Destination
Type of Restaurant
Type of Meal
Editors Pick
Photo by Kathryn Nathanson, courtesy IndagareRead MoreAlby’s
Located in Leith, Alby’s is Edinburgh’s top sandwich shop. If you’re a fan of Court Street Grocers in New York City then Alby’s will be your place and should be included on a visit to the city. The menu changes...
Photo by Kathryn Nathanson, courtesy IndagareRead MoreArchipelago Bakery
Archipelago Bakery won Scotland’s Bakery of the Year Award in 2022. Located in the city center of Edinburgh, this charming bake shop makes bread fresh by hand every day using organic flour and traditional baking methods. In addition to sampling...
Photo by Kathryn Nathanson, courtesy IndagareRead MoreBramble Bar
Bramble is a basement bar beneath a dry cleaner’s shop in Edinburgh’s New Town (look below ground level to find the entrance). Casual and unassuming, Bramble is on the World’s 50 Best Discovery List for a reason. The bartenders here...
Photo by Kathryn Nathanson, courtesy IndagareRead MoreCafe Royal
Conveniently located across the street from The Balmoral hotel, Cafe Royal is an ornate Victorian bar offering a wide array of ales, whiskies and seafood. This “fancy” pub is a nice stop for drinks and oysters.
Photo by Kathryn Nathanson, courtesy IndagareRead MoreFortitude
Known as Edinburgh’s top coffee shop, Fortitude has a few locations around the city and is a specialty coffee roaster (also serving tasty baked goods). The location on York Place is convenient to the city’s top hotels.
Read MoreMum’s Great Comfort Food
This merry neighborhood watering hole serves elevated pub grub (the Wagyu beef burgers come from the purveyor who supplies Zuma and Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons) and hipster reinterpretations of Scottish staples. Sausages and mash sounds a bit more exciting when...
Read MoreNumber One
Edinburgh's Michelin mainstay, located in the Olga Polizzi-outfitted basement of the Balmoral Hotel, earned its star back in 2003 and has maintained it ever since. The plush dining room, refurbished in crimson and velvet, is a refined retreat perfect for...
Photo by Kathryn Nathanson, courtesy IndagareRead MorePanda & Sons
For those seeking the city’s best speakeasy, look no further than Panda & Sons, located in what looks like a vintage barbershop. Upon entering, guests walk down a staircase to find a bookshelf that opens to reveal the Panda &...
Read MoreRollo Restaurant & Wine Bar
A local favorite, this restaurant and wine bar in Stockbridge serves upscale small plates like lamb salad and haggis bon bons. There is a second location in Broughton.
Photo by Kathryn Nathanson, courtesy IndagareRead MoreSCOTCH Whisky Bar at the Balmoral
Housing over 500 varieties of Scotch whisky from the Highlands, Lowlands, Skye, Islay Speyside and beyond, SCOTCH is a “don’t miss” whisky bar for both whisky novices and connoisseurs. SCOTCH Whisky bar, located in the Balmoral hotel, has one of...
Teuchter’s Landing. Photo by Kathryn Nathanson, courtesy IndagareRead MoreTeuchter’s Landing Leith
One of the top pubs in Scotland, Teuchter’s Landing overlooks the shore area in Leith and is filled with character and charm. It has a lovely beer garden with outdoor and indoor seating. There are countless beers on tap, as...
Bon Vivant. Photo by Kathryn Nathanson, courtesy IndagareRead MoreThe Bon Vivant
Located on Thistle Street in Edinburgh, Bon Vivant is one of the city’s most popular restaurants and wine bars. The food menu regularly changes, but you’ll find an eclectic selection of dishes promoting regional specialties (there is also a tapas...
Read MoreThe Dome
Housed in a former bank building, The Dome’s magnificent Greco-Roman facade and towering columns set the stage for four extraordinary dining establishments: The Club Room offers an intimate, fine dining experience set in a wood-paneled, Art Deco-inspired library wing. For...
Read MoreThe Gardener’s Cottage
Multi-course tasting menus all too often involve a dress code, a steep check and postprandial penance, be it a calorie-induced coma or a three-day juice cleanse. The Gardener's Cottage, so named because it occupies the former residence of the royal...
Read MoreThe Kitchin
This Michelin-starred jewel offers contemporary, “nature to plate” Scottish fare with a French twist. Chef Tom Kitchin’s passion for locally sourced, seasonal cuisine is displayed in dishes such as hand-dived Orkney scallops and braised Scottish Highlands lamb shoulder.
Photo by Kathryn Nathanson, courtesy IndagareRead MoreThe Little Chartroom
The Little Chartroom opened in 2018 and quickly became a hotspot in Edinburgh. It is a neighborhood restaurant with a beautiful open kitchen and a clean, contemporary and laid back look. The food is simple and seasonal. On the menu,...
Read MoreThe Raeburn
Set in an old Georgian house in the trendy Stockbridge neighborhood (about a ten-minute drive from Old Town), The Raeburn consists of a fashionable boutique hotel, lauded restaurant and cool bar. The handsome cocktail space features tufted leather booths, wood...
Courtesy Marc MillerRead MoreThe Scran and Scallie
The Scran and Scallie in Stockbridge serves elevated Scottish pub fare with a modern twist, in a cosy, rustic-chic setting. The seasonal menus showcase scran (Scottish food) with ingredients sourced from local Scottish suppliers. Menu highlights include the steak pie,...
Read MoreThe Ship on the Shore
This casual, yet sophisticated establishment in the hip waterfront district of Leith serves some of the city’s best seafood. Don’t miss the delicious Shetland mussels, Loch Creran oysters, Scottish lobsters or king scallops.
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The Witchery by the Castle
For more than four decades, The Witchery has served traditional Scottish fare in a 16th-century building near the summit of the Royal Mile. Legend has it this Old Town institution is haunted by the ghosts of women who were burned...
Courtesy Abi RadfordRead MoreTimberyard
Located in the Old Town - near the base of Edinburgh Castle - Timberyard is one of the city’s top restaurants having received its first Michelin star in Winter 2023. Located in a 19th century warehouse, the space is contemporary,...
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Urban Angel
Either of Urban Angel's friendly cafés (there is another at 1 Forth St.) makes a charming place to refuel while shopping on Princes Street or taking in the New Town sights. Espresso and pastries are conveniently available for take-away throughout...
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Wedgwood
The menu at this contemporary Scottish kitchen features sustainably sourced seafood and unusual wild herbs foraged along Edinburgh's riverbanks – often by Paul Wedgwood himself. The restaurant also curates lovely bespoke picnic hampers for those who prefer to enjoy their...
