- Edinburgh
- /
- eating
- (120)
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United Kingdom
Fabulous seafood restaurant. Wide range of dishes although the fish soups are best value. They are supplied by their own mussel beds - everything is very fresh. Good range of real ales and specialist whisky. Tends to be crowded at lunchtime but well worth the queue.
61-65 Rose Street, EH2 2NH;
tel: 0131 225 5979
La Camargue is a French brasserie in Leith not too far from the Royal Yacht Britannia. A large lobster hangs over the door which does give you a clue that it is very much seafood orientated. What do you expect? Leith is a port after all! It does however cater for meat eaters as well, so fear not.
A two course of starter and main costs £16 and is good value. Starters include lobster soup, mussels, oysters and salmon. Mains range from fish such as Dover sole and halibut to meat such as venison and steak. Check out the website for the menu, but for £16 it allowed me to try things I have never tried before such as oysters. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable. The bar next door, Cameo bar, is worth a visit as well.
23 Commercial Street, Leith; tel: 0131 554 9999;
Transport: take the (very frequent) bus 22 from Princes street to get to Commercial Street;
www.camcameo.co.uk
What can I say? Appearances are deceptive. When you walk into this place you think its just a dark bar with some pool tables. OK, it is but there's more to it. It serves great food at really great prices. Menu ranges from sandwiches, salads and burgers to goulash, cous cous and lamb in flatbread with hummus. Ideal as a pit stop for anybody looking for good food at good prices.
19 Blair street, in the old town (just off Royal Mile a few doors down from the IBIS hotel, behind the Tron);
tel: 0131 220 0125
This is a great little restaurant on the Royal Mile. The food is mainly Scottish produce and is always excellent, as is the service. It's not the cheapest restaurant in town, but they offer some of the best food I've ever tasted.
The restaurant is located on the second floor, so can be a little difficult to find. Look out for the green and white sign.
105 High Street, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh;
tel: 0131 558 1497;
www.off-the-wall.co.uk
This restaurant serves high-quality authentic Italian food and has an excellent wine list. It's open seven days a week - from 8am Monday to Saturday (Sunday opens later) and has tables outside, which is good if you have a dog! They are child friendly, service is of the highest standard and staff are super friendly. It was voted new best restaurant last year by The List and the interior is stunning.
103 George Street, next to Castle Street;
tel: 0131 225 1550;
www.centotre.co.uk
A lovely out-of-town place with a wonderful pub, The Cramond Inn, which has a big beer garden and parking space, and serves loads of good and traditional food for really good prices and has also drinks from a small, independent brewery Scintilla and spectacular beers and ales.
Its near the wonderful seaside promenade, with about 45 min if walked in full.
The path to Cramond Island is only walkable when the tide is out, so take some water with you in case you'll get trapped there with the tide rushing in.
Nice for doggies, kiddies and their owners as there is a big beach, too.
Take bus no 41 directly to Cramond or 42 to first walk the seaside promenade to Cramond;
Cramond Inn: 30 Cramond Glebe Road, EH4 6NP;
tel: 0131 336 2035;
www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/edinburgh/cramond/index.html
We ate at a lot of different restaurants while we were in Edinburgh, and they were all very good. At Zizzi however, the food was exceptional, flavours were cleverly combined, service was excellent, and it was open after many other restaurants had closed.
This was a real find for us, and we are used to really good food in our home city of Vancouver.
The Granary, 42/45, Queensferry Street, EH2 4RA (and other locations - check the webiste);
tel: 0131 225 6937; www.zizzi.co.uk
It's not swish or swanky or in a prime location with stunning vistas of the city, but is nevertheless worth a visit. One of the city's first Mexican restaurants, it's still the finest. Obviously, it does great margaritas, and the food isn't bad either, but most important of all, the staff are friendly and the place unpretentious. In a Stockbridge basement, you'll even forgive the outdoor toilets such is the warmth of the reception.
49 St Stephens Street
Edinburgh
EH3 5AH
0131 2252941
To my knowledge, the greatest sausage and mash restaurant around. Three types of sausage, three types of mash, three types of gravy, plus specials - mix and match your way to mash heaven. Champ with pork and apple and onion gravy, if you're asking.
