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, Outdoor dining, Wi-Fi and "Edinburgh"
Sorted by place / most viewed / distance. Showing 25, 50, 100 per page.
- Café Milk
Café Milk offers seasonal, delicious food at fantastic prices! - The Bank Bar
The Bank's remarkable setting and hearty food menu make it a brilliant place to soak up the essence of Edinburgh Nightlife - Centotre
Centotre serves food made from locally sourced ingredients in a great location - El Bar
Edinburgh's only dedicated flamenco Spanish tapas bar!
Foodies at Holyrood
67 Holyrood Road,
Edinburgh,
EH8 8AU
At first glance, this airy, light-filled café seems a touch out of the way. But factor in the tourist draws of Dynamic Earth and Holyrood Palace, as well as politicians popping over the road for their daily bread, and you’ll understand why it’s…
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…
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…
Café Truva
251–253 Canongate,
Edinburgh,
EH8 8BQ
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…
El Bar
6–8 Howden Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9LH
Little L-shaped El Bar is the tapas bar and restaurant of Scotland’s only dedicated Flamenco school and studio, Alba Flamenca. It’s an unusual set-up, but one that’s won plenty of fans since its inception in 2008. Diners hoping for intimacy here might…
The Terrace Brasserie
Royal Terrace Hotel, 18–22 Royal Terrace,
Edinburgh,
EH7 5AQ
Situated on one of the grandest Georgian streets in Edinburgh is the dining-room of the Royal Terrace Hotel. The concise menu features some interesting ideas that lift it above the usual brasserie fare. For starters the soft sweetness of the scallops is…
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…
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 Salisbury Arms
58 Dalkeith Road,
Edinburgh,
EH16 5AD
Opened in June 2011, the Salisbury Arms was the first Scottish venture of the Village Pub and Kitchen group (their takeover of the Sheep’s Heid being a close second). With 39 establishments across the UK their ethos is to keep an independent spirit in…
Monteiths
57–61 High Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1SR
Monteiths’ discreet menu board at the head of one of the Royal Mile’s darker closes is easily missed. But don’t, because this subterranean bar and restaurant’s low-key Scottish style is a welcome antidote to the energetic tartanry to be found nearby.
Rhubarb
Prestonfield House, Priestfield Road,
Edinburgh,
EH16 5UT
A restaurant that transforms any visit into a special occasion, Rhubarb is one of Edinburgh’s most dramatic dining experiences. From a smiling, kilted welcome at the entrance to historic Prestonfield House (now a boutique hotel within which Rhubarb is a…
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…
Greenmantle
133 Nicolson Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9JP
With a scoreboard of their top beers on the wall and poker nights on Sundays, this old-fashioned corner bar’s relatively recent update appears to have taken place with the local student population in mind. The atmosphere is somewhere between shabby-chic…
Aspen Bar and Grill
66–67 South Bridge,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1LS
Since the previous owner left to concentrate on his political career, John Watt has taken on this established business as chef-proprietor, and changes are still in the offing. Attracting and students – who enjoy discounts – and city centre workers…
Edinburgh Larder
15 Blackfriars Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1NB
Tucked just off the Royal Mile, Eleanor Cunningham’s café features a menu that's a roll call of Scottish food heroes. From Creelers’ smoked salmon to Great Glen venison, Rannoch smoked chicken and Cunningham's mum’s jam and dad’s chutneys, everything…
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…
Café Lucia
Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 13/29 Nicolson Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9FT
Situated on the bright, airy ground floor of Edinburgh’s popular Festival Theatre, Café Lucia is a decent pit stop for those seeking some respite from Southside shopping, a break from the office on their lunch hour, or a stop-off for local students on…
The Bank Bar
Bank Hotel, 1 South Bridge,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1LL
This pub/hotel offers nine rooms named after legendary Scottish figures, including Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, Alexander Graham Bell and John Logie Baird. Inside the bar the décor seems formal, with a high, frescoed ceiling and lustrous…
Itchycoo Bar & Kitchen
80 High Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1TH
Sleek and glossy, the tables in the Radisson Blu’s Itchycoo are wisely clustered round a small central bar area, helping a buzzy atmosphere to form even with relatively few diners. The lounge menu is available all day, and is exactly what you’d expect…
56 North
2–8 West Crosscauseway,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9JP
56 North is a well-coordinated place that evidently knows its target market: young professionals who don’t balk at paying over the odds for a snifter if they can do it amid plate glass and inoffensive décor and – given the generous 25% discount afforded…
Beirut
24 Nicolson Square,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9BX
