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, Budget and Student friendly
- The Tea Rooms at The Butterfly and the Pig
City centre gem serving Afternoon Tea, High Tea, cakes & delights - Bell's Diner
Visit this Edinburgh institution for a warm welcome and the best burgers in town - Moskito
Moskito is a laid-back bar with an extensive drinks list as well as great food - Filmhouse Café Bar
fresh affordable food - breakfast, lunch & dinner, cakes & snacks, vegetarian selection. Open 7 days 10am–late.
Chinaski's
239 North Street,
Glasgow,
G3 7DL
Named after a Charles Bukowski alter ego, Chinaski’s maintains its underground roots by eschewing any signage on the exterior in an effort to deter large groups of rowdy drinkers from nearby Sauchiehall Street. During daylight hours the bar is bright…
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…
The Cloisters
26 Brougham Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9JH
Despite the name and former-church setting, the only monks you’ll find in The Cloisters are those behind the bar – in the form of guest beers like the fruity (and potent) Westmalle, brewed by Belgian Trappists. They’d no doubt approve of the no-frills…
The King's Wark
36 The Shore,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6QU
First and foremost the King’s Wark is a good, solid pub. The dark wood tables and floors have been lovingly restored, Scottish ales are served on tap and the bar is well-stocked with a healthy combination of pub classics and well-selected imports. The…
7 St Stephen Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 5AN
If your restaurant is really only serving two things, you’d better make sure you do those things well. Bell's Diner has been doing steak and burgers well for over 40 years and there are no signs of things changing. Behind its anonymous exterior, there’s…
The Blue Parrot Cantina
49 St Stephen Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 5AH
Tucked away downstairs, this cosy basement cantina has been serving the residents of Stockbridge for almost 20 years. The open plan kitchen is the first sight to greet you as you enter; once into the dining room the mood is simple and stripped back with…
30 Grassmarket,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2JU
This Grassmarket stalwart seems to exert a gravitational pull on small to medium sized groups of both locals and tourists looking for an impromptu food stop. Starters like sweet potato fries and macho nachos are decent enough, but their function is to…
2 Picardy Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3JT
With its Coronation Street-aping sign, its dual-aspect floor to ceiling windows and the big iron ramp which stretches almost the length of the bar and back, the Street is a landmark pub in the Broughton/Picardy Place area. Its main business is a more…
Barioja
15-19 Jeffrey Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1DR
Barioja has been dishing out its albondigas for over a decade, so could be considered a pioneer of the still relatively youthful Edinburgh tapas scene. Sitting alongside its big sister restaurant, Iggs, it’s seen competition come and go over the years…
Bar Ten
10 Mitchell Lane,
Glasgow,
G1 3NU
Bar Ten’s narrow space, alongside its zinc tables, marble bartop and alley-way location, has always given it a rather European feel. And it still retains a bit of an edge from its glory days as a ‘pre-club’ venue, too, with an older, but trendy, crowd…
Earl of Marchmont
22 Marchmont Crescent,
Edinburgh,
EH9 1HG
Much like its Canongate sister the White Horse, the Earl is a grand mixture of classic Edinburgh local and funked-up eclectic touches. The crowd is a hotch-potch of students, cheery thirty-somethings and a clutch of venerable regulars decorating the…
Cottier's
93–95 Hyndland Street,
Glasgow,
G11 5PX
Stencils on the walls, fairy lights and candles add plenty of character and atmosphere to proceedings in this converted church. Service is genuinely warm and helpful while suitably informal given the relaxed surroundings. The carpaccio of Inverurie beef…
Villager
49–50 George IV Bridge,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1EJ
One of those versatile bars that often seems like a good idea for its perky cocktail list (a modernised one will be introduced very soon, retaining six old favourites and the same proactive attitude to decent ingredients), comfy sofas, and very…
See Woo Restaurant
The Point, 29 Saracen Street,
Glasgow,
G22 5HT
With Scotland's largest Chinese supermarket sitting alongside the restaurant, See Woo clearly has a plethora of ingredients at its disposal. An extensive yet moderately priced menu, specialising in Cantonese and Pekinese cuisine, are tangible signs of…
Malone's Irish Bar
14 Forrest Road,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2QN
Malone's Irish Bar certainly can’t be accused of misrepresenting itself. Owned and run by natives of the Emerald Isle, the cavernous property oozes Irishness from its street-level entrance area, the large central room with tables for dining and large…
Bar Milano
2 Mains Avenue, Eastwood Toll,
Glasgow,
G46 6QZ
From its pleasantly neutral décor and friendly service to the suburban location, Bar Milano ticks all the boxes for a comfortable neighbourhood trattoria. It’s housed in a converted bank but where such buildings often possess a cold grandeur, the…
The Rio Café
27 Hyndland Street,
Glasgow,
G11 5QF
The Rio Café’s 1950s diner-style décor and vibe has made it something of an institution in Glasgow’s West End, and it’s menu offers up tempting options whether you’re in for breakfast, lunch, or just a snack. The burgers come large and tasty, and even a…
80 Glassford Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1UR
Weekends are busy at this Merchant City bar, catering for the post-work and pre-club crowd. The interior is stylish, with comfy low cushioned benches, bar stools and standard tables offering seating options to suit your night. Be careful to arrive early…
Upstairs @ The Glasgow Climbing Centre, 534 Paisley Road West,
Glasgow,
G51 1RN
It isn't completely about the ambience inside this converted late-1800s church – the food and coffee are good as well – but it is no doubt its USP. A wrought-iron spiral staircase leads up to a cosy, laid-back space where the view is of a mesmerising…
The Bank Café Bar
443 Clarkston Road,
Glasgow,
G44 3LL
The Maclay Inns group, five of whose premises are featured in this section, tend to choose interesting buildings for their ventures that add a nice bit of character. In the case of The Bank it is, indeed, a former bank, now popular residential café/bar…
60 Trongate,
Glasgow,
G1 5EP
If you believe the deep-fried Mars bar is an urban myth, proof of its existence can be found at Maggie May’s, an indie/folky music venue and pub with a surprisingly civilised restaurant tucked away at the back of the bar. The crisply battered…
14/14a Brougham Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9JH
It’s rare in Edinburgh to find Indian restaurants with regional specificity, so Mezbaan is welcome in introducing flavours from the country’s south, especially since it has one of Britain’s best South Asian chefs at the helm. Coconut is a prominent…
Moskito
200 Bath Street,
Glasgow,
G2 4HG
The ambient beats and distinctive green-turquoise hue of Moskito have been with us for more than a decade now, making it the elder statesman of Bath Street. Like its neighbouring bars, the location’s great for workers from the nearby offices, as well as…
Bar 91
91 Candleriggs,
Glasgow,
G1 1NP
Regularly filled with an eclectic mix of professionals, students and families, Bar 91’s welcoming vibe and contemporary interior see it busy all day. In addition to the usual array of mainstream lagers, there are beers from the nearby West Brewery…
The Grosvenor Café
The Grosvenor Theatre, Ashton Lane,
Glasgow,
G12 8SJ
Located above the well-known Ashton Lane cinema, the Grosvenor is a bar which captures the atmosphere of the film experience. A large projector screen plays out silent pictures throughout the day, while the bar’s décor harks back to the cinematic…




