Eating and drinking like the locals in Edinburgh

Edinburgh can rival any good city in terms of its cafes, bars and restaurants.

Having lived in the city for around seven years now, we have managed to find some cracking spots in Edinburgh which I happily recommend to friends or friends of friends visiting from far off lands.

So, here’s a run through some of my favourite haunts in the city – from where to grab a caffeine fix, to a spot of brunch, to light bites and drinks with friends, to a romantic meal out.

Meadowbank, Abbeyhill and Easter Road Area

• The Safari Lounge near Meadowbank is a bit of an oddity in terms of the local area. It’s a pretty quirky wee bar, with great bar staff serving tacos accompanied by the backdrop of some good tunes. Try to avoid if football being played at Easter Road, as it’ll be swamped by supporters.
• Century General Store at Abbeyhill, about 10 mins walk from Carlton Hill or the top of Easter Road does great coffee (Fortitude, I think), brunch and also sells lots of lovely wee things (from enamel mugs, to plants, to stationery, and cool magazines).
• Manna House Bakery at the top of Easter Road is a fab place to stop for coffee, a pastry or to collect ingredients for a picnic. They bake all their own breads (my personal favourite is the sea salt and black pepper), pastries and cakes, plus a range of unusual but scrummy selection of salads (expect to pay approx £3 for small salad box).

Leith Walk Area

• If you decide to hit Manna House Bakery you aren’t too far away from the Sicilian Pastry Shop on Albert Street. Don’t be alarmed by the queues; these Italian ladies will whizz through it in no time.
• The Walnut on Croall Place is a small neighbourhood bistro, serving really good (and quite chef-y) food but at reasonable prices. It is BYOB too (but on wine only which led to some red faces when we rocked up with our beers and cider like a pair of jakies).
• Bodega, a taquera, serving the best tacos I’ve ever tasted, washed down with cutely bottled Mexican soda, and with very friendly staff who chatted away with me about my hunt for the best Indian in the ‘Burger. Don’t overlook the avocado tempura taco. Who knew deep fried avocado would taste so good. Absolutely sublime! They only sit around 12 people so book early to avoid disappointment. Also BYOB.
• [*UPDATE – January 2019 – Bodega has been replaced by Lucky Yu, a dim sum bar. Same owners, same venue, same relaxed style but different cuisine. This is Dim Sum with a twist. Please note, Bodega is still open near Tollcross.

 

• Make it your mission to stop by one of the Swedish bars dotted along Leith Walk – Joseph Pearce’s is probably my favourite (think large ceilings, slight mismatched furniture, and a good mix of clientele), but Boda or Victoria also nice. All are really warm and welcoming, serve excellent Swedish ciders, host Crayfish and meatball parties and JPs even has its own jogging party.
• If embarking on a Leith Walk Pub Crawl, starting from the top (i.e. town end) – JPs (above) should be on the list alongside the Joker and the Thief (reasonably priced, student-y and with the added bonus of being able to order a take-out pizza from nearby Origano (see below), the awesome Tourmalet which is how a good bar should look (bit tattered round the edges and laid back), Woodland Creatures, and Leith Depot.
• Origano Pizzeria, for hand-stretched dough pizzas which are far better than the other Italians on the same street.
• Don’t miss out on Montreal-style Bross Bagels, towards the bottom of Leith Walk. I’d recommend the Mile End or Little Apple.
• Not quite Leith Walk but not sure where to stick this one, but the Pitt is worth checking out. Only open at the weekend, it is effectively an abandoned plot of land where food trucks pull up, bands/musicians roll up and impromptu bars are located. Particular highlights include Scoff‘s Tattie Scone Wrap, Rost for Pulled Meats and Sweet Potatoes Fries, but vendors change weekly.

Broughton Street and Canonmills Area

• Broughton Deli on Barony Street is my favourite brunch stop in my ‘hood, in fact, Edinburgh full stop. As well as serving up the best Avocado on Toast with Poached Eggs plus Tattie Scone and Scrambled Egg rolls known to man, they also do awesome salads and quiches. Vegan and gluten free friendly too.

