"This noodle bar invites you to tailor your order based on a selection of ho fun, ramen, udon, egg or rice noodles, then add duck, vegetables, tofu, pork, chicken or beef. Throw in three bits of colour and roughage, customise things with options of chilli, spring onion or coriander, and finally pick from one of ten sauces. One of these paper Chinese takeaway boxes filled to the brim will set you back an overdraft-friendly £5.60."
"Close to the University of Edinburgh is budget Chinese fast food restaurant Red Box. Here, you can grab a noodle or rice box with your choice of meat, 3 vegetables and sauce for just £6.90. For an extra 50p you can choose to have a mixed meat box if you just can't decide which to go for."
"Build-your-own meal is the order of the day at this popular noodle bar. You choose everything from the kind of noodle (egg, rice, ramen etc) to the meat, vegetables and sauce in the mix – which, even if you’re picky, makes it rather hard to go wrong!"
"It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but Stack Dim Sum Bar serves up some of the best traditional dim sum in Edinburgh. The menu is great value for money, with each dim sum portion costing around £3 and main courses around £8, allowing diners to try out a variety of authentic Chinese dishes on a budget. Visit: 42 Dalmeny Street, EH6 8RG - facebook.com/Stack-Dim-Sum-Bar"
"But it’s the food that matters and Stack serves the best Dim Sum in Edinburgh. Though Dim Sum is traditionally a late morning meal in China, having a multitude of baskets of delicious steamed parcels of joy is an ideal lunch or dinner choice. It can get very busy as they only have a few tables, so make sure to book in advance."
"Why: Don’t be alarmed by the blue and purple neon lighting and heavy black velvet curtains at Karen’s Unicorn – the food is as fun and inviting as its name. The subtle Cantonese cooking is evident in house specialities such as salt and spice squid, and steamed seabass in a black bean sauce. Right in the centre of town, it’s also good for lunch when sightseeing or a hearty meal before painting the town red."
"These guys do both sit-in and takeaway meals, and a quick glance at the reviews reveals that their dim sum is an out-and-out treat. For the restaurant to have had almost 1000 reviews and still sit near the top of the pile with such a fantastic rating tells you how good it is. However some do say it's a touch on the small side, so best to book to make sure you get a table."
"You'll find traditional Cantonese cuisine on offer at the extremely popular Karen's Unicorn Chinese Restaurant in the heart of Edinburgh's New Town. It has been so successful that there are actually two restaurants now within a few streets of each other. They offer a huge menu packed with tempting house specialties and a number of set banquets."
"Why: B&D’s Kitchen has been serving up traditional Cantonese food to the hungry people of Edinburgh since 2012, and has since then climbed to the upper tiers of the best Chinese restaurants in town. Limited seating, phone-booking only and its no-corkage BYOB policy mean this is a popular spot. Turning out all the usual suspects from the Cantonese kitchen, dishes such as the Peking duck and lobster with ginger and spring onion should be on your hit-list."
"This restaurant on Dalry Road is quite simply the best in the business according to TripAdvisor reveiewers. It's had hundreds of positive reviews while it doesn't take long to count up the number who were unimpressed. One reviewer said that the experience of visiting the restaurant was like "sitting in the owner's kitchen as it's so small and intimate"."
"The food is also said to fantastic, and according to those at the restaurant they "cook with passion and care and use high quality ingredients." They state on their website: "We are not just any high street Chinese takeaway. We offer another level of Chinese and Asian cuisines that is not only authentic but creative and fun too.". One reviewer didn't only have kind words to say about the green pepper and black bean sauce, and sweet and sour chicken dishes – they also took time to praise the "spotless" toilets."
"Why: Located close to Edinburgh Airport, the purple-galore Chinese Manor House is a popular choice with tourists, but the locals love it, too. With a dedicated children’s menu, it’s also an ideal spot for a family meal. It’s the first restaurant to bring the dish of Hong Kong lime duck to Edinburgh, so we recommend you give that a go."
"I've visited here several times with my partner. We always have a great time, the food is presented well and always tastes fantastic! Definitely our favourite Chinese restaurant." 2 Glasgow Road, Corstorphine, EH12 8HL. Photo: Chinese Manor House"
"The curry laksa soup here is filed under a menu section titled ‘Big Bowl’ – and they’re not messing around. For £6.30, steaming troughs of slippery noodles, prawns, chicken pieces, tofu, bean sprouts and crab sticks come in bottomless quantities. Not to be confused with its equally delightful sister restaurant Kampung Ah Lee on Clerk Street."
"For delicious Malaysian food, head to Kampung Ali, where the portions are ginormous, but the prices are anything but. Pretty much everything on the menu is under a tenner. We recommend their curry laksa (£7.80), and Rendang chicken (£8.00)."
"We happened across The Boozy Cow with some friends a few years ago, but I decided to rediscover it for this collab. From starting off this list with a vegetarian place, I now give you the extremely anti-vegan Boozy Cow, which is essentially set up to look like an abbatoir. While it’s not for the faint-hearted, it is a really cool bar set right off Princes Street (there’s also an entrance on Rose Street) so it’s about as central as you can get in the New Town of Edinburgh."
"This award-winning gourmet burger restaurant serve a range of mouthwatering burgers, crafted in-house daily. Situated on the bustling Royal Mile, their beer garden is a great place to enjoy beer & a burger as you people watch on this busy thoroughfare. Booking advised, but walk-ins also welcome."
"It’s often said that if you want to be a successful restaurateur, you need to specialize. At Burgers and Beers, they do exactly that. Burgers and Beers has the most extensive burger menu you’ll find in Edinburgh, and they proudly boast “Scotland’s Best Burger,” which I don’t doubt for a minute."
"This grill house reminds me of the restaurant we found in Nuremberg. The average menu item did not exceed 13£ and there is a dedicated children’s menu. The beer and drinks options are also fairly elaborate as well, suggesting there is a little something here for everyone."
"Sadly, the tea was made with powder which results in a negative review. I asked the boba-barista (lol, I just made up a word) to make my drink with 25% sweetness, but he was unable to adjust the level of sweetness. The drink was a little too sweet for my taste."
"Last but certainly not least we have Artisan Gelato Edinburgh in the Old Town, with their authentic Italian-looking store that is the perfect backdrop for a shot of your Instagrammable ice cream. Their hand crafted ice cream is to die for and some of their most popular flavours include pistachio bronte Sicily, chocolate orange and cheescake...we will take ten scoops please. One reviewer said it is the "best gelato outside of Italy" and, like their neighbours Over Langshaw Farm, they offer vegan, gluten free and dairy free options."
"Perhaps one of the most-adored venues of the Fringe, The Pleasance Courtyard can be considered the heart and soul of Edinburgh’s comedy scene. From internationally and critically acclaimed acts during the Festival, to the year round comedic wizards who cast their spell on unassuming audiences, this chilled university drinking hole is a portal for some smashing comedy acts. The Pleasance, Edinburgh, Scotland"
"Typically, The Traverse is thought of for its meaty plays and explorative theatre. Within such performances sit an array of expertly produced acts containing some of the best comedic relief in town. From satire and farce to slapstick and dark, sick, and twisted humour, this theatre is a fail-safe spot for getting your well-deserved laughing fix."