Mentioned by Time Out Edinburgh
The absolute best restaurants in Edinburgh to book as lockdown lifts
"After a morning spent meandering around the vintage shops of Grassmarket, pop into this charming café for a juice, a veggie snack and a dose of green goodness. Find your perch by a pastel-hued table amid jungle-esque decor and sip on a smoothie (the Ass-Aye-Eee with berries, açai, apple and coconut milk is delightfully sweet) and nibble on a slice of toasted sourdough or a warm bowl of veggie curry."
"Hula started off in Edinburgh as a juice bar but has now turned into so much more. They aim to be an “island in the city” where you can come and relax while enjoying amazing food and drinks that nourish your body at the same time!. They pride themselves on standing by their community and source all their food locally – including the coffee which is roasted here in Edinburgh."
"Hula do an aaaamazing range of juices which as a juice bar you would probably expect. Although not totally vegan, still worth a shoutout on this list though as they did have some delicious and healthy vegan food on offer!. Think smoothie bowls, avocado and toast and sandwiches."
"Loudons, a simple but stylish café and artisan bakery, is an independent Edinburgh brand with a strong ethos focused on creating brilliant breakfast food for all appetites. The original branch is located in Fountainbridge, with a relaxed interior suitable for all sorts of meet-ups and all sorts of brunches!. They offer an impressive selection of bread and cakes baked on-site fresh every day."
"There are good reasons why Loudons is so decorated with awards. From its ethos of sourcing the best local produce to its attention to detail in everything from food presentation to decor, this independent Edinburgh brand devotes a lot of care into its work. For the full Loudons experience, pull up a chair at the original branch in Fountainbridge, the city’s financial district."
"A post shared by Loudons Cafe (@loudonscafe) on Nov 30, 2018 at 11:00am PST. Loudons bakery and cafe is located in Fountainbridge. They bake all of their bread and cakes on site and offer an all-day weekend brunch menu that caters for most dietary needs and includes options like American style pancakes, a full breakfast and scrambled eggs and smoked salmon."
"Located right in the heart of Edinburgh, Urban Angel is a fantastic meeting place for those looking for great food, fantastic coffee and filling breakfasts. Using locally soured ingredients, diners will be delighted with their classic Eggs Benedict, their freshly repaired smoothie bowls or their creative use of cannellini beans and avocado toast combinations. An institution for breakfast in the city, diners can enjoy their great breakfast and brunch menu all day long."
"***Since Mimi’s doesn’t open until 10 am on Saturday and Sunday, you can also try Word of Mouth Cafe if you want to start your day a bit earlier. Yes, it’s a bit of a hike (just punning it up left and right here) from Arthur’s Seat but totally worth a visit for their delicious vegetarian Scottish breakfast. Seriously one of the best breakfasts in Edinburgh."
"Edinburgh is such a beautiful city with and overwhelming number of food options. My favourite lunch spot in the city is a cool little place called Urban Angel on Hanover Street. They offer breakfast, lunch and dinner, but I’ve only ever been for lunch and I can confirm that it is delicious."
"Former street food stall Alplings has put down permanent roots in Leith (Photo: Alplings). After the success of their street food stall, Alplings have set up a more permanent home in Leith. The cafe offers Alplings’ signature hearty alpine cuisine (including dumplings, goulash, spätzle, potato rostis and schnitzel), all for £8 or under."
"A post shared by Alplings (@alplings) on Sep 7, 2018 at 3:35pm PDT. From a city on the side of a mountain, why not sample some cooking from the Alps?. This unpretentious restaurant in Leith brings hearty mountain food to the Edinburgh clientele."
"It was instantly clear that we’d found the hipster heart of Edinburgh, with several million boutique coffee shops, an analog still photography studio, and enough beards to braid an organic collar for your cockapoo. As we strolled down the steep cobbles, Southern Cross caught our eye, and ushered us inside. Immediately upon walking in there was a totally different vibe to Fortuna."
"But a great place to eat is the Huxley, which is a twelve-minute walk from Edinburgh Castle. On your way there, take a slight detour and check out the beautiful Princes Street Gardens. Personally, I love the Mac and Cheese or the grilled Halloumi but they have other great items to choose from too. And don’t worry about missing dinner since the kitchen is open until 10:30 pm daily."
"It's by the sea – Newhaven Harbour is across the street – the interior looks like a well-appointed surf shack and it has ceviche, chowder, lobster, mussels and oysters on the menu. Meanwhile the specials board could bring scallops with black pudding, sea bream with potatoes, samphire and potted shrimp, and other simple, fresh dishes. Given the owners are Thai – and the premises used to house a Thai restaurant – there may be even be some Asian-inflected options at times."
