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 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."
"Get your brunch fix at Hula Juice Bar in Grassmarket, which serves up smoothie bowls, sourdough sandwiches and colourful salads to Edinburgh’s health foodies."
"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."
"Loudons is an Edinburgh staple, serving all-day breakfast at its restaurants in New Waverley and Fountainbridge. From a full breakfast with haggis and all the trimmings, to vegan pancakes, there's something for everyone."
"Situated right in the heart of Edinburgh, Urban Angel sits in a space that’s long been a meeting point for those looking for great food and fantastic coffee, all served in a relaxed atmosphere. It’s a hotspot for brunch in the city offering classics like Eggs Benedict and French Toast, alongside some of the healthier options of smoothie bowls and fresh juices – it caters to whatever type of brunch mood you are in!. They bake their bread in-house and carefully source their fine ingredients, to ensure that your brunch experience is top tier – definitely add this one to your list for when lockdown is over!"
"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."
"Again, this restaurant knows how to capture an audience with their website photos. The menu looks amazing and it doesn’t appear to be very expensive. The breakfast and brunch menu is served all day and gluten-free options are available upon request."
"The cool mix of coffee, breakfast foods and booze on their website are enough to make me want to visit here. The menu is heavy on burgers and serves all-day breakfast, which is two things I look for in a family-restaurant #sorrynotsorry I love that they specify that their pancakes are American style. I feel like there is a huge gap in knowledge between what Europeans call pancakes ( Canadian Crepes) and what we in North America call pancakes."
"Step into your dream, cheesy, American teen drama (*cough* Riverdale *cough*) in Edinburgh’s very own traditional late night diner just along from your Cowgate favourites such as Subway and Sneaky Pete’s. A blissful combination. Truly the platonic ideal for a stack of pancakes, sometimes simple really is the best."
"A kitschy American diner by day, the City Café becomes a pre-club party joint by night. Cocktail and beer pitchers are the main event, and on the weekends guest and resident DJs spin funk, hip hop and house tracks to get you in the mood for nearby dancefloors."
"Well, if you’re in need of sustenance to quell your rumbling tummy, then check out Hotel du Vin and Bistro. They serve a fabulous Sunday Brunch between 12:30 pm – 4:00 pm, where you can partake in some amazing soup, as well as a saliva-inducing, fresh market table where you can help yourself to an assortment of delectable brunch items (if you’re not here on a Sunday, they serve lunch between 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm. I ordered the French style pizza with roasted Mediterranean vegetables. Yum)."
"Devotees of the pork sandwich will flock to Edinburgh’s Oink; although the menu may not be especially broad, they’re exceptionally good at what they do. A hog roast on a roll, (small, medium or large), with a choice of stuffings and toppings, and with a drink on the side, will cost you 9 USD at the most. The optional stuffings are either classic Sage and Onion or, for a more Scottish taste, you can add haggis."
"The wonderfully named Oink serves up freshly roasted and carved hogs from the Scottish borders. You can get a white or brown roll stuffed with delicious, melt-in-the-mouth, pulled pork and your choice of toppings – sage & onion, apple sauce, chilli relish or haggis. If you're lucky you'll get some crackling to go with it."
"With three locations spread across the Scottish capital, Oink is the perfect place to get your lunchtime pulled pork fix. Oink specialises in pulled pork rolls that come with your choice of stuffing and sauce. The rolls start at £3.40 each which is enough to fill you up between shows."
"This extremely rich museum has the advantage of being free, so there is no reason to deprive yourself of this interesting cultural break. Located in the Old Town (more precisely on Chambers Street) in a nice building, the National Museum of Scotland is very large (6 floors) and you can easily spend a few hours there to see everything. This modern, fun and interactive museum will appeal to adults and children alike!"
"Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Nachosan used under CC BY-SA 3.0. Walk down memory lane in this recently renovated museum highlighting items from prehistoric Scotland, arranged in a magnificent seven-level structure. Glance through more than 20,000 objects, ranging from weapons, ornaments, and artwork, each arranged in historical stages."
"Each Friday, Fountainbridge hosts some of Scotland’s best street food vendors at the Union Canal, behind Avka bar. It’s the perfect spot for a Friday lunch or a post-work treat. The line-up of traders changes each week, but you’ll often find local favourites such as Babu Bombay Street Kitchen, Barnacles & Bones, Bonnie Burrito, French Connection Creperie and Union of Genius Soup on-site."
"It has been offering delectable Franco-Scottish fare for more than10 years!. The city regulars make the bistro's main clientele. A very busy and much loved restaurant in Edinburgh."