where to eat in EdinburghWhere to eat in Edinburgh, area by area

Where to eat in Edinburgh depends on where you are and what you fancy. This Edinburgh food guide walks you through the neighbourhoods, the Scottish dishes worth trying, the weekend markets and how to cook well in your own kitchen.

01Where to eat in Edinburgh: a guide by neighbourhood

Edinburgh eats well, and it eats in neighbourhoods. Each area has its own character, from seafood by the water in Leith to cheap, cheerful plates near the university. Knowing the feel of an area helps more than a list of names, so this guide describes types of food and where to find them rather than naming restaurants. Places open and close; the streets and their habits stay.

How to use this guide

• Start with where you're staying. The best meal is often ten minutes' walk away, not across town. Our guide to where to stay in Edinburgh describes each neighbourhood in more depth.
• Look at recent reviews and menus before you go. Opening days change, and many kitchens close one or two days a week.
• Walk a street or two off the main drag. In every area, the places one turn away from the busiest road tend to be calmer and better value.

A rough map of the city's food

If you're staying with us, you can browse our homes by area to see what's close by. Our Edinburgh stays cover most of these neighbourhoods.

02Leith and the Shore: seafood and the waterfront

Leith is Edinburgh's port, and for many locals it's the first choice for a good dinner. The Shore, where the Water of Leith meets the docks, is lined with old stone warehouses and bonded stores that now hold restaurants and bars. It has some of the city's most ambitious kitchens alongside plain, honest pubs.

What to look for

• Seafood. Mussels, oysters, langoustines and fish from Scottish waters turn up on many menus here. Ask what came in that day.
• Waterside tables. On a dry evening, places by the water put tables out, and the light over the river lasts late in summer.
• Small plates and wine bars, especially on the streets just back from the Shore.
• Old pubs, some of them centuries-old, with simple food and a long bar.

Getting there

Leith is on the tram line from the city centre, which runs down Leith Walk to Newhaven. Leith Walk itself is worth a slow stroll: it's one of the most varied food streets in the city, with grocers, cafés and family-run kitchens cooking food from across the world. Our guide to getting around Edinburgh explains the trams and buses.

Weekends in Leith

On Saturdays a street-food and produce market sets up at Dock Place near the Shore, run by the same family of markets as the Stockbridge one. It's a good place for lunch and for picking up bread, cheese and treats for later.

Leith is busy on Friday and Saturday nights, so book if you have your heart set on somewhere. Midweek is calmer. Our guide to the seasons tells you when the evenings stay light until late.

03Stockbridge and the New Town: brunch, bakeries and bars

Stockbridge feels like a village inside the city. It sits on the Water of Leith just north of the New Town, with independent shops, bakeries and cafés along Raeburn Place and the streets around it. It's the place for a long weekend breakfast and a walk afterwards.

Eating in Stockbridge

• Brunch. Stockbridge is known for it. Weekend mornings are busy, so go early or be ready to wait.
• Bakeries and coffee. Sourdough, pastries and good coffee are easy to find.
• Delis and cheese shops, useful if you're cooking at home or putting together a picnic.
• Neighbourhood restaurants for a relaxed dinner, often small, so book ahead at weekends.

Stockbridge Market on Sundays

Stockbridge Market runs every Sunday, all year round, on Saunders Street. It started in 2011 and has become part of the neighbourhood's Sunday routine. Expect hot food, baking, produce and crafts. Follow it with a walk along the Water of Leith towards Dean Village, or up to the Royal Botanic Garden.

The New Town

Next door, the Georgian New Town has a smarter feel. George Street and the lanes running off it are full of cocktail bars, wine bars and restaurants for a special dinner. Thistle Street and Rose Street, the narrower streets between the grand ones, are good for smaller places and pubs. It's a natural choice for a celebration meal, such as after a graduation, and our graduation accommodation page has tips on planning that weekend.

Both are an easy walk from the centre. Have a look at all our homes to see which are nearby.

04Old Town food: pubs, Scottish classics and whisky

The Old Town is where most visitors spend their days, between the castle, the Royal Mile and the Grassmarket. It has plenty of places to eat, but quality is mixed, because many places depend on passing trade.

How to eat well in the Old Town

• Step off the Royal Mile. The closes and side streets running down from it, and the streets south towards the university, often hold the better places.
• Try a traditional pub lunch. Old Town pubs are the natural place for haggis, a steak pie or a bowl of soup on a cold day.
• Look at the Grassmarket and Victoria Street. The Grassmarket below the castle is lined with pubs and restaurants, many with outdoor tables in good weather.

