Edinburgh Restaurants

  1. Abstract

    From the faux snakeskin tabletops, gold-leaf ceiling and monochrome art to the attentive, French-accented service, this newcomer to the Edinburgh scene adds a quirky but appealing sense of style to a solid base of culinary expertise, with intriguing flavours enhanced by unusual and attractive presentation. Plunge into a seven-course tasting menu (around £55 ) or dabble with a good-value two-course lunch ( £13 ).

    Read more about Abstract

  2. Always Sunday

    If the thought of a greasy fry-up is enough to put you off your breakfast, head instead for this bright and breezy café dishing up hearty but healthy grub such as fresh fruit smoothies, crisp salads, homemade soups and speciality sandwiches, all washed down with Fairtrade coffee or herbal tea.

    Read more about Always Sunday

  3. Amber

    You've got to love a place where the waiter greets you with the words, 'My name is Craig, and I'll be your whisky adviser for this evening'. Located in the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre, this romantic restaurant manages to avoid tourist clichés and creates genuinely interesting dishes using the best of Scottish produce.

    Read more about Amber

  4. Ann Purna

    This little gem of a restaurant serves exclusively vegetarian dishes from southern India in a bright, unfussy dining room enlivened by a few homely decorations. If you're new to this kind of food, opt for a thali - a self-contained platter with two starters, four different curry dishes, rice, puri (puffed bread) and a dessert.

    Read more about Ann Purna

  5. Apartment

    Fantastic food and a cool, youthful atmosphere make it hard to get a table at this buzzing bistro. The menu, which makes no distinction between starters and mains, encourages sharing, and includes treats such as queen scallops in smoked salmon and hazelnut butter, marinated monkfish kebabs, and chunky garlicky chips.

    Read more about Apartment

  7. Bella Mbriana

    This bustling bistro, loud with the buzz of conversation and the clink of glasses and cutlery, is no ordinary Italian, but a little corner of cosmopolitan Naples complete with hearty Neapolitan home cooking by friendly owner/chef Rosario. The food ranges from rich and tasty zuppa di fagiole (broth of borlotti beans, garlic, mussels and clams) to delicious scampi Portofino (fat langoustines in white wine, garlic, tomato and fennel seed).

    Read more about Bella Mbriana

  8. Bigos

    Any twinge of homesickness felt by members of Edinburgh's Polish community is rapidly dispelled at this rustic haunt halfway down Leith Walk. The restaurant's signature dish, bigos , is classic Polish comfort food - a slow-cooked stew of cabbage, sausage, meat and mushrooms. The rest of the menu is similarly hearty and filling, from potato pancakes to goulash and dumplings. Bigos is BYOB, so pick up a couple of bottles of Zywiec beer at the nearby Polish deli.

    Read more about Bigos

  9. Black Bo's

    You can't accuse the chef at Black Bo's, a very popular vegetarian and vegan eatery located just off the Royal Mile, of being unadventurous. Check the daily specials, which are always interesting - pumpkin and sesame seed balls filled with mozzarella, for example - and there are a couple of meat and fish options that might take your fancy too.

    Read more about Black Bo's

  10. Blue

    Set above the foyer of the Traverse Theatre, this is a cool white minimalist space with polished oak and Danish designer furniture. The food is simple but skilfully cooked and presented. Choices include Crombie's sausages with mash and onion gravy and roast monkfish with caper and raisin dressing. Two courses costs around £12 between and .

    Read more about Blue

  11. Blue Moon Café

    The Blue Moon is the focus of Broughton St's gay social life - always busy, always friendly, and serving up tasty nachos, salads, sandwiches and baked potatoes. It's famous for its brilliant homemade hamburgers, which come plain or topped with cheese or chilli sauce, and delicious daily specials.

    Read more about Blue Moon Café

  12. Advertisement

  13. Buffalo Grill

    The Buffalo Grill is cramped, noisy, fun and always busy, with an American-style menu offering burgers, steaks and side orders of fries and onion rings, along with fish and chicken dishes, prawn tempura and vegetarian burgers, but steaks are the main event. BYOB - corkage around £1 per bottle of wine or 50p per beer. There's a second location in Stockbridge.

    Read more about Buffalo Grill

  14. Café Hub

    A Gothic hall beneath the Highland Tolbooth Kirk - now home to the Edinburgh Festival offices - has been transformed into this bright and breezy bistro with zingy yellow walls, cobalt-blue furniture and lots of imagination. Drop in for cake and cappuccino, or try something more filling - fish chowder with crusty bread, or chickpea and lentil dahl with pita.

