Must-see restaurants in Edinburgh

  • Baba

    New Town

    Located on Edinburgh’s premier George Street and connected to the chic Principal hotel, Baba specialises in uber-hip and sophisticated Levantine cuisine…

  • Kitchin

    Leith

    Fresh, seasonal, locally sourced Scottish produce is the philosophy that has won a Michelin star for this elegant but unpretentious restaurant. The menu…

  • The frontage of Dishoom on St Andrew Square

    Dishoom

    New Town

    Dishoom is a new addition to Edinburgh’s dining scene and the minichain’s first opening outside London. Inspired by the Irani cafes of Bombay, this is…

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    Ondine

    Old Town

    Ondine is one of Edinburgh's finest seafood restaurants, with a menu based on sustainably sourced fish. Take a seat at the curved Oyster Bar and tuck into…

  • Rhubarb

    Holyrood & Arthur’s Seat

    Set in the splendid 17th-century Prestonfield hotel, Rhubarb is a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. The over-the-top decor of rich reds set…

  • First Coast

    Edinburgh

    This popular neighbourhood bistro has a striking main dining area with sea-blue wood panelling and stripped stonework, and a short and simple menu…

  • Gardener's Cottage

    New Town

    This country cottage in the heart of the city, bedecked with flowers and fairy lights, offers one of Edinburgh's most interesting dining experiences – two…

  • Timberyard

    Edinburgh

    Ancient, worn floorboards, cast-iron pillars, exposed joists, and tables made from slabs of old mahogany create a rustic, retro atmosphere in this slow…

  • Martin Wishart

    Leith

    In 2001 this restaurant became the first in Edinburgh to win a Michelin star, and it's retained it ever since. The eponymous chef has worked with Albert…

  • Mums

    Old Town

    This nostalgia-fuelled cafe serves up classic British comfort food that wouldn't look out of place on a 1950s menu – bacon and eggs, bangers and mash,…

  • Castle Terrace

    Edinburgh

    It was little more than a year after opening in 2010 that Castle Terrace was awarded a Michelin star under chef-patron Dominic Jack (the star was lost in…

  • Grain Store

    Old Town

    An atmospheric upstairs dining room on picturesque Victoria St, the Grain Store has a well-earned reputation for serving the finest Scottish produce,…

  • Locanda de Gusti

    Edinburgh

    This bustling family bistro, loud with the buzz of conversation and the clink of glasses and cutlery, is no ordinary Italian but a little corner of Naples…

  • Cannonball Restaurant

    Old Town

    The historic Cannonball House next to Edinburgh Castle's esplanade has been transformed into a sophisticated restaurant (and whisky bar) where the Contini…

  • Brew Lab

    Edinburgh

    Students with iPads lolling in armchairs, sipping carefully crafted espressos amid artfully distressed brick and plaster, recycled school-gym flooring,…

  • Aizle

    Edinburgh

    If you tend to have trouble deciding what to eat, Aizle (the name is an old Scots word for 'spark' or 'ember') will do the job for you. There's no menu…

  • Loudon's Café & Bakery

    Edinburgh

    Organic bread and cakes baked on the premises, ethically sourced coffee, daily and weekend newspapers scattered about, even some outdoor tables – what's…

  • Kanpai Sushi

    Edinburgh

    What is arguably Edinburgh's best sushi restaurant impresses with its minimalist interior, fresh, top-quality fish and elegantly presented dishes – the…

  • Contini

    New Town

    A palatial Georgian banking hall enlivened by fuchsia-pink banners and lampshades is home to this lively, family-friendly Italian bar and restaurant,…

  • Fishers Bistro

    Leith

    This cosy little restaurant, tucked beneath a 17th-century signal tower, is one of the city's best seafood places. The menu ranges widely in price, from…

  • Urban Angel

    New Town

    A wholesome deli that puts the emphasis on Fairtrade, organic and locally sourced produce, Urban Angel is also a delightfully informal cafe-bistro that…

  • Chocolate dessert at The Tower.

