Vegan
International
Take-out
Gluten-free
Breakfast
Serves food inspired by the cuisines of the world. Located at the garden level of St John’s Church. Dishes may include baked aubergine, crushed broad beans & peas, and kimbap. Open Thu 12:00-17:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-20:00, Sun 12:00-17:00.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
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Lothian Rd and Princes St (at St John's Church, Garden Terrace Level), Edinburgh, Scotland, EH2 4BJ
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- Outdoor seating
- Accepts credit cards
- Free Wi-Fi
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Last update on 01 Mar 2025 by A&M
Update business info -
Added by craigmc on 29 Nov 2022
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117 Reviews
First Review by Jessthetics
jonathan.vanbelle
Points +48
Perfection, thy name is Pulse - Edit
The expression found in vegan culture, “Eat the Rainbow,” referring to the prismatic wealth of fruits and vegetables that our species too often under-appreciates, applies perfectly to Pulse—the dishes at Pulse are the healthiest rainbows one can eat! The meals here fire on EVERY cylinder: nutritionally complete, kaleidoscopically flavorful, culinarily innovative, and vegan. The head chef at Pulse needs her own channel, book series, podcast, culinary school, and so on!
Read moreI visited Edinburgh for a few days and ate at as many fully vegan restaurants as I could fit in my time (including Holy Cow, Chapter One, and Sora Lella). Those other places were fantastic, but Pulse tops them all. If you’re in Edinburgh, dine at Pulse. Make a pilgrimage to Pulse even. I only wish Pulse existed where I live, here in Portland, which is arguably the vegan-restaurant capital of the world.
Guest
paolobova
Points +48
Pulse is a vegan haven where flavor meets health.💚😋 - Edit
The flan and lentil salad were standout dishes, with clear, oil-conscious ingredients that didn't skimp on taste. The Thai curry was also super nutritious. Swift and savvy service in a cozy stone-walled setting near the city gardens makes Pulse a must-visit for wholesome, delicious vegan food.
Read morePros: Healthy and tasty food, Fast and informative service, Cosy ambience
Guest
indiemotion
Points +13
A gem in Edinburgh - fresh, plant-based & super tasty - Edit
At PULSE you’ll meet a warm crew with a passion for exclusive taste experiences.
Read moreAll the food here is made from high quality products, fresh and carefully prepared.
This place is a must go for all lovers of plant-based food and those who love a nice atmosphere as well as delicious and healthy creations.
We personally look forward to our next visit
Guest
clcrun
Points +49
Fresh plates that offer creative vegan dishes you will unlikely have elsewhere. Worth the detour! - Edit
We found Pulse after reading reviews on Happy Cow and were not disappointed. We had a lovely lunch. The cafe is quite cozy and warm on a cold rainy autumn day. The ingredients in our dishes were fresh, prepared well, and full of flavor. This is not a vegan "junk food" restaurant, rather it is thoughtfully prepared with meaningful design. I highly recommend the tofu scramble with a side salad of massaged kale and chickpeas. The tiramisu dessert is amazing as well. Stop by for a great experience!
Read morePros: Lovely atmosphere, Fresh plant based ingredients, Delicious
Guest
Valeriazwow
Points +1050
Whole-food plant based food!! - Edit
So delicious, healthy and creative! Especially loved the spinach tart and banana bread. Lots of salads too.
Read moreMy only con is the menu is quite small. Apart from salads they don’t have much else…they have a soup of the day too. I also think the portion sizes are a bit small for the food being mainly vegetables. The staff were lovely but I almost felt a little uncomfortable?? Too much attention, felt weird.
Guest
JohnStacey
Points +21
Tasty - Edit
Good location, tasty food, friendly staff. I had a soup with umpteen ingredients including carrots & orange.
Read morePros: Tasty food that’s basic but tasty., Friendly staff , The building
Guest
CarlosMejia1981
Points +15
Delicioso - Edit
Atendido por sus propietarios, es un lugar encantador y la comida deliciosa
Read moreGuest
jessimmonds
Points +219
A dream! - Edit
Went here with my mum for lunch whilst visiting Edinburgh and it was fab! A very special find- great cosy space to sit in, attentive and friendly staff (have a chat with the male owner- lovely, interesting guy), fantastic food which is clearly made with love and great attention to detail. The food is fresh, veg-forward (no beige!), combines interesting ingredients and is generally just very tasty, hearty and down to earth. Highly recommend!
