Mary's Milk Bar (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Mary's Milk Bar is a famous source of specialty gelato in Edinburgh's Grassmarket! Here's what to expect if you visit the tiny shop.

By: Alisha Trenalone

We may not have gotten to all the popular Edinburgh foodie destinations during our weeklong stay in Scotland, but there was one that it would have been truly sad to miss: Mary's Milk Bar.

This wildly popular gelato place churns out fresh flavors every day (and chocolate too!). Here's what to expect from a visit.

Finding Mary's Milk Bar

If you find your way to the Royal Mile, Victoria Street, and the Grassmarket (and no doubt you will!), Mary's Milk Bar is close at hand. It's a tiny shop just on the other side of the street from Edinburgh Castle. (And the view is superb.)

Looking for a meal before or after your ice cream? Just across the way you'll find the wonderful Made in Italy Pizzeria and the Beehive Inn. Or, head up the West Bow to Victoria Street and stop in at Bertie's Proper Fish and Chips.

What to Know Before You Go

There's limited space inside the building, so you'll often see a line outside. Look for numbers written in chalk on the ground to indicate where to stand until it's your turn to go inside.

Once inside, you'll order your ice cream and/or drinks for takeout. There is no indoor seating, but the Grassmarket area has lots of benches. It's also a very pedestrian-friendly zone, so you may just want to go for a little wander while you're eating your ice cream.

Besides the sign in the window, you can also check the flavors of the day on the shop's Instagram page. (Vegan options are also available!)

Along on this trip I had one of the world's biggest fans of ice cream (my dad), so there was no question that he would be visiting this shop — and more than once. On his first venture, he couldn't choose between two flavors (but, fortunately, he didn't have to). He raved about everything he had there.

I personally found the weather a bit chilly for a cold treat, but obviously I was in the minority. The shop was plenty busy (and they will float your gelato in hot chocolate if you need a touch of warmth!).

I look forward to going back some day, in the hopes that they'll have some of the gelato flavors they've been showcasing recently: walnut pistachio baklava, goat cheese and fig, apricot cardamom... meanwhile, if you get to go, let me know what you've tried!