Whisky

Edinburgh has a strong whisky bar culture, and the Old Town has several bars with long lists of single malts. If you're new to whisky, tell the bar staff what you usually like to drink. They'll suggest something gentle to start.

Saturday mornings below the castle

The Edinburgh Farmers' Market sets up every Saturday morning on Castle Terrace, under the castle rock. It has been running for many years and is a good place for local meat, fish, cheese, bread and vegetables, with hot food to eat as you walk.

Old Town streets are steep and the cobbles are slippery when wet, so wear decent shoes. On a rainy day, a long lunch in a warm pub is one of the best things the city offers; our Edinburgh on a rainy day guide has more ideas for staying dry.

05Southside and Bruntsfield: everyday eating

South of the Old Town, the city becomes more residential, and the food follows the people who live there.

The Southside

The Southside, around the university's central campus, is student territory. Nicolson Street, Clerk Street and the streets around them have a wide spread of cafés and restaurants cooking food from across the world: Middle Eastern, South Asian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese and more. Prices tend to be friendlier than in the centre, portions are generous and many places are open late. It's a good area for a quick, casual dinner, or for a group with different tastes.

Bruntsfield and Morningside

Further south, Bruntsfield and Morningside have a quieter, neighbourhood feel. Bruntsfield Place and Morningside Road are lined with independent cafés, bistros, delis, bakeries and wine shops. Locals come here for a long breakfast, a coffee on the way to the Meadows, or a relaxed dinner close to home.

• Good for families. Cafés here are used to buggies, and the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links are close for running off energy after lunch. Our Edinburgh with kids guide has more.
• Good for longer stays. If you're in Edinburgh for work, a neighbourhood with a handful of reliable places on the doorstep makes the weeks easier. See our stays for visiting professionals.

The Meadows for a picnic

Between the Southside and Bruntsfield lies the Meadows, a big open park. On a dry day it's the city's favourite picnic spot. Pick up bread, cheese and fruit from the local shops and find a patch of grass. In August it's busy with festival-goers; our Fringe visitor's guide explains the festival areas.

06Scottish dishes to try in Edinburgh

Scottish food is built on good raw ingredients: oats, potatoes, beef, lamb, game, and fish and shellfish from cold water. You'll find the classics on pub menus, in cafés and in smarter restaurants that give them a modern twist.

Main dishes and soups

• Haggis, neeps and tatties. Scotland's national dish is made from meat, oatmeal, onions and spices, served with mashed turnip and potato. Vegetarian haggis is widely available.
• Cullen skink. A creamy soup of smoked haddock, potato and onion. Perfect on a cold, grey day.
• Scotch broth and cock-a-leekie. Two hearty soups, one made with barley, root vegetables and lamb or mutton, the other with chicken and leeks.
• Stovies. Potatoes and onions cooked slowly, often with leftover meat.
• Steak pie and mince and tatties, everyday comfort food.
• Fish supper. Haddock and chips, eaten from the paper on a bench, ideally by the sea at Portobello or North Berwick.

Breakfast

A full Scottish breakfast usually brings eggs, bacon, sausage, beans and toast with tattie scones and black pudding or haggis. Lorne sausage, a square sliced sausage, is a local favourite. Porridge is the lighter choice, served sweet or savoury.

Smoked fish

Look out for Arbroath smokies, haddock hot-smoked in pairs, and Scottish smoked salmon. Both are good in a sandwich or with oatcakes.

Something sweet

• Cranachan: raspberries, toasted oats, honey and whisky cream.
• Shortbread and tablet, a sweet, crumbly fudge-like treat.
• Clootie dumpling, a steamed fruit pudding often eaten at Burns Night or Hogmanay.
• Dundee cake, a fruit cake topped with almonds.

Burns Night, on 25 January, is when haggis takes centre stage. Many pubs and restaurants hold Burns suppers that week. If you're here for New Year, our Hogmanay visitor's guide covers what else happens around then.

07Edinburgh food markets and cooking in your apartment

One of the joys of staying in a home rather than a hotel is cooking for yourself. A shop round the corner, a weekend market and your own kitchen can save money and give you some of the best meals of the trip.

