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 "Edinburgh"
- Amicus Apple
Delicious food and mouthwatering cocktails in an enchanting atmosphere - Joseph Pearce
A traditional Edinburgh pub transformed into Swedish beer house - Spirit of Thai
A relaxed and classy restaurant in the heart of Edinburgh - El Bar
Edinburgh's only dedicated flamenco Spanish tapas bar!
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…
Nonna's Kitchen
45 Morningside Road,
Edinburgh,
EH10 4AZ
With a warm welcome from the Stornaiuolo family, this corner venue in Morningside is everything anyone could want in a neighbourhood restaurant. One thing certain is that you could never get bored of the menu – despite a short à la carte selection, the…
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 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…
Kampong Ah Lee Malaysian Delight
28 Clerk Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9HX
The feverish popularity of this canteen style Malaysian eatery with Edinburgh’s Asian student population is testament to its affordability and authenticity. The compact interior is an entirely unpretentious mix of basic seating, odd-coloured walls…
Loon Fung
2 Warriston Place, Canonmills,
Edinburgh,
EH3 5LE
No restaurant stays in business for almost 40 years without doing something right and Loon Fung evidently has a tried-and-tested recipe for success in its little corner of Canonmills. Although some of the ingredients feel a bit dated (staid decor…
The Radical Road
229 Willowbrae Road,
Edinburgh,
EH8 7ND
Perched on a main road heading out of town towards Duddingston, Radical Road is a bit off the beaten track. This mock Tudor property has gone through a number of reincarnations, and is now billed as a traditional Scottish pub with a separate…
Khushi's
10 Antigua Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3NH
Sixty-five years since its first appearance and half a dozen venues later, Indian stalwart Khushi’s has popped up on Antigua Street near the top of Leith Walk. Behind its extensive glazed frontage waiters bustle between a separate raised area reserved…
La Favorita
325–331 Leith Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH6 8SA
The hectic craft of kneading and folding pizza dough is the first thing you see on entering this busy Leith Walk eatery. Walk past the front counter, through the lively, three-pronged dining area, and you'll notice most diners are working their way…
Thai Lemongrass
40–41 Bruntsfield Place,
Edinburgh,
EH10 4HJ
Thai Lemongrass is a twin operation with restaurants in both Glasgow and Edinburgh. At the capital’s branch in Bruntsfield, a golden Buddha on the wall is the focus of the calm, candle-lit dining room. Friendly staff lead guests to tables adorned with…
Zen Kitchen
138 Dundas Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 5DQ
Zen kitchen serves up unique pan-Asian cuisine. The premises are bright and sleekly designed and the well-laid out menu outlines cooking times, spice levels and potential allergies as well as identifying the origin of each dish. The menu includes small…
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…
Bell's Diner
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…
The Roseleaf
23–24 Sandport Place,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6EW
At Leith’s Roseleaf bar the cocktails are served in teapots in the style of 1920s American speakeasies. Flock wallpaper adorns the walls and the window sills are cluttered with vintage trinkets such as typewriters, old photographs and board games…
Bennets Bar
8 Leven Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9LG
Established in 1875, Bennets feels reassuringly as if little has changed in over a century. This is not the place to come looking for lattes, cocktails or wi-fi. It is most definitely somewhere to come and see the original Victorian fittings of the…
The Holyrood 9A
9a Holyrood Road,
Edinburgh,
EH8 8AE
If you can’t remember your last really great burger, head to Holyrood Road to have your faith in the patty renewed. Savouries are split between ‘one’ and ‘two handers’ – the former being edible with a fork while chatting, the latter needing both hands…
Mamma's American Pizza Company
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…
Steak
12 Picardy Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3JT
Steak is one of a new wave of Edinburgh steakhouses influenced by the likes of London’s much-lauded Hawksmoor. It’s aiming for hi-octane glamour that would be more at home in the Meatpacking district in New York City, but Edinburgh could do with a dose…
The Street
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…
El Quijote
13a Brougham Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9JS
This modest little Brougham street restaurant is the sort of place you’d be happy to find in the narrow streets of Seville. Just as well, as that’s precisely what Andalusian owners Oscar Mateos and Maria Giminez set out to do. It’s not exactly smart…
Empires
24 St Mary's Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1SU
There’s a dark, exotic, Aladdin’s Cave feel to Empires – a one-off kind of place that has walls covered with Middle Eastern fabrics and tiles, multi-coloured globe lamps dangling from the ceiling, and an upstairs seating area full of scatter cushions…
Cruz Bar and Restaurant
14 The Shore,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6QN
