Experience rustic, family style cooking at award-winning French restaurant La Garrigue. Sample the tastes of Languedoc at one of the most authentic restaurants in Edinburgh (Hitlisted in The List Eating & Drinking Guide 2012) or visit our fantastic little bistro in Leith.
Restaurants, Bistros & brasseries and Budget
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- Pink Olive
Pink Olive provides honest, unfussy, real food with relaxed friendly service that will appeals to all. - Amicus Apple
Delicious food and mouthwatering cocktails in an enchanting atmosphere - Tron Theatre
Fantastic food and drink - and a fabulous night out - Whighams Wine Cellars
Whighams is one of Edinburgh's leading wine bars and restaurants
Ten Hill Place
10 Hill Place,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9DS
Surrounded by academia and festival venues, Ten Hill Place is ideally placed for a great bistro. But hotel restaurants so often fail to shine, and whether or not Ten Hill Place rises above its peers depends on a major refurbishment which the owner, the…
Bar 50
50 Blackfriars Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1NE
Set inside a shiny modern hostel and marketing itself squarely at its backpacker residents and the students from the halls next door, Bar 50 is the kind of place it’s easy to walk past. While not exactly a hidden gem, its location and focus on cheap…
Home Bistro
41 West Nicolson Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9DB
Quite why owners Richard Logan and Rowland Thomson chose to homage the seventies with their charming bistro isn’t clear, though the wallpaper, trio of flying ducks and elongated wooden antelopes are endearingly quirky. But the nostalgia ends right where…
Itchycoo Bar & Kitchen
80 High Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1TH
Sleek and glossy, the tables in the Radisson Blu’s Itchycoo are wisely clustered round a small central bar area, helping a buzzy atmosphere to form even with relatively few diners. The lounge menu is available all day, and is exactly what you’d expect…
Pink Olive
55–57 West Nicolson Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9DB
Tucked in beside the Fringe hotspot of Bristo Square, Pink Olive is a charming, snug, family-run and eponymous bistro. Olive, the owner’s gran, supplies the rhubarb from her garden, and granddad-in-law grows the apples for the delightful chutney which…
Metropole
33 Newington Road,
Edinburgh,
EH9 1QR
Taken over recently by the folks who make Canonmills’ Circle Café go round so nicely, the improvements at Metropole are clear. Always a pleasant, airy space, the mix and match floral crockery remains, as do the diner-style booths, though they’ve been…
Café Cassis
Salisbury Hotel, Salisbury Road,
Edinburgh,
EH16 5AA
Tucked under the Salisbury Hotel in the quieter reaches of Edinburgh’s southside, Café Cassis makes good use of its semi-basement situation. Beyond the tight entranceway, the interior is warmly lit, welcoming and relaxed, and backs onto a…
Elliot's Restaurant
Apex Hotel, Waterloo Place, 23–27 Waterloo Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3BH
Competing with hundreds of bars and eateries, it’s a hard-knock life for hotel restaurants in Edinburgh. Elliot’s, part of the Apex chain’s Waterloo Place hotel, does its best to keep guests in and even tempt the locals along with some smart deals…
Negociants
45–47 Lothian Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1HB
Negociants celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year as one of the most popular bars among Edinburgh’s student population. Year-round the place bustles, particularly at weekends, while the Edinburgh Festival brings a tourist clientele attracted by…
Hadrian's Brasserie
The Balmoral, 1 Princes Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2EQ
Hadrians may be located within the iconic Balmoral Hotel, but it manages to avoid the usual hotel restaurant curse of deserted dining rooms and sub-par food by enticing in locals with tempting menus which change frequently. Service is faultless, with…
The Voodoo Rooms
19a West Register Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2AA