    Read more about Café Hub

  15. Café Marlayne

    All weathered wood and warm yellow walls, this bistro is a cosy little nook offering satisfying French farmhouse cooking - escargots with garlic and parsley, or boudin noir (black pudding) with sautéed apples - at very reasonable prices. It's small, so book a table well in advance. There's another branch in Old Town.

    Read more about Café Marlayne

  16. Café Royal Oyster Bar

    Pass through the revolving doors here and you're transported back to Victorian times - a palace of glinting mahogany, polished brass, marble floors, stained glass, Doulton tiles, gilded cornices and table linen so thick it creaks when you fold it. The menu is mostly classic seafood, from oysters on ice to succulent coquilles St Jacques Parisienne (scallops in a cream and mushroom sauce).

    Read more about Café Royal Oyster Bar

  17. Café Truva

    A firm favourite with local Leithers, Truva combines a standard café menu of breakfast fry-ups, coffee, soups and sandwiches with a tempting array of Turkish specialities, from roast aubergines and tomatoes, to hummus and pitta or sweet, sticky baklava.

    Read more about Café Truva

  19. Caféteria@Thefruitmarket

    After checking out the art in the Fruitmarket Gallery, check out the menu in its stylish café - fresh sandwiches, big crunchy salads and hot ciabatta melts - or settle down with a cappuccino to browse the book you just bought in the adjacent art bookshop.

    Read more about Caféteria@Thefruitmarket

  20. Centotre

    A palatial Georgian banking hall enlivened with fuchsia-pink banners and aubergine booths is home to this lively, child-friendly Italian bar and restaurant, where the emphasis is on fresh, authentic ingredients (produce imported weekly from Milan, homemade bread and pasta), and uncomplicated enjoyment of food.

    Read more about Centotre

  21. Circle

    A great place for breakfast or a good value lunch, Circle is a bustling neighbourhood café serving great coffee & cakes, & fresh, tasty lunch dishes ranging from chunky, home-baked quiches to prawn & chilli salad.

    Read more about Circle

  22. Daniel's Bistro

    Daniel comes from Alsace, and his all-French kitchen staff combine top Scottish and French produce with Gallic know-how to create a wide range of delicious dishes. The fish soup is rich and flavourful, and main courses range from slow-cooked knuckle of pork to Alpine tartiflette (baked cheese, potato, ham or pork, and cream). A seriously filling three-course lunch is just around £9 .

    Read more about Daniel's Bistro

  23. David Bann

    If you want to convince a carnivorous friend that cuisine à la veg can be every bit as tasty and inventive as a meat-muncher's menu, take them to David Bann's stylish restaurant. Dishes such as Thai-spiced fritters of tofu and peas with mango chutney, and tart of braised fennel, spinach and goat's-cheese curd are guaranteed to win converts.

    Read more about David Bann

  24. Advertisement

  25. Diner 7

    A neat local eatery with rust-coloured leather booths and banquettes, black and copper tables, and local art on the walls, this diner has a menu of succulent Aberdeen Angus steaks and homemade burgers. Also on offer is more unusual fare such as fried liver with bacon and onion, or smoked haddock with black pudding stovies.

    Read more about Diner 7

  26. Dome Grill Room

    Housed in the magnificent former banking hall, with a lofty glass-domed ceiling, pillared arches and mosaic-tiled floor, the Dome boasts one of the city's most impressive dining rooms. The menu holds few surprises - from smoked salmon to char-grilled chicken or roast lamb - but it's really the setting that sells the place; it's hard to keep your eyes on your plate with all the finery that surrounds you.

    Read more about Dome Grill Room

  27. Doric Tavern

    One of Edinburgh's favourite eateries, this 1st-floor bistro (entrance stairs to the right of the Doric Bar) is handy for both Princes St and the Royal Mile. Wooden floors, warm ochre walls and window tables with views of the Scott Monument complement a menu of fresh Scottish produce.

    Read more about Doric Tavern

  28. Favorit

    A stylish café-bar with a slightly retro feel, Favorit caters for everyone from workers grabbing breakfast on the way to the office to coffee-slurping students skiving off afternoon lectures and late-night clubbers with an attack of the munchies. It also serves the best bacon butties in town.

    Read more about Favorit

  29. First Coast

    Our favourite neighbourhood bistro, First Coast has a striking main dining area with pale-grey wood panelling and stripped stone, and a short and simple menu offering hearty comfort food such as whitefish fillet with crispy pancetta and peas, char-grilled lemon chicken, and pan-fried herb gnocchi. At lunch, and from to , you can have an excellent two-course meal for around £10 .

    Read more about First Coast