Mary'S Milk Bar
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Tuesday: 11:00 - 18:00
Wednesday: 11:00 - 18:00
Thursday: 11:00 - 18:00
Friday: 11:00 - 18:00
Saturday: 11:00 - 18:00
Sunday: 12:00 - 18:00
About Mary'S Milk Bar
Gelato, Sorbets and Chocolates. All made in Mary's little laboratory at 19 Grassmarket.
Mary'S Milk Bar Description
Mary’s Milk Bar is a cosy space for you to enjoy the best quality gelato and chocolate. The key to all Mary’s products is freshness. There aren’t truffles with a shelf life of 6 months – everything uses fresh ingredients with no preservatives. This means everything is just that little bit more delicious!
Mary’s truffles pride themselves on their soft centres and unusual tasty flavours. The gelato is soft and creamy – every week there’s new flavours and new ways to enjoy them. You can take a scoop away with you, enjoy a ‘gelato oyster’ in a chocolate shell or one of the weekly seasonal sundaes. In short, everything you want from an ice cream and chocolate is here. Mary also hosts little parties, workshops and tasting evenings for you to taste, learn about and enjoy gelato and truffles.
Mary has worked as a chocolatier for the last five years. She trained in Bologna, Italy at the prestigious Carpigiani Gelato University, not everyone can say they’re a Gelato graduate! She’s from that lovely republic of Yorkshire, and has fond memories of holidays in Scarborough, Whitby and Morecambe – all of which still have original milk bars.
Milk Bars were incredibly popular in Britain between the 20s and 60s – promoting wholesome milky products and an alternative to a stuffy tearooms or smoky pubs. There were National Milk Bars supported by the government to nourish the population after the world wars. They sold milkshakes, ice cream and some expanded into savoury products – all prepared with fresh milk. They pioneered the style of bar service which we take for granted today – novel in the 1920s to pay for your coffee first before receiving it at your table. Today many have either fallen on hard times or morphed into ice cream parlours or greasy spoon cafes. Glasgow still has a few of its own Milk Bars like Jaconelli’s in Maryhill and University Cafe on Byre’s Road.
Mary’s Milk Bar evokes the initial glamour of the deco parlours. Bathe in the formica glow, quaff an espresso, nibble a caramel and chit chat to Mary as she prepares her latest concoction.
Reviews
And that's a wrap! Thank you for all your support this year. Have a wonderful peaceful Christmas and New Year and I'll see you on the 6th February
We are go! Its our last day of 2018 and there's lots of gelato for you - we're open 12-4pm!
Last full day of 2018 - open until 7pm. We will be open 12-4pm/sell out tomorrow so get here early to avoid disappointment. Today there's Pistachio, Mince Pie, Tea & Jam, Peanut & Miso Caramel and Black Bun (spiced chocolate with whisky, shortbread, fruit, orange and ginger).
Bricks of gelato are flying out the door today! You have only two days left to stock up for our hibernation - we will reopen on the 6th February.
😎
Mince Pie, Chestnuts Vanilla Choc-Chip, White Chocolate Peppermint, Cherry Amaretto Sorbet, Hazelnut & Figs, Tiramisu...open 12-6pm!
There's only five of these left - the sure way to survive our hibernation which starts in eight days!!!
Tiramisu. Mascarpone and marsala wine gelato layered with marsala and espresso soaked sponge. Only available in December!
The perfect pressie...a voucher for 4 double scoops to be redeemed at any time! The essential investment in someone's scoop future...
Just a little reminder that the Milk Bar is open every day until we hibernate for winter! The Milk Bar will close from 24th December until the 5th February for its annual hibernation so we hope to see you soon!
The perfect pressie for a milky bar kid. The Christmas Survival Pack - A Mary's Milk Bar Tote Bag, Peppermint Cream Zebra Bar, Salted Caramel Jar and Candied Oranges dipped in Dark Chocolate. All for £20!!!
Why hello there!
Looks who's back...Pistachio Creme encased in Cardamom White Chocolate. You better get down here!
Say hello to the Christmas Selection Box Hazelnut Pralines///Spiced Peppernut White Chocolate///Salted Caramels///Dark Chocolate Peppermint Creams. Available while stocks last in large and small.
