place was famous for JK Rowling’s place to write Harry Potter. I thought it was a bar or something but turns out it is a restaurant. They serve basic Western food and seems to be cosy place to visit.
K. R.A place to feel inspired like J.K Rowling where she got the inspiration and vision to create Harry Potter.
I constantly found myself in a daze, daydreaming looking out the window admiring the view and visualising Edinburgh castle and seeing JK vision of Hogwarts coming to life.
The Elephant cafe is special.
The food here is nice, i had the crumbed Haggis balls, they were delicious..
The bathroom is also a master piece with thousands and thousands of messages from Harry Potter fan's.
You get side tracked reading all message.. Be prepared to get a few looks for taking to long on the toilet ;)
Totally recommend coming here, the magic may capture you to start your own novel.
E. G.As other reviewers have mentioned, this is a great spot for Harry Potter fans but there are definitely other cafes in the area with the same or better quality food and service but far less busy. Worth a stop for fans though or if you pass it on a “slower” day!
T. B.This is a very ordinary place with outdated interior. A lot of people here is just because of Harry Potter’s story and that is all. But honestly the coffee was really tasty and desserts also. Don’t forget to book your table- in a rush hour you will see a queue outside and about the prices due to the fame they are not low. The toilets in the evening are dirty
S. K.It's the Birthplace of Rowlings Harry Potter, where she wrote most of her early novels. I expected them to make a much bigger deal out of that but they didn't even which is nice. Instead, they try to sell their own elephant merchandise and support charities, which is great. However, on the food and service side of things I was a bit disappointed. First, the waitress forgot my coke. Then she said they don't have any. Then, when another waitress brought a coke to the neighbor table, she couldn't explain it. The ciabatta we had were OK, but they simply seemed a little bit cheap for the price offered. But other meals and the cakes looked better.
우.This place was pretty lively and the food was really good. I ordered Cafe Au Lait and it was very creamy but not so sweet. (which is good bc I'm not that into sweet things) The Purple Velvet cake was so impressive. And their combination worked pretty well for me. If you ask me if I'd go to this place again, I would definitely say yes.
A. J. J.Well, I was experienced not bad from here. The cafeteria is famous because of the author of Harry Porter series. I think this place has been unfair evaluated from people as it's just famous. Some menus are not a special and has a normal quality but it's not their fault. It's because of people's expectation.
A. F.Great for HP fans but weekends can be pretty busy. Coffee and cake were very nice. Great view of the castle.
H. K.Very nice Cafe. And if you are a bit fan of Hogwards and the Harry Potter books this is a must on your Embra visit. Try the Violet Velvet Tart it's magical. Also enjoy the view from the inside to the castle.
V. M.Best hot chocolate I have ever had in any cafe! This is the cafe where J.K. Rowling started to write Harry Potters, so it's a must visit for potterfans. :)
V. C.We loved this place, the guys who work there are all so nice and kind. We were the first ones in line to be able to get J.K. Rowling's table, so one of the staff welcomed us in and to the famous table! We had cappuccinos with elephants on top made of cocoa powder, and the Scottish pancakes with bacon were delicious. Amazing experience!!!
Thank you!
M. B.Chocolate orange is my fav combo and they had cake with that flavour AND drinks. Lovely. Although, decor could have been more cozy considering its such a huge tourist attraction and prices are way too high
P. R.It’s one of the most famous cafes in Edinburgh. Friendly service, great coffee. The ambience is South Asian and elephant themed. Must visit are the bathrooms where thousands of graffiti messages are written by potter heads.
S. M.Took my 7yr old son to meet a friend visiting from London.
Breakfast was the perfect time as nice and quiet, and my fab friend even found a table which we were able to convince my son was where JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potter books 😁
Food was lovely and prompt, and staff were very friendly and the whole venue was safe during these times. Lovely morning.
S. H.Very busy place. I popped in for a take away coffee just to say I went to the place where J.K Rowling started writing Harry Potter. It was nice to see someone sitting by the window writing though.
W. C.Did not get it at all! It’s just a regular Asian food. Coffee place in Edinburgh! Nothing special! I, myself, did not even feel like having anything in there!! Anyway
A. W.Lovely cafe, and if you are a Harry Potter fan this is a definite must! Great place for solo travelers, the food was yummy and the view is spectacular. Afterwards I highly recommend walking through Greyfriar where you can see the grave of Thomas Riddle.
S.Well it’s quite busy .if you’re fan of Harry Potter you should go there just for a peace of cake. I had full breakfast cost me12£ (with cappuccino)
C. P. M.Love the atmosphere. Great spiked hot cocoa and other sweets available. Great place to relax and chat with friends. Definitely can see where JK Rowling got her inspiration from, looking up at the castle!
M. K.I enjoyed the food and drink in here, although I wouldn't go back. The queue is long, which is to be expected as it is such a big site for the tourists, and there is so many tacky souvenirs. It is all a little forced unfortunately.
J. B.Beautiful coffee shop with a good service and friendly staff. It’s always crowded but worth every penny.
E. S.Very average food and drinks. The service was good though and the cafe interior is nice with great views. We (like most people) only went in to sit in the cafe where JK wrote HP and that was really cool so I’d still recommend a visit!
A. K.It was okay. Coffee was decent and we sat on their leather sofa which was quite cosy and nice to take a break from sightseeing. We had the sponge cake which was also okay but nothing special. I think if they improve the menu, they will do even better and people will keep coming back.
M. M.I sat next to the table where J K Rowling used to sit! It has an amazing view on the Edinburgh Castle, good food. The toilets are terrible (hygiene wise, that why I took out one star) however you can see sentences and quotes written all over the men and ladies toilets !! Some people even wrote messages to J K Rowling like "you saved my life" and somethings like this.
One fact worth mentioning that this restaurant is not the 'REAL birth place of Harry Potter', she just used to sit there!
Staff are friendly but service could be a lot better and obviously hygiene and cleanliness as well!
You should try it out though 😉
E. H.This cosy cafe is slightly unusual with its elephant themes throughout. However it works. This cafe located in Edinburgh and is very popular as it is the birth place of Jk Rowling Harry Potter. I personally loved going for breakfast as it wasn't to busy. Definitely worth a visit, however they need to work on some of there food.
A. B.We came for the Potterhead in me, and stayed for the Apple, Hummus, Cherry Tomato Salad; the Lemon Herbal Tea; and the Nachos. All dishes were tasty and reasonably priced. There's a small plaque dedicated JKR, but otherwise it's pretty low-key. Lovely view of the castle from the back room!
S. G.Good food did have to queue for a table but loved the graffiti in the ladies relating to Harry Potter
C. S.Given its history, this is a very busy venue. We arrived before the rush around 9.30 on a Sunday morning. There were a selection of breakfast items available including hot rolls, porridge, eggs and toast and a full cooked breakfast. There's a wide selection of teas. These are all loose leaf. We got a large pot, which gave us around 5 small cups. The cakes looked very tasty. You can buy souvenirs and if you don't want to purchase anything, you can still look around and take photos providing you make a donation to their charity. By the time we left, the queue was nearly out the door so be prepared to wait.
