Pentland Hills Cafe Express in Midlothian

I love coming here for a cake and cappuccino. I am always feel most welcomeand bring friends whenever I can. The intimate atmosphere and woodland location make it a wee getaway.

Really worth a visit - lovely fresh well prepared tasty food. Delicious toasted panini with hummus, olives and peppers. Gorgeous homemade cake and lovely coffee. Best food in the area, never disappoints.

Very cozy place, staff is very friendly. I've tasted the best cappuccino of Edinburgh . The cakes are homemade and very good. I highly recommend it!

Very good food and cozy place. This place has fresh made paninis. Very good cappuccino’s, you can choose different syrup in it.

We love Going to this place! Great sandwiches, soup and lush cakes, as well as a great cup of coffee. Highly recommend.

Came in before and after our walk around the hills and tracks! Was introduced to a nice little comfy area with a good wide selection of foods and cakes and some very good coffee! Will drop in again

What a wonderful find! Stopped for a light lunch here, having used Trip Advisor to find somewhere near Castlelaw Hill Fort. This tiny gem of a cafe is tucked away in the old ranger office at Flotterstone car park. It has been beautifully transformed into a delightful cafe, with sit-in facilities as well as outdoor seating or take away. We sat in. The vegetable soup, served with warm bread was so delicious; the choice of sweet things irresistible. Both chose the cinnamon and apple cake - wonderful!! Served with fresh, hot coffee. Great presentation; wonderful, friendly service. Highly recommend.

Stopped off for a bacon sandwich,some cake and some hot chocolate after a couple of hours on the mountain bike. The quality of food was excellent and the hot chocolate was superb. I would have no hesitation in going back the next time I'm in the area.

When asked if they catered for my wife's low carb diet they responded with enthusiasm. The combination they put together was delightful which pleased her no end. I am not on the diet so indulged in 1 bacon roll & 1 with sausage which were both made with quality meats and were absolutely delicious. The excellent coffee (Americano) is definitely worth a mention too. We will be back.

Lovely coffee stop in a great location! I am a coffee snob and was very impressed by the flat white. Scones were delicious too. Nice outdoor seating area. Perfect start or end to a walk in the Pentlands.

Lunchtime on a Sunday in Penicuik didn’t offer many options so we were delighted to find this cafe just outside Penicuik. We hadn’t realised it is a walkers’ cafe linked to a walk to the Flotterstone Park. Unusually for such a modest location the lunch was amazing. Lovely bacon & Brie panini with side salad and quality dressing, as well as excellent cappuccinos. Not cheap but worth the cost. Very friendly service as well.

I had heard nothing but good things about this Cafe. I can confirm the reputation is accurate. Everything is excellent. The food portions are generous and high quality. The hot drinks are top notch. You will struggle to find a better hot chocolate anywhere. I would highly recommend stopping by here.

Really friendly service, outstanding coffee & hot chocolate and lovely cakes! Perfectly located to enjoy at the end of a walk, cycle or run!

Popped in after a walk in the hills. Truly amazing coffee, delicious soup and lovely, friendly service. Can't recommend highly enough

We popped in after our 3 hour hike for a bite to eat and was not disappointed. Really great atmosphere and food was amazing. Also the best hot chocolate I have ever had. Will definitely be back!

Had 3 morning rolls from this place the rolls were not fresh looked as though they were microwaved the price was 4 pounds odds a discrace

Thee best coffee I drank in Edinburgh was here, the owners are super charming and the food was amazing too. After hiking, this is the best stop you can make to refresh yourself.

So said my kid about Cafe Express’s lovingly made hot chocolate. This place is an absolute gem - great food and drinks in a lovely place made by warm and friendly people. Parking here tricky, so arrive early morning to get a spot and take...

I can't express how much my visit to this little cafe meant to me. I popped in before my first ever winter ascent of Scald Law, and was stunned by the warmth I was shown. To call any particular coffee the 'best of your life'...