We have Christmas Survival Packs ready for you! A Mary's Milk Bar Tote Bag, A Jar of Salted Caramel, A Peppermint Cream Zebra Chocolate Bar and a Bag of Candied Oranges...ALL FOR ONLY £20!!!
Don't forget to visit us tonight for some free samples!
Boozy Cherry Baubles. Kirsch soaked cherries dipped in fondant and then double dipped in dark chocolate. Gloriously decadent and beautifully vegan!
Open every day in December until Xmas eve! Mon - 12-6pm Tues -12-6pm Wed -11-7pm Thu -11-7pm... Fri -11-7pm Sat - 11-7pm Sun -12-7pm
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The first of December means a Crimbo Flavour alert!
Yesterday I ticked off another item on my "things I must do in Edinburgh" list - a trip to Mary's to eat ice-cream. WOW. Huge helpings of sumptuous rich creamy magic. Can't believe it's taken me 7 years to make it here!
Wow wow wow!!! I had rose & ginger, Gary had honey & lavender and Maisy had chocolate... all were totally amazing!!! We travelled 426 miles to experience Mary's and it didn't disappoint. Keep up the fab work xx
When the temperature soars, a person’s fancy turns inevitably to thoughts of ice cream. Visitors to Edinburgh’s popular tourist magnet The Grassmarket cannot fail to have noticed the habitual queues arranged haphazardly in front of a tiny, unprepossessing cafe called Mary’s Milk Bar. The place is a bit of a legend around the city and, unusually in such cases, there really is a Mary, who hails from Yorkshire, and who trained in Bologna at the prestigious Carpigiani Gelato University. She takes her inspiration from the milk bars of the 1940s and makes all the ice creams fresh every morning, then serves them until they’re gone, which – given the current heatwave – doesn’t take very long.
The place offers a few other things, of course: coffee, milk shakes, chocolates – but, frankly, it’s the ice cream that’s king here, ranged in a handsome display case and featuring a myriad brilliant colours and some pretty unusual flavours. Peanut butter and toffee, anyone? Liquorice and passionfruit? Green tea? Or will you just go for plain old milk flavour? There’s something here for everyone.
But, you may say, those are pretty long queues. Is it really worth the wait? Well, I have to tell you that my first mouthful of their famous salted caramel confirms that this is a reputation founded not on fresh air, but on flavour. Indeed, this just might be the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted and it’s certainly amongst the finest to be found in Edinburgh, which really isn’t short of decent ice cream parlours. It’s good value too: a generous helping, served up in a crunchy sugar cone that – important this – offers ice-cream right down to the very last bite, costs only £2.50 (£3.50 for a double scoop).
As you lick happily away, you can’t help wondering how Mary’s business does during the colder months but, like Groucho Marx, I hate hot ice cream and, anyway, while the weather’s so clement, it’s imperative to get down to the Grassmarket, tag on the end of that queue, and wait patiently for your turn to choose your favourite flavour.
Trust me. You won’t be disappointed.
We went as a family and the queue was out of the door and I found out why. We had rum and raisin, salted caramel, dark chocolate and peanut butter, and all were delicious. My salted caramel had massive chunks of caramel inside a nice thick biscuit cone. We will definitely stop back again next time we’re in Edinburgh.
The ice cream is to die for and with the special pumpkin bread... well, I left super happy! Amazing flavours and a lovely setting with great views!
Oh my GOSH it’s a good thing I don’t live in Edinburgh because I would never be able to stop eating this. Fresh fig and honey gelato?! Best thing I’ve ever had.
My husband and I were visiting Endinburgh Castle on June 10th. We were taking a selfie when a very pleasant woman came out and gave us a hot chocolate. They had closed for the day and she was on her way home! It was delicious! We have told everyone we know how nice the people of Scotland are! Thanks for the hot chocolate! You made our night!
Mary's is always amazing with great quality and extremely tasty ice cream. All the staff are super lovely and a pleasure to talk to. It is well worth the queue in August!