    Tower

    Old Town

    Chic and sleek, with a great view of the castle, Tower is perched in a turret atop the National Museum of Scotland building. A star-studded guest list of…

  • Outside Henri of Edinburgh in Stockbridge

    Henri of Edinburgh

    Edinburgh

    This spacious French deli-cafe supplies many of Edinburgh’s top restaurants, and boasts some of the best cheese and charcuterie the city has to offer. It…

  •  by www.schnappsphotography.com

    Number One

    New Town

    This is the stylish and sophisticated chatelaine of Edinburgh’s city-centre restaurants, all gold-and-velvet elegance with a Michelin star sparkling on…

  • Twelve Triangles

    Leith

    Tucked away on an unassuming stretch just off Leith Walk, Twelve Triangles is an exceptional (and exceptionally tiny) bakery. Some of the city’s best…

  • Ting Thai Caravan

    Old Town

    This lively, unpretentious place started as a pop-up and retains its no-frills vibe with no bookings and cash-only payments. The food, served in steaming…

  • Edinburgh Food Studio

    Edinburgh

    Far from the city centre throng, Edinburgh Food Studio is a tiny unassuming restaurant and ‘food research hub’ dishing up some of the most creative, nerdy…

  • L'Escargot Blanc

    Edinburgh

    This superb neighbourhood bistro, with French chef and wait staff, and two-thirds of its top-quality produce sourced in Scotland (one-third imported from…

  • Witchery by the Castle

    Old Town

    Set in a merchant’s town house dating from 1595, the Witchery is a candlelit corner of antique splendour with oak-panelled walls, low ceilings, opulent…

  • White Horse Oyster & Seafood Bar

    Old Town

    One of Edinburgh's oldest pubs was transformed in 2017 into this intriguing seafood restaurant. The decor is bare stone and wood-panelling in shades of…

  • Wedgwood

    Old Town

    Fine food without the fuss is the motto at this friendly, unpretentious restaurant. Scottish produce is served with inventive flair in dishes such as beef…

  • Scott's Kitchen

    Old Town

    Green tile, brown leather and arched Georgian windows lend an elegant feel to this modern cafe, which combines fine Scottish produce with great value…

  • Dome

    New Town

    Housed in the magnificent neoclassical former headquarters of the Commercial Bank, with a lofty glass-domed ceiling, pillared arches and mosaic-tiled…

  • The Little Chartroom

    Leith

    A small restaurant with a big reputation, the Little Chartroom boasts just a few tables and four stools at the bar where you can watch the chefs…

  • Paul Kitching 21212

    New Town

    A grand Georgian town house on the side of Calton Hill is the elegant setting for one of Edinburgh’s Michelin-starred restaurants. Divine decor by…

  • Mother India's Cafe

    Old Town

    A simple concept pioneered in Glasgow has captured hearts and minds – and stomachs – here in Edinburgh: Indian food served in tapas-size portions, so that…

  • David Bann

    Old Town

    If you want to convince a carnivorous friend that cuisine à la veg can be as tasty and inventive as a meat-muncher’s menu, take them to David Bann’s…

  • The Pitt street food market on the outskirts of Leith

    Pitt

    Leith

    A weekly street-food market surrounded by industrial warehouses, The Pitt is a little bit of East London in north Edinburgh. The regularly changing food…

  • Outside Origano on Leith Walk

    Origano

    Leith

    A more traditional alternative to Edinburgh’s thriving artisan-pizza scene, Origano is all low lighting, exposed brick walls, and the best pizza in Leith …

  • Outside Tuk Tuk in Tollcross

    Tuk Tuk

    Edinburgh

    One of Edinburgh’s livelier Indian restaurants, Tuk Tuk serves street-food-style Indian dishes in spacious surroundings with vintage Bollywood posters on…

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