Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, United Kingdom, is a place of unsurpassable happiness and satisfaction for all travel enthusiasts. For those who also prefer to explore art, culture, cuisine, and history, like me, they must put the city of Edinburgh on their bucket list.
However, one needs fuel as in food to explore this historical city of Scotland, and the following are some of the best locations suggested for casual dining in Edinburgh.
1. Dishoom Edinburgh
Dishoom Edinburgh at St. Andrews Square is an Indian restaurant that pays homage to Sir Patrick Geddes and his time in Bombay, offering a variety of Indian dishes and drinks. It is an outstanding option, evidently for Indian tourists visiting Edinburgh, Indians who live in Edinburgh, and food enthusiasts who prefer Indian cuisine or just want to try it. You will be surprised to know that the breakfast at Dishoom is very much Indianized. They offer Chai (tea) or Bun Maska, which is like a brioche slathered in salty butter, best paired with a cup of hot tea.
Porridge with bananas and dates, dishoom nan rolls, and fire toast are all food options here and are quite famous.
2. Mimi’s Bakehouse
Mimi’s Bakehouse offers an award-winning afternoon tea experience on Saturdays and Sundays. Afternoon tea is a British tradition principally. It is a light food comprising of sandwiches, cakes, macron, bread, and jam. It has a whole collection of award-winning cakes and traybakes and delicious sublime Scones with jam and clotted cream.
3. Kcal Kitchen
Kcal Kitchen is originally from Glasgow, where they have been very popular for many years, and they have now opened a new branch in Edinburgh. It has a good menu with plenty of food options. Kcal is a healthy kitchen and smoothie bar with a focus on the nutritional value of meals. The benefit of having a meal that is provided with nutritional information is that you know what the damage is. It is an ideal dining location for those who follow their diet strictly.
If you are not a person who likes having heavy and large breakfasts, you can also get yourself milkshakes or protein shakes, as they provide many flavours for the same, and all of them taste amazing.
4. Roseleaf Bar Cafe
Roseleaf Bar Cafe is an excellent dining option, offering vegetarian and vegan options as well as ‘Pot-Tai. It is a cocktail that comes in all fancy teapots, and you can pretend that you are sipping your tea when, in reality, you are just ingesting alcohol. You can order ‘Pot-Tail’ if you want to add more glamour to your breakfast.
The major highlight of this place is that they have the best Cullen Skink in Edinburgh and a complete bakery menu with various options such as Almond Croissants, Choco Peanut Butter Cake, and Chocolate Fudge Brownies.
5. A Wee Taste
It is an ideal place to drink with friends or to have even some pub food, and they also offer a beautiful brunch platter. It’s like an all-inclusive breakfast. A Wee Taste will provide artisanal grazing boards focusing on local produce and the best local food, such as Ij Mellis Cheeses, La Barantine Sourdough Bread, Aye Pickled Slaw, and Chilly Hot Roots, accompanied by fresh fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, chutney, crackers, and butter from Edinburgh Butter Company.
There are also colourful dessert boards with freshly baked delights, including brownies, blondies, traybakes, and fresh fruit. It also hosts wine, whiskey, and gin-tasting events alongside platter-building seminars or workshops. The place is accessible for the hiring of private events, and they provide external catering services as well.
6. Ryrie’s Pub
Ryrie’s Pub is one of the oldest pubs in Edinburgh. It was closed for the longest time, but now it is open and restored to its initial state with beautiful teakwood outdoor seating and stained-glass windows. Here at Ryrie’s Pub, you will be offered smaller sharing bowls and plates at very affordable prices and have larger daily meals like any other pub.
They have a considerable collection of beer and wine, vegetarian selection, fish selection, and meat selection.
7. Hideout Cafe
If you want to spend your time around the City Centre and want a quiet, cosy, and pleasant ambience, then this cafe is perfect for you. Here, you will get coffee, tea, treats, and light refreshments. At Hideout Cafe, they have very cool retro music playing in the background, and their perfectly balanced coffee makes this place full of vibes.
Even though the place is small, the audio cassette theme and lovely ambience make it the perfect spot to caffeinate.