This is a brilliant little cafe. Absolute heaven after a a cold a blustery run over the tops. We had a latte, bacon roll and scone. All good, but the bacon roll exceptional. Great service. Deserves to do well.

Goos paninis and teas/coffees. No massive frills, just good sandiwches/paninis and cakes. Does exactly what you are after in terms of a lunch when going for a walk. Good benches for a seat too.

We went to Pentland Hills Cafe Express on the way to a family event, with the plan to get coffee and a bacon roll and continue with our trip to a Gretna. We arrived early, walked in (slightly before they opened we think!) and asked...

We stopped here today for a coffee, soup and cake after a lengthy run in the Pentland hills. It’s a great little place, lots of fresh cakes, soup and coffee amongst other things. Very nice chatty owner who takes pride in the food and service,...

After a long bike ride we were welcomed warmly and served a fine coffee with the best bacon and egg roll I have had in ages! Followed up by a glorious piece of snickers cake that I will dream of until I return again. Well...

Had a wonderful lunch after our walk. Lovely atmosphere and friendly staff, highly recommend! Perfect before or after a walk around Pentland Hills

Get here early because it is small and busy. It's small because it's small, and its busy because it's brilliant. Daily home-made soups, fabulous filled foccacias, cakes to die for. Coffee is good too. There is lots of table space outside if wind and cold...

After a bracing walk my friend and I were delighted to find this perfectly situated converted information centre. Room to sit and lovely and warm, our visit was soured by the attitude of the server when we asked to share a scone. He was obviously...

This place is in the old ranger centre cabin. The place is small but the customer service is really good as is the food & drinks served. Reasonably priced, too.

Having been let down a few times with expensive and rubbish food at The Flotterstone, we ventured a little further along to this great wee place. Had the burger wrap and loved it. Others had veggie options and soups and everyone enjoyed it. Dog friendly...

We stopped in for some coffee and cake before tackling the hill walk. We were blown away by the cakes. The honey cake is amazing and not to be missed.

This is simply the best cafe we have ever visited. The owners are clearly dedicated to the very best standards and have brought Romanian family recipes to the heart of the Pentlands. Totally recommended and a lovely surprise from a small cabin in the woods.

The cafe itself is good and the girl behind the counter is very pleasant, but what really puts me off this place is the "chefs" sitting and standing outside smoking. Every time I go past I'm met with a constant smoke filled area - it's...

Soups are excellent and home baking delicious -would highly recommend stopping here on your trip to the Pentlands

Have visited here several times now and it has quickly become one of our favourite cafes. It's great that we can take our dog a walk and pop in here afterwards for some lunch. Their sandwiches and soups are always delicious as are their amazing...

I am a care practitioner working with vulnerable adults with different learning difficulties. On the 1/09/19 I was working. We decided to go for a walk to FlotterStone. After the walk, we were held up for time and we decided to go to the cafe...

We visited here today after randomly coming across it. What a cool place, we had a great lunch and hot drink. Service was perfect and we felt very welcomed. Definitely coming back and recommending you guys to others.

only stopped by to grab a coffee when leaving the park - home made scones, lovely coffee and a great server. small place so the queue can be long and slow - I would recommend though. Thank you

It may be small and look at first glance like the outdoor centre it once was, but don't be fooled. This is a proper cafe with a cosy interior and plenty of outdoor seating. The vegan lemon cake and coffee alone convinced me that it's...

We popped into this cafe for a spot of lunch during a big walk in the Pentlands. They had a good selection of sandwiches, cakes and drinks. However, it was a bit pricey. The staff were nice and the food was good. Was also lovely...

Lovely coffee but must have caught owner on bad day his attitude on serving my coffee was not friendly at all

I would love to comment on the coffee and the cakes, but having been left standing at the counter for an age while the two people behind it had a lengthy conversation between themselves while completely ignoring me waiting - not even a "be with...

