Breakfast Nomination #19, Odds and Ends Coffee House in Polwarth

Breakfast Nomination #19, Odds and Ends Coffee House in Polwarth

Nominated by Claire Wheelan

Originally reviewed on December 4th, 2016

 "I don't *think* he's a psychopath...." 

Gary's score: 5/6  
My score: you mean I don't need to be a total fatty at breakfast to enjoy myself? 

Gary ate: a bacon roll with ketchup (£3) and a hot chocolate (£2.30), then later a cheesecake brownie (gluten free!) (£2.60) and a cherry cola (la la la la Lola) (£1.90) 
I ate: a toasted bagel with cream cheese (£3) and a hot chocolate (£2.30), then later a slice of chocolate orange cake (£3.20) and a Yorkshire tea (£2) 
Total cost: £10.60 for breakfast and £9.70 for 'desert' or £20.30 altogether 

Our pros: quick service; tasty food; very cheap; light breakfast; lovely decor and pleasant service.
Our cons: bit chilly; menus are all behind the tills so scouring them for food choices is a bit of a pain; few breakfast options, and no big breakfast options. 

Our experience: So, it's somewhat frustratingly ironic that the whole time I was living in Morningside we had to drag our arses down to Leith for a bunch of reviews and the minute we move down the Leith, all our nominations are conveniently located on the other side of town - this one being a 15 minute walk from where I used to live and is now a half hour bus journey clear across town! 

Odds and Ends Coffee House is a lovely little café tucked away in Polwarth not too far from Piece Box (seriously, it's about two doors down from it) and sadly Piece Box looked exceptionally full when we walked past whereas this place was all but deserted - though this did allow us to have a wonderfully peaceful breakfast, even if it might mean this place might not be doing so well business-wise. 

We were a little put off when we first sat down as there were few breakfast options - maybe 4 at a push, like granola/toast/bacon roll or a bagel, and all were small breakfast options. Gary and I usually end up with rumbling tummies by the time we make it to our breakfasts (especially when we need to trek clear across town for them) so usually opt for decent sized portions i.e. a full cooked breakfast, but it was actually a nice change to have quite a light but still satisfying breakfast - this is with us ignoring the fact that Gary and I totally munched cakes after we finished our breakfasts of course. 

The place has a rustic feel to it, with bare brick walls, naked light bulbs and mismatched furniture - although this kind of decor is pretty much ten-a-penny in most cafés these days and a little bit hipster, it was still a lovely place to sit in and have breakfast, though the serveware looked like it all dated from the 70s (seriously, look at the hot chocolate cups). 

what decade is it again?

It was a little chilly due to the frostiness outside but they had a standalone heater nearby to where we were sat so it wasn't too bad. 

Gary and I both agreed that our breakfasts were lovely - his bacon was delicious and well cooked and my bagel was perfectly toasted with really lovely tasting cream cheese. 
Our cakes after were fantastic too - perfectly moist and tasty, and I really enjoyed my Yorkshire tea to go along with my chocolate orange cake. 

 Ultimately this place was a lovely, quiet little coffee house tucked away in Polwarth and our breakfasts were light, cheap and tasty so I would definitely recommend stopping by if you're in the area (especially if Piece Box is full, as that's a great café too and well worth a visit as well!) 

If you do decide to visit, this place also does a breakfast special before 12pm so you can pick up a fruit scone or pastry with a tea or coffee for just £3.50 and it also has a nice selection of lunch options and a huge selection of hot beverages to choose from. 

What's next: The Fire Station Creative in Dunfermline (that's right, DUNFERMLINE).