![HappyCow logo](/img/hc-logo-name.png)
Vegan
Organic
Western
Take-out
Bakery
European
Gluten-free
Cafe serving a selection of starters, burgers, sandwiches, all-day breakfast, soups, and Buddha bowls. Emphasis on cooking from scratch and creating healthy dishes. Est. 2016. Open Mon-Thu 12:00-22:00, Fri-Sun 10:00-22:00. Last orders 9pm. Open hours vary.
Featured Review
carolvegan
Points +3766
Spectacular! - Edit
Staff was really lovely and made us very welcome and comfortable. Ordered the fully vegan and gluten free breakfast, my hubby the tofu burger. Also green smoothie and a Karma Cola. For dessert, the Ferrero pie. Everything was soooo tasty!!! Highly recommended!!! It is in a hidden spot, but so cool.
Read morePros: All
Guest
509 Reviews
First Review by craigmc
rpoulova
Points +1599
Did not impress but I will be back - Edit
I quickly visited Holy Cow during my visit to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. I had a jackfruit burger which, in my opinion, was pretty average, the patty even disappointing. I believe it was made of quality ingredients, however, I've had many vegan burgers in my life and my expectations were slightly higher. Staff were nice though and their cakes looked yummy, so I will be back to try more items from their menu.
Read morePros: Centrally located, Long opening hours
Guest
BBinNC
Points +58
Perfect spot for a healthy bite - Edit
This was our first stop in Edinburgh, and it did not disappoint. We had their full Scottish breakfast, which was great. But the highlight was the Victorian sponge cake. Holy Cow is a little oasis in a busy part of the city.
Read moreGuest
AmandaCortés
Points +228
Delicious burgers in Edinburgh - Edit
We had some really good burgers in Holy Cow. We loved the fact that everything is home made, even the bread buns. The fries are hand cutted and delicious as well.
Read moreWe tried one with mushrooms and another one made from kidney beans and soy. They were spectacular!
We also had some dessert , the Banoffee cake (really good).
A bit expensive though, but we're talking about Edinburgh.
Well located, near to the city centre, and staff lovely.
Pros: Homemade , Delicious , Well located
Guest
LeahThomas
Points +69
Unfortunately this is not it. - Edit
I hate giving bad reviews to vegan places, but the experience here was pretty bad. Went in and it smelled of bleach, the cleaning stuff they use for the tables is painfully strong. The music was good until the door to the kitchen was open and then we got two soundtracks fighting with eachother which was so distracting and sounded awful. One person doing their best to serve everyone but they were rushed off their feet, I felt stressed just watching them. But, what it comes down to is the food. The quarter pounder was so underwhelming especially after reading reviews here- it's so dry, pretty bland, I've had better burgers from the supermarket. The kind of burger that's so big you can't actually pick it up. Chips were pretty decent though. Made the mistake of asking for mayo, which tasted like plain margarine? Wish I'd chosen somewhere else.
Read moreP.s. this might sound harsh but as an autistic person the smells and sounds were a really rough sensory experience for me.
Updated from previous review on 2024-09-02
Guest
Sissingwowo
Points +314
Don’t bother - Edit
Dirty greasy glasses for water, overpriced food, slightly condescending staff
Read moreGuest
Veganplumber
Points +32
Holy F#@£ - Edit
Amazing, the price was so far below the quality, everything was perfect,
Read morePros: Tasty , Everything is vegan , Cute and cosy
Guest
CherylAnnA
Points +231
Pleasant surprise - Edit
My expectations were exceeded here! Super fresh, large portions, calm atmosphere. Worth the visit!
Read morePros: Fresh food, Large portions
Guest
dani11inad
Points +358
Lovely place - Edit
Fully vegan serving a full vegan bfast and good coffee. Good quantity cappuccino for the price. Were also playing very good music while we were there. Expensive for European standards but I guess that’s the case everywhere in Edinburgh. I recommend!
Read morePros: Fully vegan, Full vegan breakfast , Friendly staff
Guest
tiggydickers
Points +222
Tasty breakfast - Edit
Lovely vegan breakfast - very flavoursome and filling.
Read moreGuest
soydumplings
Points +1581
Holy cow! - Edit
Holy cow is a fully vegan cafe in a good central location. They have food ranging from light bites such as soups to mains such as burgers!
Read moreWe got the soup of the day, which was okay (a little watery) but came with lots of thick sourdough. We also got the Ruben sandwich which was incredible! The pastrami was thick seitan - the flavour was amazing and worked really well with the rest of the sandwich.
We also shared some thick cut chips, they had crispy skin on the outside and were soft on the inside!
The only negative was that a staff member was a little rude to us when we asked a question about the food, however, this could have just been a bad day for this person:)
Pros: Great vegan food, Amazing chips!
Cons: Staff were a little rude on this day!
Guest
Cold.Truth
Points +42
Super lecker, tolle Auswahl - Edit
Von coolen Smoothies, über Burger mit Pommes, englisch Breakfast, bishin zu einer tollen Auswahl an Torten.