After a long walk in the hills you can justify the excellent home-made baking and beverages in this cosy wee cafe.

We visited the cafe after a 5-hour hike over the Pentlands, and what a great place to rest and recover. Outstanding coffee, excellent sandwiches and friendly service - what more could you ask for?

My friend and I spend a lot of time hiking the Pentland hills and we never miss an opportunity to stop for a cake and a coffee in Flotterstone if we have the chance. The staff are always very lovely (and very obliging when it...

A great little find in a corner of Midlothian that gives access to great walks for the enthusiastic of ambler like me. Surprised no one thought of it before. Worth checking out.

After a nice walk we ended up in this beautifully located small but very cosy café. We had a delicious lunch, fantastic coffee and cake. The owner and his wife are very friendly and give good explanations on the area. Not to be missed when...

What a fantastic surprise, a real little gem. Walked in after a cold wet dog walk in March, a warm friendly atmosphere and excellent locally sourced home cooked food. The minestrone soup with meatballs was perfect and the mixed cheese and meat platter was excellent....

If your going up the Flotterstone for a walk up the Pentlands etc then a pit stop here is a must! Lovely staff - free poo bags and great coffee! Reasonable and handy! Will use again!

I’m been walking at flotterstone since I was a child and now that I live overseas, I always make a point of walking up to loganlea everytime I’m back. My uncle mentioned that there was a cafe here now so I thought I’d pop in...

My wife and have been regular visitors to the Pentlands but for some reason or another haven't been for the last 18 months, so this was our first visit to this little gem. As usual we started our walk at Flotterstone and did our usual...

A fantastic place to stop for a take away coffee and cake. The manager is very friendly and gave my son a wee extra treat to stop him moaning. The hot chocolates are out of this world-cream, marshmallow, sprinkles.... every kids dream. Dog friendly too!

I’m a bit of a regular, sometimes with friends, sometimes with my husband....but always with my dog. Today Laura recognised me and said “ I’ve got a cheese scone for you!” She knows my disappointment when they’re all gone! However there’s always something incredibly tasty...

What a gem of a place! This cafe beats any cafe that you can find in Edinburgh city centre. A pit stop for walkers, cyclists or anybody that appreciates a warm welcome and tasty food. We had a sharing platter of Italian cold meats and...

Wonderful welcome. Extraordinary mushroom soup made from host’s father in law’s contribution , with truffle shavings on top. The sharing platter of cheeses was more than generous.And a macchiato coffee was served in a chocolate coated ice cream cone, not sure if this was standard...

We arrived as the cafe was closing, but were asked if we were eating in. The cafe is small but cosy. We were made to feel welcome. The cakes, tea and coffee were just what we needed after a 12 mike walk. It gives you...

Hands down the best ever! Wonderful food that tastes delicious, cosy little venue in a great location with super friendly staff who genuinely know how to be great hosts and look after you really well - hats off to you :)

Great cakes, helpful staff, cosy venue. Ideal place following walk in the hills. Good tunes on the speakers

Fantastic homemade soups, generous portions at very reasonable prices. A very snug and cozy space run by charming staff eager to please! Nae better in toon’

Visited today after an walk over hills from Balerno. Lovely selection of cakes and snacks homemade soups. I Enjoyed a lovely warm fruit scone . Owner lovely too . Recommend.

After a long walk, we were in two minds whether just to go on to one of the nearby shopping centres for lunch or stop off here. We were glad we did. Two beautiful paninis and two great cups of coffee. Sadly we didn’t have...

Discovered this gem of a little cafe on my way back down from a hard walk. All the cakes looked great and I couldn't decide which to have so the owner recommended one to me and the best sort of coffee to complement it (cappuchino)....

A lovely walk up Glencorse Reservoir and a fabulous meal at the end. Great place. We were going to go to the nearby pub but a hill runner who we met told us to go here instead. Thank you whoever you were- great choice!

