The Best Restaurants in Edinburgh, Scotland

This blog post is all about the best restaurants in Edinburgh, Scotland. Including where to find the best breakfast and brunch, the best dinner spots and the best bars.

I recently spent five weeks living in Edinburgh, Scotland and fell in love with the city.

As part of a remote-working tour of the UK, my boyfriend and I spent over a month living in Stockbridge while working from home.

Since we ate out a lot in Edinburgh and I grabbed takeaway coffee almost every day, I thought it would be useful to compile a list of everywhere that we really rated and the best restaurants in Edinburgh that we experienced.

The most extensive lists are going to be of coffee and takeaways, but now that places are open to eat inside, there are many more we wish we had been able to try out.

But that will mean we’ll have an excuse to go back to Edinburgh and try some more!

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I also vlogged a more recent trip to Edinburgh a few years later when we visited for the Six Nations to watch Scotland play Wales in the rugby. You can see everything we got up to, where we stayed and everywhere we ate in my Edinburgh travel vlog on YouTube:

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The Best Restaurants in Edinburgh for Breakfast and Brunch

Ya’ll know I love going out for breakfast and brunch, and during my four weeks living in Edinburgh (and my recent visit), I’ve tried a few of the best breakfast spots in Edinburgh.

Whether you’re in the mood for some avocado on toast, pancakes or even an Indian-style breakfast, these best brunch restaurants in Edinburgh will be sure to satisfy what you’re craving!

1. The Pantry

Address: Circus Place, Edinburgh EH3 6ST

When we lived in Stockbridge, The Pantry was always our go-to for breakfast. And even more recently when we visited Edinburgh for a weekend, we had to come back.

Everything on the brunch menu at The Pantry is excellent, from their avocado on toast to their eggs Benedict to their waffles, everything is delicious.

The Pantry in Stockbridge is definitely my favourite of the best restaurants in Edinburgh for breakfast.

2. Dishoom

Address: St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2BD

Dishoom is pretty famous in London, but it wasn’t until I left London that I tried Dishoom for the first time.

I was always intrigued by the Indian-style breakfast that they’re known for, plus their iconic Chai Latte, so we purposely came here at 8am on a weekday morning before we started work for the day.

And I can safely say, Dishoom is worth the hype. It’s one of the best restaurants in Edinburgh for breakfast if you’re looking for something different, away from avocado on toast.

RELATED blog post to read: The 19 Best Brunch Spots in London

3. Stack & Still

Address: 83 Hanover Street, Edinburgh EH2 1EE

If you’re looking for the best pancakes in Edinburgh, then you need to visit Stack & Still on Hanover Street.

I visited Stack & Still during my weekend in Edinburgh for the rugby, and this was the perfect spot for breakfast with a large group and no pre-booking.

We were all feeling a little worse-for-wear that morning and with savoury and sweet pancake stack options, it suited everyone.

You can see our full breakfast experience at Stack & Still in my Edinburgh travel vlog on YouTube.

4. Loudons

Address: Sibbald Walk, Edinburgh EH8 8FT

When I searched for the best restaurants in Edinburgh for breakfast, Loudons was high on the list, so of course we had to try.

I will say I wasn’t overly impressed with the avocado on toast, especially the portion size, but we ordered some pancakes to share afterwards and they were delicious.

If I was to dine at Loudons again, I’d definitely opt for the pancakes over the avocado toast.

5. New Town Deli

Address: Henderson Row, Edinburgh EH3 5DH

New Town Deli was a local spot for us when we lived in Stockbridge. It was a takeaway spot with seats outside to enjoy your coffee and pastries, but I had to try their avocado on toast with smoked salmon.

For a takeaway slice, it was perfect. Definitely better than I could make myself.

Grabbing a coffee and slice of avocado toast here during the working week became a regular occurrence when I lived nearby.

6. The Urban Fox

Address: Causewayside, Edinburgh EH9 1QF

The Urban Fox is definitely one of my favourite breakfast spots in Edinburgh, it was just a shame it was so far from our apartment.

You can see from the photo below that it’s one of the most Instagrammable brunch spots in Edinburgh and the pancakes sounded way too good not to order.

Just looking at this photo is making a drool, so make sure to start with the avocado on toast and leave room for some pancakes for dessert!