In the mini Middle Eastern pocket growing around Edinburgh's Mosque, which began with Kebab Mahal and Jordan Valley and continues with the newly added Mosque Kitchen and Nawroz, Beirut adds Lebanese food to the mix. Owner Ahmed Saadi opened in 2010, and…
Double Dutch
27–29 Marshall Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9BJ
Under new management since the summer of 2008, but still trading under the same name, any former Dutch influence which this café boasted has long since disappeared. There’s plenty to take its place, although it could be argued that the extensiveness of…
Elephants and Bagels
37 Marshall Street (Nicholson Square),
Edinburgh,
EH8 9BJ
If you’re looking for a lunch or snack option that healthy and filling, planet-friendly and low in salt, sugar as well as food miles, then Elephants and Bagels offers a handy solution. A penchant for pachyderms is a bonus; mostly customer-drawn they…
Café Renroc
91 Montgomery Street,
Edinburgh,
EH7 5HZ
Open from early in the morning until late, this corner café is the heart of its very own little local scene and a hub for Hillsiders, with frequent live music, poetry and story-telling evenings, even featuring – of all things – a beauty salon…
Café Cassis
Salisbury Hotel, Salisbury Road,
Edinburgh,
EH16 5AA
Tucked under the Salisbury Hotel in the quieter reaches of Edinburgh’s southside, Café Cassis makes good use of its semi-basement situation. Beyond the tight entranceway, the interior is warmly lit, welcoming and relaxed, and backs onto a…
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…
The Pear Tree House
34 West Nicolson Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9DD
The grande dame of the Southside drinking scene has been standing proud on the spot since 1749, and 2012 sees the thirtieth anniversary of its current incarnation. The Pear Tree’s justifiably famed selling point is the large walled beer garden…
City Café
19 Blair Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1QR
Pull up your pop socks and pick a song for the juke box: the City Café is your Grease-shaped American diner. Its red banquettes are just right for a short lie down after eating more than your fill of the great BBQ sharing platter, with sticky pork ribs…
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…
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…
Café Marina
61 Cockburn Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1BS
Forget Ikea: this is where you’ll find the best meatballs in town. They're more of a hearty sausage shape than a ball here: get them cut up in pasta or squeezed into a ciabatta for a chin-dripping panini – but whatever you do, get them. With just a…
Negociants
45–47 Lothian Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1HB
Negociants celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year as one of the most popular bars among Edinburgh’s student population. Year-round the place bustles, particularly at weekends, while the Edinburgh Festival brings a tourist clientele attracted by…
Viva Mexico
41 Cockburn Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1BS
In existence for 28 years, Viva Mexico – run by the Gonzalez family – is the grand-daddy of Edinburgh’s Mexican restaurants. Inside, kitsch abounds with pictures of hirsute horsemen and Mexican puppet dolls staring down from the walls. There are plenty…
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…
Café Marlayne
13 Antigua Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3NH
Longevity is not something always associated with Edinburgh’s French restaurants. That Café Marlayne has stuck around for a decade is testament to its ability to consistently please an eclectic range of diners. Tucked just north of George Street the…
Hotel du Vin
11 Bristo Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1EZ
Fact: eating out is way nicer than eating in. Or at least it is when the people who bring your food and pour your drinks are really, really lovely. This is well understood in Hotel du Vin, where the service is full of personality and pretty much…
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…
Café Camino
Parish Centre, 1 Little King Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3JD
Pick your moment at Café Camino and you could find your coffee and sandwich accompanied by the solemn, yet uplifting, tones of a Catholic Mass being sung next door. This is the St Mary's Cathedral café and, since 2005, it has been doing excellent…
Ecco Vino
19 Cockburn Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1BP
This understated, grown-up wine bar has been calmly getting it right for over a decade. The bottles that line the walls are laid out intuitively in the wine list, and there’s a reassuringly generous hand with the advice and the tasting glasses if you’re…
Restaurant Mark Greenaway at No 12 Picardy Place
12 Picardy Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3JT
Mark Greenaway’s take on dining is unashamedly modern. With deconstructed creations, foams, smokes and multi-ingredient theatrics aplenty, this is a sophisticated, highly confident offering. A starter of Loch Fyne crab cannelloni is a good introduction…
Embo
29 Haddington Place, Leith Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH7 4AG
With more than a decade’s history as a top o’ the Walk fixture, Embo is the kind of place which has established a personal touch for its regulars. Owner and head cook Mike Marshall knows them by name and their orders by heart, and it’s this which lends…
