For the amount of time that I spend in Edinburgh, I’m kind of embarrassed at how little time I spend in the Old Town. I’m far more likely to bounce around New Town or Bruntsfield. Basically, if there’s Georgian architecture around I’m there. That’s starting to change though, and since the development of the Waverley Arches, I’ve been starting to venture further up the Royal Mile on a rather regular basis.
If you’ve not found your way up there yet, I’m telling you, you need to. Edinburgh has taken some abandoned railway arches and transformed them into a street of adorable little businesses which are all super chic and are just what the city has been needing!
The archway I think that I’ve been hitting up the most though, has to be Tempo Tea. It’s an adorable little nook which specialises in every kind of bubble tea you can imagine. If you’ve never tried bubble tea before, and you’re anywhere near Edinburgh, you have to try it out! Basically you choose a flavour, whether you want milk or fruit tea, what tea you want, and then if you want tapioca pearls, popping bobas or a sort of aloe jelly.
I don’t think I’m selling it well, but trust me, they’re delicious! I first got hooked on Bubble Tea when I lived in Dubai – there was a great one in the Dubai Mall which I visited on an all too regular basis, and I feel like I’m going down the same road with Tempo Tea.
The shop itself is a dream. It’s teeny tiny, but it’s just so cute! On one wall you can find CDs, T shirts and special candies, whilst the other side has some seating, complete with post-its to scribble on and wall mounted iPads for selfies. It’s such a cute little cafe, and I just love the attention to detail – even the lights are bubbles!
I’ve been working my way through the menu, and I’ve been seriously impressed with Tempo Tea’s offerings. You can order your tea anyway, and if you’re feeling brave, you can even experiment with combinations!
I’m not going to lie, it’s kind of embarrassing about how often I hit up Tempo Tea, but they are seriously addictive! My favourite at the moment has to be a XLarge Taro and Vanilla milk tea, with Assam and Tapioca Pearls. It’s got a hint of sweetness without being overpowering, and the pearls are so yummy! My friend grabbed a Banana milk tea with Assam and Tapioca Pearls, and it was delicious too! It pretty much tasted like those foam banana sweeties from childhood i.e. delicious!
If you’ve got a spare afternoon to spend in Edinburgh – head up to Tempo Tea and the Waverley Arches, I promise, you won’t be disappointed!