C. B.A lovely place for a cup of tea. Several cakes to choose from, nice staff. Expect to queue though, very popular.
a. p.must visit when in Edinburgh, especially for Harry Potter fans. the food wasnt bad either. the place is cozy and the view of the castle is terrific.
T. L.The food and coffee are just ok. The view is really nice though. You can see Edinburgh castle from the window!
A. S.How do you beat a coffee shop that you can do charity and witness literature history as well as have a warm fuzzy drink?
J. J.Love this place because it was where JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potter series. In fact we saw a lady who looks a little like JK Rowling possibly penning a new novel on her laptop. This place is very popular with tourists.
J. L.Its great, nice vibes. Friendly staff. Home of harry potter, merch available. Toilets full of harry potter fan art
J. M.Cake is okay but place is mediocre. Not worth the nearly 20 minute queue just to sit. Quite overrated.
C. G.Been tasting the magical delights on offer here since 1994. Love a pot of tea with various sandwhich
R. D.Really lovely oat milk latte but no vegan options, both for a meal and cake, not very good, should have at least one meal and cake option, over looked this as really wanted to see where JK Rowling wrote her books. Still a must visit for any harry potter fan.
A.Great place for hot chocolate, the line is long for seating, if you want take away you’ll have to call a waiter and stand away from the line, they also have memorabilia
C. H.if you're a fan of harry potter this place is a must to visit! the cakes were so lovely and the atmosphere inside is very nice
A. C.Came here mostly as just a Harry Potter pilgrim, as do many it seems. Coffee was okay. The view out the back is enough to inspire whole series of young adult fantasy empires.
J. A.Go in the morning. Takes reservations. Great for Harry Potter/J.K. Rowling fans.
D. S.Well the history of it place speaks for itself. Great view, cozy place. A little commercialized already, but still good
i. l.Staff were friendly but the food just average. Ordered nachos for two and haggis balls. Nachos were just okish but 3 fairly small balls for the cost for me kinda looked sad on the plate next to half a plate of lettuce.
A. K.I had a velvet cake and green tea. The cake looked good but tasted average. The green cherry tea was good if you like green tea. Very busy place with the Greyfriars Kirkyard (Voldemort graveyard) and castle view (back room).
M. H.Nicely located, food and coffee are good. Busy, but not overly crowded. Nice staff.
U. K.I found it amazingly fine, the place, the atmosphere and the attitude from the people who did their job well were excellent. One thing that made me disappointed just a little bit is the quality of the coffee they serve. I expected them to have a great quality of coffee given the fact that they have a huge revenue because of Harry Potter fans who really promote the place by coming over. The coffee was close to be a mediocre one, I don’t expect perfect things from anywhere, but I had high hopes for this place. Nevertheless, I still liked it and will definitely come back many times to come.
s. k.Friendly staff. Food is ok.
Good cafe for HP fanclub.
B. S.Never set foot in here before because it's usually packed and people queue out the door, but due to COVID there are less tourists in town so we nipped in today!
Amazing coffee and a very delicious scone and cheesecake!
A. H.The staff were really nice, and the place has really lovely views of the castle. It could've just been a one-off, but the breakfast that I had (the Elephant House breakfast) just wasn't that good unfortunately. The food, to be honest, tasted microwaved. The place has a nice setting though, and we still had a pleasant time.
R. L.Friendly staff... Food was OK... Nice cozy environment.
Overall Verdict
Food : 3/5
Price : £££
Staff : 4/5
Environment : 4/5
C. L. F.A must visit place for die hard Harry Potter fans. The cafe is only a few minutes walk from Edinburgh Castle. The ambience and service is excellent. The food is pretty decent. There's not much of a wait time. Don't forget to visit the toilet for all the fan scribbling on the walls.
K.The food and coffee was surprisingly good considering how small and busy it was. The staff was also super friendly and will help you find a seat once you get order. Definitely a must do for any Harry Potter fan!
L. W.The Elephant House is a cozy cafe made famous as "the birthplace of Harry Potter". Author J.K. Rowling wrote the story on napkins when she was a waitress here, prior to making her millions. Although my love of HP brought me here, the ambiance and the food kept me here. My friend and I stopped by here out of curiosity intending to poke our heads in and venture on. We then looked at the menu, and loved the coziness of this cafe so we decided to get an early lunch here. I ordered the meat pie which came with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy. We also got a teapot to share. The food was so good, one of my favorites I had in Scotland! I was kind of shocked that there were some negative reviews on the Yelp page about the food lacking in flavor since my food was very properly seasoned and delicious. The tea was also great. It was the perfect stop after we had been exploring the city to rest up for a bit and recharge. If you are a fan of HP then you have to come here. It's like a pilgrimage you make as a fan. If you are not a fan of HP I think you'll find it's a lovely cafe anyway.
J. D.Wow! This place is a great place to relax and enjoy the ambiance! I loved the alcoholic drinks and the apple pie. They give you so much whipped cream! I will definitely be back!
P. P.My husband and I were looking for a bookish way to spend our last day in Edinburgh before heading back to London. This was on my radar, but we actually happened upon it on our way to another shop, quite by accident. The cafe front called to us and it clicked “Oh, this is on my list!” So we wondered in and looked around. It did take a few minutes before our queue, but it was expected. With a few people ahead of us; we were in no rush. The waitress greeted us when we queued up and warmly gave us regards to the menu, giving us ample warning of the wait(which was only around 5-10 minutes). We used the time to look over the menu. When we were seated, it was cozy and I have to say, I did enjoy the elephant decor( I am a bit quirky ). The haggis, nips, and mash was good, but my absolute favorite was the Japanese cherry green tea. We were in no rush, I had time to work on my writing and my husband was able to catch up with some photo editing. The ambience was a wonderful space just to sit back and let the mind wander off a bit. Although it took some time, it worked out just perfect for us, the timing was perfect for our pace. This is a place to sit and enjoy, and enjoy we did. Those looking to cram this into a busy schedule may want to rethink how one should absorb the local flavor. If we had gone off the reviews of those complaining about the wait times, we would have missed out on a pleasant experience.
R. M.What a great breakfast.. yes, you come for the Harry Potter history and the view in the back room, but you keep coming back for the great coffee and food!
E. S.Lovely chocolate. And you can see exactly how JKR was inspired by this quaint place!
J. M.Famous for the author J.K.Rowling going there and getting her ideas for Harry potter great for coffee teas and simply the expierience also there is Bobby Greyfriars !
S. G.Great food, fabulous ambiance - definitely a tourist attraction.
I loved having a tea and sweet in the shop's window and watching the crowds pose out front.
This is where JK Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book(s?) so it is a beloved and cherished spot for HP fans to visit.
The food is what should keep you coming back and the staff were very patient and accommodating.
I also noticed a great diversity in the languages the staff spoke which I imagine helps immensely in communicating with tourists.