Angels With Bagpipes
343 High Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1PW
Don’t let the High Street buskers put you off. Through the back in the restaurant you won’t hear them. Instead, the smart sophisticated décor and modern tableware sets off an approach to Scottish ingredients that acknowledges centuries of continental…
Biblos
1 Chambers Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1HU
With a name that means ‘book’ it is hardly surprising Biblos has gone for the decadent library theme. Leather Chesterfield sofas, wingback chairs and dark wood abound, and, in case the point still hasn’t hit home, they even have small pictures of famous…
Revolution
30a Chambers Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1HU
In the heart of Edinburgh University’s busy student zone in Chamber Street you will find what years ago was the Edinburgh Dental Hospital. Today there are happier reasons for opening your mouth wide and more sociable anaesthetics. Revolution, the 60+ UK…
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…
Fair Trade Coffee Shop
30–31 Albert Place,
Edinburgh,
EH7 5HN
Inspired by the tiny coffee shops of San Francisco’s Mission District, the Fair Trade Coffee Shop’s owner Joe Jerome has created his own small slice of urban bohemia on Leith Walk. He’s gone one further, in fact –- the top secret brand of single source…
Word of Mouth
3a Albert Street,
Edinburgh,
EH7 5HL
It’s only five years old, but already Word of Mouth is one of Edinburgh’s definitive neighbourhood cafés, a recommended stop not just for the food but for the range of activities they manage to cram into the small dining space. An open mic poetry and…
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…
Divino Enoteca
5 Merchant Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2QD
Divino is the charming, seductive brother to fun-loving sister restaurant Vittoria upstairs. Pretty well hidden under George IV Bridge, this wine bar and restaurant combines candle-lit romance with cutting-edge wine gadgetry. In its strictest sense, an…
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…
Treacle Bar and Kitchen
39–41 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3JU
Treacle is the kind of place which tries hard to be loved by everyone, and does a pretty good job of succeeding. Brightly decorated (one wall is a cartoon mural) but moodily lit in the evening, their magpie food menu works surprisingly well for one so…
Urban Angel
1 Forth Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3JX
Seasonal, local and organic are the buzz words for these bright, informal, modern bistros. A high proportion of the menu is made up of daily specials making the most of what produce is best that day. A nourishing parsnip soup is enlivened with mustard…
Bar Missoni
1 George IV Bridge,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1AD
Bar Missoni’s website promises the ‘ultimate fashionista adventure playground’. Supermodels aside, the venue is deliberately stylish without being overwhelmed by the polarising multiplex of pattern for which the brand is renowned. The vibe is based on…
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…
Signature Bar & Restaurant
The Ballantrae Albany Hotel, 39–43 Albany Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3QY
Signature, the restaurant at the Ballantrae Albany Hotel, has its official launch planned for June 2011 when they’ll unveil their patio and beer garden in time for the famous Edinburgh summer weather. In the meantime, diners can enjoy the stylish…
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…
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…
Forth Floor Brasserie
Harvey Nichols, 30–34 St Andrew Square,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2AD
Refurbished in early 2012, this place looks smart and modern, with the use of wood and leather softening the metals and glass in the bright, open space. A new seafood bar is an attractive addition, and a screen has been erected between the brasserie and…
Forth Floor Restaurant
Harvey Nichols, 30–34 St Andrew Square,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2AD
Following its recent makeover, the new softer shades of pinks, browns and muted reds of Harvey Nichols’ Forth Floor Restaurant create a warm glow that sets the scene for exceptionally stylish dining. Priding itself on high quality produce sourced…
Hanam's
3 Johnston Terrace,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2PW
Hanam’s is rightly revered for its Kurdish cooking. The restaurant is spread over two floors of a characterful period building, including a terrace that’s – unsurprisingly – in demand on summer days and a separate dining room that's ideal for private…
Olive Branch Bistro
91 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3RX
Broughton Street has long been a hot spot for eating and drinking in the city, and this corner dining room is a tremendously popular example. Open for breakfast through to dinner, the usual suspects are served throughout the day before the real event…
The Mussel and Steak Bar
110 West Bow, Grassmarket,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2HH
The Mussel and Steak Bar is an unambiguous name for an eaterie whose menus offer endless choice for lovers of seafood and meat dishes. Thanks to its central location at the eastern end of the Grassmarket, the restaurant attracts a large and varied…
The Bakehouse Co.
