My nomination for ‘best catering experience of 2017’ is the Serenity Café, Edinburgh.
The Café lies off Holyrood Road, and is ‘sandwiched’ between the specialised but welcoming Scottish Poetry Library and the Glass Menagerie that is the BBC.
Scotland’s Parliament building is a longish stone’s throw away (but you could still try).
Sometimes when I go there I notice in the clientele some elements of these illustrious neighbours – the other-worldly versifier type, the suited politico or the wannabe celeb. They wander in, sometimes looking stressed or anxious, spaced out or focused; but the place seems to relax them. The regular customers barely give them a second glance.
The Serenity Café treats everyone the same – you will probably queue to give your order, exchange a bit of banter with whoever is serving, find somewhere to sit (no separate tables here, that’s not the style). You might even have to clear the last customer’s stuff from the table. That’s how it happens in places that are relaxed and not trying to put on a pointless show.
The Café began in 2009. It was set up by a small group of people, supported by Scottish Charity Comas. Starting small, everyone had to chip in to turn the cold, empty premises into a fully functioning café. It is now a highly popular community hub for people in recovery and anyone else who’s passing – it was the first of its kind in the UK though many similar have popped up around the country.
There are several meeting rooms that are used for training, discussion, entertainment, fitness, yoga and recovery meetings. They are well used. I go there weekly for a Writers Group which I look forward to greatly; a more congenial and supportive group I could not hope to find. Some are locals who live in close vicinity, others from a little further away, but we all enjoy the laid-back atmosphere and the shared interests that we have.
Creative folk like us, I tell myself, have always benefited from such group activities; The Hotel Algonquin Round table in New York, or Ernest Hemingway and his writer buddies in Paris are examples. I like to think that the writers group at the Serenity Café will be equally famous one day.
There is however one notable difference between our place and theirs – no alcohol – no wine, beer or absinthe for us. Tea, coffee and soft drinks are our creative fuel with an occasional piece of home- made cake, and we are more than happy with them and with the results they produce.
What I appreciate in any café is a nice welcome and good food at a reasonable price served by friendly staff with a smile. These are all available at the Serenity Café. Meals are mostly made on the premises, simple and delicious. Here is a typical lunch offering:

You can take your meal on one of the comfortable sofas if you wish, or sit at one of the tables where you may find yourself talking to friends, acquaintances or complete strangers. Last visit, I got a kiss as well.