Read morePros: Netter Service , Liebevoll angerichtet , Schnelle Bedienung
Guest
msocsci
Points +42
The late arseholes - Edit
Walked in after a fringe show, they were shutting in 25 mins but they were kind enough to serve us and not hover over us to hurry us up. Staff were lovely and the food was gorgeous. We had the tofu burger and the oyster mushroom steak burger. Both of them were absolutely delicious and the homemade chips were the best I've tasted anywhere. Lucky it was so filling or we might have had a sweet and kept them back longer. Definitely be back next time in Edinburgh.
Read morePros: The Staff, The Food, The Atmosphere
Cons: None that I can think of
Guest
AdrianaBobîlcă
Points +361
Delicious - Edit
First stop after arriving in Edinburgh and it could not be more perfect. The indoor space was full, we ate in the very small patio, the food was very good, tasty, plenty of options and when stepping out we noticed the cakes that looked amazing. A must try if you are in town.
Read moreLE: went there a second time and it was just as amazing! Had the Ruben sandwich and the New York cheese cake, delicious and very generous portions
Updated from previous review on 2024-08-07
Pros: Delicious food, Nice staff
Guest
Timothée
Points +833
Great place - Edit
Small restaurant with a nice all vegan offering.
Read moreFirst time there I had the vegan English breakfast (really nice).
Second time I had the oyster burger, too dry and not interesting.
But all in all a great experience.
Updated from previous review on 2024-08-14
Guest
totally_not_a_robot
Points +20
Good waffles - Edit
Good food, it was good, very good
Read morePros: Food
Guest
Nvho
Points +164
Great - Edit
Was great to be able to have some healthy vegan food. Very tasty & a lovely pot of peppermint tea. A little hard to find - it’s below street level- and I walked past it at first!
Read morePros: Friendly , Extensive choice
Guest
DawnBetter
Points +632
Delicious!!! - Edit
A lovely small spot with delicious options.
Read morePros: Atmosphere, Food!! , Friendly
Guest
Curtis&VictoriaSmi
Points +190
Nice atmosphere - Edit
Food was good, it was not as oily or salty as most vegan places which was so nice. The atmosphere of the place was calm and inviting. Really enjoyed that. The fries were delicious, no salt added, awesome! The soup was kinda flavourless but still really comforting on a windy wet day.
Read morePros: Good portions, Quiet cozy atmosphere , Friendly staff
Guest
jemmasmith12
Points +88
One of the best vegan sandwiches I have ever had - Edit
The Ruben sandwich was incredible, so much flavour and well worth the cost!
Read moreGuest
EvaKB
Points +60
Nice little place, good food - Edit
We had dinner here, on a busy evening. The waitress was very kind but far too busy. Other staff did not seem to pitch in. The food was nice, a bit traditional.
Read moreGuest
Hollipop
Points +722
Delicious - Edit
Cosy little place with great food!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-07-31
Pros: Great food
Cons: Small / very busy whenever I've been in
Guest
CalEsquiress
Points +75
Lovely! - Edit
We were in Edinburgh on holiday and decided to give Holy Cow a try. We liked it so much, we came back the next day. A charming locale with great vegan meal options. The desserts were fantastic! And the staff were all very kind. Highly recommend.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-07-26
Pros: Charming environment, Many vegan entree options, Delicious variety of vegan desserts
Guest
Mantk
Points +64
Cozy vegan café and amazing breakfast! - Edit
We had the full vegan breakfast and it was super tasty and filling! The café is fully vegan, so there are many options, such as cakes, soup, burgers and bowls. Everything looked delicious, I wish we could’ve tasted them all!
Read moreThe café is also cute and cozy, and the service was friendly.
Pros: Tasty full vegan breakfast and variety of options, Cute fully vegan café, Friendly service and cozy atmosphere
Guest
HelenBevan
Points +80
A vegan must! - Edit
Food is great, super fresh and delicious! Cute vibe with lovely staff! Def visit!
Read moreGuest
Hilbia
Points +32
super - Edit
A real find. We've been here several times and tried different dishes. Everything tasted very good. The fantastic kimchi is particularly recommended. The people are very nice, and the atmosphere is pleasant. Absolutely recommended.
Read morePros: Gerichte, Ambiente, Leute
Guest
MESParis/NYC
Points +501
Tasty - Edit
Cute place! I had the tofu burger/sandwich, which was quite good. The fries were excellent. The oyster mushroom burger was also delicious. I tried my daughter’s. Friendly service.
Read moreGuest
Meganimals
Points +164
One of the best vegan restaurants I have visited! - Edit
So good we went back the next day for lunch! Cute setting, outdoor & indoor seating. The mushroom steak burger is one of the best sandwiches I have ever eaten as well as having the best chips we have had in 2 weeks in the UK! Great side salad to get some greens, nice tea & smoothie options and delicious desserts!
Read morePros: Easy to get to, Super cute, Nice staff
Guest
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