While the food may not claim as much focus as the music, events and super-smashing cocktail list in the sexy, sultry and edgy Voodoo Rooms, it's more than just an afterthought. Tucked beside the main bar, a small, black linen and leather restaurant…
The Basement Bar and Restaurant
10–12a Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3RH
Situated below street level, this bar looks like the sort of place American sitcom characters would head for after a hard day’s mirth-making, thanks to the obligatory neon sign, mustard-coloured walls and staff dressed in Hawaiian shirts. It could be…
Monster Mash
20 Forrest Road,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2QN
In April 2010, Monster Mash relocates a grand total of 15m up the road. But fans need not fear: the biggest change will simply be more space to spend your money. As 20 Forrest Road will see restaurant seating for 65, private dining for 25 and outdoor…
Mums Great Comfort Food
4a Forrest Road,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2QN
Whoever the mysterious Mum was, she clearly had no time for airs and graces. Mum’s is the original Monster Mash from back in 2003, but this incarnation appeared in 2010 and has been keeping the army of dedicated fans full of robust, no-nonsense cooking…
Smoke Stack
53–55 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3RJ
A meat-lovers’ mecca since 1996, Smoke Stack reinforces its menu’s focus on beef with its spartan interior, the deep-crimson walls visually echoing the shade of a quiveringly rare fillet steak. While there are salads, fajitas and a few vegetarian…
Whiski Rooms
4, 6 & 7 North Bank Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2LP
Despite sitting in the heart of tourist territory, Whiski Rooms attracts a mixture of diners including professionals, locals of all ages and students, as well as the expected flow of visitors. Created in 2011 from a former bank and bookshop, the Whiski…
Blue Moon Café
1 Barony Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6PD
On a corner off Broughton Street this gay-friendly diner serves up simple hearty food at reasonable prices. Lunch is a particularly good deal with main courses all under £6. Daily specials include a couple of soups, which might be a velvety smooth leek…
Maxies Bistro and Wine Bar
5b Johnston Terrace,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2PW
An up-to-date review of Maxies will appear here shortly …
Metro Brasserie and Café Bar
Apex International Hotel, 31–35 Grassmarket,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2HS
Metro Brasserie fills the barn-like ground and basement floors of the Apex City Hotel in buzzing Grassmarket. Ground-floor diners eat at small window tables with views of the castle, while the basement level seems reserved for larger hen or birthday…
The Dogs
110 Hanover Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1DR
A dark wooden staircase flanked by statues of the owner’s dogs takes you up to two atmospheric Georgian dining rooms. Low lit by candles, the restaurant is simply furnished with old-school wooden tables and chairs, and of course pictures of those dogs.
Bijou
2 Restalrig Road,
Edinburgh,
EH6 8BN
Since coming under new management in late 2011 this small bistro on the edge of Leith Links has been spruced up and dusted down. The atmosphere is casual and the welcome friendly, and as for the food, it puts many pricier city centre places to shame.
Amicus Apple
17 Frederick Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2EY
Although you may expect to pay a premium for food at a cocktail bar betwixt George Street and the Castle, Amicus Apple manages to buck the trend. On weekdays it offers 2-for-1 meals for those who book online and with the recent introduction of a £5…
The Bon Vivant
55 Thistle Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1DY
With its Gallic flair for gluttony and enough wine on hand to raise the level of the Loire, this Thistle Street bar is aptly named. Oenophiles will be bowled over by a menu that offers some 42 wines, by the glass alone, and – if you really want to show…
Iris
47a Thistle Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1DY
It’s hard to leave Thistle Street without eating a great meal somewhere, but Iris easily holds its own in this competitive neighbourhood in which every square foot of restaurant space is put to work. Here, however, soft panelling and carpeting in a…