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The Best Coffee Shops in Edinburgh

I wish I could give you a list of the best coffee shops to work from in Edinburgh, like I have with a lot of other cities around the world, but most of our time spent in Edinburgh was during Covid, and so a lot of places were take-away only.

However, that definitely didn’t stop me from supporting a lot of the local coffee shops in our area, visiting every day for a takeaway coffee.

Below are the best coffee shops in Edinburgh that we discovered during the time we lived there.

7. Fortitude Coffee

Address: Hamilton Place, Edinburgh EH3 5AZ

Fortitude Coffee quickly became a local coffee shop favourite for us, and was where we grabbed most of our coffee when we weren’t trying new favourites.

It’s hard to deviate from a coffee shop once you’ve found a pretty good brew, and this was Fortitude for us.

If you’re looking for excellent coffee in Edinburgh, I’d highly recommend Fortitude Coffee.

8. Wellington Coffee

Address: George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2HN

Wellington Coffee on George Street is definitely the cutest coffee shop in Edinburgh, tucked away on the street corner and down a flight of steps into a basement.

It’s small, intimate and cosy, and does an excellent mocha.

9. Cafe Elm Row

Address: 3 Elm Row, Edinburgh EH7 4AA

Elm Row Cafe on Elm Row no less, was the perfect coffee stop for us on our way to Leith.

There’s nothing we love more than a coffee and lots of steps outside, and Elm Row hit the spot.

The cafe also does a great breakfast and is very cute inside, so I’d add it to your list of breakfast spots in Edinburgh to visit too.

10. Artisan Roast

Address: Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3RJ

Last on my list of the best coffee shops in Edinburgh is Artisan Roast. It’s very unassuming from the outside, nestled in a row of terraced houses and shops, but it’s extremely quaint inside.

If you can grab a seat inside, I imagine this would be the perfect spot on a cold, rainy day as it’s incredibly warm and cosy and would be a great setting for any writers (or bloggers).

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The Best Restaurants in Edinburgh for Dinner

One thing Edinburgh is not short of, is great dinner restaurants.

You might know I’m more of a breakfast or brunch diner myself, but I do like to treat myself every once in a while to a nice evening meal.

Below are the best restaurants in Edinburgh for dinner, from fancy restaurants to cheaper, budget-friendly options.

11. The White Horse Oyster & Seafood Bar

Address: Royal Mile, 266 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8AA

I’m sure you can tell from the name that The White Horse Oyster & Seafood Bar are well known for their oysters and fish.

So of course, we opted for a platter of oysters and some fish for our mains.

I’d highly recommend The White Horse on Royal Mile for a date night, as it’s a very romantic spot and a little more on the expensive side, but totally worth it.

12. The Devil’s Advocate

Address: Advocate’s Close, Edinburgh EH1 1ND

The Devil’s Advocate had been highly recommended to us as one of the best cocktail bars in Edinburgh, and walking in, it was clear to see why.

The place was almost church-like with high ceilings, brick walls and stained glass windows reflecting coloured light around the room.

We actually had dinner here (as well as a cocktail of course) and really enjoyed it.

Another restaurant that I’d recommend as a date night spot in Edinburgh, as you can enjoy a few specialty cocktails afterwards.

13. Chaophraya Thai Restaurant

Address: 33 Castle Street, Edinburgh EH2 3DN

One of the best restaurants in Edinburgh with a rooftop, Chaophraya came highly recommended as a great Thai restaurant.

Rooftop eating and Scotland don’t usually pair well in the same sentence, but with a great view overlooking Castle Street, Chaophraya is a great spot during the warmer weather and when you want to dine outside.

Little did we know we’d be spending months in Thailand a few years later, but this was a great introduction to Thai food for us, as it’s not usually a cuisine we opt for.

Very tasty, and they make a great Porn Star Martini.

14. Civerinos

Address: Forrest Road, Edinburgh EH1 2QP

After living in New York City for a year, I became pretty obsessed with pizza.

Civerinos was another spot highly recommended to us, due to this fact. They’re known for serving up some of the best pizza in Edinburgh and locals often grab takeaway to enjoy Civerinos in The Meadows, just across the street.