J. H.K Rowling finished her 3rd and 4th Harry Potter books here. We sat by the front window. (Wouldn't recommend sitting there we had so many photos taken of us) The food came out super fast. Took with a little while to get to attention of the staff for pudding but the cake which was delicious. The bathrooms had thousands of messages from HP fans. They lovely didn't tell us you needed to pay at the till so just make sure you are waiting around if you're in a rush. However lovely place
b. s.Can't beat sitting in the cafe where you know Queen Rowling birthed our beloved Harry Potter. Coffee was good too!
N.Lots of variety of Titan watch are there from lower to highest price. there will be some glasses will be there. If you are lucky you may get some discount. it is in inorbit mall. Nearby ladies counter. Staff is helping.
M.How special having the perfect pot of tea with a view of the castle in the same place JK Rowling's HARRY POTTER and Marissa Howard's LOVELESS book series were written!
P. D.We didn't had enough time to wait for a place to sit and drink a little thing in the same place where J. K.Rowling the writer fond her inspiration for these Harry Potter books
r. g.The view was amazing. Loved the feel of the place. The manager seemed very grumpy..no smiles or warm welcoming. Food was just ok.. only just warm hot chocolate. We were very excited to be at the Elephant House cafe so the little things were very disappointing. My scrambled eggs on toast with bacon had a small piece of royal blue coloured plastic in it. Maybe it was just that day. The room out the back with the view of the castle is just splendid. So.... Maybe 3.5 rather then 3..
C. B.Harry Potter fans no.1place to visit. I had to wait a while for a table and I was not disappointed. Great menu choice and the food was magical. Lots of information about JK Rowling and wait until you visit the ladies toilets, you are in for a huge surprise. Lovely time spent eating my meal. Looking out of the window up at the castle on the rocks, it's does resemble Hogwarts.
G. B.I came here last week with my family while we were staying in Edinburgh. If you’re a Harry Potter enthusiast then you’ll love the feeling of being in the cafe made famous as "the birthplace of Harry Potter". Aside from that it is a nice little cafe with a good selection of drinks and food.
S. L.We stopped at the Elephant Cafe at about 2 pm after the Potter Trail tour. It was a neat experience because of the work JK Rowling did while there. The decor is interesting and cute and atmosphere in the back room is lovely; we could see where a writer would enjoy it. The photos and clippings on the wall were a nice touch and the waiter showed us the table where she usually worked. The cafe also supports charity which is wonderful and it has a beautiful view of the castle. However, we waited to be seated for over 15 minutes without being acknowledged in any way, although staff were back and forth as well as standing right beside us and chatting together. The room was stifling hot and when we were greeted we waited another 5 minutes for them to clear a table, only to see there were a few empty tables ready when we were finally seated. The server who took our order did not show a trace of friendliness. The pizza had very little taste with a dry crust and was not very hot. The nachos chips were half broken bits with a bit of semi melted cheese and with 2 smallish scoops of chili and salsa on top. When we asked the server about the missing sour cream, he simply said -We don't have any left. Very disappointing service and food in an establishment that has great potential. We do not recommend.
J. M.Standard lunch fare had the soup, its where JK Rowling whiled her time away writing the Harry Potter book.
j. c.Good little cafe with views of the castle. Elephant theme made me smile. Visited for breakfast. Quite busy but no queue. I expect lots of folk visit because of the harry potter connection. Scrambled eggs were tasty enough but nothing special. Nice airy room and pleasant staff. Very relaxed atmosphere worth a visit.
C.This is a quaint coffee shop, the supposed birthplace of Harry Potter. The food was good, however, the service was very slow. It took about 20-30 minutes to receive our drinks and food, and the shop was not that busy. I would not recommend coming here if you are in a hurry. Also, there is no WiFi available, which can be a problem if you are a tourist visiting with no cellular plan.
j. g.Loved this place! Easy to find, not crowded when we went and the atmosphere is great. You have to use the bathroom that has become kind of a mural for all things Harry Potter (some are not so nice). The view you get is amazing looking out the window. They say it's the birthplace of Harry Potter, which isn't quite accurate. The idea actually came during a train ride, but she did spend many hours writing there and there are pictures to prove it! I couldn't imagine a more inspirational place to write. Love it!!
A. G.My hot chocolate and cake was nice husbands tea not so nice had a funny taste to it. The cake gets served with squirty cream. The fact that it's the birthplace of harry potter makes it worth a visit and they raise money children abroad which is quite in your face when given an envelope to donate with your bill.
The toilets seem to be a shrine to potter fans with quotes scribbled all over the walls.
k. L.Good location, historical cafe but really bad service. I was there 3 years ago and they were much better.
A. B.If you love Harry Potter, definitely a cafe to visit! The back room is cozy with a view of part of the castle. It's just cool knowing she wrote those books there. The Harry Potter graffiti on the walls is super cool to see as a fan. Food is pretty good! Had a nice scone and cafe latte on a rainy day, and it was lovely. Long line to get in though now, unfortunately.
S. T.Busy cafe with nice staff. Food was ok, I had the haggis neeps and tatties for abt 11 pounds. A little expensive for the quality, but I guess the association withHarry Potter is what you are paying for.
B. T.The lovely aesthetic, cozy interior and stunning views always bring me back here. The food is quite nice but it’s a shame cheap shortcuts are taken and service can be unprofessional. Hot chocolate and scones come with the same overly sweet canned whipped cream, rather than clotted cream I would expect with scones from good cafes in the UK. My welcome to the cafe was confused and bumbling and there was a brief problem with the tablets and printing bills. This was discussed over me amongst the waiters while my food was put down, with no acknowledgement of me or an “enjoy”. I sat looking at them waiting for an explanation as they discussed the problem over my table, then they left without looking at me. It was strange and again very unprofessional. It’s a shame that these things dampen an otherwise lovely place for a coffee!
S. I.The hype is all about JK Rowling crested Harry Potter, there is no Harry Potter merchandise all it has is a picture of JK Rowling sat in one of the table typing away. Food wise don't bother, the nachos we had was cold, and the drinks we had was too sweet.
Staff was ok, ambience was nice, nice place to have a cup of tea and a book to read but not a place to eat.
C. C.Great food and excellent atmosphere. I enjoyed my morning here with the breakfast and tea.
A. D.Had a fab cooked breakfast here, tasty and well cooked. Good for Harry Potter fans with pics of JK Rowling on the walls and graffiti on the loo walls by adoring fans of the books! We went on a Thursday at 09.30 and got a table easily.
S. P.Brilliant service, amazing food and just all round fantastic service.
Loved the amount of writing on the ladies toilets, it's weird to say but it was just so unique.
A. S.Really nice and cosy.
Quite busy, so we had a to Wait for abt 15 mins, we didn’t eat food but went for coffee and dessert. It was so good, so fresh. Very reasonable prices. The food looked good. Staff are really nice and helpful.
Love the fact that they help a lot of charities!
Went to the bathroom and found the bathroom and so many signatures!
Fun fact: JK Rowling for her idea for the Harry Potter series.....
C.The servers were excellent. Kind and collected under pressure because the people just kept coming due to both popularity of writers like JK Rowling and the yummy desserts and lunches. Only down side was that my hot chocolate was a little bit cold but I understand why. Repeat for sure next time in Edinburgh. We loved it here.
