Meet the Locals: Oliver Gunn - Hidden Edinburgh

Each month we chat to a different local in the city to find out their top tips on discovering Edinburgh, last month it was Stanley Liew, this month we caught up with Oliver Gunn, an Instagrammer who lives and works in the city. A keen cycler and even keener coffee drinker, Oliver shares some of his top tips on the city.

Tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Oliver. I am 25 and I have lived in this beautiful City of Edinburgh for 6 years. I am an assistant manager for Swarovski. I love travelling, new to cycling but loving it and I am always game for an adventure. Posting on the Instagram as I go.

Tell us your favourite places to eat and drink?

Oh I have many! Coffee? It has to be Castello Coffee on Castle Street. They serve some delicious Allpress Espresso and have amazing pastries and soup, whenever I’m in town it’s a must. I like trying new places, Topalabamba is at the top of my list right now. Perfect Mexican style tapas on Lothian Road, so good! Another gem is the The Cambridge Bar on Thistle Street, great local vibe and quality classics on the menu.

Any hidden little gems you would recommend to visitors?

Olly Bongos Cafe & Bistro on Teviot Place. Greek / Turkish in style but has all the British classics like the Full English. Go on a sunny warm day as they open the windows at the front out onto the street so be sure to grab one of these seats, it definitely adds to the atmosphere. Very good prices and staff are super friendly.

Anything in the city you haven’t done but would like to do?

I have always been interested in winter sports and it would be great to check out an Ice Hockey Game at Murrayfield Ice Rink, maybe watch the Edinburgh Capitals.

Tell us about your perfect day in Edinburgh?

It would probably be mid July, tourists not quite at their peak but the weather is warm and the city is alive. I would start my day with a home brewed coffee from The Barn Berlin and Square Sausage Roll. Then I would cycle out towards the Pentlands and around Torduff Reservoir, great open air and free space to shout out the lyrics to some of my classic cycling songs. Once I’ve got back home I would take a wonder into the city centre to visit some museums or galleries and unwind. After I’ve sat in The National Museum of Scotland for an hour quietly reading my book in the corner I would head to my friends and hang out. She has the cutest little dogs so I would spend 30 minutes on the floor saying hello. We would then head to our local hang out Machina Espresso and catch up with more friends all the while eating cake and drinking coffee. The evening would be spent with a take out from The Curry Leaf in Bruntsfield then catch a film at the Dominion. Ending the night with a trip to Lucas on Morningside Road, that Honeycomb Ice Cream is so good!