A First World War minesweeper boat anchored right at the heart of Leith’s bustling Shore district, Cruz has to be among the most distinctive drinking venues in Edinburgh. A popular watering hole with the area’s young party crowd, Cruz serves up an…
Kweilin
19–21 Dundas Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6QG
Kweilin has something of a split personality. On the face of it, it’s a traditional Cantonese restaurant complete with red carpets, red-covered chairs and red-jacketed waiters, and all the expected dishes present and correct. But peeking out from time…
The Stand
5 York Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3EB
Having spent more than 15 years demonstrating that comedians are for life, not just the festival, this subterranean venue stakes a strong claim for entry to the pantheon of ‘Edinburgh Institutions’. Inside, the mish-mash of colours and murals aren’t…
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…
Café Nom de Plume
60 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3SA
Set upstairs from the Edinburgh LGBT Centre and owned by the same team behind the Regent pub, Café Nom de Plume is a gay and lesbian-friendly business and a relaxed hangout for all walks of Broughton life. The décor is a warm and welcoming jumble of…
Centotre
103 George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 3ES
Centotre manages to pull off a neat trick. Despite the austere, ex-bank interior, from those lost days when financial edifices were akin to cathedrals, it still manages to maintain a feeling of warmth and intimacy in the evenings or bright and breezy…
Leven's
30-32 Leven Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9LJ
With its shiny surfaces, colour-changing LED lighting and leather chairs, Leven’s could be any type of eatery on first appearances. It’s only on entering that the warm welcome and seductive sweety-spicy smells make it clear that this is a Thai…
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…
The Espy
62–64 Bath Street, Portobello,
Edinburgh,
EH15 1HF
It might officially be the Esplanade, but ‘The Espy’ – ideally delivered with an Antipodean twang – as it's better known, suits this laid-back beach bar better. With friendly staff and a welcoming atmosphere it proves there’s more to Portobello than…
Nobles Bar
44a Constitution Street, Leith,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6RS
Nobles is fast becoming one of the most popular bars in Leith. With its large, colourful stained-glass windows and original Victorian features lovingly restored this is a classic pub of the highest quality. This attention to detail extends to the food…
Pho Vietnam House
3 Grove Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 8AF
Tucked away on a side street, family run Pho Vietnam House is Edinburgh's only Vietnamese restaurant. Eating here is a bit like having dinner in your best friend's living room: it's small and cosy and owner Jodie Nguyen will offer a warm greeting when…
Stockbridge Tap
2 Raeburn Place,
Edinburgh,
EH4 1HN
Decked out in light oak with a scattering of brewery paraphernalia on the walls, the Stockbridge Tap is one of the area’s more pleasant drinking establishments. The quiet, traditional atmosphere, well-kept ales and dizzying array of whisky on offer…
Howies at Waterloo
29 Waterloo Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3BQ
While things below the waterline have been a bit frantic since the original owners bought back Edinburgh’s two remaining Howies in late 2011, above the surface everything is typically calm. The Waterloo Place restaurant is a stylishly decorated, well…
Joseph Pearce’s
23 Elm Row,
Edinburgh,
EH7 4AA
Pearce's huge popularity is testament to the warm and genuine welcome it extends to a diverse clientele. During the day a raised area to the back is a family-friendly haven, stocked with all the toys, highchairs and feeding paraphernalia that junior…
The Kilderkin
67 Canongate,
Edinburgh,
EH8 8BT
With a name like this (it’s a unit of measuring ale equivalent to two firkins or half a barrel) it’s no surprise to find that Kilderkin is serious about its alcohol. Under the co-ownership of James Nisbet, also of Leith Walk’s Windsor Buffet and…
Mother India's Café
3–5 Infirmary Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1LT
The Edinburgh outpost of this Glasgow favourite has gained and retained its popularity through its trademark style of eating Indian food in tapas-sized portions. This way, a wider range of dishes can be tried even if not with a large group, and the menu…
Red Squirrel
21 Lothian Road,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2DJ
Having struck upon a winning formula of great beers and gourmet burgers with Holyrood 9A, it’s unsurprising to see owners Fuller Thomson attempt to replicate that success across town. While Red Squirrel lacks some of its sister venue’s subdued charm…
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…
Chop Chop
248 Morrison Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 8DT
The lively Morrison Street outpost of this popular restaurant continues to draw a crowd who enjoy the hustle and bustle of its sparsely furnished cafeteria-style room. Known primarily for boiled and fried dumplings, the idea is to place your order and…
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…
Frankfurter Eck
62 Elm Row,
Edinburgh,
EH7 4AQ
German food can suffer from people's unfair preconceptions. Seek out Edinburgh’s first German restaurant, Frankfurter Eck to have these prejudices overturned. Behind a blink-and-you’ll miss it frontage on an unlikely block is a basic interior with…
