Restaurants and BYOB
- The Tea Rooms at The Butterfly and the Pig
City centre gem serving Afternoon Tea, High Tea, cakes & delights - 9 Cellars
The 9 Cellars Authentic Thali, wonderful Indian cuisine and impeccable service from an award-winning chef - Hanam's
This is the home of truly authentic Kurdish & Middle Eastern Cuisine, set right in the heart of Edinburgh - Petit Paris
Authentic French flavours and cheerful décor make this enjoyable place to eat!
A Room in the Town
18 Howe Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6TG
A Room in the Town resembles the well known and colourful mural lining its main wall more often than one suspects. High jinks and merriment co-exist alongside locals having a casual meal in the simply furnished and softly lit, long dining room. Staff…
Asia Style
185–189 St George's Road,
Glasgow,
G3 6JD
Don't be put off by the austerity of the decorations or the severe tones of the staff – this formica-tabled late-night Chinese/Malaysian diner is a much-loved treasure among Oriental food fans and alcohol-quaffing students alike. Seafood highlights…
Thai Lemongrass
24 Renfrew Street,
Glasgow,
G2 3BW
This city centre Thai restaurant has been consistently good since it opened for business, and business lunches, in 2004. A set lunch menu is geared towards shifting bowls of Thai chicken soup, spring rolls, satay, and green curry to people wanting to…
Thai Lemongrass
40–41 Bruntsfield Place,
Edinburgh,
EH10 4HJ
There’s no escaping that Thai Lemongrass is a classy looking place. The décor is a soothing blend of the contemporary and the traditional, with discreet lighting casting a warm glow over the dark wood tables and tastefully golden-brown wallpaper.
Shilla
1138 Argyle Street,
Glasgow,
G3 8TD
The only Korean restaurant in Glasgow squeezes a big menu, a homely ambience and tightly spaced tables into a small space that also includes a mezzanine. The staff are mostly Korean – so too, many of the diners. The lunch menus feature 30 dishes…
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…
56 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3SA
Broughton Street is full of trendy cafés and bistros but L’escargot Bleu stands out from the crowd with its French menu, chic bric-a-brac interior and superior sourcing policy highlighted through its own delicatessen in the basement. Owner Frederick…
A Room in the West End
26 William Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 7NH
The 'Room in the…' chain has won considerable popularity in Edinburgh thanks to unpretentious surroundings, fulsome food and that rare beauty, a BYO policy. The West End branch, a snug basement beneath the frequently rowdy Teuchter’s pub on William…
Izzi
119 Lothian Road,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9AN
Izzi is a restaurant of two halves, with the front dining room clearly visible to the passers-by on busy Lothian Road through a huge plate glass window. The second room is curiously featureless but feels a little more private. Friendly staff greet…
17 Queensferry Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 4QW
Cosy L'escargot Blanc in the West End is slighter cheaper and more bustling than its Broughton Street sister restaurant but is trying to maintain similar standards – with not always perfect results. It has done this by introducing some quality local…
The Ashoka
108 Elderslie Street,
Glasgow,
G3 7AR
A Glasgow fixture since 1982, this Ashoka is not part of the popular Harlequin-owned chain of the same name. Downstairs is the 110-capacity Curryoke restaurant, where you can experience a full banquet plus a spot of singing, while upstairs the…
MacCallum’s of Troon Oyster Bar
Harbourside,
Troon,
Ayrshire,
KA10 6DH
A harbourside seafood restaurant run by fishmongers, with a much-loved fish and chip stop (the Wee Hurrie) next door. Expect an array of fruits of the sea and not too much fussing at all.
Karen's Unicorn
8b Abercromby Place,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6LB
Owner Danny So is nothing if not ambitious. Both branches of Karen’s Unicorn aspire to be more than just another Chinese restaurant: they aim to be classy establishments that happen to serve Chinese food. The presentation, attention to detail and the…
A Room in Leith
1c Dock Place,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6LU
If you pitch up here late or without booking, it may be wise to have a plan B. On sunny days, the waterside tables outside fill up fast with people enjoying a platter of mussels and a well chosen glass, while for chillier occasions, there’s candle…
The Blue Parrot Cantina
49 St Stephen Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 5AH
With 17 years of producing spicy delights from under its bejewelled wings the Parrot can lay claim to status as a Stockbridge institution and it’s easy to see why it has survived so long in locals' affections. The menu may not stray too far from…
Khushi's
10 Antigua Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3NH
When Khushi's was engulfed in fire just before Christmas 2008, you might have been forgiven for speculating if it had flown just a bit too close to the sun. In a few years the restaurant had shifted from being an old-fashioned curry café on Drummond…
Loon Fung
2 Warriston Place, Canonmills,
Edinburgh,
EH3 5LE
Loon Fung has been dishing up Cantonese dishes to the residents of Canonmills for almost forty years and regulars still count for the majority of the business. And it is clearly the food as opposed to the functional décor that is the lure. Classics…
Nile Valley
6 Chapel Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9AY
At lunchtime, this Sudanese restaurant ranks high as uni students' fast food of choice with its huge khobz wraps of falafel, hummus, aubergine or grilled chicken salads. After the afternoon lull, it is nice to see the transformation from a takeaway…
Kampong Ah Lee Malaysian Delight
28 Clerk Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9HX
Every city has its secrets, those in-the-know places that are easy to miss in the search for better and brighter eating experiences. While it’s hardly off the beaten track, Kampong Ah Lee Malaysian Delight’s unassuming shop front and barely decorated…
Leven's
30-32 Leven Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9LJ
Just remember that faint heart never won fair anything, take a deep breath and plunge headfirst into Leven’s crazy, mixed-up world of fusion. There’s a lot going on, much of it good, and while every plate could do with losing at least one ingredient…
Time 4 Thai
45 North Castle Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 3BG
Whilst the décor in Time 4 Thai reflects the conventions of George Street style-bar chic, and comes off looking more like an airport’s executive lounge, the welcome is pure class – there’s enough warmth here to power a small country. Choose between…
Ann Purna
45 St Patrick's Square,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9ET
Having undergone a makeover in 2008, the white tablecloths, lace curtains and doilies that once gave Ann Purna the air of a 1950s living room have been replaced by an unfussy but smart, contemporary décor. The cosy St Patrick’s Square restaurant still…
Brooklyn Café
21 Minard Road,
Glasgow,
G41 2HR
The trusty Southside family-run corner café is celebrating its 80th birthday this year. Their affordably priced family-friendly Italian-based menu remains a one-stop crowd pleaser with young and old alike. A visit is instantly set up to end with a…
Beirut
24 Nicolson Square,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9BX
Welcome to Edinburgh’s first Lebanese restaurant, which has a sleek modern interior, scenic views adorning the walls and the cream of Beirut’s music scene on the plasma screen. Sourcing Lebanese ingredients from suppliers in London, all dishes are…
The Hidden Lane Tearoom
8 Argyle Court, 1103 Argyle Street,
Glasgow,
G3 8ND
Despite its less than obvious location, the Hidden Lane Tearoom is often full to bursting so clearly the secret is out – and what a secret it is. The tearoom is set over two tiny floors decorated in a fashion that is clearly a labour of love. The…




