Hitlisted, Budget
98 places
Sorted by popularity
Hemma
75 Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8AEMeaning ‘home’ in Swedish, Hemma is the latest addition to Mike and Anna Christopherson’s string of Scandinavian style bars. And with its soft furnishings and quirky interiors, it does indeed have a laidback, homely atmosphere, despite the modern feel…
The Balcony Café
Well above par for any sports centre’s in-house catering, this café in the rafters of the converted church housing the Glasgow Climbing Centre is both a welcome pitstop for dedicated climbers and a dining venue with an unusual and transfixing view for…
Cafezique
66 Hyndland Street, Glasgow, G11 5PTA good local eatery can be hard to find but not in Partick. Cafezique is attached to a delicatessen. Inside, simple décor and a mezzanine level is enjoyed by elegant young ladies chattering over wine with nibbles (olives and cheese fondue). And…
Chinaski's
239 North Street, Glasgow, G3 7DLPatrons here live it up while the bar’s inspiration Charles Bukowski looks disdainfully down from a portrait on the wall. Mind you, even the hedonistic Buk would have struggled to work his way through the extensive range of quality rums and bourbons.
Mezbaan South Indian Restaurant
South Indian restaurants offer a refreshing change from the Punjabi-based menus normally on offer in Edinburgh. Old favourites are still available for the less adventurous, but for anybody looking to experiment, Mezbaan is a great place to start. Wheat…
Spoon
6a Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DHRocking the boho bedsit chic, with elegantly mismatched retro furniture, lampshades and crockery, this is one Spoon that’s unquestionably more loving than greasy. The menu’s packed with wholesome, healthy options, a decent proportion of which are…
Black Sparrow
241 North Street, Glasgow, G3 7DLThe Black Sparrow attracts sophisticated patrons to its ornate and über cool abode. It has an old-fashioned bourbon bar look, with smoochy jazz/ambient beats mellowing the airwaves. It’s actually quite romantic. Dark burgundy leather studded booths…
The Bon Vivant
55 Thistle Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1DYWhether it’s a three-course meal you’re after, or just a quick cocktail, the Bon Vivant, with its elegant yet relaxed atmosphere, provides a fitting venue for most occasions. Although the current cocktail list is only a glimpse of what is to come, the…
Bond No. 9
84 Commercial Street, Edinburgh, EH6 6LXDecidedly far from the beaten track unless you happen to live or work locally or are moving on from a nearby Michelin-starred restaurant, the spacious Bond No.9 – housed within an old whisky bond – is hard to find fault with and easy to celebrate.
Café Gandolfi
64 Albion Street, Glasgow, G1 1NYWith its handsome interior, chunky Tim Stead furniture and globe lights, Café Gandolfi is the granddaddy of Merchant City bohemianism. Serving a mix of clientele from shoppers to concert-goers, it’s been dishing out high-end bistro food for more than 30…
Celino's
620–624 Alexandra Parade, Glasgow, G31 3BTDespite holding residency in Alexandra Parade since 1982, Celino's has only just entered its fourth year of seated dining. Over the past three decades, it has, arguably, established itself as Glasgow's chief Italian delicatessen, meaning the transition…
Moyra Jane's
20 Kildrostan Street, Glasgow, G41 4LUMJ’s gold-embossed frontage justifiably claims that it is a brasserie. It also has an appropriately Scottish twist and a daytime alter ego as a popular café. Customers are offered a cocooning and enjoyable experience, for which they usually return.
Mulberry Street Bar Bistro
778 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow, G41 2AEThis lively Italian family-run bar/bistro takes its name from the street running through the heart of New York’s Little Italy. It’s not themed, but subtle shots of Manhattan break up otherwise minimalist décor. The venue is split, one half casual bar…
Nobles Bar
44a Constitution Street, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6RSAnother Leith bar to make the rest of the city weep, Nobles is quite simply everything you could want from a local. With great drinks (Black Isle supply them with a custom-made Nobles IPA), a pub quiz every Monday, live bands all week and a stunning…
Rishi's Indian Aroma
61 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 2DGEnticing smells waft from city centre newcomer Rishi’s Indian Aroma. Present in Aberdeen for the past four years, the Glasgow branch launched in January 2013 following a hunt for the right premises – and an Edinburgh restaurant is in the pipeline for…
Stravaigin
Stravaigin feels as fresh and inventive as when its doors first opened back in 1995. The emphasis on local, seasonal produce combined with a global approach to flavour means even the most jaded palate should find something to please. Look beyond the…
The Vintage
Styling itself almost innocuously as a craft beer bar and kitchen, The Vintage is surely one of the most exciting things to have happened on Edinburgh’s food and drink scene in 2013. Based in premises near the Shore (previously occupied by Café Fish)…
Ad Lib
111 Hope Street, Glasgow, G2 6LLCrafting the perfect burger is about more than simply grilling the patty properly; all elements need to combine to create something more than the sum of their parts. This is something Ad Lib knows well. Its burgers are a revelation, whether beef, lamb…
Brasserie 19
19 New Kirk Road, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 3SJA collection of 4x4s parked outside and diners that look like Moira Anderson fans – it must be Bearsden. Situated at the heart of the village, Brasserie 19 is busy even mid-week. Inside the décor is modern but a bit dated, dark wood and leather, chrome…
Chop Chop
248 Morrison Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8DTWith a plain and pleasant interior that’s more mess hall than Manchuria and a noisy, welcoming buzz about it, Chop Chop has built its popularity and reputation around its homemade dumplings, which are served boiled or fried with assorted, mixed meat…
Crabshakk
1114 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G3 8TDNo place captures the energy of the Finnieston renaissance better than Crabshakk, a few years old but still packed to the rafters most evenings. At the bar and on the mezzanine, diners sit beside, opposite – practically on top of each other. Brushed…
Field
Field is clearly about one thing, the food. In these austere times, that’s a very good thing. Those behind this simple, stripped-back room near George Square, have tasty credentials. Most recently at The Plumed Horse, chef Gordon Craig and co-owner…
The Glasgow Curry Shop
29 Ashton Lane, Glasgow, G12 8SJPreviously a branch of Mother India Monir's three Wee curryhouses, the renamed, revamped Glasgow Curry Shop is a haven for casual dining within the hustle and bustle of Ashton Lane. Celebrating the entrepreneurs who positioned curryhouses as an…
Hellers Kitchen
Don’t be fooled by the modest frontage: Heller’s is bigger on the inside. Like the surprisingly open and spacious interior, the menu expands from lighter daytime café options to a full evening’s culinary revelry, and the daily changing specials board…
The Holyrood 9A
9a Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8AEBeer and burgers are the main draw at Holyood 9a, and both are worth a trip to this corner of the Old Town. A selection of 11 beers is permanently on draught and, combined with another 10 rotational pumps, constitutes one of Edinburgh’s best selections…


