Cafe Calton — Restaurant in City of Edinburgh

Perched high above the historic rooftops of Edinburgh, Cafe Calton delivers not just food, but a sweeping experience that elevates both appetite and spirit.

With floor-to-ceiling glass framing a panoramic view from Calton Hill to the distant sea, the setting alone would justify a visit. But it is the cuisine, and the quiet mastery behind it, that leaves a lasting impression.

The host, whose roots lie in agriculture rather than hospitality, brings a tactile, intuitive sensibility to every plate. His knowledge of sourcing - from heirloom vegetables to local dairy and meat - is not simply curated, it is cultivated. This grounding is evident in the evening’s highlight: a tomato salad that redefined the genre. A medley of heritage varieties, gently dressed, plated with reverence, and singing with acidity and freshness, it reminded us what tomatoes can be when they are grown, not manufactured.

The rest of the menu follows this philosophy. Housemade bread still warm from the oven, creamy burrata paired with peppery greens and an olive oil of remarkable clarity, and a wine list focused but intelligent. Everything tasted purposeful, seasonal, and remarkably light on artifice.

Service for was unhurried but precise, the mood was warmly intimate, and the natural light that bathed the tables as the sun descended over the city lent the evening a kind of quiet theatre. You do not feel rushed here; you feel welcomed.

Cafe Calton is more than a beautifully located cafe. It is a statement of place, of intent, and of balance between earth and plate. A magical evening for us, and one that - in a city crowded with culinary competition - was worth...

I had booked a table well in advance for lunch at 1:00 PM for four adults and one baby, including a request for a high chair. My party and I arrived at 1:14 PM — within the 15-minute grace period stated in the booking confirmation, which says guests running 15 minutes late or more should call ahead.

Upon arrival, we were told our table had been given away because the system had deleted our booking. The waitress confirmed this and, after checking with the manager (Ben), he informed us that he had personally removed the booking. This was extremely disappointing, as we had arrived within the policy time frame and expected our reservation to be honoured.

There was also no high chair in sight, and none of the tables appeared to have been newly seated. To make matters worse, arriving with a buggy was a huge inconvenience — and there were no clear signs or markings indicating wheelchair or buggy access, which made reaching the café unnecessarily difficult.

Overall, this experience was very frustrating and fell far short of the service expected, especially given we had a baby with us and had booked in good time.

The situation caused unnecessary stress and inconvenience, particularly with a baby and buggy.

Accessibility at the entrance and inside the café was unclear and not well accommodated.

I would appreciate a full explanation as to why our booking was deleted despite arriving within the 15-minute window. I also expect a formal apology and reassurance that this will not happen to other guests in similar situations. A gesture of goodwill to acknowledge the inconvenience caused would also be appropriate.

Manager...

Cafe Calton is perched atop Calton Hill so offers panoramic views of Edinburgh, even on days when the haar (sea mist) rolls in, so we could still admire the views over the St James Centre to Edinburgh Castle and even reaching the Firth of Forth.  Cafe Calton is from the same owners of venues such as The Seafood Ristorante in St Andrews and The Broughton, nearby in Edinburgh’s New Town.

The cafe is just east of the city centre but still very close to both Edinburgh Waverley train station and Edinburgh bus station. It's ideal for visiting if you're planning on going up Calton Hill to see the National Monument of Scotland and surrounding views.

Cafe Calton is open for breakfast from 8.30 am, with lunch served from 12 and then from 4.30pm there is a small plates menu.

As it was humid, we decided to sit outside - from the photos, it doesn't look warm, but Edinburgh was allegedly 25 degrees, but felt a little cooler because of the haar.

We started with a Limoncello Spritz and a Rhubarb Kombucha.  Both refreshing and needed in the weather, and in no time at all, our food arrived.  A massive Pastrami Bagel and cheeky side of Koffman's fries for Mark with a seasonal tomato salad with optional burrata for me.

A beautifully colourful dish of fresh and flavoursome seasonal tomatoes, served with basil pesto and pine nuts.  Make sure to order the burrata if you're not vegan as it makes the tomatoes sing.

There are also cakes and pastries on offer, so we had to try one!

The lemon tart served with crème fraîche.  Tart, lemony, and refreshing but a bit on the small...