How Edinburgh's underground coffee scene has come to mean so much to me

I used to drink coffee just because everyone else did. When I moved to Edinburgh back in 2021 and started meeting new people, my social life began revolving around grabbing a cup. I was drinking two or three a day while also studyiing at the cafe.

Despite spending most of my life in academia, I don't enjoy working in libraries. The white walls, fluorescent lights, and stress in the air sterilise any spark of creativity for me. I prefer the soft buzz of people chatting, the coffeehouse playlist in the background, the metallic sound of the espresso machine, the clatter of cups, and even the occasional loud, boisterous laughter. That’s where ideas find me.

So, I began frequenting my local independent cafe. Before I knew it, I became a regular and made some of my closest friends in the city. Suddenly, Edinburgh started to feel like home, and I found myself catapulted into the underground coffee scene.

Latte art throwdown

Not long after I became friends with the baristas, one of them started working for a popular alternative milk brand used in many cafes. She organised a latte art throwdown, which I attended with mutual friends.

When nearly 100 people arrived, it was clear this was bigger than coffee. Numerous baristas from different coffee shops attended, and they all somehow knew each other from the Edinburgh coffee scene and others in places like London, Glasgow, and Manchester.

That night, baristas competed in one-on-one rounds while the rest watched, cheering on their friends and colleagues and mingling with the community. The camaraderie and energy in the room was contagiously fun.

Academic Lisa Simonis made good friends in Edinburgh after deciding to do some of her work in a cafe, rather than a library | courtesy of Lisa Simonis

The lattes were presented to three randomly selected judges, who pointed to the cup they deemed was artistically the best. The winning barista would advance to the next round until the winner emerged. As the night went on, the lattes were turned into vegan white Russians, and the party continued.

528 cups of coffee each

In Edinburgh, there’s a thriving community of young, up-and-coming baristas who are not competing against each other but supporting one another to create something new. It’s visible in Instagram tags for latte art challenges, alternative milk events, coffee festivals, and competitions. But the specialty coffee scene is underground in the sense that it deviates from mainstream coffee culture.

On the surface, coffee may appear trivial: a drink before work, a beverage that can easily be mindlessly consumed. However, from farming to supply to selling, its journey of engagement within communities is hugely important.

About 98 million cups are drunk every day UK-wide, with an estimated annual consumption of 528 cups of coffee per person. Caffeine is responsible for fuelling our fast-paced modern lifestyle.

Essentially, there are two types of coffee shops: the big retail chains like Starbucks or Costa, which operate at a fast pace, pumping out espresso shots to people who mostly take their coffee on the go. Those who sit in typically stay to do work. These cafes are perhaps the result of time constraints, the capitalist system in which we are socialised, and various other intersecting factors.

Then, there are the independent cafes, which include specialty coffee shops and small businesses. These establishments offer unique and rare coffee blends prepared by knowledgeable baristas who take their time crafting each cup, which is meant to be savoured. It's not that one is better than the other; rather, they cater to different needs and different clientele.

Coffee tasting event

A few days after my friend’s latte throwdown, I ventured to a new independent cafe. From behind the espresso machine, I was greeted by familiar faces from that night. From cafe to cafe, my community has grown, as has my taste for coffee.

A few months later, I attended my first cupping event which, similar to a wine tasting, involves sampling various types of coffee. Reminiscing on my experiences in the Edinburgh coffee scene, I think part of the feeling that you belong comes from finding a ‘third space’. It’s an elusive idea that refers to somewhere that’s neither home (first space) nor work (second space) but offers community building and leisure.

Big coffee chains masquerade as third spaces. But they more closely resemble fuelling stations, providing temporary respite from busy schedules while prioritising profit from loyal clients.

In contrast, Edinburgh’s independent coffee scene is a hub for culture and community, and I’ve wondered why more people don't know about it. It may be because many events are not advertised to the public but are marketed towards baristas and owners.

Or perhaps it’s due to the size of Edinburgh. With its half-million population, the community is smaller than in larger cities, and most regulars are shared among the independent cafes, which tend to be located on quieter streets.

High-quality beans

It’s not lost on me that coffee is a luxury and the specialty coffee scene may not be accessible to everyone. It can be expensive, time-consuming, and intimidating at times due to its high-brow demeanour. I don't think I would have discovered this underground coffee community if I weren't in Edinburgh.

The city’s coffee scene is constantly evolving. The World Coffee Portal has reported a rise in independent coffee shops in the UK. Edinburgh no doubt played a part in the 2.2 per cent market growth.

Today, there are more cafes offering high-quality coffee than there were ten years ago, and the market is expected to continue growing. Speciality cafes stand as one of the few spaces in which the flourishing of society and economic growth occur simultaneously.

And so, after three years in the city, it’s become a ritual of mine to go to my local independent cafes and chat with the baristas, my friends and other regulars. I get to hear about what everyone’s been up to, maybe even learn about a cool new spot to visit in the city or an upcoming event – all while sipping a nice cup of coffee.

Lisa Simonis is a writer, artist and art historian currently based in Edinburgh