Rich in history, Edinburgh is perfect for a short break/weekend getaway. As well as all the historic sites and museums, Edinburgh has a wonderfully vibrant independent shop scene. We have so many favorite Edinburgh shops are list is quite long and growing…. If you like walking (which I love and believe is the best way to visit a city) everything is easily accessible on foot, but be prepared for lots of hills and steps. Edinburgh is dominated by the castle, sitting high on a hill, with lots of dramatic architecture, especially in the Old Town. Houses and buildings are stacked on top of each other, with alleyways in-between making you immediately feel like you’re on a Harry Potter set (well, the book was penned in this city). From the Old Town to the New Town (which is a relative term) majestic Georgian architecture grandly lines the streets. This all makes for the most beautiful, interesting and charming shopfronts and facades. Edinburgh is a truly enchanting city to stroll and explore. This is a roundup our favorite Edinburgh shops.
FAVORITE EDINBURGH SHOPS
OLD TOWN
7 & 52 Cockburn Street
A coffee shop in the centre of Old Town, The Milkman has retained the store signage from a former iteration of this historic building. The Milkman recently opened a second location further up the hill.
W. Armstrong & Son
81-83 Grassmarket
Established in 1840, W. Armstrong & Son has three shops around Edinburgh. One of the UK’s oldest vintage clothing stores, W. Armstrong & Son is instantly recognizable by their distinctive signature red shopfronts.
19 Grassmarket
Homemade gelato and artisan chocolates are the treats that await behind this pretty shopfront. Mary, trained at the prestigious Carpigiani Gelato University, makes her ice cream each morning and offers an ever-changing menu of flavors.
72 – 74 West Port
A series of connecting rooms are piled high, in bookcases and every available surface, with secondhand and antiquarian books. Assistance from the knowledgeable staff will help you guide these tomes, where one could easily lose themselves for hours.
155 West Port
Lovecrumbs is the perfect cozy coffee shop, with mismatched tableware, artisan coffee and a wooden dresser full of handmade cakes. As well as the delicious cakes to chose from, there is a cute assortment of gifts and stationery. Lovecrumbs has a second location in Stockbridge.
FAVORITE EDINBURGH SHOPS
WEST & SOUTH OF OLD TOWN
Grow Urban
92 Grove Street, Fountainbridge
photo exploringedinburgh
An amazing carved-stone building designed by Frederick Thomas Pilkington and built in 1856 is home to delightful plant and coffee shop Grow Urban. completer with an in-house potting shed, filled with many unique products for the urban gardener.
Rose & Ammi
2 Gillespie Crescent
Flower shop in Edinburgh’s Tollcross, with an ever-changing collection of fresh, beautiful cut flowers, and unusual house plants. Also offering a complementary selection of planters, vases, pots and other homeware goods.
Travelling Basket
6 Roseneath Street
photo travellingbasket
Lifestyle store, coffee bar, flowers and workshops. Travelling Basket is a champion of ethically sourced and artisan made goods from Europe, Canada and Nepal.
Elliott’s
27 Sciennes Road
photo Matt Russell
Food and homewares shop offering go-to ingredients and everyday essentials. Elliott’s provides goods for cooking and serving delicious meals at home. The type of ingredients the founder, Jessica Elliott Dennison, uses when she creates recipes for her best-selling cookbooks.
Read more & get Elliott’s best-selling flourless chocolate cake recipe
FAVORITE EDINBURGH SHOPS
NEW TOWN
McNaughtan’s Bookshop & Gallery
3A, 4a Haddington Place
photo tales.and.the.city
Established in 1957, McNaughtan’s is the oldest second-hand and antiquarian bookshop in Scotland. We buy and sell old and rare books, and our gallery hosts Typewronger Books, offering new books and secondhand typewriters.
87 Broughton Street
Broughton Street is home to several lovely independent shops. The beautiful black shopfront of Narcissus Flowers makes the gorgeous flower displays pop, and inside the dark interior is an equally dramatic backdrop for the containers of colorful blooms.
53 London Street
photo jaredbrucephoto
Broughton Street leads to London Street and Lifestory that has a very eye-catching shop front that includes a colorful puzzle. Inside there is a range of Scandinavian led home wares and accessories and a coffee bar.
Fortitude Coffee
3c York Place
photo lifestoryedin
Style-conscious coffee shop offering speciality roasts and local food.
Epitome
35 Dundas Street
photo charlotte_kinsella
A considered collection of women’s and unisex brands in a bright, airy space.
FAVORITE EDINBURGH SHOPS
STOCKBRIDGE
3 North West Circus Place
photo dicksedinburgh
Dick’s has a lovely range of classic, beautifully-made mens and womenswear, accessories, and homewares from small, independent manufacturers. Goods to use and cherish for years.
Patisserie Florentin
5 North West Circus Place
Next door to Dick’s is a charming and cozy coffee shop with great coffee. The pretty pastel blue and yellow shopfront adds to the charm.
9 St Stephen Street
The sun-filled The Method has a beautiful range of pared-back designed homewares, an assortment of apothecary items and a massage treatment space. The overall ambience is very understated and calm.
17 St Stephen Street
photo _aetla_
ætla is named for the Faroese word for ‘intention’, a fine jewelry shop showcasing and supporting talented local, international and lesser known designers and artisans. ætla launched their business in 2020 with a six month residency at Space at Seventeen
Mini Lovecrumbs
22 St Stephen Street
photo dahliathestore
Stockbridge has its own Lovecrumbs coffee shop, this one a more petite version, but still with the same delicious cakes.
46 St Stephen Street
Bon Tot is playful and fun – perfect for a children’s shop. Like a playground equipped with plywood display units, neon signs and the pastel-coloured plumbing pipe rails.
68 St Stephen Street
This book shop inside is as unique as its shopfront. Books are displayed with their fronts facing out, rather than lined up on shelves in a traditional fashion. A fireplace anchors the main room, whilst a cozy back room with comfortable seating is the perfect children’s book section.
Treen
2-4 St Stephen Place
photo treen
A vegan fashion retailer, offering a selection of style must-haves from a carefully selected group of brands that make a positive difference.
6 Baker’s Place
Founded in 1993 I J Mellis cheesemongers, purveyor of fine farmhouse and Scottish artisan cheeses, has three shops in Edinburgh, including this one in Stockbridge there is the original shop on Victoria Street in Old Town and a shop and cheese lounge in Morningside.
Dahlia
22 Deanhaugh Street
photo dahliathestore
Flowers and plants alongside artisan ceramics, made-to-order terrariums, and all natural candles.
Things change all the time – so if you think we missed a shop or have a new or favorite shop you think we should know about drop us a line via link below!
