We were sad to see both Hernandez & Co and the Third Man close on Queenferry Street, in recent months. From the ashes of the latter has emerged Café Panino, so I popped in for a visit.

Actually, this was the third time I’d been in, having tried their espresso (not good) and breakfast bagel (not great) on previous visits.

Service was very friendly, on both occasions. The smiley counter folks radiate efficiency in their caps and polo shirts. It has a production line feel, somewhat analogous to Subway, but with a good dash of charm.

I was pleased to note that their breakfast offering had replaced the bagels with morning rolls. I opted for sausage and bacon for my “two-item for £2” filling, having been underwhelmed by an under-seasoned omelette roll on the previous visit.

To heat up the pre-prepared items, the cheery chap toasted things on the grill. This left the roll looking rather squidged, but suitably warm.

It was definitely an improvement on previous endeavours, with a decently tasty and large sausage and good bacon making for reasonably tasty mouthfuls. It still wasn’t tearing up any trees, though.

So overall, Café Panino can definitely be said to be going in the right direction, having markedly improved from my previous experiences. I suspect it’s more of a lunch place, as their noodle pots look like they might be quite good. The welcome is certainly warm and the service experience efficient. It still has some way to go, however, to match the quality previously on offer.

Scores
Blythe scores Café Panino
3/5 for food
2.5/5 for presentation
3/5 for setting
3.5/5 for service
giving an overall 12/20

I ate: sausage and bacon roll

I wore: brown suit

Total bill: £2