Reviews - The Nook @ Café Portrait
Reviews
9of 10
Ratings and reviews can only be left by guests who have booked with TheFork.
Joannie F. • 2 reviews
20 March 2025
10/10Excellent service. Very well looked after. Food was delicious. We’ll be back.
Helen C. • 1 review
19 March 2025
8.5/10Despite some misunderstanding over our order, it was dealt with in a professional, sympathetic way. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal & appreciated the concern of the staff. Will definitely return!
Lesley I. • 2 reviews
17 March 2025
8/10Lovely place to sit and server very friendly. However, I found the menu limited.
Sarah M. • 1 review
16 March 2025
10/10Fabulous cafe and lovely staff who made a special day even more better. 10 out of 10 service and delicious food. Highly recommended.
Irene P. • 39 reviews
12 March 2025
10/10Clean, stylish and lovely service complimented our very enjoyable meal.
ISABELLA C. • 1 review
11 March 2025
7/10We were a bit disappointed. The menu was very limited. Not even soup on it. We did not realise that it has no longer got a connection with the adjoining cafe which always has beautiful healthy food. The waiter was very good. He explained the situation but he was restricted in what he could do. There were very few people eating in it while the adjoining cafe was full. The atmosphere was very quiet so my party could converse easily. We were not rushed from our table which was a bonus. Can’t see this doing well. We certainly won’t be in a hurry to go back. Sad as the waiter is lovely and he is enjoying working there.
Isla M. • 1 review
10 March 2025
7/10Service and welcome good. The menu selection disappointing.. The food we had was good. We will in future eat in the cafe area which is good and offers the same.
Lucy G. • 1 review
1 March 2025
10/10Very kindly and attentive staff, nice peaceful space compared to main cafe, great we could book a table, quick service, lovely food and no sense that we were being rushed.
Emma N. • 1 review
17 February 2025
7/10The food had flavour and was tasty but wasn't warm. We had two of the same dish and they were both tepid. On a cold day when you spend £11 on a dish you would expect the food to be warming.
Fiona S. • 2 reviews
12 February 2025
10/10
Beautiful room and friendly staff, great ambiance and tasty food
Natasha S. • 2 reviews
20 January 2024
10/10Friendly and efficient customer service. Nice balance of sweet and savoury and especially welcoming to have a little cup of delicious piping hot soup on a cold day. The decaf coffee was very flavoursome- a rare find. Thank you
Alice C. • 1 review
19 December 2023
10/10Had a really lovely afternoon tea here. All the food was delicious and was so abundance that there was plenty for us to take home with us to enjoy later. Every member of staff we spoke to was lovely and my mum and I had a great time
Gillian M. • 2 reviews
13 December 2023
10/10Staff were friendly and welcoming. Our afternoon tea was delicious with a unique selection of savouries, scones and cakes. My favourites were the tiny cup of yellow split pea and pepper soup, mini croissant with goats cheese and the amazing gingerbread. Presentation was perfect with my vegetarian selection of savouries offered on a separate plate. Excellent value for money. Thank you :)
Alastair C. • 1 review
11 December 2023
10/10Four of us had a very pleasant afternoon tea at the Portrait Gallery cafe. The food was excellent value for money and the service was above and beyond expectations. We would all recommend the venue, particularly it being conveniently located near the centre of Edinburgh, and we hope to return soon.
Nicolette S. • 1 review
8 December 2023
10/10Riley was amazing at organising our afternoon tea. The gluten free platter was brilliant. The gluten free scones were the best I've ever had. Nice to have reserved table in a quieter area.
Shirley M. • 1 review
10 November 2023
10/10Afternoon tea for a friend’s birthday… was excellent!!
Andrea S. • 1 review
8 July 2023
9/10We enjoyed our afternoon tea at Cafe Portrait. The food and service was great. They could improve on the ambience IMO for the afternoon tea room. It's a pretty basic cafeteria look - although we knew this ahead of time. It's a nice, reasonably priced tea spot.
Paul A. • 1 review
17 May 2023
10/10Fantastic friendly and efficient service and best afternoon tea we have ever had. Soup and savouries were delicious and a lovely change from the sandwiches which usually come with afternoon tea at other places. Lovely selection of scones and cakes- looked good and tasted even better. Can’t wait to go back!
Myfi F. • 1 review
21 April 2023
10/10We loved our afternoon tea here! We had the room to ourselves and it was very peaceful. Portions were great, felt like a total steal. The wait staff was so kind and were very prompt. Hope to come back next time I’m in town!
Betty G. • 1 review
29 March 2023
8.5/10There were 4 of us enjoying a lovely afternoon tea including one needing gluten free which was very good. I would have preferred sandwiches to the savouries to be honest but scones and cakes were very good. Staff were friendly and helpful. The separate room was great too
Carli W. • 1 review
19 March 2023
3/10Chose Cafe Portrait for Mothers Day as their afternoon tea was rated really good in an article I had read. The actual Cafe is a beautiful space but we were put in a separate section which was for everyone having afternoon tea. This was very small, had no character & didn’t feel special at all. The staff were very inattentive, the table next to us had to remind them they still hadn’t had their afternoon tea after 30 mins. No refill of tea was offered, we had to seek out someone. The actual afternoon tea was very under whelming, the picture on the Cafe Portraits website was certainly a lot more appealing than what came. No sandwiches, the pastries although very nice were cold & dried out. The cakes were very tasty but again didn’t feel very fresh. Everyone who was having afternoon tea I imagine was there for Mother’s Day too & you could tell there was a disappointment in the room. No fuss was made for the occasion. Such a shame, will be paying the extra to go back to the Signet Library in future!