8. Oink Edinburg
As the name suggests, Oink is a place that has big roasted pigs every day. It has a very distinguishable food concept that specializes in roasted pigs and good-quality meat. You can get yourself a yummy pulled pork sandwich here. These sandwiches are available in different sizes, from the tiniest little piglets to the biggest ones. It is located on Canongate, Hanover Street, and Victoria Street.
Apart from this, Oink does a mobile catering service for special events that offer pig and lamb roasts.
9. Wings
Yes, Wings is famous for its delicious chicken wings, and it has so many sausages to choose from. If you’re not a fan of wings, you can go for chicken nuggets. They offer chicken wings in many variations combined with an affordable bear. The food and environment are unrivalled. Wings is a very quirky place as they have differently themed tables, like Star Wars-themed or Jurassic Park-themed tables.
Complementing the themed tables, they also have some old-school gaming consoles and little underground den-like rooms for sitting.
10. Scarn Bistro
Scarn Bistro is very pleasant, and it is among the most popular restaurants in Edinburgh. You will find different things on their menu, including an insane variety of milkshakes with so many different flavours, stuffed wraps, and brunch. They serve Scottish Breakfast, including bacon, fried egg, sausage, haggis, black pudding, beans, tomato, potato scone, toast & butter.
Scarn Bistro also has a great collection of cocktails like Tropical Rumbull and Jack Apple Spritz, red wine, and white wine.
11. Bonnie & Wild
Bonnie & Wild is a popular food hall in the Scottish capital. It serves Scottish cuisine but with a twist. The interior design at Bonnie & Wild is amazing, with a rooftop bar, soft music, and a calming ambiance. They have plenty of food stalls, speciality food suppliers and even great space for holding events. The availability of so many food stalls offers something for everyone, even vegetarian options.
12. Salt and Chilli Oriental
Salt and Chilli Oriental is a must-try restaurant for those who prefer salt and chilli dishes, rice dishes, and Bao buns. It mainly serves classic Chinese Cuisine and Traditional Street Food of Hong Kong along with modern blended dishes. Their menu is packed with must-try food items every time. The plus point of Salt and Chilli Oriental is that they do eco-friendly packaging for food.
13. Room & Rumours
Room & Rumours has a fine range of roasted coffee beans, homemade dessert courses, and various vegan-friendly options. It is close to Waverly Station and specializes in freshly made doughnuts, pastries, cakes, and coffee. Their beautiful coffee cups decorated with the logo can be seen anywhere in Edinburgh, and the coffee shop has also gained a lot of publicity on social media.
14. Hata Cafe
All tourists who visit Edinburgh like the menu at Hata Cafe, which is a fusion of British and Scottish cuisines. It is a great idea to order precisely prepared and cooked cereal, soup, and pies at Hata, which also has many vegetarian options. You will have many variations for delicious brownies. Apart from the food, Hata’s espresso is also excellent.
This excellent tiny bistro is ideal for breakfast or lunch.
15. Knights Kitchen
Knights Kitchen is a well-known Edinburgh restaurant. It delivers classic British food with Afghan, African, Ethiopian, and Moroccan flavours. Dishes such as wild mushroom risotto, lamb shank, and chocolate fondant cakes are offered. It’s additionally a terrific idea to get an excellent sandwich, perfect stew, and fantastic crepe. Positive feedback has been received on the fresh coffee and chai (tea).
16. Bandits Of Leith
Bandits is a British café and restaurant chain based in Edinburgh, Scotland, that delivers amazing food. They have four sites in the City Center and one near the airport. Bandits Of Leith is a great place to have a party. If you are looking for a private event or party, Bandits can help you book your event quickly and easily.
There are plenty of drinks, private dining options, and great food to share. The back room is especially great for private events.
17. Butta Burger
Butta Burger in Edinburgh is a prevalent eatery and bar within the Scottish capital. It serves burgers, fries, servings of mixed greens, and more. It is famous for burgers & chicken seasoned with extraordinarily prepared Butta, especially the fried chicken with custom-made farm sauce and Korean fried chicken with kimchi. In addition to this, they have vegan meat-free options such as Vegan chilli cheese and Korean vegan food options.
