What is The Dome in Edinburgh like?

[Scoutingforducks]

Hello lovely people
A friend of mine has requested we do a Tipsey Tea at The Dome when she comes.to visit.
The reviews are a bit hit and miss really, especially when it comes to catering for Coeliacs!
I just wondered what your thoughts were on it or if there is somewhere better to go for afternoon tea in Edinburgh?

Also where is worth visiting? She has never been to Edinburgh, we live in the south West of Scotland, I've heard the castle isn't worth the money, so looking for places to go before and after afternoon tea.

In one.paragraph it says.they are unable.to.cater.for gluten free, dairy.free etc.afternoon teas and in another it says thry are happy to cater for the above with 24 hrs notice!! Totally confusing 😕

disagree with this. but it’s cheap and you get a great view of the castle. It’s a poor man's take on the Mackintosh tea rooms in glasgow.

The cafe inside the grounds of Holyrood House (the palace where royalty stay when in Edinburgh) do a reasonably priced afternoon tea, and then you can take the palace tour or wander around the park, visit the Scottish parliament which is just across the road.

The Witchery, just off the Royal Mile does a lovely afternoon tea.

@Igotjelly it looks lovely, but unfortunately it starts about the time we will be heading back. Definitely somewhere we will head.to next.time we are staying over in Edinburgh

@Tuesdaysarebest Hoolyrood palace was my first thought,.however they are closed.on the day we are heading into Edinburgh

Another thought is Harvey Nichols in St Andrews square. Great view from 4th floor restaurant. Very central.

Fingal at Leith does a very good afternoon tea and caters for gluten free diets.

Hello! I took some visitors from
down south to the Dome for afternoon tea a couple of years ago and thought it was lovely! One was coeliac and I don’t believe he had any complaints. The afternoon tea does take place upstairs - but I thought the Georgian decor in the setting was quite appropriate actually and added to the elegance of the experience! We booked at short notice as had been on the waiting list for afternoon tea at Palm Court at the Balmoral (which I’ve heard wonderful things about) but sadly no spaces became available. I hope you have a lovely time wherever you end up going!

I think that they mean they can’t do combined dairy and gluten free - one or the other is fine. But no doubt drafted by lawyers - so naturally unclear!! 😁

Actually if you want a fantastic view , no fuss and relatively cheap… what about top floor cafe John Lewis in the St James centre?! Good baking and even some wine and a fabulous view.

I’ve been lucky enough to be in Edinburgh a few times now. Last time my friends took us to a place called Tiger Lily in George Street (street with all the nice shops behind princes street). It was a very nice lunch in glamorous surroundings- maybe they do an afternoon tea. It was a girly velvet mirrors type place.

Afternoon tea is my thing and I wouldn’t recommend the Dome. I do however like the bar area through the back of the dome so if you do fancy a visit you can go for a drink in there. That’s the main dome section. For a good afternoon tea it’s the Balmoral or the Signet library.

Black Ivy does a lovely afternoon tea x

I don't know what everyone is looking at, but I was in the Dome yesterday and it's the most beautiful building I've ever seen. Its art deco in parts, more baroque in others, but it literally made me gasp when I walked in!

Yes, used to be a bank. As were many of the George Street bars and restaurants. Edinburgh has some beautiful architecture.

It’s lovely, but afternoon tea isn’t served in the beautiful rooms, unless things have changed. The original question was about afternoon tea.