Whippersnapper
A new café set across two floors of an existing building on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.
Whippersnapper is a café on Castlehill, at the upper end of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. The compact ground floor is organised around the counter and display, serving coffee, soft serve, pastries, sandwiches and ice cream. Upstairs, a quieter sit-in space combines banquette seating, smaller tables and places to sit at the bay window and bar.
The design takes its cues from traditional Old Town rooms and interiors. Timber panelling, decorative details, crafted metalwork, tiled surfaces and marble are used in a contemporary way, giving the café a warm and slightly playful character grounded in its setting.
Materials were selected for a busy city-centre café. Textured paint, tile, marble and hardwearing floor finishes sit alongside built-in shelving and display areas, allowing products to form part of the interior without crowding the relatively narrow rooms.
The approach to the frontage was deliberately restrained. New paintwork, signage and graphic elements establish Whippersnapper’s presence while sitting comfortably within the Royal Mile streetscape.
Ossian developed the interior design and spatial planning alongside the new brand identity, signage and graphic design by Touch. Bringing these elements together from the outset allowed the two floors to work as a coherent whole, supporting both quick visits and a more relaxed sit-in experience.