The bright green Edinburgh cafe that's opened in former barber at tourist hotspot
This place has sprung up in the Old Town
Just a few metres down the road from where Greyfriars Bobby is having his nose enthusiastically massaged by locals, you’ll find Edinburgh’s newest cafe, Half-Cut Coffee.
We asked one of its owners, Tam Sharpe, to tell us more about the bright green 23 Candlemaker Row venue.
Who is the team behind the new cafe?
Our team consists of me and Connor, manager Chloe, and our baristas, Yaz, and Max. I’m from Broxburn, just outside Edinburgh, and have a strong background in hospitality, having worked in a range of bars and restaurants across the city. Connor is from Alexandria, Scotland, and has worked in several industries, including hospitality, manual labour, and barbering, which he has been doing for around ten years. Connor and I first met while studying barbering at Edinburgh College and quickly became friends. In 2023, we opened our own barber shop, Half-Cut Barbershop, on Candlemaker Row. Three years later, we’ve expanded to three barber shop locations under the name and have now launched Half-Cut Coffee. We’ve moved our Candlemaker Row barbers to our Broughton Street shop, which gave us the opportunity to transform the space. When we decided to begin a new chapter, we approached Chloe, a friend of Tam’s with extensive experience in the coffee industry. We asked if she would like to join us on the journey, and she immediately said yes. The following two months involved some very long days transforming the original barber shop. It was a huge team effort, but one we’re incredibly proud of.
What are your specialities there?
We really love our coffee. We source our beans from the team at Carter in Leith, who roast in-house and are as passionate about coffee as we are. Our iced matchas have also become a customer favourite, particularly our iced strawberry matcha, which has quickly become popular with locals.
What’s different about what you serve?
For us, it’s important to place equal value on what we serve, and how we serve it. We pride ourselves on offering high-quality roasted coffee from a fellow local business and stocking delicious treats from local independent spots. For being based in such a tourist hotspot, this attention to detail and commitment to true Scottish quality is not always easy to come by. We don’t see people as transactions. We genuinely enjoy getting to know our customers, hearing about their day, and learning whether they’re locals, visitors, or just passing through. Everyone has a story, and we think those conversations matter. It’s important for our customers, but it’s important for us too. Working in hospitality in a busy city centre can be demanding, and a bit of genuine conversation can brighten everyone’s day. We want Half-Cut Coffee to be a place where people feel welcomed, valued, and part of the community.
Any food as well as drink?
We receive fresh pastries every morning from Le Petit Français, and our brownies and stuffed cookies come from the brilliant Edinburgh-based independent bakery Gimmie Brownies. They’re absolutely massive and have been a big hit with customers. We’re also currently working on a collaboration to bring some substantial sandwiches to the menu, which we’ll be announcing soon.
Can you sit in?
Absolutely. We’re a small shop, so seating is limited, but if you’re lucky enough to grab our window seat, it’s one of the best spots on the street for people-watching and enjoying a bit of Edinburgh sunshine.
Why did you originally choose the location?
We chose it because of its incredible sense of community. Despite being a relatively small street, it’s full of character, history, and independent businesses. Since opening, we’ve built great relationships with our neighbours and couldn’t be happier with the location. Every business on the street has its own personality, and the people who work here share a friendliness and warmth that makes the area special. Candlemaker Row feels like its own little village in the middle of the city. Everyone looks out for one another, supports one another, and celebrates each other’s successes. It’s a genuinely special place to be.
What have you done with the decor/interior?
The renovation involved a lot of work. Tam and Connor carried out most of it themselves, with help from friends along the way and plenty of ideas and requests from Chloe. Everyone worked incredibly hard to bring the vision to life, and we’re delighted with how it turned out.
What’s it like being located in such a tourist hotspot?
Honestly, we love it. Every day we get to meet people from all over the world. Even though we’ve only been open for a short time, we’ve already had some genuinely memorable conversations with kind and interesting people from across the globe. We’re especially excited for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and all the wonderful characters and stories it brings to the city.
What’s the feedback been like so far?
We feel incredibly grateful. The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive. People have been very kind, and it’s genuinely heartwarming to hear that they enjoy what we’re doing. The support from locals, neighbouring businesses, and visitors has been hugely encouraging. Our goal is simple: to create a welcoming, community-focused space where people feel comfortable, whether they’re popping in for a quick coffee or staying for a chat. So far, it feels like that vision is resonating with people, and we’re excited to keep building on it.
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