Just had lunch here after walk up to the reservoirs (dogs welcome) and it was delicious- lovely tomato soup with the owner explaining that the tomatoes came from his family's garden in Italy. Proper coffee and great ice cream for the children nicely presented with...

This is an exceptional location to end a hillwalk in the Pentlands. Hugely better than the Flotterstone Inn but only a few 100 metres apart. The range of scones and cakes is excellent. All home made I think. And they can cope with a big...

For a cafe right next to a beautiful scenic place, I think it’s appalling that you don’t use biodegradable/compostable cups! I noticed it’s not the first review to mention this. And as for your 3-6 months to decompose... Do you know it takes 20 years...

What a selection of sweet treats.... From the unusual avocado cake to amazing dietary requirements (chocolate vegan cake which you would ever suspect was vegan!). The customer service is second to none, friendly and helpful. Always nice to see a independent family business succeeding.

Was so happy this place was open at the end of a very hot trail run! Had a fantastic ice-cream and icy cold drink. The owner is always friendly and it's a lovely place.

We popped in for a wee coffee and cake having finished the 5 Peaks of Pentlands and the cafe was a wee treasure. We had honey cake and rocky road, delicious and the coffee was top rate. The cafe is cosy but welcomes dogs and...

My son and I had just completed an overnight hike and were returning to the car park. We decided to stop and picked out two delicious chocolate ice creams. Lovely ice cream and presented with a flake and strawberry. Friendly chat with the owner who...

After a lovely walk at Flotterstone we had a late lunch here and it was superb. Lovely home made soup bruschetta and salad. We scoffed the lot. Took some delicious cake and scones home. Very nice attentive owner. Gave us free chocolates as well. We...

The vegan chocolates are totally yummy! We loved the Amaretto flavour and I also liked the plain and coffee flavours, we even went back after visiting the Highlands to buy more for us and extra for my brother as a birthday present (they put them...

The owners put a lot of effort in making their customers feel welcome as well as in presenting their (excellent) food attractively. We had soup and bacon rolls, which came in lovely chinaware, with a salad. For dessert we had banoffi pie (the best we've...

This is a lovely cafe in the perfect spot! Popped in for some take away coffees, which were great, high quality coffee! Only small criticism would be that I was disappointed to see that they don't use compostable/vegware cups which came as a surprise since...

We have been several times and each time the food has been beautiful. Tasty home cooked soup, beautiful innovative desserts. Our son always enjoys the homemade honey cake. Last week was honey cake with chocolate. Scones are amazing too. Properly made coffee. Think we’ve successfully...

Nice and friendly café at Flotterstone car park. We have a meal at the café after a walk in the Pentland Hills. It's just at the car park, where the paths to the hills start. Very warm and nice, small but very comfortable, friendly staff....

This little cafe is a wonderful pit stop enroute to or from your Pentlands adventure! Amazing Eastern European delights and friendly, homely service. We stopped by for an Easter Sunday snack ... Didn't think we'd find ourselves eating a full meal with the most delicious...

Possibly the smallest restaurant we've ever been to, but what a gem. The food is wonderful - try the lasanga soup .Lots of veggie , and gluten free options all deliciously home made .Superb cakes .Best of all was the friendly service from the owners...

My daughter suggested this place because it has a good gluten free selection and an interesting selection of soups.. I started with meatball soup followed by a delicious honey cake and a great cup of coffee. The soup was fantastic full of tiny meatballs with...

Stopped in for a bite after a stroll in the Pentlands. Lovely cup of hot chocolate / coffee and scrumptious home baking. Were advised to try the honey cake and mascarpone cake and both were mouthwatering. Good choice of sweet and savoury. This was the...

I was looking for somewhere to have lunch near Penicuik & this cafe came top of the list. It proved to be everything I'd read & more. Lovely food in good-sized portions, lovely staff & nice location. We had piping hot vegetable & barley soup...