32c Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3SB
NOTE: THE BAKEHOUSE IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED AFTER A FIRE
A compact local café sitting easily alongside the ethical boutiques of Broughton Street, the Bakehouse is a cheaper, more casual alternative to nearby Urban Angel and the Olive Branch. Rusty tin…
The Jolly Judge
7 James Court, Lawnmarket,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2PB
Set just far enough back from the Royal Mile to avoid being spoiled by excessive tourist footfall, the Jolly Judge enjoys a peaceful basement spot on James Court, which belies just how enviable its location is. The low, beamed ceilings are familiar to…
Hula Juice Bar and Gallery
103–105 West Bow,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2JP
Tucked just around the corner from the Grassmarket’s rugby pubs and walking tours is the refreshing – in more ways than one – Hula Juice Bar. Tropical fruit, frozen yoghurt and organic boosters, such as echinacea, spinach powder and wheatgrass, mingle…
Cafe Hub
Castlehill, Royal Mile,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2NE
Glowering imposingly from the very top of the High Street, the black Gothic splendour of the Hub was transformed when it became the official home of the Edinburgh International Festival, with a now entirely contemporary interior which glows with colour…
Victoria
265 Leith Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH6 8PD
Like the other Swedish-run bars in Leith, Victoria is both refreshingly familiar and determined to assert its own individuality. Their drinks range is classy and well-chosen, including beers from at least thirty-five different countries and their…
Amarone
13 St Andrew Square,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2BH
This vast contemporary Italian themed restaurant complete with pastoral photographs, high domed roof and colourfully lit ceiling art opened in the summer of 2011 and is already bustling. From the restaurant family that includes DiMaggio’s and Café…
The Scottish Café and Restaurant
National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2EL
From its contemporary, light-filled space in the underbelly of Scotland’s National Galleries, the Scottish Café & Restaurant looks out serenely over the green and bustle of Princes Street Gardens. Created and run by the team behind Centotre, the…
Biddy Mulligans
94–96 Grassmarket,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2JR
After a couple of pints, a pie at Biddy Mulligans will see your hunger away. This traditional-style drinking spot is the antithesis of the modern minimalist bar, though much of the décor is also possibly not that authentically ancient. Overall the…
The Witchery by the Castle
Castlehill, Royal Mile,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2NF
From its grand seat atop the Royal Mile, The Witchery’s lavishly designed suites and busy restaurant have been drawing a mix of locals and visitors for over 30 years. This medieval merchant’s house is graced with bespoke panelled ceiling, sumptuous…
Locanda de Gusti
7–11 East London Street,
Edinburgh,
EH7 4BN
The restaurant formerly known as Bella Mbriana continues to choose the road less travelled by and offer what they describe as a genuine Italian experience as opposed to the more anglicised fare available elsewhere. Tucked around the corner from…
The Magnum Restaurant & Bar
1 Albany Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3PY
A genuinely warm welcome and an impressive côte de boeuf are but two memorable highlights of a visit to the Magnum. Or, there’s the light, thin pastry of crab and Lammermuir smoked cheese tart and its unusual accompanying salad of red peppers and smoked…
Maxies Bistro and Wine Bar
5b Johnston Terrace,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2PW
An up-to-date review of Maxies will appear here shortly …
Boda Bar
229 Leith Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH6 8NY
One of the quartet of Swedish-run pubs spread across Leith, Boda is the original branch and, like the others, it’s a classy local that works hard but makes it look effortless. Among the bright corner bar’s unique selling points are a range of cocktails…
The French Fancies
42 London Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6LX
This charming basement café, run by a couple from Lyon, proves that although the French take their food seriously, they know how to have fun with it too. The front room acts as both shop and takeaway, the owners selling their very own preserves…
Agua
Apex City Hotel, 61 Grassmarket,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2JF
Agua, located on the ground floor of the Apex City Hotel, may not be able to compete with the peerless view of Edinburgh Castle offered by its sister restaurant, Heights, in the Apex International, a few doors down. But Agua does offer a well-considered…
Le Monde
16 George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2PF
If you’re an Edinburgh WAG looking for a bite to eat before a night on the town with your footballer boyfriend, Le Monde will be one of your first choices. The world is your oyster in this boutique hotel with international themed bedrooms, dining areas…
The Scottish Café
National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2EL
Run by the acclaimed team from Centotre – Victor and Carina Contini – the Scottish Café and Restaurant has been a stylish addition to arts venues in Edinburgh since 2009. There is a Garden Café within the gallery reception, but the main operation is a…
Grand Cru
79 Hanover Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1EE
Theatrically chic, Grand Cru is an energising venue for an upbeat evening meal. Though the large bar is devoted to drinkers, a separate dining area is juxtaposed comfortably enough to give you some space to enjoy your food. For a less noisy seat, though…
The Pastures
24 Marchmont Crescent,
Edinburgh,
EH9 1HG
Sequestered among the tenements of Marchmont, this new small-scale venture is a local gem, serving homely comfort food in a bright and cheery setting at a tariff well suited to threadbare student pockets. They don’t back off on quality, though: poached…
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…
Urban Angel
121 Hanover Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1DJ
Seasonal, local and organic are the buzz words for these bright, informal, modern bistros. A high proportion of the menu is made up of daily specials making the most of what produce is best that day. A nourishing parsnip soup is enlivened with mustard…
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…
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…
Bijou
2 Restalrig Road,
Edinburgh,
EH6 8BN
Since coming under new management in late 2011 this small bistro on the edge of Leith Links has been spruced up and dusted down. The atmosphere is casual and the welcome friendly, and as for the food, it puts many pricier city centre places to shame.
