Best Restaurants in Edinburgh City – Top 27!
Best Restaurants in Edinburgh City for 2025 – Scotland’s capital is a foodie paradise. Here’s a guide to suit all price points, vibes and flavours. Tuck in!
Smart / Luxury Dining – Best Restaurants in Edinburgh City
1 The Spence at Gleneagles Townhouse – 39 St Andrew Square, EH2 2AD A beautiful domed venue with equally beautiful and delicious food. Excellent service and luxurious interiors too. Try a vibrant summer starter of dressed crab with apple and celery on grilled brioche. Then a filling colourful main of ricotta agnolotti with courgette, macadamia and basil. End with a sophisticated but fresh rhubarb and custard mille-feuille. Great cocktails too, including quality mocktails. Children’s menu also available. Not too expensive – mains from £18.
Stay at the Gleneagles Townhouse, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh
2 The Witchery – 352 Castlehill, EH1 2NF
The ultimate in Destination Dining in a romantic dark Baroque setting. Head down a candlelit close to reach The Witchery housed within a 16th century building. This is the original restaurant, or book a table at the equally dark and intimate Secret Garden. The same menu is served throughout, tapping into traditional game dishes and fresh tarts for dessert. Nine sumptuous suites make an overnight stay a bewitching possibility. Plus it’s super close to Edinburgh Castle – book skip the line tickets to Edinburgh Castle here.
Stay at The Witchery by the Castle, Royal Mile, Edinburgh
3 Fingal – Alexandra Dock, EH6 7DX
All aboard for luxury dining surrounded by luxury on an elegant vessel moored in Leith. The ship boasts the two AA rosette Lighthouse Restaurant, with art deco style interiors and a shimmering ceiling that seems to ripple like the surrounding waters. Start with Eyemouth crab, enjoy a main of Black Isle beef picanha, pearl onions, Wye Valley asparagus and a Rioja wine sauce, and complete the dining experience with a Valrhona Guanaja chocolate and hazelnut cake. Diners can also stay overnight in one of 22 luxury cabins.
Stay aboard Fingal, Leith, Edinburgh
4 Condita – 15 Salisbury Pl, EH9 1SL
At Condita the tasting menu is a surprise, diners don’t know exactly what they’ll be eating until it’s placed in front of them. (Clear dislikes etc. can be clarified in the booking process). Although a hand-drawn menu gives clues as to key ingredients. This small intimate venue has only six tables, so a cosy but smart setting to spend the evening.
5 Restaurant Martin Wishart – 54 Shore, EH6 6RA
Martin Wishart received Edinburgh’s first Michelin star back in 1999, and is still going strong. Situated in Leith, the menu offers a three-course lunch for £65 or go bold with the six-course tasting menu for £145.
Our Guide: – Things to Do in Edinburgh
Smart / Casual Dining – Best Restaurants in Edinburgh City
6 Noto – 47a Thistle Street, EH2 1DY
Stuart Ralston is a big culinary name in Edinburgh, offering up three restaurants, including Italian Tipo and Michelin-starred Lyla. Noto is a notaby chill venue with big flavours, and lots of Asian inspo. I loved the fried shiitake mushroom doughnuts and soy pork belly, but I adored the North Sea crab with warm butter. Open every day.
7 Wedgwood – 267 Canongate, EH8 8BQ
Wedgwood’s food is notably fresh and healthy yet still indulgent, so it came as no surprise that chef Paul Wedgwood is a respected forager who runs Wild Foraging Experience Days. Lots of dining options to suit all pockets – one course lunch is £17.50, two courses £27.50, three courses £32.50. Or indulge in the nightly Wee Taste of Scotland tasting menu featuring scallops, venison and brownies.
8 The Palmerston – 1 Palmerston Pl, EH12 5AF
The Palmerston is a busy, bustling, popular venue a stone’s throw from Haymarket. A lot of prep occurs on site, as the restaurant boasts an in-house butchery and bakery.
Vegetarian/Vegan – Best Restaurants in Edinburgh City
9 David Bann Vegetarian Restaurant – 56-58 St Mary’s St, EH1 1SX
Think restaurant, rather than cafe, but it’s still a relaxed setting. I opted for the wild mushroom cheese and heather ale strudel, and it was lovely to see imaginative veg dishes on offer. Open seven days.
10 Seeds for the Soul – 167 Bruntsfield Place, EH10 4DG
Seeds for the Soul is fully vegan with a varied menu on offer. Choose between pancakes, soul bowls, burgers and wraps. Gluten free options also available.
Casual Dining – Best Restaurants in Edinburgh City
11 Haggis Box – Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High St, EH1 1SR
Have you even visited Scotland if you haven’t tried haggis? The Haggis Box is found in the Scottish Storytelling Centre and dishes up haggis from Findlay’s of Portobello butcher. Next, choose a sauce such as Auchentoshan whisky and mustard sauce. Filling and affordable.
Free Things to Do in Edinburgh
12 Ragù Pasta – 92 George St, EH2 3DF
See a demo as chefs prepare handmade pasta in the restaurant window, before you’ve even walked in the door. Once inside, expect a modern steel, wood and leather setting. I’d recommend the signature beef ragu and pappardelle, filing and good value too. A spritz menu includes the ever popular Aperol Spritz, plus colourful and imaginative options for variety. Open every day.