Nestling in the wooded area adjacent to the Pentland Hills Country Park car park at Flotterstone, this is a lovely little cafe offering a whole range of excellent food from bacon rolls, coffee with cake to a varied food menu with a European touch. A...

We stopped here today after a walk in the country park for hot chocolates, coffee and cakes, all of which were excellent. The honey cake, made to a Lithuanian recipe, was particularly gorgeous. The couple who run the new venture are delightful, and the service...

This is a gem of a café. I have visited it on a few occasions now while out walking in the Pentland Hills and would heartily recommend it. Their coffee alone is worth the trip, it is amazing. The service is excellent and the couple...

We went in for coffee after a visit to Scald Law. Friendly quick service and good coffee -just what you need after a winter walk. May also result in the nearby Inn upping their standards ! Go here instead .

Lovely little cafe, very friendly staff. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was amazing. Definately alot nicer than the pub just up the road. Dog friendly too. Couldn't reccomend more for a pre or post walk on the Pentlands.

Thanks to a recommendation on social media, we found this great little cafe in the former Visitors' Centre at Flotterstone near Edinburgh. Situated next to the car park at the foot of the Pentland Hills, it's a great place to relax after a walk. We...

Met with friends for a walk in the Pentlands and coming back down we popped into this cafe as we passed. It wasn't there last time we were here so we thought we'd take a look. So glad we did. The coffee is fantastic, and...

Cosy and comfortable little cafe with friendly and welcoming service. Also do takeaways. Simple home made foods but well cooked with fresh ingredients and large helpings ideal for those who have already hiked across the Pentlands. However the stand out memory is of their home...

I would highly recommend this little gem. We were helping out at a run tonight and they stayed open to cater for hungry our runners. A very friendly couples new venture, we had bacon rolls and paninis which were freshly made and very tasty. I...

Went for lunch with friends and kids. Soups were goods and kids enjoyed bacon rolls. Prices were reasonable. Only downside was despite buying food for 8 people, coffees and kids' drinks they refused to serve us one glass of tap water and made us buy...

After a climb over the Pentlands, my husband and I stopped for tea and coffee. Best coffee my husband has ever had according to him. Tea was served in a cafetière, delicious selection of cakes although we only tried the caramel shortcake...it was awesome. The...

We've been a few times now and I need to spend a few minutes to review this gem. The location is beautiful, ideal for a family walk up the Pentland Hills, the food and coffees are lovely, why not try some local Romanian delicacies including...

We were halfway through our Pentland Hills bike excursion when we stopped in for a quick coffee. What luck. I have been in Scotland for 2 weeks now and had yet to find a café that served Almond Milk so you can imagine my surprise...

This place is amazing with delicious food: Sicilian soups, Italian coffee and lots of homemade cakes in a wee hole in the wall cafe!

This is the place to stop for great food and friendly staff.the attention to detail is impressive and a warm welcome is always given.the home made soups are fantastico and well worth trying.it really is a special wee place where dogs are welcome.saves leaving them...

We popped in for some lunch on Sunday to this newly opened place and were very pleased. Friendly service and excellent food in the cafe and lots of delicious cakes to takeaway so it should be a big hit with the many walkers

If there were 10 more stars,I would have given them all.We are a very "difficult " family (2adults+2kids)when it's about food,but this lovely couple (the owners)they manage to please us to our complete satisfaction. Home made dishes, coffee, vegan and gluten free sweets etc,etc.In one...

Attractive small new café serving very good coffee and selection of cakes, scones, etc., as well a light snacks. It makes for a good stop-over either before, or after, a visit to this beautiful part of the Pentland Hills. Very friendly and efficient service from...

Came in here following a walk around the Pentland Hills. Lovely little cafe with great cakes, coffee and light meals. Very friendly owner really made us feel at home. Highly recommended.

This little cafe is lovely, very friendly staff and lovely coffee and cakes, soup etc at lunch time. Perfect location for when you finish your activity. Will be back