Rick’s
55a Frederick Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1LH
A stalwart of Edinburgh’s style bar scene for over a decade, Rick’s is gently re-inventing itself with accessible, casual dining at its heart. The space works well, divided by banquettes and wood panels into lots of cosy nooks and crannies, all…
Toast
146 Marchmont Road,
Edinburgh,
EH9 1AQ
Marchmont's residents have been withholding information from the rest of the city: they have jealously guarded the fact that Toast, tucked up at the top of Marchmont Road, is such a delight. It's understandable, given that queues for seats in the small…
Tigerlily
125 George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 4JN
Tigerlily is the flagship venue for the Montpelier Group, a set of well-liked, bold restaurants and bars in the city, centred around this boutique hotel, restaurant and bar on George Street. The restaurant layout is charmingly haphazard, with mismatched…
1780
167 Rose Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 4LS
Formerly known as the Bad Ass Bistro, this Rose Street pub has a dusky but snug interior, with walls peopled with iconic photos of the twentieth century’s good and great, making for a slightly clichéd yet classic pub vibe. Although 1780 seems to be in…
The Apartment Bistro
7–13 Barclay Place,
Edinburgh,
EH10 4HW
The Apartment has been going strong since 1999, and its 2010 refurb seems to have rebooted things nicely. Here, ‘modern bistro’ means seasonality and an evolving menu, as evidenced by a neat little daily set menu, plus specials. A starter of pork…
Katie's Diner
12 Barclay Terrace,
Edinburgh,
EH10 4HP
Katie’s Diner, Kate and Geoff Ness’s friendly neighbourhood eatery, has been satisfying Bruntsfield locals for more than a decade now and it’s easy to see why: its small but welcoming interior, filled with an eclectic mix of bric-a-brac and photos of…
Whighams Wine Cellars
13 Hope Street, Charlotte Square,
Edinburgh,
EH2 4EL
For almost 30 years, stressed professionals have uncoiled at Whighams. At 6pm on Fridays the shadowy cellar’s nooks are jammed, the restaurant side is heaving and the bar stools are occupied by smart ladies gratefully cradling one of 40 wines by the…
Indigo Yard
7 Charlotte Lane,
Edinburgh,
EH2 4QZ
While not as conspicuously trendy as some of its West End neighbours, Indigo Yard’s exposed walls and unusual shape create a cosy, cave-like feel – although at weekends it can be cramped. It’s a popular spot for a tipple, with 15 beers on tap, another…
Sygn
15 Charlotte Lane,
Edinburgh,
EH2 4QZ
Sygn’s geometric print wallpaper, grey fabrics and beech tables create a retro-chic vibe that’s simple yet elegant, proving to George Street’s style bars that you don’t need to be ostentatious to be cool. And if you can resist the temptation to go home…
Santo's Bistro
23 Canning Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 8EG
In the context of the starkly oppressive high-rise offices off Lothian Road, this family-run café is a welcome retreat in which to linger over comforting daily specials or grab lunch to go. With their older sister Locanda De Gusti – one of Edinburgh’s…
Diner 7
7 Commercial Street,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6JA
Leith certainly has its fair share of restaurants, but in among the fine dining and the seafood platters it would be an oversight to miss the narrow entrance to this laid-back burger and steak specialist. Inside it’s simply decorated (if you discount…
Reds
254 Portobello High Street,
Edinburgh,
EH15 2AT
The sign reading ‘Six buggy limit’ says it all. If you live in Portobello and have small children, chances are you’ll know Reds and its large, soft cage – sorry, play frame – in the back room, where your offspring can slide and scamper while you eat or…
Teuchters Landing
1c Dock Place,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6LU
The pub sister of the A Room In… chain of restaurants, both Teuchters are directly connected to the Leith and West End branches of the restaurant. As if offering a frankly stunning range of alcohol (over 90 single malts in Teuchters; a wealth of…
