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Oct 22, 2019 • 4 min read
From elegant fine diners to affordable eats, recent openings to established favorites, Edinburgh offers a varied and burgeoning food scene. With our guide on where to eat in the Scottish capital, venture away from tourist hotspots to discover neighborhood venues showcasing Scotland’s best ingredients – think drool-inducing seafood, artisanal cheeses and cured meats, seasonally foraged goods, and, of course, a nip or two of whisky to wash it all down.
Ondine
Around the corner from Greyfriars Kirkyard, Ondine is the destination for seafood lovers, where the menu is a roll call of Scotland’s outstanding coastal fare. Choose a classic like grilled lemon sole with capers and brown shrimp, or go all out with the deluxe hot shellfish platter brimming with Isle of Mull scallops, Shetland mussels, Dunbar crab, and Eyemouth lobster. Travelling on a shoestring budget? Head for the oyster bar during the nightly happy hour, when the molluscs are just £1 per shuck.
Bross Bagels
Montrealer Larah Bross missed the hallmark baked bagels of her hometown, so she decided to bring the chewy goodness to Edinburgh. Bross Bagels boasts three Edinburgh locations, in the West End, Portobello, and Leith (right by Leith Links). Baked at their own bakery, the bagels are filled to order, taking cues from NYC deli stalwarts with flavored cream cheeses, pickles, and sliced meats. Try the Big Apple, made with pastrami, Monterey Jack cheese, dill pickles, mayonnaise, and mustard, or opt for spring onion cream cheese, hot smoked salmon, pickled beetroot, smashed avocado, and fresh dill on ‘the Westie’.
27 Elliott’s
Tucked behind The Meadows, this neighborhood cafe has gained a following for their sage-fried egg with lemony wilted greens on sourdough toast, but the weekly-changing menu at 27 Elliott’s offers much seasonal variety across breakfast and lunch. There’s strained yoghurt finished with crushed hazelnuts and roasted cherries steeped in a bay leaf-scented syrup, plus slow-braised chickpeas and sausage topped with homemade rapeseed oil aioli. Owner Jess Elliott Dennison is a cookbook author and food stylist, and that aesthetic sensibility is echoed in the relaxed and earthy, yet refined, space. Be quick to nab the coveted window spot, drenched in sunlight each afternoon.
The Scran & Scallie
Just down the road from the Royal Botanic Garden, famed Scottish chef Tom Kitchin is behind The Scran & Scallie, where polished pub-style dishes centre on high-quality produce from around the country. The Orkney scallops served in their shell may be finished with peas and pancetta or shaved fennel, depending on the time of year, while the hearty steak pie is always studded with a round of marrow still in the bone. For a modern take on Scotland’s most famous dish, try the entrée of haggis, neeps and tatties, featuring a crumbed-and-fried portion of the spiced, oat-laced mince atop potato and turnip purée.
Dishoom
Based on the historic Irani cafes of Mumbai, the Dishoom family of renowned Indian restaurants first started in London in 2010, opening the downtown Edinburgh outpost in 2016. Sitting right on St Andrew Square, the lively venue is spacious but bustling, so be sure to arrive early to get a table for dinner. Kick off with a cocktail in the basement bar before ordering up their signatures, like okra fries, chicken biryani with cranberries, and salli boti – tender lamb in a rich gravy topped with crispy potato pieces.
Edinburgh Food Studio
Reminiscent of modern Nordic restaurants’ minimalist approach (chef Ben Reade is a Noma alum), Edinburgh Food Studio serves refined, unpretentious plates that highlight seasonal Scottish produce. Dinner is degustation only, while lunch is served à la carte – think chicken liver parfait with plum jam and toasted brioche; raw scallop with turnip, smoked scallop roe, and sea purslane; or roasted monkfish with girolles and elderberry. Work up an appetite with a hike up the nearby Arthur’s Seat, then take to the communal dining tables, where you’ll likely find co-owner Sashana Souza Zanella talking guests through the wine list.
Smith & Gertrude
A rotating blackboard of wines by the glass meets a thoughtful selection of cheeses, cured meats, and preserves from around Scotland and continental Europe, plus substantial bar snacks like homemade sausage rolls with chutney or ham hock terrine, at Smith & Gertrude. Settle in at the cosy haunt in the village-like area of Stockbridge, where friendly staff will talk you through the day’s wines before prepping you a platter of fennel-seed-spiked salami and organic chorizo.
East Pizzas
With two locations on offer (one in Leith, one in Morningside), East Pizzas takes slow-fermented sourdough pizza bases and finishes them off with artisanal Scottish produce. Some pizzas serve up more traditional Italian flavors – say, nduja and smoked mozzarella made south of Edinburgh, along with fresh cream and chili – while others have modern toppings, like venison salami, Isle of Mull blue cheese, and caramelized onion.
Stockbridge Market
Whether you’re in the mood for paella, gyozas, Scotch eggs, potato pakoras, crêpes, or vegan brownies; pint-sized Stockbridge Market offers all sorts. A Sunday morning at this weekly pop-up will sort you out for breakfast or lunch (or both), goods for a picnic or cooking at home, plus edible souvenirs and even vintage cashmere jumpers. Make a day of it with a stroll from the market up to the fairy-tale Dean Village.
