A new coffee shop in Edinburgh, and a subtly new style of coffee shop entirely! This one comes from a lineage of Brew Lab and Urban Angel (but is it's own separate venture); suffice to say, you're guaranteed a good cup of coffee when you come here. \n\nOpening up opposite I J Mellis (one of Edinburgh's finest cheese shops) and Oink (pulled pork to the max), and nestled amongst many wonderful independent art & gallery stores, whisky shops, and other beloved independent caf\u00e9s, Filament is only strengthening an already unique and charming wee street, leading down to the Grassmarket. \n\nInside, the big space is working the upcycled, minimalist (in a delelict-chic kinda way) style that is so hot right now. But the biggest difference to any other coffee shop I've seen (and from what I was told, any other coffee shop in the UK has done, yet our Australian cousins already are (they're ahead of us in time, literally and metaphorically when it comes to coffee): a menu that gives you some simple options:\n\nBlack Coffee\nWhite Coffee\nFilter\nExtras\n\nThis doesn't mean they only serve 3 types of coffee. You can ask for an espresso, flat white, capuccino, americano, aeorpress... but all black coffees are charged the same, all white coffees are charged the same, and it takes away from the overwhelm-confusion that strikes panic-ordering fear in the heart of many customers who probably *do* want a good cup of coffee, but aren't versed in coffee-geek-culture (and to be honest, that isn't the job of the customer to be informed, even if they do have good taste and no a good cuppa joe when they taste it).\n\nI really liked this element of Filament. It's unique, it's new, it's fresh, and it means you will end up talking to the barista about what you might actually be able to have (for me, a good strong coffee that's milky but not like drinking a pint of milk -- so a flat white is perfect. yup!)\n\nIt's a nice caf\u00e9 and one that I hope sticks around! I'm guessing we'll seem them brew up a storm in a coffee cup over the next few months. Pop ups, different foods being served, liscenced for beer and wine (and maybe even cocktails?!) And with super friendly staff and baristas, another refreshing change in the coffee-culture scene.\n\nAnd now there's another place for me to get a very good flat white in the old town. Yas!
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