Short answer
Southern Cross Cafe is a cafe at 63A Cockburn Street, on the corner of Fleshmarket Close in Edinburgh’s Old Town. Google Maps shows 9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays and 8 AM to 5 PM at weekends, while OpenTable shows 8 AM to 5 PM daily, so confirm the weekday opening time.
Southern Cross Cafe, on Cockburn Street in Edinburgh, is a cafe at number 63A on the corner of Fleshmarket Close in the Old Town. Google Maps shows it open 9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays and 8 AM to 5 PM at weekends, with indoor and outdoor seating and a menu of breakfast, soups, sandwiches and home-made cakes.
Where is Southern Cross Cafe on Cockburn Street?
Southern Cross Cafe is at 63A Cockburn Street, Edinburgh EH1 1BU, on the corner of Fleshmarket Close. Cockburn Street is the curving road that links the Royal Mile with the area below, close to Waverley railway station.
A 2015 blog places the cafe on that corner, and Google Maps gives the same street address. The cafe is in the Old Town, so the ground is steep and cobbled in places, and Fleshmarket Close is a stepped lane that drops away beside it.
If you arrive by train, the walk from Waverley station is short but uphill. See the hours and location page for the address, map and phone number in one place.
What are the opening hours?
Google Maps and Wanderlog show 9 AM to 5 PM from Monday to Friday and 8 AM to 5 PM on Saturday and Sunday. OpenTable shows a different pattern: 8 AM to 5 PM every day.
| Source | Monday to Friday | Saturday and Sunday |
|---|---|---|
| Google Maps (read 14 November 2026) | 9 AM to 5 PM | 8 AM to 5 PM |
| Wanderlog | 9 AM to 5 PM | 8 AM to 5 PM |
| OpenTable | 8 AM to 5 PM | 8 AM to 5 PM |
All three sources agree on a 5 PM close. Only the weekday opening time differs, so if you want an early breakfast on a weekday, call +44 131 622 0622 before you set out. Hours can also change around public holidays and the Edinburgh festival season, which the listings do not always reflect.
What kind of cafe is Southern Cross Cafe?
Southern Cross Cafe is a daytime cafe serving breakfast, soups, sandwiches, wraps, salads, burgers, pasta, ciabattas and home-made cakes, according to a 2015 blog. Wanderlog describes a two-floor space with antique furniture.
The same blog says breakfast was served until 3:30 PM and that the coffee was Artisan Roast. Cakes are displayed in the window. Because that blog is from 2015, the menu may well have changed, and no current menu or prices were found online. This guide records no prices for that reason.
What do visitors mention eating there?
Visitor mentions collected on Wanderlog include blueberry pancakes, scones with clotted cream, a beef burger, lemon cake and coffee and peanut cake. The menu file for this guide also records soup, sandwiches, wraps, ciabattas, salads, pasta, a cheese and tomato croissant, chocolate cake and carrot cake.
- Drinks: cappuccino, Biscoff latte, coffee and tea
- Savoury: soup, sandwiches, wraps, ciabattas, salads, pasta, a beef burger and a cheese and tomato croissant
- Sweet: blueberry pancakes, scones with clotted cream, lemon cake, coffee and peanut cake, chocolate cake and carrot cake
Some of these are noted as not always available. Cooked breakfast dishes are not covered here, because their ingredients were not confirmed, so ask staff about the contents of any dish. The menu page lists what has been recorded and how it was sourced.
Is there seating inside and outside?
Yes. Wanderlog lists both indoor and outdoor seating, and the 2015 blog mentions tables outside. Wanderlog also describes the cafe as spread over two floors.
Outdoor tables on a narrow Old Town street are weather dependent, and the best spots fill quickly on dry weekend afternoons. For a larger group, phone ahead. Wanderlog suggests reservations may be taken, but that was not confirmed.
How is Southern Cross Cafe rated?
Google Maps showed a 4.5 out of 5 rating from 2,508 reviews on 14 November 2026. That is a large number of reviews for a single cafe, which suggests steady footfall from both residents and visitors.
A rating is only a snapshot. Read a handful of recent reviews on the live listing rather than relying on the average, especially for details such as wait times and current opening hours.
How do you contact Southern Cross Cafe?
Phone +44 131 622 0622, or use the cafe’s Facebook page, which is the link on its Google profile. No website, Instagram account, online ordering page or takeaway service was found.
This guide is independent. It does not take orders or bookings and is not run by the cafe. The contact page explains who publishes the guide and how to get in touch with its publisher.
What is near Southern Cross Cafe?
Southern Cross Cafe is a few minutes on foot from the Royal Mile, Waverley station and the Old Town closes. The street itself is a curved, sloping road lined with narrow frontages, and it is one of the best-known streets in the Old Town.
Public landmarks within easy walking distance include the Royal Mile above, the railway station below and the stepped closes that run between them. Cockburn Street is a natural pause on a walk between the station and the castle end of the Royal Mile, so a coffee stop here suits a sightseeing day.
When is the best time to visit?
Mid-morning on a weekday and the hour before closing tend to be calmer than weekend lunchtimes, though no wait-time data was found for this cafe. The cafe closes at 5 PM on every source, so a late-afternoon visit is a tea and cake stop rather than a meal.
If you want breakfast items, go earlier. The 2015 blog said breakfast ran until 3:30 PM, but that may have changed. Weekends open an hour earlier on Google Maps, which suits early train arrivals.
What should you check before you go?
Check the weekday opening time, the current menu and any dietary needs by phone, because the public listings disagree on hours and no current menu was found.
- Confirm the opening time for the day you plan to visit.
- Ask what the soup of the day is, and whether the dish you want is still on the menu.
- Mention any allergies when you order. The 2015 menu may not match today’s.
- If you need halal food, ask staff directly. No halal statement was found for the cafe.
- Allow extra time on weekend afternoons and during the festival months.
The FAQ page gathers short answers to the most common questions about the cafe.
Common questions
Does Southern Cross Cafe have a website?
No website was found. Its Google Maps profile links to its Facebook page, and the phone number listed is +44 131 622 0622. This guide is independent and is not run by the cafe.
How is Southern Cross Cafe rated?
Google Maps showed 4.5 out of 5 from 2,508 reviews when this guide checked on 14 November 2026. Ratings change over time, so look at the live listing for the current figure.
Is there free wifi at Southern Cross Cafe?
A 2015 blog said free wifi was offered. That is a decade old, so treat it as unconfirmed and ask staff when you arrive.
Can you sit outside at Southern Cross Cafe?
Yes, according to Wanderlog, which lists indoor and outdoor seating, and the 2015 blog which mentions outdoor tables. Outdoor seating in Edinburgh depends heavily on the weather.
Does Southern Cross Cafe take bookings?
Wanderlog suggests reservations are accepted, but this is unclear and was not confirmed. The cafe is best asked directly by phone about bookings for a group.
Planning a visit? Start with Southern Cross Cafe Edinburgh: address, opening hours, menu and directions in one place.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Southern Cross Cafe itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.