Restaurants, Cafés within 5 miles of Edinburgh

Situated next door to Holyrood Palace, this café is the obvious place to grab a sandwich or hearty bowl of soup after visiting the Queen’s Gallery and Palace, or after an invigorating trek round Arthur’s Seat or tour of the Scottish Parliament. With…

Meaning ‘home’ in Swedish, Hemma is the latest addition to Mike and Anna Christopherson’s string of Scandinavian style bars. And with its soft furnishings and quirky interiors, it does indeed have a laidback, homely atmosphere, despite the modern feel…

Holyrood feels strangely disconnected from the rest of the city despite (or because of) being home to both parliament and palace. Still, should you find yourself down this way at least you can get a decent bite to eat. A fairly mainstream menu features…

The Engine Shed acts as a training school to springboard adults with learning difficulties into meaningful, satisfying work. Trainees prepare, cook and serve all the food, as well as making the famously good bread, tofu, hummus and cakes, all of which…

You can now pop in for the same Café Truva Mediterranean menu at three branches across Edinburgh. Leith, Lady Lawson Street and Canongate are all serving Turkish plates, a wide range of cakes and your usual café panini list against a varyingly elaborate…

After firmly establishing itself as one of Edinburgh’s go-to cakeries, early summer will see Leith favourite Mimi’s Bakehouse expand its horizons beyond The Shore with a new outlet in the heart of the Old Town that’s sure to be a hit with the tourists.

Previously the source of Edinburgh's best selection of speciality Danish bakery, Joanna Coleman has shifted the focus from daily baking to bespoke bakery classes, with sessions focussing on bread, chocolate, French macaroons, Danish biscuits or…

It would be easy to wander past the narrow St Mary’s Street frontage of Empires. However, an inquisitive peer inside reveals a compact dark-wood interior that comes to life when illuminated by candles and coloured lanterns. A handful of ground-level…

Circus has a relaxed, hangout vibe with original art hanging on whitewashed walls, chunky wooden furniture and colourful Turkish lamps. Food serving hours run from breakfast right the way through to dinner, making this a popular place with folk staying…

While it might be primarily geared up to cater for visitors staying in one of its 77 rooms, Ten Hill Place has enough individuality to make it worth a visit for those who already have a bed in the city to call their own. The plum and white dining room…

The bright, welcoming café within the Dovecot tapestry exhibition space is a happy discovery for tourists, local workers and art appreciators alike. Nestled within the former Infirmary Street swimming baths, it's a spot well worth seeking out for its…

Bang in the middle of studentville, Kilimanjaro has a laid-back vibe, conducive to whiling away an afternoon reading and nattering or making a start on that essay. The chunky tables, worn wooden chairs and leather sofas are comfy and inviting and the…

Situated in among the pubs and clubs of the Cowgate, Bar 50 is an ideal place for students and backpackers to relax over a pint and a game of pool during the day, or kick start a great night out on a budget. With large pitchers of cocktails for under a…

Anteaques is to tea drinkers what Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory is to small children. A smell of floral blends wafts between rows of tin caddies filled with weird and wonderful concoctions for the teapot. Forget lunch and savoury snacks, you won’t…

Rocking the boho bedsit chic, with elegantly mismatched retro furniture, lampshades and crockery, this is one Spoon that’s unquestionably more loving than greasy. The menu’s packed with wholesome, healthy options, a decent proportion of which are…