Restaurants, Budget

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…

Complete with a continental bicycle above bread-laden shelves, Falko Konditormeister is a slice of lazy-afternoon coffee-drinking heaven. This corner of Germany in Bruntsfield is already a well-known hangout for cake connoisseurs and has numerous awards…

The interior here is reassuringly familiar. There’s no designer brick, glass and leather – it is faux Italian trattoria of a dying breed. There’s a market for it though as this place has a loyal following. The chef’s special recipe fish cakes to start…

If you were ever in any doubt that this is a Scottish bar, a warm greeting from a rugged gent in a rugby-style shirt awaits. Surroundings are of a distinctly rustic and wooden nature while a piano sits desperately wanting to be played, all of which…

There’s a reason Giuliano’s has been a stalwart of the Edinburgh Italian scene since 1990. There is a vibrant buzz to the long, sprawling restaurant, which is effectively two adjoined rooms decorated with pictures representing each of the 22 regions of…

If your experience of Szechuan food is limited to the solitary ‘Szechuan chicken/ beef/ pork’ off the typical Chinese menu, then think about visiting the Golden Bridge next time you’re in Leith. This unpretentious, welcoming little restaurant…

Eating at the Green Room is a rare treat – quite literally as it is only open on performance days. Attached to the Royal Concert Hall (with direct access to the auditorium for concert-goers), the restaurant’s limited and unpredictable opening hours mean…

Ideally positioned for much of Edinburgh’s student population, the Greenmantle is a busy Southside local. Offering a meeting place for university societies, as well as hosting their own quiz nights, live music, poker and Spanish nights, this bar always…

With a wall covered in 1930s mirrors, low-hung chandeliers over tables, plush wallpaper and dark leather seating, there's a feeling of metropolitan luxury here. Staff are smart – not just in dress but also in their knowledge of the fare on offer. Being…

Set in the heart of Candleriggs, Guy's is an unusual find, it has the feeling of a place where something extraordinary could happen. Eclectic décor reflecting the owners fun-loving tastes – film posters, white wood paneling hung with paintings, china…

A bright eaterie (with floor-to-ceiling windows) located inside Europe’s largest public reference library would always hold some appeal and the Herald Café has the added novelty of bearing the name of Glasgow’s oldest newspaper (thanks to the funding it…

At the fringes of the city centre, Ho Wong is a legendary Glasgow establishment. Its immaculately presented dining room is positioned beyond the bar area but feels miles away from the busy thoroughfares nearby. The restaurant is relaxed and filled with…

Dress up for a night out at this bistro, situated in the luxury Hotel du Vin. A premiere address since it opened in 2006, the atmosphere is as refined and sophisticated as the menu. If you are feeling flash and want to experience the range of skills…

In 2012 Howies was bought back by the original owners, who now own three restaurants in Scotland – two in Edinburgh and one in Aberdeen. They are keen to show that the original ideas and standards are back in operation: simple cooking of seasonal…

Located a short walk from the train station in Giffnock, a well-heeled part of the Southside, this restaurant may seem like a bit of a trek from much of the city but there is certain to be reward at the end. With just over 40 covers available, Ian…

This bright and spacious establishment is now into its thirteenth year as a place to go for meals, coffee, sandwiches and cakes in Pollokshields. The menus and specials have expanded over the years so much so that for reliability and availability it is…

It would be a mistake to judge India Quay by its shiny, corporate appearance. It is a family-run concern from the people behind the Himalaya restaurant in Paisley Road West – which claims to have served the first staff curries and home-style dishes in…

This West End institution, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2012, is where the old Raj meets modern day Edinburgh. Funky screen prints on the wall look down on crisp linen tablecloths and waiters in military-style uniforms serve classic Indian…

Fashionable Indigo Yard in Edinburgh’s West End packs in crowds of after-work drinkers in power suits and clean city Barbours, unwinding over cocktails, champagne, chilled pints and wines in showy shaped glasses. Food-wise, there's a customer-pulling…

As locations go, having the Kelvin sweeping by and plenty of room for outdoor seating gives Inn Deep an advantage that few pubs in the city can match. In good weather, it'll move beyond its position as a destination pub for craft beer fans and become…

As its quirky Paul Hodgkiss-designed furniture in thick misshapen chunks of pine clearly signposts, Jelly Hill prides itself on unconventionality. While it serves relatively standard and basic café food from morning until night, this small Hyndland…

This firm Southside favourite is more of a dressed-up canteen than a restaurant. There is a relaxed atmosphere in this brightly lit, booze-free diner. It offers authentic ‘desi’ style cooking and a selection meats from the feature charcoal grill.

This third-generation business, started in 1964, is the longest-serving curryhouse in the city. If anything represents Glasgow, the curry capital, it is surely the Koh-i-noor. Its sign shines out at Charing Cross like a beacon and it is completely and…