13 Barry Fish, 62 The Shore, EH6 6RA
Fancy fish and seafood by the water? Make it Barry Fish. This enterprise is the first restaurant by the award-winning chef Barry Bryson, sourcing the best fish and shellfish from Scotland and beyond.
14 Fava Greek Kitchen – 248 Morrison Street, EH3 8DT
Flavoursome Greek favourites in informal Fava. Expect lots of wooden furniture and wicker lampshades in this spacious venue. There is a long list of tempting mezedes to choose between, or go straight for a classic main such as tender slow-cooked kleftiko or street food gyros. Don’t forget to order the Ouzo! Handy for Haymarket. Open every day.
15 Makar’s Mash – 9-12 Bank St, EH1 2LN
Potato fans should make a beeline for Makar’s Mash where nine types of mash are on the menu, plus meaty mains such as beef shoulder.
16 Chez Jules – 109 Hanover Street, EH1 4D
Chez Jules is known for its bargain French three-course lunch. £15.90 gets you French onion soup, classic coq au vin, and vanilla panna cotta with raspberry coulis. This also covers salad, bread and butter, pickles, pâté or rosette de Lyon. A one-course lunch is £9.90.
17 Thamel – 7-11 East London Street, EH7 4BN
A warm welcome and warm and colourful interiors embody Thamel. Enjoy the flavours of Kathmandu and Nepal. Downstairs is the Blind Tiger speakeasy bar. Mains with rice from £15.
18 Mamma Roma – 4-7 Antigua St, EH1 3NH
Mamma Roma is a family business that started in North Berwick, expanding into Edinburgh in the 1990s. Traditional dishes and family favourites abound, such as pizza and homemade lasagne. It’s handy for the Edinburgh Playhouse, but you don’t have to be attending the theatre to try the Pre-Theatre menu – three courses and coffee for £27.95.
Afternoon Tea
19 Palm Court at the Balmoral – 1 Princes St, EH2 2EQ
Afternoon tea at Edinburgh’s Balmoral Hotel is an escapist experience. Visitors are invited to dine under green palm trees, and a large glass ceiling dome allows light to stream in. A theatrical tea pouring ceremony kickstarts to experience. The delightful food includes an amuse bouche, followed by savouries such as pea and mint cheesecake, traditional scones and impressive sweets. Afternoon tea from £82.50.
Stay at the Balmoral Hotel, Princes Street, Edinburgh
20 Colonnades at The Signet Library – Parliament Square, EH1 1RF
A quirky yet calming, elegant setting – take tea in the library that was formerly used by the Society of Writers to His Majesty’s Signet. Here, diners receive two cake stands of treats – one savoury, one sweet. Look out for miniature smoked haddock tacos and delicate Victoria sponge with strawberry Chantilly. Afternoon tea is £69.
21 The Ivy on the Square – 6 St Andrew Square, EH2 2BD
If you’re looking for a glam but affordable option you can’t go wrong with The Ivy. With bold, bright Great Gatsby style surroundings, indulge for £36.50. When I visited the Afternoon Tea involved dramatic dry ice and pink flower garlands! Start with The Ivy 1917 cure smoked salmon & soft cheese choux bun. Then, go sweet with The Ivy chocolate bombe with gold flakes – more is more!
Things to Do in Edinburgh in the Rain!
Wine Bar/Bottle Rooms/Beer – Best Restaurants in Edinburgh City
22 Ecco Vino – 19 Cockburn St, EH1 1BP
If you’re in Edinburgh’s Old Town look out for Ecco Vino. Expect Italian and seafood, such as mussels, mushroom ravioli and antipasti sharing platters. Shelves of wine decorate the wall, so it would be silly not to raise a glass to Auld Reekie.
23 Ardfern – 10-12 Bonnington Rd, EH6 5JD
Ardfern is one of three Roberta Hall McCarron restaurants in Edinburgh – also look out for the Little Chartroom and Eleanore. Ardfern is a cafe by day, then kinda transforms to a bar and bottleroom by night, but as it’s open from 9am every day, you can make it what you want! From full Scottish breakfast in the morning, to small plates, sharing plates and vino, relax in the modern airy setting.
24 Toast – 65 The Shore, EH6 6RA
Situated on Leith’s waterfront, this wine bar also does a mean line in coffee, ice cream, brunch and cake. But the wine is definitely worth toasting!
25 Salt Horse – 57-61 Blackfriars St, EH1 1NB
Expect 14 draught lines of beer in this relaxed joint, just off the Royal Mile. Plus it houses around 210 canned and bottled beers. Casual bites include burgers with twice-cooked chips, Cubano spring rolls and ‘Cauli Bombs’.
Food Marketplaces
26 Bonnie & Wild – Level 4, St James Quarter, 415-417 St James Crescent, EH1 3AE
Bonnie and Wild can welcome 400 guests to its 10 kitchens, café, bottle shop and three bars. Click the link to see the latest restaurants, but expect a varied mix so each diner can choose their own supper.
27 Edinburgh Street Food – Leith St, EH1 3AU
A great one for warm, bright days, as ESF offers indoor and outdoor seating in a very colourfully decorated marketplace. Produce includes Indian street food, bao buns and Japanese cuisine.
We hope this helps you plan your culinary adventures around Edinburgh!
Free Things to Do in Edinburgh
Things to Do in Edinburgh in the Rain!
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