18. St. Andrews Restaurant
St Andrews Eatery is situated close to Portobello Shoreline in Edinburgh, so you can appreciate a beautiful day at the shoreline and finish it with a scrumptious supper along with your top-pick nourishment. Or, on the off chance you do not feel like sitting in, you can always get some delicious snacks such as Fish & Chips from their takeaway.
St Andrews Eatery & Takeaway serves an assortment of gluten-free dishes such as fish & chips, pizzas, plates of pasta, and more on top of that.
19. Dolphin Fish & Chips
At Dolphin Fish & Chips, they serve great fish and chips. Fish here is worth the hype and money, with a pleasant larger collection of beers. Generally, it is a carryout place; there is seating arrangement by the window and not just this, but a bounty of other eating alternatives are accessible as well.
20. L’ Alba D’Oro
They serve hot & spicy Pizza, Kabab, hamburgers, and chips with sauce and silt. L’Alba D’Oro has regularly been alluded to as an Edinburgh institution, lauded and granted throughout its history by word of mouth, TV, and national and worldwide media companies. The Fish Feast is what made L’ Alba D’Oro celebrated. Food lovers, like me and tourists have come here from all across the world to taste their special dishes. As for the Edinburgh locals, L’Alba D’Oro is no standard fish and chip shop.
Besides fish supper, they also offer a complete range of tasty nourishment from chicken to veggie lover dishes.
21. Cafe Piccante
Cafe Piccante is an energetic, no-frills fish and chips takeaway situated at 19 Broughton St, Edinburgh. Piccante serves kebabs and chicken with famous fish and chip meals that are available to take away. It is a famous hangout spot for sightseers or tourists who have a fun family day out at the wonderful Calton Slope. They more often choose their meals from esteemed feast bargains and munchy boxes containing chomps for any taste.
Cafe Piccante also holds the world record for endeavouring to wrap the largest parcels of chips in 1 minute.
22. Krema Bakehouse
Krema Bakehouse is a well-known pastry shop and cafe in Leith Walk. They offer an assortment of cakes, pies, loaves of bread and cakes, and coffee. They make all of the cakes day by day. You will love their brioche, which is made when the client orders it, so there is no doubt about freshness. There are many classic cakes and conventional wipe cakes, just like the ruddy velvet with pistachio, as well as tarts, cream-filled pastry, icing sugar-coated brownies, delicate treats, gigantic pieces of fudge, and other flavoursome treats.
23. Jollibee
Jollibee is a Filipino quick nourishment chain that serves delightful burgers, chicken sandwiches, and more. Jollibee is popular all over the world for its tasty, firm favourite browned chicken and fast-food classics with a tropical twist and vibe. It serves up the crispiest, juiciest, and most delicious fricasseed chicken around here, with a differing menu containing chicken sandwiches, wieners, fries, pastries, and reviving drinks. Chickenjoy is their most famous dish, hand-made in-store for that additional crispiness.
Another top choice is Sprightly Spaghetti, which is made with a Filipino-propelled sweet-style sauce stacked with many layers of cheese and hot dog cuts. These interesting and exotic dishes have earned the brand a name taken after around the globe, from Hong Kong to New York City, and presented here in the Scottish capital.
24. Stack & Still
Stack and Still is a modern Scottish eatery in Edinburgh, where you can appreciate dishes like Smoked Salmon & Avocado Stack, Cooked Chipotle & BBQ Pork with butternut squash, gnocchi, and berry sauce, or Slow Cooked Chilli Brisket. They also have an incredible collection of beer, wine, smoothies, shakes, and cocktails to complement your supper.
They also have an entire range of pancake mixes, which are available for purchase on their website and in the stores.
25. Lady and the Bear
It is a Greek cafe with a beautiful and airy interior, which gives the vibe of sitting here and studying while sipping your coffee. The menu at Lady and the Bear is loaded with delicious Greek-baked treats. You will get coffee, pies, cakes, baked goods, and brunch organically, all by utilizing the most excellent and fresh ingredients. There are numerous choices for all tastes, exquisite and sweet, vegetarian/vegan or not.
Lady and the Bear are situated in an open and shining corner, which is why sitting at the tables outside the cafe is exceedingly suggested for complimentary vitamin D and a beautiful view of the meadows during pleasant weather.