Montpeliers Bar and Brasserie
159–161 Bruntsfield Place,
Edinburgh,
EH10 4DG
A favourite of Bruntsfield’s young professional set for two decades, the apparently recession-proof Montpeliers sowed the seed for a successful and diverse group of bars and restaurants including George Street glam joints Tigerlily and Rick’s. Here…
Café Grande
184 Bruntsfield Place,
Edinburgh,
EH10 4DF
Café Grande has sat among Bruntsfield’s mish-mash of ever-changing shops for a good while now, and it seems well pitched for the market that surrounds it. Decked out in classic French bistro red, the walls are a cacophony of old prints, chalkboards and…
Ocean Kitchen Bar & Grill
Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6JJ
A shopping mall wouldn’t be everyone’s choice of an ideal dining experience, and slap bang in the middle of the main food court, Ocean Kitchen Bar & Grill isn’t the most atmospheric dining experience. However, if you’re lucky enough to get a seat by…
First Coast
97–101 Dalry Road,
Edinburgh,
EH11 2AB
Anyone who believes great food can’t be found west of Haymarket is missing out. First Coast’s marine wainscoting, cream walls and natural wood create a serene blend of smart, bright and comforting. So it is with the food. A menu featuring grain salad…
Good Seed Bistro
101/102 Dalry Road,
Edinburgh,
EH11 2DW
With terracotta flagstones, dark red walls and dim lighting there’s a definite Mediterranean feel to the surroundings at Good Seed, in keeping with the food. It’s one of a clutch of good restaurants now established in an area that was long…
Oscars Bar and Grill
1–2 Moat Place,
Edinburgh,
EH14 1NY
Considering its off-centre, primarily residential location, Oscars is a surprising find. Where perhaps a ‘Queen Vic’ style local is expected, the reality is more of a gastro-experience, with ambient lighting, comfortable seating and impressive…
The Birdcage
Stuart House, Eskmills, Station Road,
Musselburgh,
East Lothian,
EH21 7PQ
The Birdcage resides in a thoroughly modern conversion of a Victorian building, in the courtyard of a restored cotton mill. It’s a lovely light-filled space, with lots of glass and contemporary furnishings lending a stylish feel that sits comfortably…
Charleston Restaurant
Gala Maybury Casino, 5 South Maybury Road,
Edinburgh,
EH12 8NE
To travel beyond the front desk of this neon-lit 1920s landmark you must first join Gala Casinos, surrender an ID, register your name and address and look into one of the many wall cameras for a photograph. Now free to roam, diners walk up the art deco…
The Bridge Inn
27 Baird Road,
Ratho,
West Lothian,
EH28 8RA
Those familiar with the Bridge Inn at Ratho before its recent renovation, will remember a decent watering hole located partway up the Union Canal. But since its facelift in 2010-11 it’s become even more worth a visit. Not only has the inside undergone a…
The Boat House
22 High Street,
South Queensferry,
City of Edinburgh,
EH30 9PP
The undisputed gem in South Queensferry’s culinary crown, The Boat House has great Rail Bridge views, relaxed surrounds and a confident, creative pair of hands in the kitchen. Split into two parts – with a newly renovated seating area upstairs sans…
Samphire Seafood Bar and Grill at Orocco Pier
17 High Street,
South Queensferry,
City of Edinburgh,
EH30 9PP
As the go-to destination for a drink in South Queensferry, Orocco Pier’s stunning views of the Forth Rail and Road Bridge ensure it’s a popular haunt with the many locals and visitors seeking a stylish place to hang out. While the Antico bar at Orocco…
The Unicorn Inn
15 Excise Street,
Kincardine,
Fife,
FK10 4LN
A 17th century coaching house which was also the birthplace of Kincardine’s most famous son, the chemist and physicist James Dewar (inventor of the Dewar – later Thermos – flask), the Unicorn Inn has seen a substantial upgrade since them. Now a smart…
The Kingarroch Inn
5 Main Street,
Craigrothie,
Fife,
KY15 5QA
Never judge a book by its cover because this seemingly simple whitewashed cottage, which sits precariously on a corner of a busy Fife road, might seem a bit bleak and dated yet its below ground level entrance could well be described as a gateway to…
129 places.
Sorted by place / most viewed / distance. Showing 25, 50, 100 per page.