• Don’t be put off by the scruffy exterior, Artisan Roast serves up a mean coffee and fear not if you aren’t a coffee drinker, they do great hot chocolates from Coco Chocolatier. They also have a branch in Stockbridge but its far more polished and a bit flash for me.
• If stumbling home from the pub, stop in at Cafe Piccante at the top of Broughton Street for chips and any manner of accompaniments (gravy, chilli sauce, curry sauce, cheese).  My personal favourite is chips cheese and gravy – don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Hey, the Canadians call is Poutine and it seems to have become some kind of hip food item, appearing on menus everywhere. All I can say is that Scots have been eating it for years! If you stop by Piccante during the Edinburgh festival, expect to see a DJ beside the fryer so cue your very own after-party.
• There are some decent pubs on Broughton Street (not your trendy or designer ones but regular ones where you might find an old geezer sipping a pint and reading the paper) including the Cask and Barrel and the Barony Bar.
• Wander down Broughton Street, and you’ll find the Bearded Baker whose bagels and donuts are now legendary. They have a tiny seating area, but you are 5 mins walk to George IV Park, a nice spot to perch and scoff the sugared goodness.
• The Other Place is effectively one of our locals. Serves decent pub grub, plus a great selection of beers. This used to be a real ‘spit and sawdust’ kind of place called the Stag but thanks to the student influx, it’s a little more appealing.
• If its a special occasion, try New Chapter on Eyre Place. We haven’t had a bad meal there yet. Think fresh, local ingredients with a Mediterranean twist. Their lunchtime menu is pretty good value, but expect to pay around £18+ for a main course in the evening.

Stockbridge and New Town

• For great pub grub with a twist including one of the best Sunday roasts I’ve had in a while (*bar the husbands), the Antiquity on St Stephen’s Street. Not only is it a really nice bar, filled with locals and unpretentious, it does great food too. Their speciality seems to be game and the pies looked amazing.
• The Bailie Bar, also on St Stephen Street, used to be one of our favourites before we had kids. Good informal place to grab a drink and catch up with friends.
• Cafe 33 is a tiny little cafe near to the Sainsubury’s local and Hectors in Stockbridge. Do good coffee, Portuguese custard tarts and sarnies. Staff can be a little impersonal though. Also dog friendly.
• Purslane on St Stephen’s Street is another hidden gem. Again, very small but incredibly relaxed atmosphere serving fine dining. We’ve been twice, both for special occasions, and weren’t let down.
• The Last Word Cocktail Saloon (St Stephen’s Street) is a cosy, basement cocktail saloon, brought to you by the owners of Bramble (see below). Its unlike the other haunts in Stockbridge, which is what makes it so refreshing. During the winter months cosy up beside their log fire and sip one of their delicious cocktails which change regularly.
• The Star Bar is a bugger to find, tucked amongst the other worldly New Town houses on Northumberland Street. It is definitely not the ‘yah’ bar (think public school boy and rugby tops and whatever the female equivalent is) you’d expect to find in the area, and instead is pretty scruffy and I’d compare it more to student pub than anything else. They have a beer garden, a juke box, table football and a human male skull!
• I really want to recommend Rollo in Stockbridge for food but something is holding me back. Food is good and despite teeny portions, is filling, but the clientele is a bit…yah (locals will know what I’m talking about), a bit dull, a bit too much fake tan and sparkly stuff for my liking.
• The Scran and Scallie is Tom Kitchin’s gastropub in Stockbridge. Expect to wait for a table (a limited number are available to book) but I’ve heard its worth it.

The Shore Area

The Shore area in Leith has become something of a foodies haven, hosting several Michelin Star Restaurants including The Kitchin and Martin Wisharts, alongside a variety of great bars and restaurants.

In terms of The Kitchin and Martin Wisharts, both are excellent and for very different reasons. The Kitchin is more laid-back, favours big French flavours but using fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients. Whilst Martin Wishart’s decor is more formal and at first feels a little stuffy, but the food seemed to suit my palate a bit better. In an ideal world, I’d combine The Kitchin’s decor and setting with Martin Wisher’s food. Both do very reasonable lunch menu’s making them slightly more affordable, but expect loads of lovely little add-on’s to accompany your meal.

If you’d like something a bit more reasonable, fear not there are tonnes of alternatives:

• The Kings Wark, which sits right on the Shore, and offers a great selection of seafood including classics like Fish and Chips, plus a fab Cullen Skink.
• The Ship on the Shore, which bills itself as a seafood and champagne bar, again right on the Shore is a must for any seafood lover. The decor is lovely – plain wooden tables and floorboards, staff super friendly and the Fruits de Mer looks pretty spectacular.
• Relish Deli and Cafe is a firm lunchtime favourite for me (in part ’cause of its proximity to work).  Offering fresh, homemade soups plus a great selection of sarnies or salads made to order, good coffee, and two glutinous tray-bakes which are worth abandoning the diet for (The Mint Aero and Malteser Cake).
• Nobles Bar and Restaurant is another firm favourite.  Not only does it do great food (think pub grub at lunch, and more formal in the evenings), have live music and is always buzzing at the weekends, its also a great looking venue.  Think high elegant Victorian ceilings with stained glass windows, plus random framed pictures of Bjork and Polar Bears, and Bill Murray.
• The Roseleaf is a great, cosy spot for a bite to eat or something to drink. They do great Pot-tails (cocktails in Tea Pots), mocktails and fresh juices.
• The Print Works is a good stop for lunch serving a variety of sandwiches/wraps, fresh soups, and tray-bakes a plenty.
• Worthy of the accolades for some of the best steaks in town is the Chop House Leith.