Indian Lounge
129a Rose Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 3DT
The family-run Indian Lounge is central enough for most of the city to grab a curry on their way home, and there’s a lot to recommend that you do. Prices are considerably more reasonable than you might expect from the central – or any – location, staff…
Kampung Ali Malaysian Delight
97–101 Fountainbridge,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9QG
Kampung Ali is larger and brighter than the Lee family’s Clerk Street original Kampong Ah Lee. A huge Kuala Lumpur skyline dominates the airy dining room, contrasting rather oddly with a ceiling of Roman frescos remaining from the previous occupant.
Khushi’s Diner
32b West Nicolson Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9DD
For the last couple of years this has been the locus of the veteran Khushi’s brand, long-time staple of the Edinburgh curry scene. The Newington incarnation is designed with good cheer in mind, with a mix of red banquettes and cosy tables interspersed…
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…
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…
Gandhi's
50 East Fountainbridge,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9BH
Gandhi's narrow frontage just off Lothian Road frames a compact restaurant of muted tones offering distinctively flavoured and well balanced Indian and Bangladeshi fare. There’s no alcohol licensing so sparkling mango juice and creamy thick sweet or…
Miso & Sushi
46a Haymarket Terrace,
Edinburgh,
EH12 5LA
Going to Miso and Sushi is like going back in time. The décor can't have changed in years. Glaring lights preside over a corridor of booths lined with wood and ancient flock wallpaper. It's in desperate need of a spruce up. However, if there's no love…
Ondine
2 George IV Bridge,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1AD
Ondine has quickly established itself as a respected fixture on the city-centre dining scene. Located next to the smart Missoni Hotel, the second-floor restaurant offers mesmerising views over George IV Bridge and Victoria Street, while diners can also…
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…
Vittoria
113 Brunswick Street, Leith Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH7 5HR
The latest addition to the Vittoria family comes in the shape of a stylish and atmospheric basement wine bar, Divino Enoteca, in the belly of their George IV bridge outlet. Divino is proof positive that the Vittoria formula is a winning one, and the…
Bonsai Bar Bistro
46 West Richmond St,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9DZ
What Bonsai Bar Bistro lacks in size, it makes up for in atmosphere. Bustling and sociable, you’ll have some friendly banter with your waiter, and wind up in conversation with your neighbouring table. The menu, based on small dishes to share, invites a…
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…
Rivage
126–130 Easter Road,
Edinburgh,
EH7 5RJ
Owner and head chef Ryad Meeajane oversees this stylish Easter Road restaurant from behind the open tandoor oven counter while wife and co-owner Catherine runs an efficient and informative front of house. Attention to detail stretches from preparation…
Spirit of Thai
44 Grindlay Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9AP
Strategically positioned near the Lyceum Theatre and Usher Hall, Spirit of Thai is well placed to make the most of the regular traffic to both venues. The décor is what you would expect of a traditional Thai restaurant, with golden Buddhas, muted…
Sweet Melindas
11 Roseneath Street,
Edinburgh,
EH9 1JH
Sweet Melindas is the very definition of cosy neighbourhood hangout. The one-room Marchmont restaurant’s white-painted wooden panelling, found black-and-white photographs and shelves of assorted bric-a-brac lend it a quaint but pleasant ambience, and…
The WestRoom
3 Melville Place,
Edinburgh,
EH3 7PR
Whether it’s a Bellini or a Bramble, a Martini or a Margarita, the folks at the WestRoom know their mixology. And like any good cocktail, the success of this small, oddly shaped bar is due to getting the blend of ingredients just right. Low lighting…
Absolute Thai
22 Valleyfield Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9LR
The Tollcross area of Edinburgh isn’t short of Thai restaurants. Absolute Thai is hidden away down a side street but still stands out from the crowd through its unpretentious feel, reasonable prices and BYOB approach to booze. Since opening in 2009…
Ann Purna
45 St Patrick's Square,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9ET
Tucked away in the corner of St. Patrick’s Square, Ann Purna offers a wide range of vegetarian cuisine inspired by the state of Gujarat on India's west coast. Popular mixed veg bhajias and pakora starters mix with Indian street snacks such as kachori…
Bluerapa Thai
6 Torphichen Place,
Edinburgh,
EH3 8DU
Bluerapa Thai sits in the Haymarket area of Edinburgh and is a recently opened (2011) restaurant and takeaway. Run by the former owners of Chiang Mai, the jovial dining area has lime green walls, ruby lamps and teak furniture and there’s a popular BYOB…
Buffalo Grill
1 Raeburn Place,
Edinburgh,
EH4 1HU
Pictures of the big beasts may decorate the walls but no, you won’t find buffalo meat on the grill here. However, there are plenty of other options available on the surprisingly wide-ranging menu from this veteran of the Stockbridge dining scene…
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.