S. D.Nice cafe with the castle view. Elephant theme through out cafe. Visited late evening. Quite busy but no queue. Lots of Harry Potter connection visitors. Pleasant and helpful staff. Relaxed atmosphere, should visit if you are around here.
L. E.First impression, this is so cool know JK Rowling wrote most of the Harry Potter books here but as we started to order we were told at least four things on the menu they didn’t have anymore of. But the food we got was great! The Mallow Chocolate was so freaking good!
a.The manager on duty displayed extremely high hospitality however the wait staff were reluctant to attend to my table. In fact my waiter was a smart arse. Overall a great experience thanks to the Manager who greeted me. Plus it’s cool to sketch in a place JK Rowling wrote.
T. K.Went to Starbucks. The take away option was refused and it was overcrowded. The hype was strong eith this one.
F. S.Nice coffee / cafe and obviously where JK Rowling started Harry Potter.
S. S.I stopped here with about 9 other students on our university travel study because of its history with Harry Potter. Honestly, if it wasn't for that connection, I don't think I would give it that well of a review. The first three things I tried ordering they were out of (same with multiple people in our group), and when I got my salad it had lettuce, dry chicken and very little dressing. By the time my little table of three left, the table of six we were with had yet to receive their food (and had ordered before us). Long ques, staff that didn't seem very interested in customers, but the bathrooms were a cool Harry Potter experience! Maybe the next Harry Potter visitor will have a more enjoyable experience.
j.Coffee ☑️ cakes ☑️ view☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️
Check the last photo to know what I mean.
Z. K.Worth the wait that is present especially on weekends! Great coffee, some of the best I have had . Deserts are wonderful. Place is warm away from the Scottish cold and moisture. Very clean place. Please wait for them to seat you and enjoy the cafe that gave birth to Harry Potter
M.This café was well worth the wait (and there almost always is). Great atmosphere, especially as it's both unique in it's style and connected to JK Rowling. The coffee was good quality with a wide selection of cakes, tarts and sweet treats available. There was also a main menu, so lunch is an option. Restroom facilities are available.
J. G.I went here because J K Rowling did and I like it just like she did. They have one sign about her which is good, not over doing it. Nice and warm. Nice staff and you get show to you seat. Coffee is nice and they do their own merchandise. Elephant heaven if you like elephants.
S. M. R.Amazing cakes and good coffee. The decoration it’s really funny because there are elephants in everywhere. It’s a nice and comfortable place. Always very busy specially full of Harry Potter fans who want to enjoy one of the places where this character was born.
J.Unfortunately quite over-commercialized due to the fame of its past. Crowded and average in quality. Technically, though JKR wrote the majority of the philosopher's stone here, she didn't start it here. That reputation belongs to a place in Porto, Portugal. Hence this place is only labeled the "birthplace" of Harry Potter.
S.While this place makes every Harry Potter loving fan’s heart happy: it was a bit of an anti-climax quality wise. The food was just bland but very expensive.. The artwork in the toilet was amazing though! Would not go there again though because of the prices and mediocre food.
G.Nice little coffee shop. I think it's a bit over rated. The coffee shop is famous due to thefact JK Rowling used to sit in here writing Harry Potter and the business is using this to make money. I have never had to wait in such long lines to get in to a coffee shop before. The coffee is good and selection of cakes and food. Worth a visit if you have time to wait.
A. K.Nice little cafe where JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter, but a little over priced for what you get.
S. C.I only came here because of the Harry Potter connection but the cafe and menu seemed geared for tourists, relying heavily on the JK Rowling connection. However, the service was friendly, the cafe bright and airy and the coffee was really good. We were pleasantly surprised. The Millionaire's Slice was exceptionally good and I loved that they do a lot of charity work in the Phillipines too. There's a lot more to this place than Harry Potter!
S. S.Such a phenomenal experience! It was an honour to sit where Rowling started an idea that has revolutionized a generation. The vibe in here is sensational.
Cheers to David! Who was the best service I’ve experienced in ALL OF SCOTLAND. The entire month I’ve been here. I am sad to leave. Can’t express how much I recommend at least stopping in for a coffee (and if you have time Purple Yam cake!)
Thank you guys! 🙏🏻🖤
C. B.I only stopped in as a Harry Potter fan but I was pleasantly surprised with the food as well. I had a vanilla latte and a millionaire bar, both were decent quality. The prices were a tad inflated but I believe some of the proceeds go to charity and it was well worth it to sit where J.K. Rowling felt inspired.
D. B.Remarkable cafe with history about j.k. Rowling.
The meal selection isn't great but adequate. Make sure to check the drawers for fan mail, and inspiring writings.
If you're sitting with the people you don't know, don't forget to smile. We all love Hogwarts.
J. L.Nothing special, high prices for what you get but then again, you're paying for eating and or drinking where J.K.Rowling wrote some of her books.
J. R.To go service wasn't terrible. Very quick on our order. Drinks were good. Very disappointed with the cups, would of loved to have gotten a picture with a "The Elephant House" cup since they have right on sign "birthplace of harry potter" missed the mark on the free advertising.
G. M.If you are a Harry Potter fan then no visit to Edinburgh is complete without a meal or morning/afternoon tea at The Elephant House.
This cafe was the go-to place for JK Rowling in writing the Harry Potter books.
Breakfast was very good and a great way to start the day in such surroundings.
A. L.Short of being the physical location J.K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter books, this place offers very little for HP fans. That being said, it is a lovely cafe with a fine selection of teas, coffees, and beers. I don't recall seeing any wines available, but I wasn't paying attention. The Elephant House can be very busy, and I waited about 20 minutes to be seated. Well worth it.
T. T.The toilets wall are very special. Cheese cake is amazing and the mocca too.
S. L.Amazing wee place ! Referred to as the"Birthplace of Harry Potter", The Elephant House is a nice café. It is always crowded, but relatively quiet, and you do not have to wait too long to get a table. The staff is incredibly lovely, and take the time to chat a bit with you although they are chasing their tail all day long. The view on Edinburgh Castle from the backroom is definitely worth going there, especially on a sunny day. And last but not least, the food is superb !
A. W.Very busy cafe due to the popularity it’s gained for being the place where Harry Potter was born. We only went because of this. They seemed to be a bit understaffed so everything took a long time to arrive. We ordered 3 drinks and had to wait a while to get them. Now that I’ve been once, I probably will never come back again.
R. M.Think they like elephants. Frequented in the place JK Rowling wrote her harry potter novels. Unfortunately I have not found that inspiration so will leave that side to Rowling herself but I can safely say the coffee was fantastic. Bit slow with service though so don't go in if your in a rush
J. S.A must visit for Harry Potter fans. The toilets are filled with messages from fans and there is a wall dedicated to writers. The menu is great, I would hugely recommend the nachos.
J. S.The excitement is real... I'm a huge Harry Potter fan, like how could I not come here first? I got to see the little plaques and pictures on the wall of JK Rowling, got to leave my mark on their bathrooms (HP themed graffiti), and most importantly... got to be in a place that JK Rowling had actually been in and the one she was in when she started writing Harry Potter.