Likewise, plenty of great bars for either a pre or post dinner drink too, including:

• The Shore Bar, a relatively small bar with wood panelling and mirrored walls, overlooking the water. They host live jazz and acoustic music, and also serve bar meals/snacks.
• Roseleaf (see above)
• The Pond. Ok so this one takes a bit of finding being is a little off the beaten track (literally 5-10 mins walk from Commercial Street), opposite Dalton Scrap Metal and within Edinburgh’s Red Light district, but its a cool wee bar attracting a good mix of drinkers.  They also host excellent DJs.
• The Port o’ Leith is legendary. It has recently been refitted but I’ve been told its still up to scratch.

Old Town

As you’d expect, the Old Town is filled with eating and drinking options. A lot cater for tourists, another portion cater for students, but here are the ones you definitely seek out.

• Civerinos on Hunter Square (just off the Royal Mile) for great Italian Street food in a funky little setting. Expect to share your bench with other diners but its a good way to suss out what to choose from the menu.
• Ting Thai Caravan for delicious Thai food served in take out cartons. Expect to queue as the reasonable prices and proximity to the University make this a popular place.
• The Outsider is another all-time favourite in Edinburgh. It is aesthetically pleasing with its Scandi decor, hand scribbled menu and views of the Castle, but more importantly the food is incredible good and reasonably priced for this part of town.
• Paradise Palms is a fun (student-y) bar close to the University. As well as serving vegetarian food in tropical surroundings, they also have their own record label so the tunes are usually pretty good too.
• Hemma (owned by the same outfit as Joseph Pearce’s) down near the Parliament used to be a good spot to grab lunch especially with a toddler in tow. My latest visit was a little disappointing and the service was really slow, but hopefully that was just a one-off.
• If in need of a coffee fix, try trendy Brew Lab Coffee. Think bar concrete walls, Mac books a-plenty, and hipster central. Despite all that, its worth a visit.
• Union of Genius Soup Cafe for delicious soups and fresh bread.
• The Grassmarket is renowned for its touristy bars and restaurants – generally I’d stay clear but Maison Bleue on Victoria Street is worth a visit. It bills itself as serving up French/Moroccan fare with a Scottish twist. They used to do a good 2 course menu for around £10.

City Centre 

• For excellent cocktails and great tunes, head to Bramble basement bar. Found underneath a garment repair shop on the corner of Hanover Street and Queen Street, this place is a little understated but has featured in the World’s Best Bars Top 20 List. If the Mint 500 is on the menu and you are a gin fan, get yourself one. The only downside of this place are the toilets.
• Hanover 99 is another good choice for a night on the town. Decent drinks and tunes, and expect classic 80s or 90s films to be projected on to one of the walls.
• If celebrating or wanting to impress, Tiger Lily is one of those bars which will take your breath away. Like it or loathe it, its glamorous and opulent. Whatever you do, grab a cocktail but don’t eat here. The food is average at best and severely over-priced.
• The Queens Arms on Frederick Street (New Town side of Princes Street) is more of a traditional pub but its wooden booths are quite cool.
• The Dogs is a lovely bright, airy and informal space with its walls adorned with huge pictures of yes, you’ve guessed it – Dogs – is on Hanover Street and serves up great unpretentious food (where you can select either small or large plates), although be warned the host is one of the rudest I’ve ever encountered.

Lothian Road

• Lovecrumbs on West Port (in the shadows of Edinburgh Castle and round the corner from Edinburgh School of Art) is a cake lovers idea of heaven. They serve an innovative selection of cakes including chocolate and bacon brownies, rose and blueberry, and much more.
• Timberyard is another favourite. I love the setting – again, very Scandi – and the food was superb. I’ve only been once – an attempt at a non-pub meal out with our three month old daughter, and despite a nappy incident, this remains one of the best meals I’ve had in the ‘Burger.
• If you are a meat lover, then Bread Meats Bread is worth a stop. This chain originally started in Glasgow but ventured East. They do a burger served in a donut which I haven’t been brave enough to try, but rest of the burgers are succulent and juicy.
• Kanpai is a fantastic sushi bar. Really authentic and great decor too.
• Beer or ale fans should visit the Hanging Bat which serves up a variety of microbrews which are scribbled up on a board above the bar.

That’s meant to be a summary of some of my favourite haunts…as you can see, there are quite a few. Don’t get me started on where to check out during the Edinburgh Festival (which takes over the city every August) – bars and eateries pop up all over the city – in parks, in disused spaces, in offices.