We did just this, meeting up with our friends from New York who also lived in Edinburgh, and all reminisced about our time in New York while eating great pizza from Civerinos.

15. The Pitt

Address: Shore Rd, Granton, Edinburgh EH5 1QD

Quite like the Baltic Market in Liverpool (if you’re familiar), The Pitt in Leith is a large warehouse with various food vendors and lots of seating inside and out.

It’s a great spot for groups of friends as you can choose to eat from different kitchens and sample a bit of everything.

Plus, The Pitt usually has events and live music on at the weekends, so for a great atmosphere on the weekends, I’d highly recommend it.

16. McLarens on the Corner

Address: Morningside Road, Edinburgh EH10 4DD

I love good pub grub. Especially since travelling around Asia for 12 months, it’s something I miss quite a lot.

McLarens on the Corner is a really popular spot with large indoor and outdoor seating options.

If you’re looking for a cosy spot for some pub grub, I’d highly recommend it as the steak and chips, and fish and chips were great.

17. L’Alba D’Oro

Address: Henderson Row, Edinburgh EH3 5DH

Known for being the best fish and chips in Edinburgh, L’Alba D’Oro was actually just around the corner from our apartment in Stockbridge, so we had to try for ourselves.

I can’t say I’m much of a fish and chips connoisseur, but it was excellent.

I loved the vibe of the restaurant itself, so I’d definitely want to eat inside if I came back to Edinburgh again.

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Local Institutions in Edinburgh You Need to Visit

Given how old Edinburgh is in general, there’s no surprise that you’ll find a few local institutions that you must visit during your trip.

Aside from the obvious haggis, Iron Bru and deep-fried Mars Bar (it’s actually pretty great), below are the local institutions of Edinburgh that you should try.

18. Mary’s Milk Bar

Address: Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2HS

Have you ever seen an ice-cream shop with a view like this?

Literally facing Edinburgh Castle is Mary’s Milk Bar, a tiny little shop serving up the best ice-cream in Edinburgh.

You’ll not often get a really hot day in Edinburgh, but when it is, you can be sure that Mary’s will have a line down the street.

A little tip, just next to Mary’s Milk Bar is a set of steps leading upwards. Climb these steps and turn around for incredible views of Edinburgh Castle. It’s a great hidden photo spot in Edinburgh!

19. Africano Wrap Place

Address: Chapel Street, Edinburgh EH8 9AY

A friend of ours actually went to university in Edinburgh and when he saw we were spending a month here, told us we had to eat at Africano Wrap Place.

It’s a great cheap eat and budget-friendly cafe in Edinburgh, popular with university students and it’s easy to see why.

The wraps are huge and so filling, but for such a cheap price.

It was constantly busy during our visit with a lot of locals coming in for takeaway during lunch, but we loved the service we experienced when dining inside and would highly recommend it.

20. Storries Home Bakery

Address: Leith Walk, Edinburgh EH6 8PD

Another recommendation we received from a friend was to visit Storries Home Bakery for a pie.

If there’s one thing you need to know about my boyfriend, it’s that he loves pies, so he was very much in his element here.

Storries felt like an Edinburgh hidden gem and was the perfect stop for us on our walk towards Leith to grab a snack.

21. Rose Street Cafe

Address: Rose Street, Edinburgh EH2 4AZ

I was literally stopped in my tracks by a sign outside Rose Street Cafe that said ‘best vegan cinnamon rolls in Edinburgh’, so obviously I had to try.

Not that I’m vegan, I was just intrigued.

And I have to give it to them, they were excellent. Even from the photo I bet you can tell these are delcious even without having to taste them.

Rose Street Cafe has been around for a very long time, and is well worth a visit when you’re in Edinburgh.

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The Best Restaurants in Edinburgh: My Top Recommendations

And there you have it, the best restaurants in Edinburgh. From brunch to lunch to dinner to desserts and coffee and everything in between.

No matter what area of Edinburgh you find yourself, no matter what your budget is, you’ll find something very tasty on this list.

If I had to pick my absolute favourites in this list of the best restaurants in Edinburgh, I’d pick The Pantry for brunch, The Devil’s Advocate for dinner, Fortitude Coffee for coffee and Mary’s Milk Bar for a sweet treat.

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