The 10 best streets to open a bubble tea or dessert shop in Edinburgh (2026 data)
Bubble tea and desserts run on teenage-and-student gravity, evening flow and social-media-led queues. These ten streets scored highest.
OBSERVED measured at the street or station · AREA CONTEXT residents or borough statistics around it · MODELLED transparent estimates we compute, with the rule shown. Nothing is presented as more precise than its source.
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1
St James Quarter
City of Edinburgh · City centre · managed estate436,424 weekly station entries and exits (entries + exits at named stations) pass the pitch, with 39 recorded dessert and bubble tea shops competing within 400 m. Typical spend nearby is £33 per person and modelled rent is £347 per m².
Fit score 65/100MODELLED Est. revenue £30,554/mo (range £16,805-£48,887)MODELLED Weekly station flow 436,424OBSERVED Competitors within 400 m 39 (10 chain)OBSERVED Est. rent £347/m²/yrMODELLED Residents nearby 770AREA CONTEXT -
2
Curriehill station area
City of Edinburgh · 8-15 km from centre · transport hub2,382 weekly station entries and exits (entries + exits at named stations) pass the pitch, with 0 recorded dessert and bubble tea shops competing within 400 m. Typical spend nearby is £28 per person and modelled rent is £263 per m².
Fit score 65/100MODELLED Est. revenue £29,866/mo (range £16,426-£47,786)MODELLED Weekly station flow 2,382OBSERVED Competitors within 400 m 0 (0 chain)OBSERVED Est. rent £263/m²/yrMODELLED Residents nearby 3,321AREA CONTEXT -
3
St James Crescent (St James Quarter)
City of Edinburgh · City centre · high street126,026 weekly station entries and exits (entries + exits at named stations) pass the pitch, with 39 recorded dessert and bubble tea shops competing within 400 m. Typical spend nearby is £35 per person and modelled rent is £290 per m².
Fit score 64/100MODELLED Est. revenue £12,567/mo (range £6,912-£20,107)MODELLED Weekly station flow 126,026MODELLED Competitors within 400 m 39 (10 chain)OBSERVED Est. rent £290/m²/yrMODELLED Residents nearby 770AREA CONTEXT -
4
Haymarket station area
City of Edinburgh · 1.5-4 km from centre · transport hub63,951 weekly station entries and exits (entries + exits at named stations) pass the pitch, with 25 recorded dessert and bubble tea shops competing within 400 m. Typical spend nearby is £32 per person and modelled rent is £275 per m².
Fit score 62/100MODELLED Est. revenue £9,772/mo (range £5,374-£15,635)MODELLED Weekly station flow 63,951OBSERVED Competitors within 400 m 25 (2 chain)OBSERVED Est. rent £275/m²/yrMODELLED Residents nearby 922AREA CONTEXT -
5
Multrees Walk (St James Quarter)
City of Edinburgh · City centre · side street49,010 weekly station entries and exits (entries + exits at named stations) pass the pitch, with 39 recorded dessert and bubble tea shops competing within 400 m. Typical spend nearby is £35 per person and modelled rent is £237 per m².
Fit score 62/100MODELLED Est. revenue £5,738/mo (range £3,156-£9,180)MODELLED Weekly station flow 49,010MODELLED Competitors within 400 m 39 (11 chain)OBSERVED Est. rent £237/m²/yrMODELLED Residents nearby 770AREA CONTEXT -
6
Dundas Street (St James Quarter)
City of Edinburgh · City centre · side street13,093 weekly station entries and exits (entries + exits at named stations) pass the pitch, with 9 recorded dessert and bubble tea shops competing within 400 m. Typical spend nearby is £31 per person and modelled rent is £232 per m².
Fit score 62/100MODELLED Est. revenue £7,214/mo (range £3,968-£11,542)MODELLED Weekly station flow 13,093MODELLED Competitors within 400 m 9 (0 chain)OBSERVED Est. rent £232/m²/yrMODELLED Residents nearby 770AREA CONTEXT -
7
Broughton Street (St James Quarter)
City of Edinburgh · City centre · high street32,674 weekly station entries and exits (entries + exits at named stations) pass the pitch, with 21 recorded dessert and bubble tea shops competing within 400 m. Typical spend nearby is £31 per person and modelled rent is £285 per m².
Fit score 62/100MODELLED Est. revenue £7,004/mo (range £3,852-£11,207)MODELLED Weekly station flow 32,674MODELLED Competitors within 400 m 21 (2 chain)OBSERVED Est. rent £285/m²/yrMODELLED Residents nearby 770AREA CONTEXT -
8
Inverkeithing station area
Fife · 15+ km from centre · transport hub18,281 weekly station entries and exits (entries + exits at named stations) pass the pitch, with 0 recorded dessert and bubble tea shops competing within 400 m. Typical spend nearby is £25 per person and modelled rent is £207 per m².
Fit score 61/100MODELLED Est. revenue £10,507/mo (range £5,779-£16,811)MODELLED Weekly station flow 18,281OBSERVED Competitors within 400 m 0 (0 chain)OBSERVED Est. rent £207/m²/yrMODELLED Residents nearby 578AREA CONTEXT -
9
Dalry Road (Sighthill/Gorgie)
City of Edinburgh · 1.5-4 km from centre · high street26,393 weekly station entries and exits (entries + exits at named stations) pass the pitch, with 26 recorded dessert and bubble tea shops competing within 400 m. Typical spend nearby is £31 per person and modelled rent is £284 per m².
Fit score 61/100MODELLED Est. revenue £5,416/mo (range £2,979-£8,666)MODELLED Weekly station flow 26,393MODELLED Competitors within 400 m 26 (2 chain)OBSERVED Est. rent £284/m²/yrMODELLED Residents nearby 922AREA CONTEXT -
10
Leith Street (St James Quarter)
City of Edinburgh · City centre · side street44,343 weekly station entries and exits (entries + exits at named stations) pass the pitch, with 40 recorded dessert and bubble tea shops competing within 400 m. Typical spend nearby is £33 per person and modelled rent is £236 per m².
Fit score 61/100MODELLED Est. revenue £5,166/mo (range £2,841-£8,265)MODELLED Weekly station flow 44,343MODELLED Competitors within 400 m 40 (11 chain)OBSERVED Est. rent £236/m²/yrMODELLED Residents nearby 770AREA CONTEXT
How this ranking works
One fixed concept is scored against every one of the 249 Edinburgh street segments in the Location Potential dataset: station entries and exits (National Rail: ORR Estimates of Station Usage 2024-25 (annual; day-of-week split modelled)), recorded venues within the concept's competition radius (400 m to 1 km by type) from OpenStreetMap, Census 2022 (Scotland) residents for the local Data Zone, and rent context from the Scottish Assessors valuation roll. Scores and revenue figures are MODELLED planning estimates with fixed, published rules, not observed takings. The full method, sources and limits are on the Method page.
Use this ranking to shortlist, then verify with on-street counts, agent enquiries and a licensing check before signing anything. A specialist can help you.
Change the ticket, hours, audience and priorities and the whole of Edinburgh re-ranks live.