Restaurants, Scottish within 5 miles of Edinburgh

The aroma of whisky permeates this elegant ground-floor restaurant set within a Georgian townhouse. As befits the dining room of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society a carefully selected complimentary dram is presented to those eating from the a la carte…

The Atholl Dining Room was originally exclusively for guests at the five-star Howard Hotel in the New Town, and with only fourteen covers, the tables and butler service are still primarily allocated to those who are staying the night. There is clearly…

When you emerge as the offshoot of a fairly flawless Michelin-starred restaurant there is only one way to avoid playing second fiddle. And that is, of course, to win your own star, which is exactly what Castle Terrace did in 2011, less than a year after…

The polish and shine of the Bread Street Brasserie, part of the Point Hotel conversion of the Victorian St Cuthbert’s Co-operative Association, is only made brighter by the warm welcome of their staff. Partitioning breaks some areas of the slightly…

The name suggests Arctic chill but inside is a warm, softly lit bar, with exposed brickwork and book-lined shelves. The main restaurant is upstairs but food is served in both areas. Celebrated for being an ecologically sustainable restaurant (they boast…

A steady stream of casually dressed business travellers, tourists and locals pack into this tiny city centre restaurant to tuck into some excellent Aberdeen Angus steaks. Char-grilled fillet, sirloin and rib-eye have the depth of savoury flavour that…

Tania Dixon moved her successful catering business Ginger Snap from Perthshire to Edinburgh in 2012, carrying with her an impressive client list including Brewin Dolphin, Bonham's and Louis Vuitton. She's an experienced and highly regarded wedding…

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…

The Point Hotel is the ultimate destination hotel, with stunning views over Edinburgh Castle, a 5 minute walk to Princes Street for shopping and nightlife and just a couple of minutes walk to the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.This beautiful…

Earthy: the name itself reeks of honest-to-goodness wholesomeness and this charmingly decorated Canonmills restaurant certainly delivers on that promise. The place feels rather like a Womble has been brought in to decorate, with found objects and…

To begin at the end – and a mighty fine end indeed, distinguished by desserts as delightful on the eye as the spoon. A vibrant gingerbread mousse contrasts with sweet, crunchy ‘rocks’ of honeycomb, a thing of true beauty. Then nougat parfait, delicately…

Kyloe (meaning ‘cattle’) is looking to fill a niche in the Edinburgh restaurant scene, and that niche is meat, meat, meat. Cows are everywhere – the statue outside, the paintings on the wall, the cowhide furniture and the board that displays all the raw…

If you are a lover of both wine and jazz, then Whighams has pretty much got it covered. Their Sunday-night jams and monthly wine-tasting events are in with the West End bricks, occasions suitably enhanced by the bar’s candlelit cellar atmosphere. The…

If you were ever in any doubt that this is a Scottish bar, a warm greeting from a rugged gent in a rugby-style shirt awaits. Surroundings are of a distinctly rustic and wooden nature while a piano sits desperately wanting to be played, all of which…

This Stockbridge location has seen a few owners over the last ten years and chef David Smith has remained at the helm throughout. Now owned by the Nira Hotel group, which boasts properties in Switzerland and Mauritius, the Blackwood’s Bar and Grill…

A decade ago Michelin restaurant inspectors were rarely troubled by Edinburgh and the appetite for fine dining was not always there. It is credit then to Jason Gallagher, owner and head chef at The Stockbridge Restaurant, both that he opened as far back…

Purslane’s chef and owner Paul Gunning is justifiably proud of the petits fours made by chocolatier Sebastian Kobelt: the intensely flavoured hand-dipped chocolates are emblematic of the high-quality contemporary food served here. Gunning’s ambition is…

It’s more than that Michelin star. Restaurant Martin Wishart has a certain caché. It is a place to propose, to woo, to seal the deal. If it’s on the expense account, lucky you. If not, buy the ticket, take the ride: choose a tasting menu, with…