Mary's Milk Bar is the best you can get! It is our number one place we recommend to visitors heading to Edinburgh. We live over an hour away down in the Borders but anytime we visit Edinburgh we have to squeeze a visit in to Mary's. Her flavours are unlike any other and always completely delicious, the hazelnut hot chocolate float is my personal fave -it's like a melted ferrero rocher dream in a mug! Our 2 and a half year old is also a massive fan, and even when she pretends to eat play dough ice cream she says it tastes 'just like mary's milk bar'!! On the one occasion we went to Edinburgh and couldn't fit a visit to Mary's in she cried all the way back to the car! lesson learnt! You will never be disappointed visiting here!
If you looking for natural flavour and combination of ice cream you won't be thinking of it is the best place to go. Always something new and suprising in taste. I would reccomend it 100%. One of the best ice cream shops in Ediburgh.
I just had bonfire ice cream. How can this be real?!?! Super Smokey taste, intense but amazing! Always amazed by how good the ice cream is, the flavours on offer, and how welcoming and happy the staff are. Don't be put off by the queue, it moves very quickly and is well managed. A must for any hot day. Or any cold day. Basically just go buy some ice cream �
I can tell you: this place is pure joy. I came here last october and I did not expect to taste an ice-cream so yummy!!! Thanks, really. Visiting Edinburgh has meant a lot to me and eating a chocolate ice-cream while gazing at Edinburgh Castle was priceless.
Had a hazelnut and salted caramel ice cream yesterday and was absolutely delish! Loved the salted caramel especially as there were chunks of caramel in there which was heavenly! Wish I had a marys milk bar in Gibraltar where I live lol
Had a great visit the sofa bread whiskey ice cream was so good but then so was the tea and biscuits ice cream not to mention the hot chocolate ���
Great value, lovely location, friendly welcome. Recommend the Dark Choc with Walnut/cherry
For me the best overall ice cream experience in edinburgh. And what a view ! Worth planning your city walk around a stop at marys for ice cream. Will be busy in peak season.
Celestial. Any relative or acquaintance who tells me they are visiting Edinburgh are begged to go to Mary's Milk Bar. A mind-blowing choice of flavours and different every time.
Best milkshake's me and my daughters have ever had. Worth the trek from wherever you're staying, an amazing range of different flavours of ice creams there's something for everyone. Loved the retro theme of the shop as well, it made me feel at home. If you ever find yourself in Edinburgh you should definitely make an effort to visit
Absolutelly the best milkshake we ever tried!! Salted caramel ���
Yesterday I ticked off another item on my "things I must do in Edinburgh" list - a trip to Mary's to eat ice-cream. WOW. Huge helpings of sumptuous rich creamy magic. Can't believe it's taken me 7 years to make it here!
Wow wow wow!!! I had rose & ginger, Gary had honey & lavender and Maisy had chocolate... all were totally amazing!!! We travelled 426 miles to experience Mary's and it didn't disappoint. Keep up the fab work xx
When the temperature soars, a person’s fancy turns inevitably to thoughts of ice cream. Visitors to Edinburgh’s popular tourist magnet The Grassmarket cannot fail to have noticed the habitual queues arranged haphazardly in front of a tiny, unprepossessing cafe called Mary’s Milk Bar. The place is a bit of a legend around the city and, unusually in such cases, there really is a Mary, who hails from Yorkshire, and who trained in Bologna at the prestigious Carpigiani Gelato University. She takes her inspiration from the milk bars of the 1940s and makes all the ice creams fresh every morning, then serves them until they’re gone, which – given the current heatwave – doesn’t take very long.
The place offers a few other things, of course: coffee, milk shakes, chocolates – but, frankly, it’s the ice cream that’s king here, ranged in a handsome display case and featuring a myriad brilliant colours and some pretty unusual flavours. Peanut butter and toffee, anyone? Liquorice and passionfruit? Green tea? Or will you just go for plain old milk flavour? There’s something here for everyone.
But, you may say, those are pretty long queues. Is it really worth the wait? Well, I have to tell you that my first mouthful of their famous salted caramel confirms that this is a reputation founded not on fresh air, but on flavour. Indeed, this just might be the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted and it’s certainly amongst the finest to be found in Edinburgh, which really isn’t short of decent ice cream parlours. It’s good value too: a generous helping, served up in a crunchy sugar cone that – important this – offers ice-cream right down to the very last bite, costs only £2.50 (£3.50 for a double scoop).