Hot Hot Chinese
60 Home Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9NA
Open since 2008 but in new hands since 2010, Hot Hot was one of the original restaurants offering Chinese hot pot in Edinburgh. Behind its steamed-up windows is a sparsely decorated room where diners are presented with a simple concept: dip an array 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…
Miro's Cantina Mexicana
184 Rose Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 4BA
The atmosphere at Miro’s is bright and cheery and the welcome from staff is warm. The decor reflects the colours of the Mexican flag and candles twinkle on brightly clad tables. Those looking for the usual suspects will find enchiladas, fajitas and…
Papoli
244a Morrison Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 8DT
Papoli really is a little gem. Outside, the Haymarket traffic rumbles by, while inside its dinky dining room is a retreat of warm orange and yellow pendant lighting hanging low. Prints of Provence (perhaps?) and Greece hint at the culinary offering but…
Petit Paris
38–40 Grassmarket,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2JU
Cheek by jowl in the middle of the traffic-eased Grassmarket, Petit Paris uses all available spaces to fit check-clothed tables into its lively, friendly venue. More enthusiastically French than many of its competitors, a genuine welcome greets each…
Café Domenico
30 Sandport Street,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6EP
Tucked away behind the Cameo Bar in Leith, it’s easy to pass the small entrance to the Café Domenico by. Don’t make this mistake, though, as, housed in this tiny bistro with its eclectic decorations, scattered wall tiles and red and white check…
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…
Fishers in the City
58 Thistle Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1EN
Fishers Restaurant Group now comprises two main branches as well as the Shore Bar & Restaurant, which stands adjacent to the original Leith eaterie. While both the Leith and city centre restaurants bear the Fishers moniker, the two venues couldn’t…
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…
Iggs
15 Jeffrey Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1DR
Iggs, Edinburgh’s grand old dame of Spanish fine dining, has gone through some changes of late. A recent visit from Channel 5’s Restaurant Inspectors has done away with some of its more individual aspects and given it a bit more mass-market appeal. The…
Sabor Criollo
36 Deanhaugh Street,
Edinburgh,
EH4 1LY
Totally tropical Sabor Criollo serves up South American classics from its fantastically-foliaged basement in Stockbridge. A proliferation of parrots look at as you gaze out across turquoise seas in trompe l’oeil scenes beneath a climber creeping across…
Tanjore
6–8 Clerk Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9HX
Relative newcomer Tanjore brings a wealth of south Indian cuisine to its Newington locale, wrapped up in a friendly and relaxed café setting. Owner and head chef Boon Ganeshram switches between open kitchen and compact dining area, describing tapas…
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…
The Abbotsford
3 Rose Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2PR
The Grand Old Man of Rose Street’s bustling pub scene, with its island bar, wood-panelled walls and intricate ceiling, the Abbotsford remains agreeably unsullied by the latest fads and trends – as do most of its patrons. Attracting the sort of crowd who…
Assam's Café
1 Albert Street,
Edinburgh,
EH7 5HN
Opened in March 2012, Assam’s brings to Edinburgh a combination of Indian café and deli that has become a feature in Glasgow. On street level, under a glittering chandelier and surrounded by gold-flecked tiles, a smattering of informal tables sit…
B'est
16 Drummond Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9TX
The open, simple, spacious rooms at B’est are a fitting setting for this relaxed bistro that has become a favourite with students and summer festival goers. A cannily priced three course set menu for under £15 is a very welcome dinner option during…
The Cambridge Bar
20 Young Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 4JB
The Cambridge Bar has long been known for its fine ales, and continues to offer more than 30 from around the world, together with guest beers from Scottish micro breweries. Tucked away in a cobbled thoroughfare running parallel to George Street and…
Circus
8 St Mary's Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1SU
