Restaurants, Far East within 5 miles of Edinburgh

A marriage of Scottish and Thai cuisine might seem a doomed alliance, and some of the menu options sound more like a drunken scramble around the kitchen than haute cuisine (lasagne chicken curry, anybody?), but don’t be fooled – this contemporary outfit…

Bonsai Bar Bistro provides a clear rebuttal to the notion that Japanese cuisine in the UK is expensive and exclusive. The small but perfectly formed restaurant is known for its welcoming atmosphere and has a wide-ranging menu that offers something for…

Kampong Ah Lee Malaysian Delight is a compact, canteen-style restaurant serving authentic Malaysian food in basic but comfortable surroundings. Its small shop front may be easy to miss, but it remains well known and popular with students seeking an…

Newly extended at the end of 2012, Pho Vietnam House remains small but by no means cramped, with plenty of elbow room and a multi-coloured interior that has more than a hint of chilled-out beach hut to it. Owner Jodie Nguyen sweeps efficiently between…

Quicker than you can say 'tablet computer', there's a grimly punning new restaurant, Thai Pad, on the scene. It is, in fact, a new incarnation of the fairly short-lived Love You Long Thai restaurant in the basement of the Richmond House Hotel on London…

Slap bang in the middle of busy South Bridge, noodle bar Yocoko has developed a knack for packing 'em in. The location is one factor, bringing in a steady stream from tourists at lunchtime to late-night revellers taking advantage of the 11.30pm closing…

Perched atop the rise of Bruntsfield Place, Thai Lemongrass is a solid bet for those who like Far Eastern fare dispensed with a liberal spoon. The large glass-fronted space is rather draughty and could feel lacking in privacy if you’re after a venue for…

Sandwiched as it is between two of the capital’s foremost arts venues, the Usher Hall and the Lyceum Theatre, this smallish concern will never lack for footfall. Pleasant and unobtrusive staff, gold-accented décor and soft lighting on small tables…

Sushiya is Edinburgh’s bite-sized taste of Tokyo, as tiny, bright and inviting as the futo maki sushi. With only 25 covers it is undeniably small, but the stylish, minimalist interior keeps the feel spacious even when it’s busy and there’s a steady…

Oishii is everything you would expect from a Japanese restaurant, from its shining black walls and benches to the red accents and white paper lanterns in the window. Take a seat at the sushi bar and watch Chef Katsuo deftly fold, roll and slice…

Small and staunchly independent, Tollcross gem Passorn is now approaching its fourth birthday. Owner Cindy Sritsotorn has carved out a niche among larger and longer-established haunts by holding true to her passion for good cooking and uncompromising…

A perennial player in the mix of Edinburgh's top Thai restaurants, Dusit proves that consistency needn’t be dull, dishing up the same brand of polished, Thai fine dining in the heart of city for over a decade. Nestled on Thistle Street away from the…

Absolute Thai is an unassuming treasure. On stepping through the curtained doorway, diners feel sequestered from the outside world. The restaurant may be small, but the limited space makes for a feeling of cosy intimacy with small touches of kitsch…

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…

An inconspicuous door and narrow staircase lead you down to the four small, connected stone–walled rooms that form Shilla, which is clearly popular with Edinburgh’s Eastern Asian community who seem to take precedence with the serving staff. You’ll…

Sporting a fresh lick of paint and a new menu, Sing Thai sits at the top of a small flight of steps in Stockbridge’s cosmopolitan St. Stephen’s Street. Run by a husband and wife team, this cosy restaurant has built up a strong reputation with locals for…

Run by the gregarious Stephanie Lo, Wok and Wine occupies a particular niche at the more elaborate end of Edinburgh’s Chinese dining scene. Beige walls, potted plants and long tablecloths give an upper-crust air that disguises its basement location, and…

Bar Soba on Hanover Street is the Edinburgh outpost of a successful Glasgow chain, born of the unusual idea that a pan-Asian noodle kitchen might fit nicely in a busy pre-club venue. Upstairs is the bar, with graffitied walls, trendy DJs and omnipresent…

Lying just far enough outside the city centre to be considered off the beaten track, Causewayside is never the less blessed with some decent dining options, of which Celadon is one of the best. The atmosphere is casual but homely thanks to some rustic…

Owner Jing Si promises real Chinese cooking at Hong Fu Noodle Bar. The recently revamped menu has some genuinely unusual dishes, with Szechuan and Northern Chinese influences predominating. Gone are the ubiquitous prawn toast and chow mein, to be…