As you lick happily away, you can’t help wondering how Mary’s business does during the colder months but, like Groucho Marx, I hate hot ice cream and, anyway, while the weather’s so clement, it’s imperative to get down to the Grassmarket, tag on the end of that queue, and wait patiently for your turn to choose your favourite flavour.
Trust me. You won’t be disappointed.
We went as a family and the queue was out of the door and I found out why. We had rum and raisin, salted caramel, dark chocolate and peanut butter, and all were delicious. My salted caramel had massive chunks of caramel inside a nice thick biscuit cone. We will definitely stop back again next time we’re in Edinburgh.
The ice cream is to die for and with the special pumpkin bread... well, I left super happy! Amazing flavours and a lovely setting with great views!
Oh my GOSH it’s a good thing I don’t live in Edinburgh because I would never be able to stop eating this. Fresh fig and honey gelato?! Best thing I’ve ever had.
My husband and I were visiting Endinburgh Castle on June 10th. We were taking a selfie when a very pleasant woman came out and gave us a hot chocolate. They had closed for the day and she was on her way home! It was delicious! We have told everyone we know how nice the people of Scotland are! Thanks for the hot chocolate! You made our night!
Mary's is always amazing with great quality and extremely tasty ice cream. All the staff are super lovely and a pleasure to talk to. It is well worth the queue in August!
Mary's Milk Bar is the best you can get! It is our number one place we recommend to visitors heading to Edinburgh. We live over an hour away down in the Borders but anytime we visit Edinburgh we have to squeeze a visit in to Mary's. Her flavours are unlike any other and always completely delicious, the hazelnut hot chocolate float is my personal fave -it's like a melted ferrero rocher dream in a mug! Our 2 and a half year old is also a massive fan, and even when she pretends to eat play dough ice cream she says it tastes 'just like mary's milk bar'!! On the one occasion we went to Edinburgh and couldn't fit a visit to Mary's in she cried all the way back to the car! lesson learnt! You will never be disappointed visiting here!
If you looking for natural flavour and combination of ice cream you won't be thinking of it is the best place to go. Always something new and suprising in taste. I would reccomend it 100%. One of the best ice cream shops in Ediburgh.
I just had bonfire ice cream. How can this be real?!?! Super Smokey taste, intense but amazing! Always amazed by how good the ice cream is, the flavours on offer, and how welcoming and happy the staff are. Don't be put off by the queue, it moves very quickly and is well managed. A must for any hot day. Or any cold day. Basically just go buy some ice cream �
I can tell you: this place is pure joy. I came here last october and I did not expect to taste an ice-cream so yummy!!! Thanks, really. Visiting Edinburgh has meant a lot to me and eating a chocolate ice-cream while gazing at Edinburgh Castle was priceless.
Had a hazelnut and salted caramel ice cream yesterday and was absolutely delish! Loved the salted caramel especially as there were chunks of caramel in there which was heavenly! Wish I had a marys milk bar in Gibraltar where I live lol
Had a great visit the sofa bread whiskey ice cream was so good but then so was the tea and biscuits ice cream not to mention the hot chocolate ���
Great value, lovely location, friendly welcome. Recommend the Dark Choc with Walnut/cherry
For me the best overall ice cream experience in edinburgh. And what a view ! Worth planning your city walk around a stop at marys for ice cream. Will be busy in peak season.
Celestial. Any relative or acquaintance who tells me they are visiting Edinburgh are begged to go to Mary's Milk Bar. A mind-blowing choice of flavours and different every time.
Best milkshake's me and my daughters have ever had. Worth the trek from wherever you're staying, an amazing range of different flavours of ice creams there's something for everyone. Loved the retro theme of the shop as well, it made me feel at home. If you ever find yourself in Edinburgh you should definitely make an effort to visit
Absolutelly the best milkshake we ever tried!! Salted caramel ���
More about Mary'S Milk Bar
Tuesday: 11:00 - 18:00
Wednesday: 11:00 - 18:00
Thursday: 11:00 - 18:00
Friday: 11:00 - 18:00
Saturday: 11:00 - 18:00
Sunday: 12:00 - 18:00