Amicus Apple
17 Frederick Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2EY
Although you may expect to pay a premium for food at a cocktail bar betwixt George Street and the Castle, Amicus Apple manages to buck the trend. On weekdays it offers 2-for-1 meals for those who book online and with the recent introduction of a £5…
Eteaket
41 Frederick Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1EP
Eteaket has a target market and lads, you’re not it. From the pop-vintage hot pink chairs to the powder blue tea menus, this tea boutique is best for tête-à-têtes over a cuppa and cake. The extensive drinks menu is full of pretty things to drink, from…
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…
Freemans
2-6 Spottiswoode Road,
Edinburgh,
EH9 1BQ
Bright, airy and shabbily chic, Freeman’s coffee shop is another worthy local café in an area that’s positively breeding them. It’s an impressive venue, with clusters of comfy armchairs and tables surrounded by schoolroom seats spread around the wooden…
The Cumberland Bar
1-3 Cumberland Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6RT
Famed for its sunny beer garden and rightly so, The Cumberland is very much a New Town pub. Located slap bang in the centre of the heritage district, it specialises in cask ales and has eight fonts to choose from including Taylor’s Landlord and Deuchars…
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…
My Big Fat Greek Kitchen
6 Brougham Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9JH
The back room of this Tollcross restaurant is decorated with a giant floor to ceiling photo of Santorini – where whitewashed villas zigzag the hillside down to turquoise seas below. The whole experience of My Big Fat Greek Kitchen aims to magic up…
Oloroso
33 Castle Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 3DN
Borne by lift from the bright white office block entrance, you climb the last stairs to emerge in one of the best locations for a restaurant in Edinburgh. Stunning as the roof terrace is for a cocktail in summer, even on dark nights the panorama of…
Bon Papillon
15 Howe Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6TE
It’s a tricky balancing act at Bon Papillon, but one its cheerful owners clearly relish. This café-cum-gallery-cum-framers, run by artist and chef Ingrid Nilsson and Stuart Allan, has an immediately welcoming vibe. Situated in the New Town, local, fresh…
Tonic
34 North Castle Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 3BN
While first and foremost a cocktail bar, Tonic also manages to produce a small but appetising menu. And although the surroundings might bear more than a passing resemblance to a Polish casino, the food is both tasty and good value. Succulent prawn…
Zucca
15–17 Grindlay Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9AX
Adjoining the Royal Lyceum, Zucca is an obvious target for pre or post-theatre diners, with the ground floor café serving sandwiches and deli snacks until late, and the upstairs dining room offering hearty dishes which fuse Italian and Scottish flavours…
Traverse Bar Café
10 Cambridge Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2ED
As one of Edinburgh’s most popular art hubs, the Traverse Theatre has long been a firm favourite – and the attached café-bar plays its part in that enduring appeal. Families are made welcome day and night, thanks to the café being kid-friendly until…
Leo's Beanery
23a Howe Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6TF
While it’s not unusual for a New Town café to go the extra distance in terms of befriending its regulars, Leo’s Beanery’s young owners Joe and Marie Denby have really stamped their personality on the place, right down to the photos of their family which…
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…
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