Our stay at Edinburgh was really enjoyable. Lots to enjoy about the city and Checkpoint was at the top of our list of places we visited. Had a great time were really well looked after and would recommend to anyone.
If you are after a different spot that's completely independent and not like the usual chains that are out there then try it. It's not the easiest to find though so look it up on the map before walking (took us a while to figure out where we were going). Try their cocktails - especially tasty.
Had the best time here on Saturday night, so much so we came back on Sunday for brunch! Can't fault the place, incredibly tasty food, loved the beer selection and Jane had a whole carafe to herself of the Malbec after loving her first glass before our meal. Having spoken to the girl serving us I found out they are soon installing draught beer, which would be another great addition. Loved the container - an actual used shipping container in the place that just works. 10 out of 10 guys. D
Love the localization and it's decor, that's why a 4 and not a 3,5!
I ordered a hamburger, it was delicious and the presentation was good!
The service is ok, the waitress seemed a bit stressful but she was nice.
Next time I would go for a coffee rather thank lunch ;)
Opted for a trip to Checkpoint today after much discussion about where to go...and you know what it's like during the easter break, you eat so much u need some goodness. Had my eye on the steak salad with mushrooms and chimichurri. Thought that would be nice and healthy....until it came out...ON A TRAY! Not that I was complaining, I pretty much ate the whole lot an loved it. Steak was cooked really well. He had the Prawn laksa which was also very tasty and packed with flavour. Really reasonable and still just a small stroll back into town. Nice airy venue although the 'checkpoint' does suffer from being a bit dark, even on bright days like today.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Its lovely to see this space used daily now as a great restaurant rather than a pop-up space used only during the festival.I've been here a few times for tea/coffee/team catch-ups prior to having lunch. The space is light, airy and open and a great space to have a conversation without imposing on other peoples space. I do particularly love the container within the restaurant and the industrial feel. Nice concept.The one thing in particular that I have to comment on is their service. Their staff are great. Very friendly, warm and efficient. The atmosphere here is easy-going and relaxed but combine that will great service and you've nailed it. I was happily surprised with their menu. All day breakfasts, rice bowls and po'boys. I opted for the chicken, ginger and rice bowl with a side of chips and homemade tomato sauce. Odd combo but I wanted to have a taste!The rice bowl was perfect for this weather. It was hot and comforting. The chicken thighs came with the skin on. I think the chicken had been poached which had made the chicken skin soft. I prefer my chicken skin crispy but it was easy to remove and I could get on with happily tucking into this deliciousness. The chips were chunky and soft and fluffy on the inside. The home made tomato sauce was tart but good. Tea was good. The teapot didn't spill (one bug-bear of my!)I like this place. Its just around the corner from where I work and its already become a firm favourite.
I’d visited Checkpoint in August when it was still in its Festival pop-up phase. I’d been very impressed and knew they had ambitions of opening on a more permanent basis once they’d had time to reflect upon the lessons learned from their initial run. I popped by to check out their offering on a sunnily chilly lunchtime.
Checkpoint is the now-permanent incarnation of the space that previously existed as a festival a pop-up. Open all day, every day and situated in the heart of student-land, the team behind this massive dining space are clearly keeping their options open. Emily and I visited on a quiet Thursday evening, and found a place with potential as big as its square meterage.
After a long, hard day at work, we ventured to Checkpoint. For those of you who don’t know, Checkpoint popped up during the festival and like a few others have managed to be so successful they’re now a permanent fixture and have recently been named one of the 25 coolest restaurants by The Times. We hadn’t been to Checkpoint before but we had been keeping tabs on them on twitter.
We had a lovely dinner here. The interior has a slightly airy, industrial feel to it and seems to be where all the cool kids are. The menu caters for everything from breakfast right through to late night dining. We opted for ox liver and pork belly and can report that both dishes were cooked well. The dessert menu is small enough to offer lots of options for everyone. They have a great vegetarian offering and also dishes made to share. The service was quick and efficient.
As a brunch-lover, I knew I had to pay Checkpoint a visit.
The place itself is lovely- very open and airy with quirky shipping containers and good music. The staff are also lovely.
I think the menu could be slightly more comprehensive if this place is going to be a huge brunch hit. However, I was very impressed with the option of crab eggs benedict, which is what I went for.
The portions are certainly not huge, and I could have eaten more. I also struggled to determine where the hollandaise was. Other than that, it was a tasty choice. My companion went for the avocado scramble, which looked awesome. However, his toast was a little too toasty for the ideal brunch.
I would happily give Checkpoint another visit and if you're looking for a new place to add to your brunch repertoire then give it a try!
So the forest cafe is no more but I am quite happy to report that the new place is fantastic. The decor is lovely, atmosphere is lovely. And pretty cool they have a shipping container inside!!!! But on to the food.. Was lovely. I had poached eggs with hash and it was nice.. Will be honest the hash could do with more flavour and I Don't know why but was just expecting more from it.
Food was ok, especially for the price. Coffee could have been better if it's a little hotter. Desserts were a little over the sweet side. Environment was good but staffs were slow at service, even to pay the bill took quite a while.
I have loved everything I have eaten here. There's a great selection of food and drinks. It's a very large space so they can usually accommodate larger parties, even if you walk in during dinner time. Service is a bit slow, it sometimes seems like they're ignoring you, but it's nice that they're not down your throat trying to kick you out. They also have delicious vegetarian options.
Good vibes, lots of open spaces, funky decor. And a small menu that is quite good at what it delivers. I enjoyed the gnocchi, and would definitely recommend it here. The staff were friendly too, putting up with a large and rowdy crowd, even taking our pictures on request. Thanks for the chill vibes and good memories!
Perfect balance between trendy upmarket dining and wholesome simple foods. I say upmarket but the pricing is reasonable and it helps that the staff are super nice and attentive! Perfect place for a study brunch or an intimate evening meal
I ordered the cauliflower shawarma and note that, while delicious, is a take on or perhaps a deconstructed shawarma as what can we do out was literally an entire cauliflower! also what came out wasn't what was described on the menu as it said that it should have been with molasses pistachios but, as can be seen in the picture, it instead had pomegranate seeds on it (also it is massive!). Ultimately it's no bother for me but it wasn't what was advertised so I'm knocking a star off for that otherwise everything was great.
On the Saturday night I went, i was there earlyish around five and there were loads of tables available.
The staff were friendly and checked in a couple of times during the meal.
Lovely cafe with a quirky interior that is so quintessentially Edinburgh you'll fall in love like I did. Great lunchtime menu and amazing staff who will have a wee cheery chat with you on a windy Scottish day.
![4]( "Recensione")
Brunch at Checkpoint: all the guides said to try it and I'm nothing if not compliant to implied authority, so...
The atmosphere is great, very relaxed; lots of local students; pleasant, grungy backgroud music; friendly and helpful staff. But it is very dark - i had planned to read a book for half an hour or so. Not possible. Unless you are using an illuminated screen, reading/working not an option. This is a place for cosy chats over coffee.
The food was very good but... well, is it ever okay for somewhere to get your order wrong? I went with hashbrown, poached eggs, and hot (spicy) salmon. I was served scrambled eggs. Was this a mistake or a deliberate decision in the kitchen? Because visually the plate was impressive with the scrambled eggs and I think it was actually all the better for it. One for the philosophers. The hash brown was EXCELLENT and all other sins can be forgiven.
The coffee was fine. The flat white was too milky for my taste but the coffee in the americano was really nice and bitter. Juice comes from a bottle.
Overall, it was a meaningful interaction. Will come back - and double-check my order (even though I'll probably be making the wrong choice).
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes