The 'modern and cosy' cafe opening in former butcher's shop in quiet Midlothian town
This place is opening on the town’s main street
Although Penicuik does have the excellently named Lord of the Noodles takeaway and a few classic pubs, it’s not exactly a food lover’s paradise.
Thankfully, that’s set to change, as it now has casual brunch, lunch and coffee spot Onno, with its sage green and gold livery which has just opened in a former butcher’s shop in a prime cut of a spot on the High Street. We asked its owners to tell us more about the business.
Who are the people behind Onno?
Our names are Marco and Baran Akgul. We’ve both worked in different roles within the food and beverage departments of hotels and restaurants in tourism-focused destinations over the years. Through that experience, we’ve had the opportunity to explore different cuisines from around the world, while also focusing heavily on presentation and customer experience. Over the last four years, we’ve especially focused on speciality coffee. We genuinely believe this is an area where independent cafés still have a real advantage over larger chains, because artisan quality and attention to detail can sometimes be lost when bigger brands prioritise consistency and high-volume service. For us, quality and customer experience always come first.
What are you serving at Onno?
We’ll be serving speciality coffee and food, Mediterranean-inspired brunch and lunch dishes, fresh pastries and desserts, while also embracing flavours that local people in Scotland know and enjoy. The café will offer both sit-in and takeaway options.
Why did you choose Penicuik as a location and why do you think it needed something like this?
We really connected with the strong sense of community in Penicuik. It’s a town surrounded by incredible nature, with places like the Pentland Hills right on its doorstep, while also being close to beautiful towns such as Peebles. There’s a very special balance between nature, local life and people spending quality time outdoors. We felt there was space for a modern and cosy café where people could relax after a walk, meet friends, work remotely or simply enjoy good food and coffee locally. We wanted to create more than just a coffee shop - somewhere people could genuinely feel comfortable spending time.
Are the locals excited?
Yes, definitely. We’ve already received lots of positive comments from people passing by and from the local community online. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming and supportive so far.
What was the shop previously and what have you done to the interior?
The unit has quite a bit of history behind it. More recently, a few smaller coffee businesses operated there, but they never really became long-term projects. Before that, it was a butcher shop called J Sinclair, which many local people still remember very fondly. One of the nicest moments for us was when someone who had worked there around 40 years ago walked past and asked whether it was going to become a butcher shop again. We had a laugh about it, but hearing those memories and connections to the place was genuinely inspiring and reminded us how special the location is to the community. We’ve completely renovated the interior while keeping the atmosphere warm and welcoming. Inside, it feels modern yet comfortable, with natural textures, warm colours and a relaxed environment where people can enjoy spending time, whether it’s for a coffee, brunch or lunch.
Why the name?
The sound is inspired by Mediterranean coffee culture and its sense of connection. We wanted something short, modern and memorable. In Mediterranean culture, coffee is more than just a drink — it represents conversation, calmness and bringing people together. “Onno” was created to reflect exactly that feeling.
Tell us about your food menu
Our menu focuses on quality ingredients, fresh food and good coffee. We’ll offer Mediterranean-inspired brunch and lunch dishes, fresh pastries, desserts and seasonal specials, while also keeping flavours that local people in Scotland know and enjoy. We’re also very ambitious about the menu and want to offer genuinely fresh and healthier options without losing comfort or flavour. Finding that balance is really important to us.
What are your signature dishes?
A few examples from the menu will include our Signature Slabs, featuring healthier and Mediterranean-inspired options such as smoked salmon with avocado and whipped cream cheese on toasted sourdough, burrata roast tomato with basil oil and poached eggs, and sweet potato avocado with tofu scramble and tahini drizzle.
We’ll also be serving matcha drinks, fresh pastries and homemade desserts, with a strong focus on fresh ingredients, balanced flavours and presentation. Honestly, we’d say that a large part of the menu represents our signature style because we planned and developed the entire menu ourselves. We paid a lot of attention to flavour balance - making sure fresh, light, sweet and slightly tangy elements work well together while still appealing to a wide range of tastes.
We see the brunch and lunch sections as especially unique. At the same time, we plan to continue evolving the menu with seasonal updates and new ideas over time.
Who are you hoping to attract? Was it important to be dog-friendly?
We want Onno to be a place for everyone, including families, students, professionals and friends meeting for coffee or food. Being dog-friendly was important to us because we know how much people in Scotland enjoy spending time outdoors with their dogs, and we wanted the café to feel warm, relaxed and welcoming for everyone.
For more information on Onno (3a High Street, Penicuik), follow them on Instagram @onnosocial
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