Apparently, back in the day she used to pay for her coffee with stories. What I would give to have been a barista at this coffee house at that time (I'd also have to have been born a lot sooner otherwise I'd be a baby barista).
A. S.Really good food ,plus J.K.Rowllong was writing hire
S. S.I got actual inspiration to write while i was in here. The tea was delicious. The food was great, and JK Rowling wrote here, so... the only negative was they were busy. And that's not much of a negative.
M. B.The back room has a great aura. Their sandwiches are delicious, as is their tea. Great place, but it is very populat because it is where J.K. Rowling used to go when she was writing harry potter so it may be challenging to get a table. Either way, the wait usually isn't that long and the experience is enjoyable.
M. O.I admit I was half expecting the Elephant House to be more hype than anything else, but I enjoyed the food, found the staff friendly, met interesting people, and generally enjoyed the experience. The first time it was crowded so I sat in the front. The second visit, it was maybe 60% full, so I got to sit in the back and look out the windows. I can definitely see the appeal to writing there. And you really have to check out the bathrooms.
P. C.I write this review after eating and drinking at the Elephant House several times over the past 7 years and while I do admit the views from the tables at the back are superb and the hot chocolate is good, customer service is applling.
Fair enough they are a tourist attraction because of the claim of being the "birthplace" of Harry Potter and they get loads of tourists all year long but they could at least make an effort and be nicer to locals.
On several ocasions, with the cafe half empty, I have been made to wait for like 5 minutes in the non existing cue while the staff (who saw me waiting) were too busy drying cutlery or ignoring the fact they had customers. The same happened once I've been seates. They will bring the menu but it can take up to 10 minutes until they come and ask for your order. I honestly expected more.
H. H.Lovely cafe. Good food, delightful service, great views and cosy ambience. Harry Potter fans will be delighted to visit the bathroom!
L. L.Lovely visit. We thought given the popularity and history of the cafe, they handled it all fairly well. You could tell they wanted to maintain the integrity of their coffee house while also celebrating a worldwide loved fandom. During our week visit, we'd wake up early every morning for a cappuccino from here and walk the city. It was perhaps our favorite part of the day. Absolutely charming and delicious. Can't wait to come back.
L. B.Loved the breakfast and staff were very welcoming, usually busy but worth it
V. B.Had a long wait to be seated but that wasn't the issue. Also this is expected its a popular location. Ordered our main food and dessert at the same time. As we had to make a reservation later, so wasnt wanting to be there too long. Had to wait 45 minutes to find out that they have forgotten our order. Service was poor, the cakes we had were okay nothing amazing. Order a large drink which felt more like medium. Just disappointed by my experience. Maybe I'll have to try again.
L. M.Food is pricy for what it offers. We ordered a salmon on toast and it was small, salty and no taste although quite pricy.
I guess it’s more popular because of Harry Potter then the quality and service itself.
The ambience is nice though.
M. C.Very tasty food, excellent environment but too expensive, tips included and the service wad average. The staff should be more polite.
B. D.The coffee was good and a quaint location with pop culture history, but we sat for 30 minutes before finding out they were out of both sausage and eggs. We ended up eating elsewhere because we had other stops to make before our flight
n. _.Food is good, service is pretty quick if it's not too busy and the atmosphere is chill, perfect for when you need to relax and have a tasty bite. When it's full house though, it's really difficult to get a spot and be served (obviously). So I'd recommend going there after or well before dinner time.
D. B.For those of you, like myself, who are massive Harry Potter fans you cannot miss out on taking a visit to the now famous Elephant House. Besides having an excellent drink menu, the food is also worth a try! My personal favorite is the layered nachos, perfect for lunch or a shared snack. If you are not a fan of crowds, I strongly suggest you visit on a weekday afternoon, when crowds are not to be as large.
J. B.Purple Velvet Cake was lovely, partners jacket potato was nice also, service was extremely slow, more concerned with getting you in and sat down rather than taking/ serving your order
Jacket arrived before drinks and cake.
More of a novelty for the Harry Potter world than a good place to eat.
C.A beautiful Caffe with good coffee and nice decoration
M. C. (.If you haven't been to this quirky and unique cafe yet, it's a must see for any Harry Potter fan or the inquisitive who wants to see where JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potter book! The decor is full of elephants (hence the namesake), but it's a friendly small cafe that is always busy with customers and staff bustling around. It's not a fancy sort of place, very homey and comfortable so you're bound to enjoy your visit!
s. g.great place, great location and the prices were great, although it's associated with JK Rowling it's stays true to its authenticity and it must be appreciated for that ! good prices and tasty food, socially distanced and amazing service (Scottish people are very kind and great service!)
P. A.If you are a fun of Harry Potter you will enjoy to I know about this cafe, but prices are a little high.
A. M.Other than the story that Rowling was writing there, there's not much reason to visit. Always busy, most of the time you need to queue outside to get in, loud, not very cozy and overpriced. Food is nothing exceptional and there are many way nicer cafes around. The view from that back room is really nice though
J. N.Where Harry Potter was born!!! Great coffee. Probably is gonna take a long wait depending on the hours, but is worth it. The bathroom and all the wall writing is amazing. It leaves a great impression. Love it!
M. B.Lovely coffee in Harry Potter's birthplace, great social distancing and very clean
T. L.I didn't like this place. When we went here, the AC was not functioning so it was pretty clammy inside. The service was slow, the bread was kinda dry, and the toilets were dirty. Maybe their food is good, I dunno, but I'm not going to recommend this café to anyone, Harry Potter fan or not.
c. “. r.Very nice and cozy place on it's own. Harry Potter and his writer made the rest. Good food, relaxing atmosphere and just behind the window a very old cemetery very inspiring. You can't miss this place when in Edinburgh
J. J.I brought my two little cousins here a little while ago and, despite not knowing what Harry Potter was exactly, we all enjoyed good food and a nice lunch!
As a Harry Potter fan, I loved the history it had.
Can't wait to go again!
s. s.Nice coffee with the excitement of Birth place of Harry Potter. We had After 8 which is one of special coffee here and it wss really good with chocolate, peperment and cream. Lots of beautiful elephant souvenir to buy. Very quite and nice environment just to hang out and talk. You can get nice alcohol drinks as well and good selection of food to eat. Last but not least do visit the restroom that the most popular part these days walls all scribbled by Harry Potter lovers
D. C.Lovely cuppa ☕ and millionaires shortbread is amazing. View of castle from the back window isn't bad.
L. B.The 'birthplace' of Harry Potter had poor service but good cake. Still worth a visit just to see the toilets.
H. W.This cafe is a lovely place to stop and have tea and cake, and I like to take our visitors here; the JK Rowling/Harry Potter aura just adds an extra pleasant dimension to what is already good food and a slightly rustic atmosphere. The only downside - and it really is a downside - is that it can be exceptionally busy; if there is a queue, though, it is worth coming back later, or you will feel morally obliged to eat and drink up quickly, rather than relax and take the time over your coffee or meal that you deserve. It isn't cheap, but it does have class.
