Tag Archives: Fringe Festival

Café Jaques

After our last visit to the Edinburgh Festival where we visited the very french La Barantine boulangerie, we are back. This time we are in Café Jaques which is just along the street from Petit Paris. Have the French invaded? Are we really leaving the EU? Petit Paris at the Edinburgh International FestivalWith every day that passes we look more and more continental. Al fresco dining at the Edinburgh International FestivalLots of al fresco dining.Street performance at the Edinburgh International FestivalNo idea what’s going on here – it was completely silent for us but they were having a brilliant time with their headphones. The EU certainly seems to have come to Edinburgh but maybe the photo below gives a clue as to why we have Brexit. Oh no, she’s American!SMUT in the Grassmarket at Edinburgh International Festival

After dithering over “Abrupt Erotica” we felt the need for a calming scone and it just so happened that it was Café Jaques that came to the rescue … phew! Not that we escaped completely, there was a bunch of  Festival folk sitting outside the window having a great time. You just can’t escape the happiness of Edinburgh at this time of year. Maybe they had all been to “Smut While U Wait“?Happy festival goers at Café Jaques in the Grassmarket, Edinburgh

But lets be serious for a second, we came in here to get away from all the nonsense and for a bit of sensible sconing. Even though it was going to be French yet again! Internal view of Café Jaques in the Grassmarket, EdinburghBy comparison with the shenanigans going on outside this place was a little oasis of peace and tranquility. They only had fairly large fruit scones so we decided to share one. This time, would you believe it, the coffee was Italian. You would think that in Café Jaques they would at least have French coffee.

Not only that, when our scone arrived it was presented already halved through the middle with its insides exposed to the elements. Has the world gone completely mad? A scone at Café Jaques in the Grassmarket, EdinburghWe had to reassemble it so that you could see it as it in its unmutilated state. Not to worry this was a very reasonable scone and a good attempt for someone French. They’ll get the hang of it eventually. Touching Greyfriar Bobby's nose

Elsewhere in the city people were queuing up to touch Greyfriars Bobby’s nose in spite of a huge campaign to stop it from being worn away.  Self evidently the campaign was not working so why not put a collection box there so that you have to make a contribution if you want your wish to come true. That way they could have a brand new statue ever year. Anyway, Edinburgh on this visit looked fantastic and very continental … lets hope the Scottish government can miraculously find a way to keep us in the EU, after all that’s what Scotland voted for. Sorry keep forgetting. It doesn’t matter what we vote for in Scotland! Vive le Festival d’Édimbourg!

EH1 2JU    tel: 0131 220 5358       Café Jaques TA