4a Forrest Road, EH1 2QN; tel: 0131 225 7069, and 47 Thistle Street, EH2 1DY; tel: 0131 225 5782
To get out of the city (though not necessarily away from the crowds on a hot day!), head to Portobello, Edinburgh's seaside. The sandy beach, with a promenade, is about a mile long, clean, and reasonably wide when the tide is out. The bustling High Street has various cafes and pubs, and the Dalriada pub on the prom has a beer garden looking out to sea.
The High Street is served by bus no. 26 from city centre, then head for the shore;
Dalriada: 77 The Promenade, Portobello;
tel: 0131 454 4500;
www.dalriada-restaurant.com
This is a vegetarian/vegan Indian restaurant, run by a great, friendly elderly couple in a restaurant that feels a bit like you're in their front room. The menu is fantastic, the food delicious (even if you're not veggie), and very reasonably priced. Open 7 days, licensed.
45 St Patrick Square;
tel: 0131 662 1807
Pataka is simply one of the best Indian restaurants ever - with no flock wallpaper or fake Indian music. It's decorated in the style of Rennie Mackintosh and the food (plus the service, atmosphere etc) is simply wonderful. If you don't believe me, ask Inspector Rebus. He goes there!
190 Causewayside, Edinburgh;
tel: 0131 668 1167 / 662 9434;
www.pataka.co.uk
Newly opened cafe. A pleasant, easy ambience and free of the rabid noise that characterises many other city centre eateries. Food is British/European, freshly made to order and the waitresses (often eastern European) are polite, friendly and swift. Oh and the prices won't burst your sporran either.
The cafe is a venture run by St Mary's Cathedral on Broughton St, past the Thistle Centre, near the top of Leith Walk. Entrance is on Little King St;
tel: 0131 523 0102;
www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/camino.html
Make a stop at the Scott's Deli en route to the Meadows Walk. It's a simple deli - top value snacks, cheap and fresh coffee - smiling staff and an array of fresh pastries til' late on in the day. That do not come from a chain shop.
10, Gillespie Place, EH10 4HS (by Bruntsfield Place, opposite pitch & putt links course and next to The Meadows;
tel: 0131 228 5200
Set up by two Sudanese brothers, the Nile Valley Cafe may not have the best decor in Edinburgh, but the food is fantastic and the prices are cheap. Sudanese food includes a lot of Middle East staples such as falafel, hummus, babba ganoush etc as well as things you've probably never heard of or tried before but are really worth a try. And if you're in a hurry between shows they do great takeaway filled flatbreads and pittas.
9 Chapel Street
0131 667 8200
Down towards the Botanics and Stockbridge end of town, Circle is a welcome addition to Edinburgh's cafe scene. Located in a tall, cool, stone-walled, slate floored room, Circle offers great morning coffee and cakes, and good well-priced lunches - though be warned, it can be hard to get a table at lunchtime. Simple, well-cooked dishes at reasonable prices in great surroundings.
Circle, 1 Brandon Tce, Edinburgh
0131 624 4666
This fantastic pub in Leith has spectacular views of the Firth of Forth (try and get an outside table for the best views) and the staff are really friendly. It is 'the' place in Leith to grab a drink or a quick meal (the lamb stew is the best dish). It's great for families as children are allowed in the conservatory upstairs.
Trinity Cres, Leith, Edinburgh
Tel: 0131 552 1233
www.oldchainpier.co.uk
This street is great for shopping with the smaller shops selling souvenirs and kilts and the outside stalls selling handcrafted goods. It is really peaceful too as cars are banned from this street.
It also has a buzzing atmosphere in the evening with people drinking in the many pubs and eateries with funny names like Filthy McNasty and Dirty Dicks. It's a great place to mingle with the Scots.
Rose Street runs parallel to Princes Street between St Andrews Square and Charlotte Square.
Not always on the tourist trail, home to the Last Drop pub, scene of executions in years gone by, and also some good places to eat and interesting shops - Two Fat Ladies cookshop, Mr Woods Fossils and some amazing jumper shops.
Down the winding hill from Greyfrairs Bobby - the most over-rated dog in town.
A vegetarian self-service place, huge portions, their trifle (slightly whole food but with lashings of cream) is to die for - and not that bad for the conscience. Closes about 10 pm; lovely atmosphere, nice staff, low(ish) prices.
Above it is their own shop with wholefoods, breads, some take-outs etc
94 Hanover Street, Edinburgh;
tel: 0131 225 2131;
www.hendersonsofedinburgh.co.uk
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