The 14 Best Places To Eat And Drink In Edinburgh

“3. The Little Chartroom The Little Chartroom began life at 30-31 Albert Place. This was a small venue, a large part of the appeal for chef and co-owner Roberta Hall-McCarron, who told Foodism,”

1. The Palmerston

   Instagram Perhaps the best measure of a restaurant's success is how quickly it becomes an integral part of the local neighborhood. For some restaurants, achieving this takes years. Others never manage it at all. For The Palmerston, however, it only took a matter of months. An ever-changing menu of seasonal produce quickly earned the city's respect and catapulted the newly opened restaurant into the National Restaurant Awards' top 100. Opened in August 2021, it is now almost impossible to imagine Edinburgh's west end without The Palmerston's sturdy, incredibly executed dishes. At least, not a west end we would be satisfied with. Lloyd Morse heads up the kitchen, serving dishes like fried ox liver with fries and prunes or suet pie of hogget and bacon with buttered cabbage. All options are packed with flavor, a result of Morse's predilection for herbs. He told The Scotsman, "We add a massi

2. Spry

   Twitter Located on Edinburgh's bustling Leith Walk, Spry is a wine bar known for a rotating, eclectic array of wines that are available by the glass or bottle. All wines are naturally produced and the list frequently includes offerings from exciting winemakers like Jonathan Purcell. Impressive as the wine is, a large part of Spry's appeal lies in the food. This is served in the small plate format and includes dishes such as Jerusalem artichokes with cavolo nero and pickled pear. Refined and bright, these dishes are the perfect accompaniment to Spry's attention-grabbing wines. Those that wish to enjoy the ultimate experience can opt for a five-course set menu served alongside matched beverages. The benefits of this approach were highlighted by one customer on TripAdvisor: "We chose the tasting menu with paired wines and were delighted with the carefully chosen dishes and wines. The wine,

3. The Little Chartroom

   Twitter The Little Chartroom began life at 30-31 Albert Place. This was a small venue, a large part of the appeal for chef and co-owner Roberta Hall-McCarron, who told Foodism, "We just wanted to keep it really small, the team, the restaurant, and to have a really intimate atmosphere and ambiance, like you're coming round to our house for dinner. Food that's really approachable, but well executed. There's knowledge behind everything, but it's fun, it's casual, it's not pretentious." The restaurant has since moved to larger premises, yet the approachable, non-pretentious nature of the restaurant remains. This has a lot to do with Hall-McCarron's inventive, inspiring, yet somehow still accessible, cooking. The menu is short with three options for each of the three courses. Despite the brevity, diners are still spoiled for choice. Who could not be torn between beef tartare served with smok

4. Noto

   Twitter Stuart Ralston is one of the most respected chefs in Edinburgh thanks to his trio of restaurants: Aizle, Noto, and Tipo. While Aizle is the most prominent and Tipo is the newest, it is Noto that has made our list. This is because Noto offers the perfect blend of a relaxed atmosphere, impressive beverages, and astounding food. All dishes at Noto are small plates that are designed to be shared. The entire menu demonstrates Ralston's preferred style of cooking where local produce is cooked with European technique under the influence of Japanese cuisine. Standout options include North Sea crab served in its shell with warm butter. Another popular dish is wild garlic, miso, and shiitake gnocchi. The food is well complemented by an impressive bar serving high-quality wines and excellent cocktails, most notably one of the best negronis in Edinburgh. Enjoying such exceptional food and dr

5. Kim's Mini Meals

   Instagram Kim's Mini Meals — or Kim's as it is affectionately known — is tucked away in Edinburgh's student-filled Newington neighborhood. The restaurant is small, eccentrically decorated, and home to some of the best Korean food in the city. As one of Edinburgh's worst-kept culinary secrets, most meals at Kim's start with a queue. The restaurant does not take bookings and tables fill up fast. Fortunately, dishes like dolsot bibimbap and pork bulgogi are more than worth the wait. A selection of free, delicious appetizers is also given to each table. The food is warming, packed with flavor, and generously portioned, making it no surprise that Kim's has been recommended in the Michelin Guide on multiple occasions. Despite the ongoing popularity of Kim's, prices remain extremely modest. This incredible value for money has not been lost on Kim's customers, as this TripAdvisor review reveals

6. Newbarns Brewery Taproom

   Twitter Edinburgh has a long history of brewing. Although the industry might not be as prominent as it was in the 19th century, there are still many exceptional breweries dotted around the city. Newbarns Brewery is perhaps the most exciting of these. Opened in 2019, Newbarns has made a name for itself by brewing light, sessionable beers such as Table Beer. These beers are designed to be approachable without compromising quality, ensuring they appeal to a wide range of customers. Gordon McKenzie, co-owner of the brewery, explained to The Skinny, "I don't necessarily think that many people are intimidated by craft beer, or small brewery beer. But I think there's definitely room for a bit more of a kind of familiarity for people who maybe don't always want an IPA, people who drink a lot of Tennents... I think it's really nice to open what we're doing up to people like that. So if you want

7. Hey Palu

   Twitter Hey Palu is an Italian-style cocktail bar that spotlights amaro. The extensive back bar contains over 20 different variations of the botanical liquor. These can be enjoyed individually or as part of a flight. Of course, a lot of people visit bars to drink classic cocktails. Hey Palu also offers these but with an exciting twist. Take, for example, the yuzu margarita, smoked pineapple old fashioned, or black lime gimlet. All spirits that go into Hey Palu's beverages are extensively vetted before use. This ensures customers are enjoying the very best. Owner Alex Palumbo explained to Bartenders Business that "when we have an opening for a new product it is very exciting. First of all, the quality of the spirit needs to be good, if the base is not great there is no need to move forward. Usually, for each category, we have some spirit benchmark that we use to check new products with or