Markets worth the trip

• Edinburgh Farmers' Market, every Saturday morning on Castle Terrace, with producers from across Scotland.
• Stockbridge Market, every Sunday on Saunders Street, with hot food, baking and produce.

Check the markets' own websites before you go, especially around Christmas and New Year.

Local shops

Most neighbourhoods have a small supermarket within a short walk, plus corner shops that stay open late. For something better, look for:

• Butchers for steak, lamb, sausages and haggis.
• Fishmongers, especially around Leith and Stockbridge.
• Bakers and delis for bread, cheese, oatcakes and smoked fish.
• International grocers on Leith Walk and in the Southside.

Online grocery delivery is easy to arrange in Edinburgh. Book a slot for after you've checked in, so someone is there to receive it.

Cooking in your apartment

Kitchens vary between homes, so check what's included on the listing before you plan a big meal, or ask us. A few tips that help:

• Bring or buy the basics like oil, salt and pepper if you plan to cook every day.
• Tap water in Edinburgh is safe to drink and tastes good. Skip the bottled water.
• Ask us about the bins if you're not sure which is which. Bin arrangements vary from street to street.
• Mind the hour. In tenement flats, sound and smells travel. Quiet hours on shared stairs start at 10pm, so keep late dinner parties gentle.

Our guest guide covers check-in, house rules and what to expect in the home. For a picnic to take out of town, see our guide to day trips from Edinburgh.

08Dietary needs and allergies when eating out

Edinburgh is an easy city for most diets. Vegetarian and vegan dishes are on almost every menu, and a good number of cafés are fully plant-based. Gluten-free options are common too, though how carefully they're prepared varies.

Allergies: what to expect

Food Standards Scotland says food businesses must give you allergen information. They don't have to make you a separate meal, but they must be able to tell you what's in the food. Its advice for diners with allergies is practical:

1. Check the menu online and call ahead to ask about the kitchen's allergy policy.
2. Be clear when you order, and mention the conversation you had on the phone.
3. Ask how food is handled and cooked, and whether there's any chance of cross-contact from equipment or ingredients.
4. Don't eat there if you're unsure the staff have understood your needs.

Halal, kosher and other diets

Halal food is widely available, particularly among the city's many South Asian, Middle Eastern and Turkish restaurants. Kosher food is harder to find, and self-catering may be simpler. If you're unsure, ask the restaurant directly.

When self-catering helps

For a serious allergy or a strict diet, cooking at home gives you full control. Buy from a butcher, fishmonger or deli where you can ask about ingredients, and cook with the equipment in your own kitchen. If you need something specific in the home, such as a particular pan or space cleared in the fridge, ask us before you arrive and we'll tell you what's possible.

09Where to eat in Edinburgh in August and December

Two times of year change how you should plan your meals: August, when the festivals fill the city, and December, when Christmas and Hogmanay do the same.

August and the festivals

In August the Fringe, the International Festival, the Book Festival and the Tattoo bring huge crowds into the centre. Good restaurants book up, especially on Fridays and Saturdays and in the Old Town and New Town.

• Book dinner ahead if it matters to you, ideally once you know your show times.
• Eat early or late. Kitchens are busiest just before and after the main evening shows.
• Use the street food. Festival venues and squares have food stalls, which are fine for a quick bite between shows.
• Head out of the centre. Leith, Bruntsfield and Stockbridge are less frantic, and a short tram or bus ride away.

Our Fringe visitor's guide explains how to plan festival days. If you're performing, our Fringe accommodation for performers is set up for the long run.

December, Christmas and Hogmanay

Edinburgh's Christmas runs from mid-November into early January, with the market in East Princes Street Gardens. Office parties fill restaurants on Thursday and Friday nights through December. Christmas Day and New Year's Eve are the hardest nights to book, and some places close on 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January.

• Book Christmas Day and Hogmanay meals well in advance, or plan to cook at home.
• Stock up before the holidays. Many shops close or open shorter hours over Christmas and New Year.

Other busy weekends

Rugby internationals at Murrayfield, graduation weeks and big concerts also fill tables near the West End and Haymarket. Our accommodation near Murrayfield page covers match weekends.

Tipping

Service charges are sometimes added to the bill, especially for groups. If not, many people leave around 10% for good table service. Tipping in pubs and cafés isn't expected.

By the Stays In team, Edinburgh. Checked 1 October 2026: times, prices and programmes change, so check before you go.