Kawaneko Katsu & Coffee — Restaurant in City of Edinburgh

What a find this place was! I don't often call something a "hidden gem" but goodness I have only positive things to say about Kawaneko! We only visited because we spotted it in passing on the tram, so on our return journey we hopped off a few stops early for lunch. The café is tiny inside, with space only for four tables. This really lends to the cosy, cute and comfy nature of the café though, with plush comfy seating and an abundance of cat themed paraphernalia about the place (including some adorable, and some hilarious, books to read while you wait for your food)! The chef is Japanese, and the food he cooked was not just authentic, but some of the finest food I've ever eaten full stop. Seriously, I cannot praise the food highly enough, it was so delicious and it was cooked to perfection - I have never seen such a perfectly cooked egg in my life!!! We were well looked after on our visit and the owner was so friendly and pleasant to talk to. I'm honestly blown away with how good our visit was, my only regret is that I'm not local to Edinburgh so I can't visit again sooner! But it will definitely be a must visit stop on my next excursion to Scotland's...

An intimate and warm place that was the perfect reprieve from a windy and wet Edinburgh day.

When I stepped inside, I greatly appreciated how the store maximizes its limited space. Shelves full of manga (featuring modern hits like Spy x Family and classics like Akira), cat memorabilia, and anime figures are laid out one side. It provides a lot of visual stimuli as I waited for the food (about 20 minutes once I put in the order).

The tonkatsu was so crunchy and the veggie mix added a refreshing taste and texture. The portions and taste were so good that I still feel full 4.5 hours later. I also got their beetroot latte (which is only served with oat milk) and that was a very unique and delicious flavor. In total I spent $28 USD for this aka 21 pounds. Highly recommend for the excellent taste and value.

Side note- I got the chance to learn more about the store’s history. They opened at the end of 2020, before a second wave of COVID hit. So as a new shop they had to open their door to the cold and wait with the heat on so that curious passersby could order takeaway. Kudos for the shop to bear with the initial challenges and really crave...

When you walk into a place and you are welcomed by the owner wearing a Palestine 🇵🇸 badge and a keffiyeh then you already know they are a good human and this will be a good experience.

Kawaneko Katsu & Coffee is a lovely cosy and welcoming place for a chilled meal with friends or intimate no pressure meet up.

The wall opposite the tables is filled with an amazing array of fantasy/ anime books, plushies, keyring, t-shirts, ornaments.... a fest for any cat lover!!!

The menu is small but mighty. I went with the pork loin bento and wow it did not disappoint. The coating and sauce on the pork was a delicious combination of sweet and salty, then paired with the dipping sauce, shredded cabbage, potato salad and then the rice! I couldn't eat or move for the rest of the afternoon.

Also shared the corn fritters which were amazing with just enough spice and flavour not to scare away my non spicy loving taste buds.

I thoroughly recommend booking a table here and can't wait to make a return trip.

Thank you so much and keep on...