Obadiah – SADLY NOW CLOSED

Exterior

After a little false start with their initial opening date, Obadiah is now firmly part of the Edinburgh coffee firmament, at least for the three months for which they have the lease on the cafe next to Dancebase, where Stag 2 traded during the 2015 Festival.

Run by a friendly Australian chap named Miles, previously part of the staff at Artisan Roast, the compact premises, right at the heart of the Grassmarket, have a pared-back and tranquil feel to them. It feels like a sanctuary from some of the Grassmarket’s excesses.

The tale of their coffee is an interesting one, with hints of the same approach being employed at the mysterious Energy Lab. They’re roasting in of all places Bulgaria, just outside Sofia. With the increasing focus on roasting locally around the city, this is a gamble of sorts, but one that seems to be worth taking judging by the results on offer.

Interior

On a couple of visits, I tried different single origin espressos, from Nicaragua and Ethiopia. Both were excellent with the creamy nut finish of the Ethiopian particularly good.

They have some pastries to nibble on – they all looked very good – but coffee is the focus at this wonderfully chilled little coffee lovers’ haven.

So overall, you should make it your business to visit Obadiah very soon. What they have on offer is always interesting, made with accuracy and verve, and delivered to a very high standard. It’s already an established part of my coffee route around the city and I look forward to seeing what comes next for this exciting venture.

16 Grassmarket, Edinburgh