26. Cuckoo’s Bakery
Cuckoo’s Bakery is a very famous cupcake shop and tearoom situated at 150 Dundas Road in Edinburgh. Each day, they create beautiful cupcakes by hand for you to take away or to sit and appreciate the taste in their tearoom. They also serve lunch, vegetable sandwiches, soup, and salads. The shop is delightfully outlined with its present-day take on a vintage tea shop. The cuckoo subject runs all through, and the dividers are embellished with hand-made craftsmanship.
What makes Cuckoo interesting is its striking and innovative flavours for every season and festival.
27. Edinburgh Larder Cafe
The motto of the Edinburgh Larder is to feed tasty, regular, seasonal dishes. The extraordinary farm suppliers in Scotland are at the exceptional heart of everything they make. The freshest ingredients, delightful nourishment, and a warm welcome of their customers are what make Larder Cafe more famous. Larder Cafe is routinely alluded to as a ‘hidden gem’ out of sight from the Royal Mile. They take pride in providing a genuinely vital feast to all of their clients.
They even won an entire range of prizes over a long time, regularly proclaimed as the Finest Café in Edinburgh for everyone, even if you are a local living in your neighbourhood or touring from any other part of the world.
28. Em’s Kitchen
At Em’s Kitchen, they only serve food made with first-rate ingredients. They take pride in the fact that every dish that comes out of their kitchen could be categorized as a top-notch meal. You will surely appreciate each munch of your supper and each gulp of your Cocktail. They serve a Full Scottish Breakfast that includes bacon, haggis, black pudding, sausage, and egg. Their veggie breakfast includes veggie haggis, Sourdough Toast & Butter, and Portobello mushrooms.
Em’s Kitchen offers mouthwatering fluffy homemade pancakes and french toast with brioche loaf and cinnamon and vanilla.
29. Holy Cow
Holy Cow Vegetarian Café is widely known for being a complete veggie cafe situated in Edinburgh, and it came into being in 2016. They are primarily admired for their mouth-watering, homemade, complete vegetarian burgers and have an entire followership of faithful veggie-lover fans. The Holy Cow is situated within a brief strolling distance from Edinburgh Waverley Station and a little far from St. Andrews Bus Station in the City Centre.
You can appreciate their vegetarian dinner options stacked with flavours and propelled from regular fixings. They cherish vegetable-based nourishment, and that’s why they make food with consideration to each detail, utilizing it as if it were new and with nearby and naturally available ingredients. The Chefs here heat new, natural rolls and gluten-free bread each day to meet your desires.
If you still have room after your primary course, they can provide you with a few of their homemade sweet treats.
30. L’étoile Salon De Tea
After you arrive at L’étoile Salon De Tea, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the sight of delicious cake will make your mornings, evenings, or nighttimes in Edinburgh worth remembering. You can come here with family and companions, treat this place as a meeting point of old buddies, organize, get your work done with a tasty glass of coffee in the peaceful ambience, or spend a little quality time with your favourite book.
Their different customers cherish their cafe’s surroundings, and their spacious seating arrangements give everybody plenty of time to stop by. It also offers conventional teas like English Breakfast and Earl Dark, as well as green and homegrown assortments.
Wrapping Up
The Scottish capital is the prime location to visualize the deep-rooted and preserved Scottish culture, history, and tradition. But when you are visiting Scotland, you cannot risk missing the rich Scottish food culture. Edinburgh is best known for its delicious food and unique drinks. To experience real Scottish food, you should not restrict yourself to famous restaurants only.
You never know where you will find your favourite dining spot, so always explore different food options and places.
Last Updated on March 17, 2024 by Arnab Nandi
This article is a gastronomic delight for anyone looking to explore the casual dining scene in Edinburgh! The curated list of 33 places to visit unveils the city’s diverse culinary offerings, promising a delightful journey for food enthusiasts. The detailed descriptions and recommendations provide a helpful guide for locals and visitors alike, offering insights into the ambiance, signature dishes, and what makes each spot a standout in Edinburgh’s gastronomic landscape. It’s not just a list; it’s a culinary adventure waiting to be experienced.