Read morePros: Cool location , Friendly, knowledgeable staff , Unique flavour combinations
Cons: No toilet
Guest
Viclimay
Points +170
Going back to the basics - Edit
I thought this restaurant was a cafe. I didn't expect much food but I was wrong. They make most of the items in the restaurant with low fat or sugar but full of flavours. If you are into whole food vegan diet, you will love this place as I did. I'll be back!
Read moreGuest
dicey46
Points +13
Exceptionally wholesome food and service - Edit
Everything is made inhouse, free from all preservatives. Delicious, nutritious and wholesome
Read moreGuest
PaulTurrallHendy
Points +81
Birthday break treat - Edit
Who would have thought that you could turn a veg stew in a soup and make it taste so good. Can't wait for our next visit to Edinburgh.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-10-12
Pros: Food, Venue
Guest
VictorianVegan
Points +38
Fantastic Restaurant - Edit
We eat a Whole Foods plant based diet at home with no oil. We were so excited to find this amazing restaurant!! The food was absolutely delicious and beautifully presented. The owners were just a delight to talk to. Simply fabulous experience.
Read moreGuest
Sazmosa
Points +331
Mmm puddings - Edit
I was excited to try pulse but was a bit disappointed - limited drinks options and hard to navigate with a sensitive stomach - I had a really great pudding and some side fruit and nut sweets with a cafetiere coffee (no frothing facilities as it's a quiet place).
Read moreI wanted to have a fuller meal here but didn't fancy what was on offer that day.
Update -
I've since been again and shared an incredible calabrese salad - the cheese - wow - my omni friend was impressed too! And a lovely overnight oat tiramisu.
So very tasty and satisfying! Thanks
Updated from previous review on 2023-08-02
Pros: Fully vegan, They know what they're talking about , Open later in the day
Cons: Down steps , Don't have their own toilet facilities
Mark27
Thank you for the review of the tasty pudding. Pulse exists for people who enjoy food with a variety of tastes and we will continue with our commitment to providing exceptional standards in all areas as reviews attest.
Read moreIn the interest of fairness and to clear up inaccurate information Pulse provides, a range of kombuchas, a range of (no refined sugar) sparkling fruit juices,eight teas including herbal, fruit and regular teas, sparking mineral waters and an excellent Cairngorm roasted coffee for which the milk can be warmed or frothed. Seeing as Pulse is not a cafe but an eatery that leads with the food (with drinks to supplement) it therefore has no espresso coffee machine maker and indeed Edinburgh has some great cafes with great coffee!
Currently Pulse does not sell alcohol but has a great Feragaia non-alcoholic occasional cocktail.
Furthermore, if one is visiting Pulse you may avoid steps to the eatery by using the wheelchair accessible ramp from Princes Street.
Here’s hoping to another time you fancy something on the menu which you can review!
Thanks and all the best from the team!
Guest
leestone8
Points +436
Delicious - Edit
Lovely staff and healthy but delicious food. Really enjoyed our meal here and it's great to have a break from vegan junk food that isn't saturated in oil. Very reasonably priced and in a nice setting. Well worth a visit.
Read moreGuest
khugs
Points +88
Fresh, healthy and delicious - Edit
This is a great place to come for a lunch, it’s in a really nice setting and the staff are very friendly. The food choices are great and everything we had was delicious - 3 salads, a soup and a noodle dish with homemade kimchi.
Read moreGuest
IsabelRyall
Points +16
Delicious, well priced, lovely staff - Edit
Stumbled upon this place accidentally but so happy we stopped in for lunch. The staff were lovely and the food was delicious.
Read morePros: Yummy food , Kind, helpful staff, Reasonably priced
Guest
49davidk
Points +11
Excellent - Edit
The best food that I have ever eaten in a restaurant, and very reasonably priced. I run an organic food shop, and am not easy to please. Every mouthful was exquisite and interesting, tasting really fresh and 'clean', without an off note. The hosts were warm-hearted, accommodating and helpful. An absolute delight. Entirely vegan. No alcohol licence yet, but maybe in the future.
Read morePros: Exquisite flavours and textures, Very healthy and nourishing, Committed kind warm-hearted hosts
Guest
JenniferPayne
Points +16
Must visit for fresh, whole food eaters! - Edit
Phenomenal for vegans and non vegans alike! Flavorful, filling, with a fantastic crew. Perfect for families too, they're very encouraging with kids! We even received a little magic show! Best whole food vegan place in Edinburgh. Just what our bodies needed after the more processed fare while traveling. 10/10, will be visiting again!