The stone-walled courtyard in the back of this Old Town café/ restaurant is a mini sun-trap in the summer, and a good spot for enjoying some calm while the High Street might be getting unpleasantly hectic with crowds. Circus is run by the same folks who…
The Clay Oven
86 Morningside Road,
Edinburgh,
EH10 4BY
A steady stream of business flocks to this neighbourhood restaurant, and passing trade is not the secret. Loyal Morningside residents provide the mainstay for success in an establishment where pristine white linen tablecloths and handsomely uniformed…
Creelers
3 Hunter Square,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1QW
Creelers’ proprietor, Tim James, started work as a fisherman a quarter of a century ago and he and his wife Fran are co-founders of the Arran Smokehouse and regularly sell fresh fish and seafood at local farmers' markets. With such a pedigree you’d…
Guchhi Indian Seafood and Bar
9/10 Commercial Street,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6JA
Head chef and owner Vishant Das blends together his Indian influences and seafood restaurant experience in this restaurant-bar in the heart of Leith. Extensive à la carte and tapas offerings capture vegetarian specials, biryani, tandoori kebab and…
Gurkha Café
25–27 Cockburn Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1BP
Gurkha Café proudly showcases the cuisine of Nepal in a venue where remnants of previous tenants remain: the incongruous mock-rustic Italian terracotta tile-roofed bar now shares space with stupas and Annapurna posters. Aside from a couple of tables…
Hamburger Heaven
36 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3SB
With a vibrant New York City street scene overlooking a simple but comfortable dining space, Hamburger Heaven aims to bring a little bit of Manhattan to Broughton Street – and largely succeeds, thanks to its buzzy, informal vibe. Though it shares a…
Henderson's Vegetarian Restaurant
94 Hanover Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1DR
This subterranean gathering spot has been the beating heart of Edinburgh’s vegetarian scene for half a decade, and justly celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2012 – no mean feat considering how our appetites and attitudes towards food have changed over…
Mezbaan South Indian Restaurant
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…
The New York Steam Packet
31 Rose Street Lane North,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2NP
There’s probably some money to made by standing on Rose Street and directing lost diners to this almost invisible restaurant, hidden down an alley and then up a steep spiral staircase. It feels more like a treehouse than a restaurant and the boisterous…
Peter's Yard
27 Simpson Loan (Quartermile),
Edinburgh,
EH3 9GG
The location of this aspirational Swedish establishment couldn't be better. Tucked alongside Middle Meadow Walk in the expensive glass forest of the Quartermile development, Peter’s Yard is a bright, well-ordered space that exudes a soothing…
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…
The Ship on the Shore
24–26 The Shore,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6QN
A popular fixture on the Leith scene for nearly a quarter of a century, the Ship on the Shore can genuinely be said to offer something for everyone – as long as you’re not averse to fresh, beautifully prepared fish and seafood. Opening its doors with…
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…
The Standard
24 Howe Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6TG
With four large TV screens this is a popular location for watching live sports, especially rugby internationals when free pies are served during half time. The decor has a 1930s American feel with fixed red leather seats, deco-style lights and framed…
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…
Valvona & Crolla Vincaffè
11 Multrees Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3DQ
Valvona & Crolla’s Vincaffe is only a short distance but several years away from the densely packed cornucopia of the family-run business’s original branch on Elm Row. With a bright, contemporary décor, evenly spaced, white dressed tables and a bank…
Zest
15 North St Andrew Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1HJ
A sophisticated restaurant just off St Andrew Square, Zest has a short menu with a focus on North Indian cuisine and it's packed with dishes rarely, if ever, seen elsewhere in the city. Salmon 65, a dish pioneered in the high-end hotels of Goa, is a…
