bakery 
fish and chips cafe Ante
1b Haddington Place, Edinburgh
Food selection is small but they do good coffee, pastries and hot breakfast. The staff are friendly and always up for a chat. Daytime restau...
landmark Arthur Seat
If you’re only in town for a short while we recommend Calton Hill over Arthur seat. However if you prefer longer walks ~2 hours Arthur Seat ...
pub Bannerman's
Next door to The Banshee Labyrinth. Similar atmosphere in similar but less unique venue. More live music though, check out their website.
street Broughton St
Broughton St has a range of shops, cafes and pubs. Most are good, it's less touristy than places around Prince's Street and the Royal Mile.
Butcher Broughton St Market
Pricey but convenient. They have the best scotch eggs, excellent sausages and good scotch pies.
fish and chips Cafe Picante
It is with reluctance that Picante is on the list. If you just want to try good fish and chips whilst you're in Scotland look elsewhere. I'd...
landmark Calton Hill
Home of Edinburgh's disgrace and great views of Edinburgh. If you’re only in town for a day or two it’s convenient and you can get to the to...
takeaway Clam Shell
If you're on the Royal Mile and want to try a fried Mars Bar or half pizza this is worth stopping by.
street 
indian 
takeaway Eatalias
One of the better chippies in town. Small but good quality and decent value. There is no seating here so takeaway or eat on the go.
castle Edinburgh Castle
Not many cities boast a castle on an extinct volcano at the centre! That said the reality is if you are exploring Edinburgh on foot or by bu...
gallery Gallery of Modern Art
Edinburgh has many galleries and this one requires a bit more effort to get to but that's what makes it worthwhile. It's a 10-15 minute walk...
butcher George Bowers
A high quality butcher with good prices and a selection of game meat. Highly recommend their homemade haggis and black pudding.
delicatessen 
landmark Greyfriars Kirkyard
ramen Hakataya
Small venue, quiet atmosphere, quite good. If I really want Ramen in Edinburgh this is where I go. Service can be slow but prices are okay.
cafe Hata
People are everything when it comes to a great cafe. Hata has some of our favourite people. Famous for porridge and comforting warm meals, a...
delicatessen Herbie
Located in Stockbridge, Herbie is a small but highly regarded independent food shop. It's an excellent place to pick up provisions for a pic...
restaurant Herringbone
Modern European. They have good cocktails, a lot of interesting sharing plates like watermelon steak, but you can also get a burger or chips...
delicatessen ramen Ikigai
There are two, one is tiny. The bigger one is better and if you’re happy with the prices and non-traditional ramen I recommend whatever thei...
sculpture garden Jupiter Art Land
An incredible contemporary sculpture park on 120 acres. It includes a seasonal programme of exhibitions and events from new and established ...
indian Kahani
There are several Indian restaurants at the top of Leith Walk. Having tried several of them, Kahani is the only one I go to regularly. I've ...
fish and chips L'alba D'oro
Whilst I promised not to load this page up family history, holiday stories, macros etc. This place gets a spot on the list because I started...
bakery Lannan Bakery
Lannan Bakery in Stockbridge (off to one side, nearer your hotel and singapore coffee house) I’ve never been and have no idea what it’s like...
coffee Little Fitzroy
46 Easter Road, Edinburgh
Really good coffee, Melbourne style can be found at Little Fitzroy on Easter Road (Turn Right onto Haddington Place, cross the road and make...
asian Lucky Yu
Asian style tapas and drinks on Broughton St. Quite westernised and a bit pricey but good quality. This place is expensive, and if you live...
japanese Maki & Ramen
Not actually that great for Ramen in my opinion. Bland, thin. This is only on the list to make sure you consider other places instead.
tourist attraction Mary King's Close
A city underneath the city! You must book. There are lots of places offering tickets but stick to the official website. Yes this is very tou...
museum museum National Museum of Scotland
A long time ago I worked here. It's worth a visit just to see the inside of the main hall. Some exhibits are paid but there's a lot in here ...
cocktails Nightcap
It's a small venue, and easily fills up. I do like it but it's hard to recommend it over Uno Mas, especially when they are so close.
cafe Not Just Coffee
Leith Walk
Great coffee and sweet treats. They also do breakfast and lunch, but we’ve yet to get beyond the biscuit selection!
palace Palace of Holyroodhouse
The King's official residence in Edinburgh and the home of Scottish royal history. Often has good exhibitions, but haven’t visisted for seve...
cocktail bar Panda and Sons
So I finally made it here in late 2024. The drinks were great but it was more expensive than a lot of other cocktail bars in Edinburgh, was ...
cocktail bar The Raging Bull
Near Tollcross. Whilst it's not the same they do have a kiwi variation of a Zombie which gets it a place on this list.
asian Singapore Coffee House
Fabulous traditional Singapore coffee (with sweetened condensed milk). We go to Singapore coffee house for a wonderful fragrant breakfast. I...
bakery indian day trips castle Stirling Castle
If you have access to a car and want to see a castle I recommend this over Edinburgh castle. It shares a few of the same qualities as Edinbu...
region Stockbridge
Stockbridge feels a little like a village inside the city. Great examples of Georgian architecture and a good selection of shops and places ...
indian bar The Banshee Labyrinth
One of the very few alternative bars still in Edinburgh and a unique venue. Worth a visit even if it's not your scene.
restaurant fish and chips tourist attraction The Georgian House
Edinburgh is known for its Newtown full of Georgian houses. This one has been kept in fairly original condition and is a great place to expl...
tours The Ghost Bus Tours
When I first heard of this I thought it was a joke. It turns out it's real and it's good fun if you want to learn a little about Edinburgh's...
region The Grassmarket / Victoria St
Nice to visit but we wouldn’t there are only a handful of places here we'd consider for food or drinks, namely Berties and The Bow Bar.
cocktail bar The Last Word Saloon
In Stockbridge near the end of St Stephen St. Great drinks and decent prices. Nice atmosphere.
pub cocktail bar The Roseleaf
Very popular so best to book in advance for weekends. Great cooked breakfasts that aren't just greasy. Good drinks including a Buckfast cock...
tourist attraction The Royal Botanical Gardens
They have a great light show around December, you need to book tickets online. Take public transport one way and walk back to the centre of ...
region The Water of Leith
The water of Leith runs through the city and their are walking paths most of the length. A nice way to get across town if you're not in a hu...
indian Tuk Tuk
Good value and smaller than average dishes mean you're not stuck with ordering the usual one curry per person.
beach Tyninghame
Tyninghame is a stunning beach located on the east coast about 1 hours drive from the centre of Edinburgh. When you arrive at the car park ...
restaurant Under the Stairs
Spacious, often quiet bar with reasonably priced food. Shabby chic. Less touristy than other parts of the old town.
cocktail bar Uno Mas
Great cocktails and good prices, open ‘till 3am. My favourite bar in Edinburgh. A big space and often very quiet, except when they have live...
delicatessen Valvona & Crolla
19 Elm Row, Edinburgh, EH7 4AA
"V&C is a national treasure" - Scotland the Best. V&C is a fine Italian / Scottish food deli-store, cafe and restaurant. It is an institutio...
bar Mortal Kocktail
1 Craigs Close 29 Cockbrun Street, Edinburgh, GB EH1 1BN
Bar with great cocktails and a selection of arcade and pinball machines. Can be a little tricky to find, it's on the north side of Cockburn ...