Secret Herb Garden Cafe & Bistro - Edinburgh

Derek Z.

Great setting and good menu choices. Quiche not available when we visited which was a shame. The soup and Toastie looked very good value but the toasty was uncooked and cool. Disappointing given the long wait for food.

Debz X.

A hidden gem just outside the city! Or close by to Midlothian winter sports centre - The Secret Herb Garden is a stunning oasis with vibrant, fragrant gardens full of herbs and flowers. The on-site café and bistro are excellent—perfect for breakfast, a relaxing lunch or coffee paired with one of their amazing homemade cakes. Don’t miss the gin tasting experience—crafted with their own botanicals—and the shop, where you can buy their delicious honey (from their own hives), gin, and other local goodies. A truly magical spot for nature lovers and foodies alike!

Kelly K.

Whenever I visit Scotland, I always come here and always order the same thing: for the fig sour dough dish and the rasberry rose cocktail. The service is so kind, they adjusted my cocktail to my wishes and explained it kindly. The scenery is obviously absolutely beautiful. They have a lot of vegetarian (and some vegan) options, the pear gin cocktail is also so refreshing, pretty sure whatever you get it’ll be amazing. 😊

neil R.

🌿 Magical Party at the Secret Herb Garden Cafe & Bistro
🌿

We have been meaning to write this review for some time. But, since our wonderful wedding party and several generational birthday milestone parties rolled into one at the Secret Herb Garden Cafe & Bistro, life has been hectic!

So, coming back to our experience with the team at the Secret Herb Garden Cafe & Bistro in late May… It was nothing short of magical. Tucked away at the foot of the Pentlands, the venue offered the perfect blend of rustic charm, botanical beauty, and welcoming and knowledgeable staff.

We’d enjoyed several previous brunch experiences in the glasshouse and we always thought it might be the perfect place for our plans to have a combined wedding and birthday parties (10th, 40th, 50th & 70th) extravaganza.

On the day the venue did indeed turn out to be perfect. Providing the ideal place to deal with weather that saw bright sunshine turn to spring showers and back to a clear starry night.

The glasshouse provided a space filled with greenery and natural light while the surrounding outdoor spaces including the Sunken Garden and Rose Garden allowed friends, family and most importantly kids to explore and play amongst the herbs, wildflowers, alpacas and the soft sounds of nature.

The team at the venue were fantastic. Organised and led by Karen, they were accommodating, attentive and considerate and provided guidance and support where appropriate on making the day/evening a brilliant success.

The (finger) food was a highlight – fresh, seasonal, and beautifully presented and drew compliments from young and old in attendance. The bubbles and wine flowed with the bar also providing great options for more exotic drinks including the in-house gin cocktails! Oh and the cakes were delicious!!

While amplified music isn’t allowed, the acoustic duo we hired - Stravair – fit the vibe perfectly and got everyone’s feet moving to a ceilidh under the fairy lights in the Glasshouse.

All in all, the Secret Herb Garden Cafe & Bistro felt like a hidden world just outside the city. It gave us a unique, fun, and heartwarming day that we and our guests will never forget. We would thoroughly recommend it as a place for a wedding or party.

Thanks again to all the team at the Secret Herb Garden Cafe & Bistro,
Neil, Kirsty, Elsbeth and Judy.

Olga M.

I don't know why I didn't know about this place before. What a atmosphere! Eating lunch in such a natural place. The salad amazing with figs and grapes from the garden. Will come back for sure

Gavin W. B.

Lovely cafe, staff are excellent and can't do enough. Only criticism good wise is, the kids board could do with a hummus or sauce, otherwise everything was great.

Be aware there are quite a few wasps in the indoor area, however didn't bother us through food.

katie M.

Came for afternoon tea with a big group of friends and it was lovely. Nice amount of food and good value. Also visited the shop where we got to sample some gin, really helpful staff when making our choice.

Chaz C.

My wife, daughter and I went here for lunch a few Saturdays ago and what an enjoyable experience we had. It’s certainly hidden away which I like but it’s not miles away from civilisation.
They have a few farm animals which the young kids may like. We went straight to the cafe as we were Hank! You are seated next to the herb garden, making it a lovely setting. Not only was the atmosphere impressive so was the menu, offering various dishes, some of which are your brunch staples but also some unique options.
My wife got a hot chocolate which I can vouch was very good. It was the perfect temperature and it wasn’t too sweet. Just right. I went for a tea which I believe was nice but obviously not that memorable. For grub my wife went for the coronation chicken ciabatta which she thoroughly enjoyed. The bread was lovely and soft yet crisp on the outside. The filling was superb and delicious. She also had the tomato soup which wasn’t as nice. It was lacking something but we couldn’t quite put our finger on it. The accompanying sourdough was good though. I went for the toasted ciabatta with Pulled pork, mustard mayo, crispy onions & chorizo jam! It sounded good and tasted amazing! The best sandwich I’ve had in a long time! Great flavours! Alongside my sandwich I got what I think was a daily special. It was homemade hash browns with black pudding and a wonderful yogurt sauce. Again, this dish was lovely and was fancy in presentation. Special indeed.
My daughter thoroughly enjoyed herself with lots of people and things to look at. The staff were friendly and attentive. Although saying that, we had to wait a while for our takeaway sweet treats which were fine but not worth the wait.
It was a little on the expensive side but everything is fresh and good quality so maybe justifiable. I’d like to come back.