"This aesthetically pleasing restaurant is all whitewashed walls and stripped wooden tables and serves deceptively pared-back dishes that burst with flavour. Much of the food is sourced locally, such as the asparagus, which is grown in Angus just over an hour away, while the beremeal and malted barley bread is baked on-site daily and served warm from the oven with Fhior’s house-made butter."
"Since opening Fhior in summer 2018, chef Scott Smith has been busy wowing food critics and putting his stamp on restaurant-centric Broughton Street. His previous project, Norn, down in Leith, was good—maybe excellent—but Fhior is even better, slicker, and more focused. Smith has a lightness of touch and just the right amount of everything: inventiveness, wit, and skill."
"Scott Smith fans were left saddened by the closure of his debut restaurant, Norn – but luckily they didn’t have to wait long to taste his cooking again. His second venture, Fhior, opened its doors on Broughton Street last summer, with a focus on honesty (‘Fhior’ translates as true in Gaelic): really good quality modern Scottish cuisine and a relaxed atmosphere."
"Be Mystified at Edinburgh’s Camera Obscura Almost opposite the Scotch Whisky experience is Edinburgh’s Camera Obscura, also home to the World of Illusions attraction. Being a photographer I was particularly interested in the Camera Obscura at the top of the building, but I have to admit to finding the World of Illusions a lot of fun."
"A fascinating must-visit place for kids and elders which uses science optical principles into play is Camera Obscura and World of Illusions. Located on the Royal Mile next to the Edinburgh Castle, is a perfect stop for fun. Camera Obscura originates from a Latin word meaning ‘dark room’."
"Step in a place of wonders, illusions, and puzzles to interact with. See, play and laugh while you find your way out of the mirror maze. Become tiny like Alice in Wonderland or walk through the Vortex Tunnel."
"In a glass cabinet in Surgeons' Hall Museums is a small hide-bound pocketbook the colour of strong tea. The wallet is made from the skin of William Burke, one half of Edinburgh's infamous body-snatchers and killers, Burke and Hare, whose victims were sold to the city's school of anatomy to be dissected. It is artefacts like this – and glass jars filled with gangrenous fingers, cancerous lungs, dried and varnished hearts – that have made the museum, tucked behind the Royal College of Surgeons, a favourite of crime writers."
"Getting to Surgeons Hall Museum : Located on Nicolson Street, the museum is a 9 minute walk from St Christopher’s Inns Edinburgh. The Surgeon’s Hall Museums are three museums rolled into one: the History of Surgery Museum, the Wohl Pathology Museum and the Dental Collection. The oldest artefacts inside these museums date back to 1699, however the building didn't open to the public until 1832 making this one of the oldest museums in Scotland."
"Housed in a grand Ionic temple designed by William Playfair in 1832, these three fascinating museums were originally established as teaching collections. The History of Surgery Museum provides a look at surgery... Top ChoiceGardens in Stockbridge"
"In a glass cabinet in Surgeons' Hall Museums is a small hide-bound pocketbook the colour of strong tea. The wallet is made from the skin of William Burke, one half of Edinburgh's infamous body-snatchers and killers, Burke and Hare, whose victims were sold to the city's school of anatomy to be dissected. It is artefacts like this – and glass jars filled with gangrenous fingers, cancerous lungs, dried and varnished hearts – that have made the museum, tucked behind the Royal College of Surgeons, a favourite of crime writers."
"Getting to Surgeons Hall Museum : Located on Nicolson Street, the museum is a 9 minute walk from St Christopher’s Inns Edinburgh. The Surgeon’s Hall Museums are three museums rolled into one: the History of Surgery Museum, the Wohl Pathology Museum and the Dental Collection. The oldest artefacts inside these museums date back to 1699, however the building didn't open to the public until 1832 making this one of the oldest museums in Scotland."
"Housed in a grand Ionic temple designed by William Playfair in 1832, these three fascinating museums were originally established as teaching collections. The History of Surgery Museum provides a look at surgery... Top ChoiceGardens in Stockbridge"
"You won’t have any trouble finding this wee gem of a museum, as the highly photo-worthy yellow façade is difficult to miss. The museum sits in the heart of the Old Town, in a 16th century building called Huntly House, complete with creaky floorboards and classic wooden roof beams. The array of exhibits brings together the many stories which shape and define Edinburgh’s unique history and character, with tales of Greyfriars Bobby, the Flodden Wall, “Gardy Loo”, and Sir Walter Scott."
"The Museum of Edinburgh is dedicated to the history of the Scottish capital, and has many unique and significant artefacts from its past."