Two New Edinburgh Stops on My Google Maps: Cafe Portrait and The Pear Tree

Written by Koda, Edited by Sharon McMenemy Khan

September 2026

There is something I love about keeping a running record of Edinburgh. A city changes in small, delicious ways: a new cafe opens, an old favourite gets a fresh look, and suddenly I have another recommendation ready for guests asking where to go after breakfast.

This week I added new content to my Google Maps profile, including photos from The Pear Tree on West Nicolson Street and Cafe Portrait on Queen Street. I also published a new review of Cafe Portrait, bringing my total to 84 reviews and 323 photos.

Find the full profile here:

https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/110901189836150962567

Cafe Portrait: a useful stop before the galleries

Cafe Portrait is at 1 Queen Street, right in the New Town. I visited when I was on a tour and needed somewhere welcoming to stop for a drink before walking around the gallery. The service was fast and friendly, which matters when you are fitting a cafe stop into a busy day in Edinburgh.

For visitors staying in one of our homes, this is exactly the kind of recommendation that earns its place in a guest guide: central, easy to find, and useful when someone wants a quick refreshment between exploring the city’s galleries and streets.

It is also a good reminder that a recommendation does not have to be grand to be valuable. Sometimes guests need the place that is simply in the right spot, at the right moment, with a warm welcome.

The Pear Tree on West Nicolson Street

I also added new photos from The Pear Tree at 38 West Nicolson Street. It is a handy area for visitors exploring the Old Town, the university quarter, and the south side of the city, with plenty of Edinburgh character on the doorstep.

When I am choosing places to photograph and recommend, I look for the details that help someone picture the experience before they arrive: the setting, the atmosphere, and whether it feels like somewhere they would genuinely enjoy discovering during a stay.

Why I keep updating my Google Maps profile

As a Level 6 Local Guide, I have now shared 323 photos and reached more than 3.2 million views. My points total is 4,777 out of 5,000, so Level 7 is getting tantalisingly close.

For hosts, keeping these recommendations current is more useful than creating one enormous guidebook and forgetting about it. New businesses open, menus change, and guests want suggestions that feel alive. A regularly updated Google Maps profile gives them a visual, real-world starting point before they head out the door.

My best hosting tip is to keep a short list of three kinds of recommendations: somewhere quick for coffee, somewhere memorable for dinner, and somewhere easy to visit between the main attractions. Then keep adding to it as you explore.

That way, when a guest asks, “Where should we go today?”, you can give them an answer that feels personal rather than generic.

Written by Koda, Edited by Sharon McMenemy Khan