Janet S. • 1 review
16 February 2023
9/10Very good afternoon tea. The food was varied, a super selection of fresh savoury and sweet treats. Our server was lovely, so friendly and helpful. Will definitely recommend to friends and family.
Karen M. • 1 review
26 January 2023
10/10
My Mum and I had a lovely afternoon tea in Cafe Portrait. The food was delicious and there was so much to eat, we had to take some away! The snug is quieter than the main cafe and it’s very comfortable. The afternoon tea is excellent value for money compared with other Edinburgh venues. Highly recommended
Natasha S. • 2 reviews
21 January 2023
10/10Attentive and friendly service. The vegetarian afternoon tea was a delicious selection of savoury and sweet with a fusion of different cuisines as well as traditional scones.
Elisa H. • 1 review
6 January 2023
5/10We were expecting a more traditional afternoon tea, and this felt a bit like a “grab and go” experience. We liked the bites served, though! The desserts were a bit too sweet but the scones and savory bites were rigorous.
Gordon W. • 1 review
31 December 2022
10/10My wife and I had a lovely afternoon tea. Our waitress was super. The food was lovely and we even managed to take the leftover cakes home. I would highly recommend an afternoon tea!
Kirsty L. • 2 reviews
28 December 2022
10/10Excellent attentive staff & delicious food. Impossible to get hold of cafe staff beforehand (phone call or email) to give further information. But wasn’t a big problem. Last to leave so think that says it all! Thank you ????
August E. • 1 review
24 December 2022
10/10I went with my parents for a wee Christmas treat and it was absolutely brilliant! The afternoon tea was delicious, staff were super accommodating and friendly; overall a superb experience.
Kimberly M. • 1 review
23 December 2022
3.5/10This was an absolute joke of a tea experience. The staff didn’t check on us once. We got no refills. And they served us the food after 20 minutes wait. Much to our surprise the manager came over and told us that we were served too much. Tried to take our food away to give to another party. Like your incompetent behavior was our fault??? I think not. Then told us and the other table that she had no additional food because it was all frozen. Miserable experience and very poor customer service
Victoria M. • 1 review
14 December 2022
10/10Really wonderful afternoon tea. Food was excellent, one of the best afternoon teas we’ve had. Would definitely recommend to anyone coming to visit
Sally B. • 1 review
13 December 2022
10/10Food was fresh and delicious and service was impeccable. A lovely afternoon tea experience with my mum and sister ????
Gillian M. • 2 reviews
10 December 2022
10/10Delicious food- the best afternoon tea at very reasonable price. So much attention to detail especially as vegetarian!! Superb service and will definitely return. Thank you to the very hardworking staff :)
Shirley A. • 1 review
13 November 2022
10/10Absolutely delicious afternoon tea and such good value for money. Staff were very attentive and the service was great. One of our party was gluten free and said it was one of the best afternoon teas she has every had. Thanks Portrait Gallery for a lovely afternoon. We will be back.
Marion M. • 1 review
22 October 2022
8.5/10The room where the afternoon tea was served was perfect. Nice quiet area that was away from the main cafe. Service was amazing and the food was good. We didn’t eat or enjoy everything but that was down to personal preference not the food so no complaints at all. The staff were very attentive and helpful. They described everything accurately. I would definitely recommend this and would also return.
Nicola K. • 1 review
16 October 2022
9.5/10The staff were very friendly and welcoming. The high tea was superb - scrumptious mini-cakes and scones, as well as an assortment of fresh savoury options. Tables were far enough apart not to make one feel too cramped. We loved the modern art decorating the walls. We will be back!
Glynis S. • 1 review
24 August 2022
10/10The service was great and we were offered unlimited tea or coffee. As we were not able to eat everything, we were given a box to take the leftover home. It was nice to have different savouries rather than sandwiches.
Elizabeth G. • 1 review
27 June 2022
10/10My friend and I loved your afternoon tea.It was delicious and we were given a doggy bag. To take home what we had not eaten. The service was excellent , waitress was so helpful and friendly. My friend said it was the best afternoon tea she had ever had. It was a treat for her Birthday. We would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a first class Afternoon tea. Lizzie Goldie-Scot
Joanne O. • 1 review
12 June 2022
10/10Today I took 2 elderly ladies for afternoon tea in the cafe, the staff saw them arrive and immediately came to assist them into the building and get settled, the tea itself was delicious and very reasonably priced - amazing service, kind and attentive, would highly recommend
Tricia C. • 1 review
27 May 2022
10/10After spending much time reviewing the paintings, a stop for afternoon was perfect. The choice of food slightly different to the normal. But that what made it extra special. Tiny little cup with soup, tiny flan, savoury scones, fruits scones and cream and jam plus a selection of yummy cake. Endless pot of tea. A joyful experience with friendly staff and little quite room to reflect.
Maria G. • 1 review
13 February 2022
6/10The afternoon tea was lovely but the service was very poor. No one came to see if we were ok with the food or if we wanted more tea. The worst ???? was quiewing for 25 minutes to pay for our food
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