This cheerful spot has opened on a cobbled street
Feeling a bit grey and dour?
Then it might be worth hunting down a slice of sunshine in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge. This is in the form of new Brazilian cafe, Oca, which is at 28 North West Circus Place and is owned by young couple Marc Leplae and Lene Oliveira. We asked them to share more.
Tell us about your backgrounds.
Marc: Lene is Brazilian and grew up with açaí as a normal part of life – something she and her family would regularly eat rather than thinking of it as a trendy ‘superfood’. She is also heavily involved in Edinburgh’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu scene, currently a brown belt and training for her black. Açaí is very popular within that community too, particularly as something nourishing to have post-training. I’m half Irish and half French, although Edinburgh has been home for around 20 years. I have always been very active and have a real interest in nutrition. Neither of us had previously opened a café, so Oca has been a journey. The idea was ultimately to bring together something genuinely rooted in Brazilian culture, rather than simply opening another conventional café.
And what about your adventures in the Amazon?
Lene: Before opening Oca, we wanted to understand açaí beyond the smoothie bowl popularity you see growing rapidly through Europe. Marc has always had a passion for travelling, so we thought, if we are going to understand açaí, why not go into the Amazon and turn it into an adventure. We flew indirectly from Edinburgh to São Paulo and then on to Manaus, the main city in the heart of the Amazon mainly accessible by air or boat. From there we spent around two days travelling by a small river boat to Tefé half way from Manaus to the Colombian border, where we met someone who helped take us deeper into that region. The final part of the journey involved travelling with a small dugout canoe until we reached one of the most remote communities in the Amazon, based off the lago Amana, where we were incredibly fortunate to be welcomed. We stayed there for about a week and learned about how the community lived largely self-sufficiently, following community rules to protect the wellbeing of their village. And, importantly for Oca, we learned how they grow, prepare and eat açaí. Some of the elders took us into the forest, where we slept in hammocks, fished, hunted and learned about some more plants and fruits. We thought we were fairly well travelled before going there, but we tasted so many fruits and flavours that neither of us had ever even seen before. It was a remarkable experience.
What did you learn about açaí?
Lene: It has been part of everyday life for generations and, in the areas where it grows, you see açaí palms everywhere. Traditional açaí can also be quite different from the very sweet, almost ice-cream-like product people sometimes encounter. Fresh açaí has a much earthier and less sweet flavour. In the Amazon it can be served alongside savoury foods such as fish, farinha or tapioca flour, or eaten relatively simply. To turn it into the smoothie-bowl style most people recognise, it’s normally blended into a smoother frozen base, often with guaraná or sweeteners. Different commercial products vary enormously. Some contain a very high proportion of açaí, while others use more added ingredients or other fruits. That experience made us particularly conscious of what we wanted to serve. We didn’t want to disguise the berry’s flavour with excessive amounts of sugar.
Who is your supplier?
Marc: A specialist UK-based supplier who sources organic açaí from Brazil, with a focus on responsible and ethical sourcing. One of the things that was particularly important to us was the percentage of actual açaí in the product. We tried a number of different suppliers before opening and found quite substantial differences between them. The berries primarily come from the region around Belém, where a large proportion of Brazil’s açaí industry is centred. We had the opportunity to visit the processing side of the industry around Belém and Manaus. This helped us understand what happens before the frozen product reaches us. We have always been particularly careful to make the distinction that the açaí sold at Oca does not come from the community we stayed with in the Amazon. That visit was about understanding the culture and not exploiting their harmonious way of life.
What health benefits does it have?
Marc: Açaí is nutrient-dense and naturally very high in antioxidants, while also containing fibre and healthy unsaturated fats. Its nutrients are associated with supporting overall health, including heart and brain health, while antioxidants help protect the body from cell damage linked to aging and chronic disease. At Oca, we combine açaí with ingredients such as fresh fruit, overnight chia seeds, nuts and granola, so people can build a bowl.
How has your café gone down so far?
Lene: Weekends can get very busy and we’ve had a really positive response from Edinburgh’s fitness and health enthusiast community – runners, gyms, yoga and Pilates groups, Brazilian jiu-jitsu - as well as, of course, Brazilians who are quite happy to finally find proper açaí in Edinburgh.
Why Stockbridge?
Lene: Marc previously lived in Stockbridge, so we already knew the area. There is a very active community around it, from all the local gyms and yoga and Pilates studios to running and cycling clubs. Stockbridge also has an increasingly diverse food scene and people seem willing to try something a little different.
Most popular orders?
Marc: The Oca, our signature açaí bowl, has been our biggest seller since opening. However, once people become familiar with açaí, they start getting much more adventurous. Someone might add overnight chia and fresh exotic fruit, while someone else will go for granola, nuts and something sweeter on top. People quickly develop quite specific combinations.
What do you offer apart from açaí?
We also do healthy smoothies, fresh juices and Brazilian coffee, alongside Brazilian favourites such as pão de queijo - little cheese breads - and coxinhas. We’re also continuing to expand the savoury side of the menu, including healthy wraps and salads with a Brazilian twist coming soon. Coffee is important too. We’ve partnered with Brazilian coffee specialists and are using beans sourced from Espírito Santo. The overall idea is Brazilian-inspired healthy food rather than everything having to contain açaí.
What’s the interior like?
We wanted it to feel like a little piece of the Amazon. There are references to nature – tropical greenery, green plants, strong colours and artwork that we brought back with us from the Amazon, as well as our own photos. We love the contrast between the traditional Edinburgh building outside and then suddenly finding yourself somewhere much more colourful, tropical and unexpected. Even the name Oca comes from the Amazon, where it refers to traditional communal dwellings. For us, that felt symbolic of what we wanted the café to represent: healthy eating, community, wellbeing and a place where everyone feels welcome.