Lowdown, George Street
23 people recommend, 3 warn against itvia r/Coffee, r/Edinburgh, r/espresso28 comments cited below
What people say, in short
Many people recommend Lowdown and praise the coffee as excellent, with a few naming the pour overs as a standout. A couple of commenters say seats can be hard to get. Opinion is divided on the feel of the place: one diner found it disappointing given the hype, and one commenter sees its strict drink-making as snobby but justified.
Address
LOWDOWN, 40 George St, Edinburgh EH2 2LE, United Kingdom
At a glance
- Signature dishes
- Pour over, Espresso, Latte
- Best for
- Specialty coffee
- Opinions divided
- Yes
Nearby on this map
Other places on this map closest to Lowdown, George Street, as the crow flies.
The evidence
Every point below is paraphrased from a real public comment, ordered by how much the community engaged with it. Caveats and negatives are kept in — follow any link to read the original for yourself.
- Recommendsu/jontopielski in r/Coffee · Jan 2024taste
Calls the straight espresso excellent; warns seating is very limited, so visiting outside busy hours helps.
- Recommendsu/Charmthetimes3rd in r/Edinburgh · Apr 2024taste
Pourover there was pricey but among the best coffee they've had, so didn't mind.
- Caveatu/logically-stoned in r/Edinburgh · Jun 2026ambience
Has historically found Lowdown off-putting and wonders whether new ownership made it more welcoming.
- Mixedu/vivalanation734 in r/Edinburgh · Oct 2024service
Correct answer but customer service generally pretty crap.
- Recommendsu/leckie in r/Edinburgh · Jul 2024
Puts Lowdown in the top tier of Edinburgh coffee options.
- Recommendsu/onetimeuselong in r/Edinburgh · Jul 2024
Rates Lowdown as fairly good in central Edinburgh.
- Recommendsu/AwfyScunnert in r/Edinburgh · May 2026
Offered as one of three coffee suggestions.
- Recommendsu/fin_dawg in r/Edinburgh · Oct 2024
Says they're a fan of Lowdown too and rates another Edinburgh cafe as the best for strong coffee.
Show all 28 cited comments
- Caveatu/typhoonbrew in r/Edinburgh · Jun 2026service
Says a family member's drink order was refused at Lowdown and calls the place pretentious.
- Recommendsu/lsmh9417 in r/Edinburgh · Jul 2024
Names Lowdown as the pick if you want top-end quality.
- Recommendsu/ANDREWFL0WERS in r/espresso · Aug 2025
Said to have its own roastery and rated the whole offering as excellent.
- Recommendsu/savagesoundsystem in r/Edinburgh · Jun 2025
Lists it among recommended spots, with no further detail.
- Recommendsu/leynosncs in r/Edinburgh · Oct 2024taste
Calls Lowdown a fantastic cup.
- Recommendsu/GeneralPooTime in r/Edinburgh · Oct 2024
Picks Lowdown or Wellington.
- Recommendsu/TheAmazingPikachu in r/Edinburgh · Jul 2024taste
Says Lowdown ranks among the nicest lattes they've tried locally.
- Recommendsu/xarius214 in r/Edinburgh · Jul 2024
Lists Lowdown among their two favourite cafes.
- Recommendsu/MotorTentacle in r/Edinburgh · Apr 2024taste
Calls Lowdown great but pricey; suggests trying its pour overs and cakes.
- Caveatu/dnwgl in r/Edinburgh · Apr 2024taste
Found Lowdown disappointing despite the hype, though may have caught an off day.
- Recommendsu/NW4O in r/Coffee · Jan 2024
Stopped in while visiting Edinburgh, sampled a flight of coffees on a whim, called it outstanding, and says it started their coffee journey.
- Recommendsu/notprofessorcrispy in r/Edinburgh · Jul 2026taste
Rates it highly, mainly for batch and filter coffee plus cold brew.
- Recommendsu/HPFanatic2478 in r/espresso · Jun 2024taste
Says the in-town shop reliably stocks excellent beans.
- Recommendsu/c_more in r/Coffee · Jan 2024
Calls Lowdown fantastic and lists it as one of two excellent Edinburgh choices.
- Recommendsu/gtrcar5 in r/Coffee · Jan 2024taste
Former regular who lived in Edinburgh; liked the coffee and friendly people, and fondly recalls a chocolate torte.
- Recommendsu/EasyDragonfruit1049 in r/Edinburgh · Apr 2025
Best from their experience, especially early or quieter periods.
- Recommendsu/wimpires in r/Edinburgh · Mar 2025
Named as a missing spot to add to the map.
- Recommendsu/castlebay in r/Edinburgh · Oct 2024ambience
Agrees with the praise, but notes that finding a seat is not always easy.
- Mixedu/sucked_bollock in r/Edinburgh · Jun 2026taste
Calls Lowdown's coffee among the world's best and sees their strict drink-making as snobby but justified.
- Recommendsu/meridimus in r/Edinburgh · Jun 2025taste
Says it has the top pour-overs around.
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Freshness
Details last checked 10 Nov 2026. Recommendations reflect what people said at the time; confirm current details before you go.