M. S.It is the birth place of Harry Potter after all. The ciabattas are wonderful. Have a side of their cakes as well. And soak in the environment, as JK Rowling did. One can even leave her notes! All the best and enjoy!
C. D.Beautiful view, staff initially understood that my visit was to look over the castle so gave me best seat in the house. Nice selection of drinks. I had prior warning that they'd close at 7pm for a staff meeting but they asked everyone to leave at 6:40pm instead. I was in the middle of eating and drinking.
D.JK Rowling wrote here. I think I was expecting more of a tribute. The amount of business this has probably generated is probably insane and we didn't see a tribute. There was a sign that you could walk around and take pictures for a charity but it was roped off. We spent 8 pounds on takeaway because there weren't any seats. Neat just being in there. Takeaway was nothing special. Don't miss the graveyard behind the cafe. Staff seemed overwhelmed and didn't smile, at all.
M. I.Excellent food, excellent service. The ambience is very good, music is not too loud, the people as well. The decorations makes you feel you're in a tropical jungle/exotic place. The food variety is great as well as the quality. The prices, in my opinion, are fair, if we take into consideration the location as well...
K. L.Interesting for its link to JK Rowling and Harry Potter and the graffiti in the toilets is amusing. It's a little on the pricey side for what it offers and the service both at the counter and in terms of how quickly food arrives at the table isn't stellar. Make the pilgrimage if you're a Harry Potter fan (I'm not, personally) but don't go out of your way otherwise.
P. F.As a Harry Potter fan I was keen to visit here. It was quite busy. We ordered food.. Which was quite expensive.. And waited over 30 minutes for it. Staff were not friendly.. A bit offhand. Disappointed. Even had to wait to pay as the girl was on her phone to a mate
J. H.I found this place overly busy and not relaxing. The food was good quality, but it didn't really make up for the atmosphere. It is very popular with tourist due to the Harry Potter thing but that doesn't interest me at all. As a local, I would happily keep walking past this place onto somewhere else for a coffee.
G. G.Lovely place, amazin cakes... and if you are a real potterhead can't miss to visit it!
S. H.The ambiance and food is amazing! I was only in Edinburgh for a week but went almost everyday. Not only was it so incredible to witness the location the first "Harry Potter" novel was written, the Elephant House was able to cater to my allergies. Full Scottish breakfast was glorious and gluten free lemon poppy-seed cake was to die for!
S. J.If you’re a Harry Potter enthusiast then you’ll love the feeling of being in the cafe where the author wrote some of the books. Aside from that it is a nice cafe with good drinks and cakes.
G. B.The food is not bad, but not excellent.
We loved the cakes. Depending on when you go you might have to wait quite a long time. It's more about the touristic thing. I wouldn't go there as a local, for sure.
They could make an effort on the decoration though.. there's one table where you've got the Christmas tree literally in the middle of the table, with bright blue/white lights.
A. C.What is not to like? Coffee and chocolate cake like no other! Always good to do a quick pit stop to refill my caffeine level!
J. C.Great coffee. Nice friendly staff. Harry Potter.
S. K.UNDER ATTACK BY THE DARK WIZARDS! Muggles beware!
K. H.Food is a bit expensive for what it is and some slight disorganization with so many Potter fans coming through, but wonderful atmosphere and sense if comfort for any writer, fan, our tourist. Definitely go here regardless of if you like Harry Potter or not.
J. A.Cakes were nice, but a little overpriced for what they are. You're paying mostly due to its history with Harry Potter which can be appreciated! Awful toilets though...
A. D.Nice small coffee shop. If you're a Harry Potter fan this is a must see.
S. C.They say J.K. Rowling wrote some of Harry Potter at the Elephant House while sitting in the back room that overlooks Edimbrugh castle. The place looks nice but it is quite ordinary. We ordered coffee and a slice of cake, both of which were good. Service was also good.
C. B.We had some nice cake and coffee here. The only thing I didn't like is the men's restroom. It was really dirty and the flush was non-functional. I don't mind the writings left by HP fans, but that doesn't mean the restroom should be dirty.
M. U.Very nice, warm and cozy with an incredible sight on Edinburgh castle. If you're a fan of Harry potter, the toilets are full of tags, quotes and references to the books. Food is quite great especially the cakes.
M. R.Honestly it does seem like a nice place but it does give the impression of a tourist beacon as inside had a merch shop and also was over capacity with people . It's claim to fame being the area where jk Rowling wrote some of the Harry Potter books potrayed on it's window has made many a fan flock to look around the interior which has a small fee to look inside if you are not a customer . Price wise it is an the moderate to dear range but not too bad.
i. c.Went here for breakfast and had a lovely meal...the goats cheese on toast with Portobello mushrooms was devine, so simple but beautiful! Good views of the castle and Greyfriar's church and graveyard. Good service and not too pricey so do go if you get the chance.
K. B.I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan and couldn't wait to look out the Elephant House window that frames Edinburgh Castle and inspired Hogwarts. That alone was so fun for me. The EH has a bunch of cute trinkets you can buy and it a great place to hide out from the middle of a rainstorm ;) We had Elephant Treats and cake while we sat inside. It was quite busy at noon-ish so I imagine if you want to be able to really pick your space and park it for some time youd have to get there pretty early. We popped back by for another drink the following night.
R. M. S.One of the most popular places in Edinburgh. It's quite nice to visit, but sometimes the qeues are mental. Good variety of teas, coffees and, of course, sweets and cakes. The prices are quite low, considering how popular the place is, they don't take advantage of the popularity of the place. Remember to visit the toilets, people have been putting up messages and drawings and it is quite impressive.
J. H.The Elephant House is a must see for elephant and Harry Potter lovers alike.
My daughter loves to count the elephants which gives me a bit of quiet time, and I love the Harry Potter graffiti in the toilets! My favourite being the 'Alohomora' on the lock!
Food is decent, coffee is great. The back room with it's great view is lovely if it's not too busy and the front window seat is great for people watching.
L. K.Cakes are excellent and service is fast once you've endured the initial wait to get in owing to the cafe's touristy nature as the "birthplace of Harry Potter". A bit busy but generally a nice experience.
R. F.The place is very nice and cosy. The food are good but nor extraordinary. I would like to add some extra points for the steak pie ( this one was amazing). They have a good variety of teas, coffee and desserts. If you go to this place, take your camera to the toilet because you will want to take pictures there if you love harry potter. However, it is important to said that the elephant house is NOT the birthplace of harry potter. The cafe opened in 1995 and the first book of harry potter was already published by then. I believe jk rowling wrote probably the second or third book there.
A. G.Lovely place with a lot of elephant themed decorations. The salted caramel brownie was great. Sadly no WiFi, but the nearby patisserie has it ;) Be aware, since it is a major sight for Harry Potter fans, there van be a long queue.
C. W.I went at around 3:30pm and waited in line to order at the counter for about 5 minutes. I ordered the chorizo, pesto, and mozzarella on a baguette and found a seat easily. Granted, I was visiting alone; larger tables were scarce. My food came promptly and the staff was courteous and attentive. Overall, a very good experience.
