Machina is a roastery and equipment supplier founded in Edinburgh in 2013, with the goal of making great coffee accessible to all. Managing director Steve Glencross left the music industry, spent the best part of two years looking at coffee scenes from Wellington and Portland to Tokyo and London, and came back with a model that fused coffee retail, Scandi design, multi-roaster offerings and plain good service. Michael, a long-time barista and trainer who likes taking equipment apart, built the equipment side. The result is “a grounded approach to coffee”.

The roastery sits behind Arthur’s Seat and roasts daily in small batches on two Probatone drum roasters, 12 kg and 25 kg, with a quality control lab alongside. Machina buys from three main suppliers chosen for their supply chains, selects coffee by the seasonal harvest calendar and intends its direct partnership coffee to reach 85% of purchases. It is an official La Marzocco partner, sells domestic and commercial equipment, runs barista training and a Barista Skills for Schools programme, and welcomes customers to visit the roastery.

Machina Marchmont is the company’s only café, a big bright space on the south side opposite the Meadows, open to everyone, with around fifty to fifty-five seats across two rooms and some two dozen outside from April to September. Espresso is a choice of two single origins, one low in acidity for milk and one more complex for drinking black, and batch brew by the mug comes in the same two styles. Cakes, pastries and pies come from Company Bakery and Fieldwork, local businesses run kitchen pop-ups, and the whole roastery range is on the shelf beside the brewing kit. Tables for three or more can be booked by email; laptops have designated areas and are not accommodated at weekends.

Coffee on the shelf

Photograph: Machina Coffee