My first reaction to an Instagrammable pink cafe is…red flag! After a number of rather poor experiences at Instagram pink cafes across London, I must admit I’ve lost trust in them despite how much of a sucker I am for a good photo spot. In search of halal-friendly breakfast/brunch for our Edinburgh trip, Laila Edinburgh kept popping up – both Google and through the recommendations you all sent me on Instagram. Given the relative lack of halal-friendly brunch spots and its prime central location, i.e just a few steps away from where we were staying, we decided to give it a try and let’s just say I was relieved that it’s not just one of those IG cafes!
Laila Edinburgh
You won’t be able to miss the striking pink facade of the cafe. It’s pretty much the only pink Instagrammable cafe in Edinburgh, as far as I’m aware. Situated at Cockburn Street, it’s a prime central location to visit with plenty of sights nearby reachable by foot. The menu is small and features Middle Eastern brunch dishes with a twist. Inside the restaurant, expect to see pink walls and (fake) white marble tabletops in the restaurant, plus a neon sign that says ‘Brunch is always a good idea’. It’s not a huge space so some of the tables felt slightly cramped together. Alternatively, outdoor seating is also available.
All meats served are halal at Laila Edinburgh. Alcohol is served at the restaurant.
The Food (What We Ordered)
Ruby Waffles (w/ Fried Chicken added) (£14.50)
The Ruby Waffles is a sweet dish featuring a red waffle, topped with chocolate buttons, berries and maple syrup. You then have the option to add fried chicken (+£3) as an extra to make it into a Fried Chicken & Waffle dish – which is exactly what I did (omitting the berries). I love a good fried chicken & waffle and this has generally delivered. The chicken was crispy on the outside and reasonably succulent on the inside. The striking ruby red waffle reminded me of red velvet flavours and was fluffy in texture. What slightly bugged me though is that the dish still came with chocolate buttons, which I find to be an odd combination. Yes with the maple syrup, but to have the chocolate and berries still present felt a bit mismatched in my opinion. It’s still a decent dish nonetheless!
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Pita Wrap (£12.50)
Then the other half tried the buttermilk chicken pita wrap. Again, the chicken was crispy on the outside and generally tender on the inside. We felt the coating could use a little more seasoning but it’s not too bad. The wrap came in a fairly generous portion and comes with extra sauce on the side plus a portion of seasoned fries. It’s a bit messy to eat but a decently satisfying one.
Shakshuka (£10.50)
For convenience, due to the lack of halal-friendly brunch spots in Edinburgh, we returned to Laila for another brunch. That time, we tried out the Shakshuka, which was pretty nice. Compared to the one we had at a different cafe just the day before, this Shakshuka was fairly spot-on. I really enjoyed the slightly chunky texture from the roasted peppers, as well as the subtle spice that offered a little tingle to the palate. The lemon yoghurt gave the dish a nice balanced touch but not too overpowering. All in all, it’s a pretty enjoyable one.
Hot Chocolate (£4)
Whisked to a foamy top, topped with the perfect swirl of whipped cream, and lightly dusted with cocoa powder – I expected nothing less for the presentation of the drinks. Flavour-wise, it was a regular hot chocolate. It was nice but nothing special either – does the job, so no complaints here. By accident, we got the white chocolate during our second visit. It was because the table next to us ordered it just before our order was taken and they ended up making two white chocolates. The white chocolate was nice too but tasted more like warmed milk with notes of chocolate instead of a proper hot chocolate.
Chai Latte (£4.45)
I’ve also tried out their Chai Delight, which is basically a Chai Latte. It was better than I expected, with strong notes of cinnamon and not too milky. Though the flavours were slightly on the sweeter end in my opinion.
Summary
All in all, I’ve been pleasantly surprised and relieved that Laila Edinburgh is not just one of those pretty pink cafes with no substance (I really walked in with the worst expectation). The food has been reasonably decent – it’s not world-class food per se but it’s okay food that you’re not going to walk out annoyed at what you’ve just paid for. It’s a convenient brunch spot and I would certainly recommend popping by if you’re visiting Edinburgh!
Looking for more halal-friendly food spots in Edinburgh? Click here to check out our Edinburgh Halal Food Guide too
RATING
Halal Status
All meats served are halal at Laila Edinburgh. Alcohol is served at the restaurant.
Tel: 0131 226 5097
Website: https://www.lailabrunchedinburgh.co.uk/
Instagram: lailaedinburgh