L. H.It was popular for JK Rowling. But in general, the the drinks were just so so. The hot chocolate was too sweet and creamy, and the cake was too dry it tasted not so good. Anyway, this place was still worth going.
S.A crowded small cafe, much known because of J.K. Rowling spent her early days as a less known author. After the author gained popularity with the Harry Potter series, this place gained significant attention. And now it is more of a tourist attraction. Do check the washroom of the restaurant as every single corner of the wall is covered with messages written by fans.
K. P.As a Harry Potter fan, visiting here was a must, though we actually came across it by accident. It was very busy. Lovely food and very organised getting customers to tables and allowing visitors to pop in fot the JK Rowling experience.
A few pictures of JK but it's more about where she wrote and the lovely atmosphere surrounded by elephants. I'd eat there again.
S. W.Nice place to eat some mighty good carrot cake and drink a heart-warming hot chocolate!
Despite the Harry Potter hype, prices are fair (and even for a non-Harry-Potter-fan the toilets and the Café in general have a truly magical atmosphere...)
M. H.Lovely place, had a vegan option too. Really enjoyed the visit.
D. G.Another one of my favourite in Edinburgh but that might be because I am a Harry Potter Geek!! Bare in mind that it is always busy and there is waiting but you usually get a table in 20 - 30 mins.
K. B.This place is ramming in the fact that J.K Rowling wrote her first book here and they really play on that which is a shame for someone who actually just wants a nice drink has to wait ages because the amount of tourist trying to get in all the time it's a very small place to be doing that and they pushed up there prices because of this
EDIT : OWNER HAS REPLIED! whilst an epidemic is happening and everywhere is going on lock down... Obviously your be quite now!! 😂😂😂😂😂.... I visited over a year ago just in case you thought I only just had. 🙄
A. d. M. C.Just good because of the Harry Potter history of the place. Besides that, there aren't any good options for vegans; the service is not the best; and the toilets (although fun, because they are written all over) are quite dirty and antiquated.
L. P.NY style cheesecake was okay. Fleur's Delight hot chocolate was sickly and way way overpriced (£7!).
K. M.Few times I picked up the coffee to go from there and was quite pleased. Since it is famous for J.K.Rowling writing some parts of Harry Potter there, the place is packed with the tourists and even lots of them standing outside taking photos. I had once a slice of cake there. It wasn't the best piece of cake. I do not recall the name of that cake either. Never tried food there. But after the cake experience I was not too tempted to give it a try.
B. N.Very hot inside, not cheap, service was average took us asking them that we wanted our order to be taken for them to come to our table. However food was tasty. The JkRolling aspect was cool and quirky but wouldn’t come back
c. M.Busy place... Ok, there is the Harry potter story behind but now it looks that there is a big business made out of if ... And shall I say, sometimes that goes against the magic of this place.
B. D.Fair prices; touristic so has a little queue; fast and good services.
I. L.Legendary, stay a while and get a dessert. No problems while I was there. Good place to sit and plan the rest of our visit to Edinburgh. It operates pretty normally despite the fame.
E. D.Good food, great dessert! Seemingly always packed for it's notable seeing as the birthplace of Harry Potter, but it's still retained it's identity and hasn't capitalized on the Potter craze, which as a fan is kind of nice; to see it as it may have inspired JK Rowling.
K. L.Must visit for any Harry Potter fans but the merchandise were quite overpriced...
C. V. B.The food and coffee are pretty good. Because of the Harry Potter hype the place is always packed. If you manage to get a seat near the back though, the view of the castle is amazing.
V. J.I'd say it's okay to visit this place if you are into JK and HP, but otherwise I thought the interior is pretty shabby and the cake was meh, even though it looked nice. This only claim to fame this place has is the Rowling association.
C. K.Like others on here we found the service especially slow, but obviously that is because of the cafe's popularity. Otherwise the food was great, portion sizes were generous and prices were unexpectedly reasonable. Just don't expect to pop in and out for a quick tea or coffee as the wait will be long.
Z. B.Great place! Jk Rowling wrote Harry Potter so that's quite something. Also Great view of the castle ( we can see where she got the inspiration for Hogwarts !!) But very expensive.... (4£ an orange juice...)
Oh and dont forget to go to the toilets!
R. D.Cosy and welcoming. Average prices and really nice staff. Lot´s of memorabilia. Was expecting a Potter cash grab but it was nothing of the sorts. Great coffee and tasty cakes. Scotish coffee was right on the spot. Would visit again if in town.
J. H.Nice cafe with some cool contemporary history.
I was surprised that this place wasnt more crowded when i stopped in. It was a quick stop but had to see where JK wrote the Potter books. Nice service, staff was friendly and the coffee was nice.
S. M.Friendly staff and good, but a little bit slow, service. Also a little bit pricey, but I kinda understand why. My Scottish pancakes with maple syrup were delicious though, and also great cup of tea.
A. T.Average food with average service and somewhat expensive. The goods are the decoration and above all the slights from its great windows. I would not recommend it for more than a tea. There is not much reference of harry potter inside it even though they use the fact that J. K. Rolling wrote part of their books there as a marketing strategy.
T. P.The food here is just ok. The coffee is just Ok, but the fact that they embrace the J.K. Rowling-ness makes me really enjoy this place.
The atmosphere is pretty cool. The views are great and the staff is friendly.
A. D.Nice café and the origin of Harry Potter.
F. J.Elephant House is a chinese tea house which also offer some food like pizza and cakes. It is well known as a place where J.K Rowling first wrote Harry Potter. The place is not that big. You can see JK Rowling pictures on the wall. The restroom is quite interesting as it is full of fans signatures and hand written. It is located in the city centre of edinburgh. Despite the fame, i would not recommend this place for the foods. It is over price and the quality of the food is not that good.
L. H.Desserts were great! We stopped in near closing time for desserts. The place was packed. Very energetic atmosphere. The staff did pretty well considering how busy the place was. We all enjoyed our dessert selections, and the variety of choices were astounding!
A. G.I love the elephant house (when it is quiet). They do fabulous coffee and lots of beautiful food. They also have gluten free and many vegetarian option's! One thing that would be very good is if they had a couple of vegan cake options. I would walk across town for vegan cake!
M. P.The Elephant House, I have to say, gets hugely overrated in many quarters for its links to JK Rowling. I have actually seen her in there, amazingly - I'm not sure anyone else realised who she was, which says a lot.
Anyway, if you judge it simply as a coffee shop/cafe, which is all it is, it's really quite average. It's constantly crowded with tourists and as a result they seem to try to get people in and out as quickly as possible. The staff aren't rude about it, but I did feel a little rushed when all I wanted to do was have a coffee and something to eat with a few friends. The problem is that it's so busy that they have to run it like a restaurant, but without table service. So, if you decide you want another coffee or a bit of cake later on, you have to go back and rejoin the queue which can take longer than the quality of the end product really demands. Overall, tourists should stop by and take a photo (which they do), but I'd imagine locals like me avoid in favour of quieter, better coffee shops elsewhere around town.