Read moreGuest
Khow22
Points +76
Wonderful plant based food with thought - Edit
So glad I found Pulse, wonderful food. Healthy, colourful, tastyand nutritious.
Read moreMade from scratch they clearly love the food they make. Had the try bake with salad and had the tiramisu and my partner (non pb) equally enjoyed his food too.
Look forward to coming back next time we are in the city.
Pros: Healthy and nutritious , No mock meats or junk food , Staff/ambience/location
Cons: None
Guest
savocat
Points +56
beautiful food, made with love and care - Edit
I've been looking forward to visiting this place for a while, and it really didn't disappoint. This is now my new favourite vegan place in Edinburgh. Great venue, lovely staff, very reasonably priced. The staff were attentive and clearly proud of the food that they cook and serve (rightly so). The food was tasty and nutritious, and was presented in a thoughtful way. An excellent place to eat and rest or socialise, only 20 yards away from the madness of Princes Street (but feeling like a world away from it)
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-09-09
Pros: lovely food, good price, nice, attentive staff , great location
Cons: no cons
Guest
AllyGGG
Points +397
Just what we needed in the city centre! - Edit
A small place of calm serving fresh, tasty, nutritious food just metres from Edinburgh’s main shopping street
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-09-07
Pros: Proper food, Charming staff, Central location
Cons: Soya milk (too cold and too little with coffee)
Guest
Dineke
Points +69
Heerlijk gegeten - Edit
Mooie locatie en goed Vegan eten.
Read morePros: Bediening is vriendelijk , Eten erg goed, Bijzondere plek.
Cons: Niks
Guest
Veggie-Cook
Points +80
My Favorite Restaurant in Edinburgh - Edit
 The food at Pulse is both delicious and healthy, with whole grains and lots of veggies. The atmosphere is friendly, and the prices are reasonable. 
Read morePros: Good taste, Healthy whole grains and vegetables, Friendly atmosphere
Cons: No washroom on premises
Guest
alecbacp
Points +20
Delicious Vegan Food - Edit
Stopped for lunch here. Highly recommend this 100% Vegan restaurant situated in the old church grounds by the Artist Market.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-08-24
Pros: Summer Stew , Pasta salad, Tiramisu
Guest
Motorcitymitch
Points +130
Amazing food in the heart of Edinburgh - Edit
We went up to Edinburg for a long weekend and discovered this gem. There are a lot of great vegan restaurants in Edinburg but this was my favourite. Cunningly crafted simple foods with an Eastern flair for flavours. Super friendly place with a chilled and welcoming vibe.
Read morePros: Flavour, Location, Vibe
Cons: None!
Guest
Letmein1
Points +25
Pulse - What a delight! 5 Stars! - Edit
Pulse is nestled behind St John’s church towards the West End of Princess Street - just at the end of the beautiful gardens!
Read moreWhat a gem of a place this was to find!
There are 2 entrances towards the back end of the church - the slope that runs down or further around the corner just off Lothian Road - the stairs that lead straight down.
We were immediately met at the door by the attentive team who were all welcoming and super friendly. It was only my mum and I who were fancying a spot of lunch during the super busy Edinburgh Festival season.
On sitting down in this utterly delightful eatery we were given our menus, shown images of recommended dishes and after having the menu explained in detail about the ingredients and fresh produce, we decided!
Well - we couldn’t have been happier with our choice. The food was delivered to our table promptly and what a treat we had!!!! The selection of 3 salads is a must! The flavours and colours are simply awesome! We also had the sushi and homemade sourdough bread buns, followed by the most delicious cake!
Everything was washed down by the amazing natural kombucha drinks!
We left feeling extremely satisfied - nice full tummies - and surprisingly energised - ready to take on an afternoon/evening pounding the streets of Edinburgh Fringe.
Pulse is a breath of fresh air! Everything about it is fantastic! We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and it certainly won’t be out last! Amazing!
Pros: Fabulous tasty bright food, Super friendly staff, Gorgeous setting
Guest
KateEmmett
Points +4350
Tasty healthy food - Edit
Cute little cafe in the church with tasty fresh food. Lovely staff. Also has outdoor seating
Read moreGuest
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