8. Chennai's Marina

   Instagram Chennai's Marina has two locations in Edinburgh: One in Dalry and the other near Abbeyhill. Although smaller and newer than other Indian restaurants in the city, Chennai's Marina has rapidly gained acclaim thanks to its boldly flavored food. The meteoric rise of Chennai's Marina has recently culminated with a win at the Scottish Curry Awards 2023, with the restaurant being named "Outstanding Indian Takeaway of the Year." Sannah Aron, the director of the business, had this to say to the Edinburgh Evening News after winning: "When I started this business two years ago the main thing I wanted to do was provide food that is as authentic as possible, it's proper south Indian food. Which I felt was really hard to get in Edinburgh. There was a lack of choice here. Our foods are very rich. Every state in India has different tastes. So I use spices and ingredients from south India and S

9. Cairngorm Coffee

   Twitter The specialty coffee boom has had a clear impact on Edinburgh's café scene. Now there are several café-roasteries operating in the city. In such a competitive market it can be difficult for any one brand to set itself apart. Cairngorm Coffee has managed to do so by producing an exciting array of quality coffees that are roasted weekly. These currently include Mutambu Hill, a washed coffee from Burundi that has sweet flavors reminiscent of red fruits. A wide selection of coffee beans is available for purchase across the brand's three cafés. Of these cafés, the flagship location in Edinburgh's center is the most impressive, boasting an immersive experience that introduces customers to rare coffee beans via an extensive coffee menu. Adrian Mancuso, who used to be Head of Coffee at Cairngorm Coffee, highlighted the café's approach to The Edinburgh Reporter: "Coffee is a natural prod

10. Timberyard

    Twitter Timberyard has been open in Edinburgh for over a decade. The restaurant is a family affair known for its Nordic-style interior and local, frequently foraged, produce. While always excellent, Timberyard received an injection of new life when James Murray became the new head chef in the autumn of 2021. Murray highlighted to The Scotsman what he had planned for the kitchen when he took over: "We want to be very flavor focused. That comes from excellent farming and aging of our meats, fantastic soil for our vegetables, knowledgeable fisherman and suppliers dealing with what's in abundance, sustainable, seasonal, and fresh... We will have a focus on whole animal butchery, fish maturation, cooking over fire, and also classical techniques... Charcuterie, interesting lesser-known techniques for preserving vegetables, fermenting and pickling will be a backbone to what we do day-to-day."

11. Pizzeria 1926

    Twitter Dalry Road is home to a trio of Italian eateries: The indomitable Locanda de Gusti, Wine & Peach, and Pizzeria 1926. Until recently, all three were owned by the Sartore's, an Italian family that hails from Naples. The family's roots were most evident in Pizzeria 1926 which, aside from serving the area's most famed food, was also dedicated to the city's football club. Pizzeria 1926 is not just a pizzeria but also a friggitoria, selling items such as fried courgette flowers alongside the pizzas. The pizzas themselves are definitely Neapolitan in style: Thin, with a chewy crust and dough made exclusively with flour, water, yeast, and salt. The available toppings complement this style perfectly. One of the very best is Zielinski 20 – all pizzas are named after ex-Napoli players — which features provola, parmesan, basil, and nuggets of delicious, fried aubergine. In January 2023 it wa

12. Bramble Bar

    Twitter It is rare that a famous cocktail bar manages to maintain its popularity with locals. After all, bars that have been ranked in the world's top 50 often become unpleasantly busy with tourists. Despite having been awarded such recognition more than once, Edinburgh's Bramble Bar avoids this pitfall, remaining a calm destination where drinks — and not accolades — do the talking. A similar modesty is mirrored in the bar's appearance. It is a speakeasy, but not in the kitschy, hidden passageway style. Instead, a small brass plaque announces its presence in the basement below a dry cleaners. The interior is dimly lit and welcoming with a wooden bar taking up the majority of the space. What is served here varies. The bar has an extensive range of gins and whiskeys that can be enjoyed straight. The main attraction, however, is the bar's cocktails. These include Shibuya Shake, a rum and bo

13. Valvona and Crolla

    Instagram Valvona and Crolla is an Italian delicatessen that has been an integral part of Edinburgh's food scene since 1934. While many people visit the iconic store to stock up on an incredible selection of food products and wine, one of the very best aspects of Valvona and Crolla is nestled in the back of the shop — the caffè bar & restaurant. Like the delicatessen, Valvona and Crolla's caffè bar & restaurant celebrates the best that Italy has to offer. It does this by spotlighting exceptional Italian produce in dishes such as gnocchi with Gorgonzola Dolce, radicchio, walnuts, white wine, and herbs. The quality of the ingredients is evident through the zip and flavor that's present in every bite. One customer echoed this sentiment via TripAdvisor: "We have visited V&C on a couple of occasions before but the food this time was spectacular...I had tagliatelle with king prawns, artichoke

14. The Nile Valley Café

    Twitter Edinburgh has long been a university town; Edinburgh University was founded in 1583 and Edinburgh Napier and Heriot-Watt University also call the city home. Such vast numbers of students have led to a huge demand for cheap, quick, and good food — a niche The Nile Valley Café has met since opening in 1996. The Nile Valley Café is known for its wraps, which are often labeled the best in the whole of Edinburgh. As a Sudanese and Middle Eastern establishment, the primary filling is falafel. Chicken, hummus, and baba ganoush are also popular options. Customers choose a combination of fillings and watch as it is made and toasted right before their eyes. The quality of ingredients, skill of the staff, and efficiency of the process make dining at The Nile Valley Café a timeless pleasure. This TripAdvisor review seconds that: "This place is just timeless. It never changes and it's that r