D. G.The food was ok. It was quite crowded and really warm inside. The views from the windows were beautiful, but there are only a few seats by windows. Overall, it's a pleasant atmosphere, however I don't think it was built to be as busy as it is.
C. S.Very good prices, nice chill environment. I love that they don't take advantage of the Harry Potter thing that much, just a couple of pictures here and there. They kept their character even after the huge success.
R. S.Good food. Quirky in a great way. The whole place slants with the slope of the hill. As a Harry Potter fan it was cool to see where the books got their start.
D. B.The first part of the cafe/restaurant where you enter and where there are little tables where you can have coffee and a cake, is quite narrow and hemmed in.
Parallel to the tables there's a long counter with a rich-looking selection of food.
But go through to the restaurant behind. It's one big room with huge windows that look our over the castle. The tables are all quirky and different shapes and sizes, so the place feels easy going.
'Save the elephants' is the theme of the paintings and posters on the walls.
My wife tells me that the walls of the Ladies' toilet are covered with messages to J K Rowling thanking her for her books.
The Gents' toilet is a bit more prosaic.
Staff are friendly and the food is OK. It isn't brilliant but it's definitely good enough as a place to go for lunch.
S. M. S.We came here for the gluten-free cake, not Harry Potter, and we weren't disappointed. Tried victoria sponge, hazelnut and nutella, carrot cake, and raspberry and white chocolate. All delicious. There is always a big queue here so be prepared to wait a few minutes. Only knocked one star off because the service is a bit slow and perfunctory, but guess this is because it's so busy.
M. C.This is a great cafe for any Harry Potter fan - after all, this is where JK Rowling wrote her book! The cafe is quaint and filled with elephant memorabilia. It's a cafe with your regular tea and coffee, although their hot chocolate is delish! You can also buy souvenirs and other items to take away with you (including chocolates from The Chocolate Tree) which are amazing
K. K.There is a tiny bit of memorabilia but the most interesting part of this cafe is by far the toilets. There is Harry Potter graffiti as far as the eye can see. The food gets a meh and the service is by far a meh minus. Still, if you are in Edinburgh and you are a Harry Potter fan you need to visit this place.
T. N.Ordered scones that were served with salted butter which is gross. The place looks nice, lovely to see that harry potter fans love the place so much. But wouldn't really recommend it for non harry potter fans
S. R.Good cafe, once again a must visit for Harry Potter fans. Close to Royal Mile. It's quite busy these days and there is a new menu with mandarin translation too.
A. A.Emotional!! One hellava experience. Was happy to see the birthplace of Harry Potter and to see the seat where JK Rowling started writing the HP series. The washroom is a must-visit too. 😝 a lot of emotional and funny liners for our favourite series. YAAAY!
E. C.Absolutely lovely place, the atmosphere of J.K. Rowling writing here is palpable, but indeed way too many tourists coming just because it's "J.K. Rowling's cafe" which makes it a bit less comfortable to stay in. But the place is lovely and the selection of cakes and beverages is great
J. C.Great for tourists, bit of a queue at peak times, lots of their backed products including their bread comes from breadwinner so its good quality. Lovely views at the back, if you go in the afternoon the sun streams in through the windows and its a pleasant place to have a cup of tea and chocolate cake (best thing on the menu) relax and read the newspaper. Apparently JK Rowling wrote the Harry Poter books here but there are a few places that claim similar. They are big books maybe she wrote them in various cafes? There is a slight odour, perhaps that is the elephant the place is named after!
X. F.It's a nice little place. the soup was good and the orange juice fresh. If you like Harry Potter, this is a good place to perceive what JK Rowling was looking at while she started it.
W. K.Recommend to go there in late evening since there is much more crowded in the afternoon. The original sponge cake was very nice and went well with the tea. Only 4 stars since we had to wait abit for the foods.
W. S.Food good. View good. Service lacking, the girl bussing tables on her first day gave us more attention than the waiters. Stand up and wave when you need something, and make sure to get a pitcher of water or you will suffer
S. G.A quality cafe in the heart of the city situated near Greyfriar's Bobby. It is where JK Rowling wrote the first of the Harry Potter books and so is a Mecca for tourists and fans.
Has a wide selection of pastry's, treats and hot beverages but is very busy all year round most especially during the Edinburgh Festival.
Not so good for a quiet coffee but more of a tourist attraction for which it ticks all the boxes
F. B.Too crowded. Avarage food. It was better a couple of years ago.
n.Busy wee cafe great food and portion size reasonable price would definitely go back.
C.Cake and drinks are amazing!!!!!
A bit pricey but soo good! J.k Rowling wrote some of the books their.
D. D. T.Did not have a chance to be there, a place for Harry Potter fans to sip a coffee there ☺️
A. G.The Elephant House has become a real tourist trap and they have become a little complacent in terms of service and pricing. The staff always seem stressed and it's the kind of place you can stand waiting at the counter while they all ignore you rushing about doing other things. I would go here for a hot drink and a bit of cake if it was outside peak times e.g. mid morning mid week but wouldn't choose to come here to eat an evening meal there are much better options nearby.
E. C.It doesn't matter if your a local or a tourist, a visit to the Elephant House must be in your agenda :)
If you are an avid Harry Potter fan this place is a must but even if you are not a full blown connoisseur, the place gives you a feeling to have visited some kind of landmark :)
B. M.Okay food and drink. Prices seemed to be a bit much but if you are here because of Harry Potter it will be well worth it. Great view of Edinburgh Castle from the back seating area.
A. M. V.Lovely place. Nice coffee !
W. C.A must see toilets for Harry Potter fans! Nice view of the castle. Food and drinks are delicious. Staff is nice but rather slow so prepare to wait for the table and service.
E. T.Unique place worth visiting. Birthplace of Harry Potter! Good sweet bites and elephants everywhere (no kidding). Easily found in central Edinburgh on George IV bridge. Also music regularly. Check it out.
J. F.Long been a favourite of mine in Edinburgh. I discovered it in my student days and once tripped over Kylie Minogue in it. If I'm being 100% honest I have to say it's not as good as it once was and I can't quite put my finger on why. The cakes are still very good, the coffee -as in all cafés- can be variable. It's always busy, with a great buzz. The fact that it has remained the same for so long says all you can about how good it is. Practically nowhere in Edinburgh city centre lays this long without revamping, renaming or just going belly up. Long may it last.
H. C.I wouldn't go here regularly as it's full of folk most of the time, but it's understandable with its alleged Harry Potter beginnings. It's well worth a visit, and I've never been disappointed with the coffee and cakes I've had.
J. M.We tried a variety of desserts and hot beverages. They were all fantastic. A visit would not be complete without peering out the window where Harry Potter was written. 😉
K. T.Very cozy and warm nook to escape the wind and rain of Edinburgh. Sitting by the window is best, with a view of a very old graveyard overlooked by the ancient castle itself. Seagulls dance and dive over the chimneys and you could lose yourself in the centuries. Oh, and the coffee is excellent too.
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