Mentioned by Culture Trip
The Best Lunch Spots in Edinburgh
"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."
"The focus here is on tasty, freshly prepared seafood at very affordable prices. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming for the whole family. All of the seafood on offer is carefully sourced and the shellfish is cultivated in an environmentally-friendly way in the sea lochs of the West Coast and near the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland Isles."
"What you see is what you get with the Mussel Inn — excellent seafood and impeccable service in a brilliant relaxed setting. Besides, the maritime feel could never get old. This beauty is conveniently located on Rose Street (just off Princes Street) and makes for the perfect pit stop in between the hustle and bustle of everyday city life."
"If you’re a sucker for seafood, this is the must-visit restaurant for you. The grilled Queen scallops, paired with black pudding, viola flowers and a yellow bell pepper dressing are priced at a reasonable £6.90 and the menu also contains a number of classic seafood dishes which means you really can’t go wrong."
"A post shared by Paco's Restaurant (@pacosrestaurant) on Aug 29, 2020 at 3:49am PDT. Paco’s is a definite contender for one of the best American-style diners in Scotland. It is also one of the most unique in the city thanks to its eclectic menu and décor – walls and shelves lined with antique curios and vintage prints add to the old-school atmosphere."
"As you would expect, all our food at Paco's Restaurant is freshly prepared daily and cooked to order. From pasta to pizzas, burgers to steaks, we have an ex ..."
"This newcomer on the Edinburgh foodie scene is a collaboration with some of the Edinburgh restaurants: Cold Town House for pizza, Copper Blossom for cocktails and craft beer, Cold Town Beer, Kyloe for Sunday roasts and The Huxley (scran including burgers, loaded fries and dogs, served from a silver trailer). While they recommend you order online first, you can also show up at either collection point – one for drinks and the other for pizza – or the “Scranavan” for your choice of takeaways. Wooden benches are spaced out in the courtyard in anticipation of the beer gardens reopening and are ideal for a casual lunch one summer day."
"What: We’re a fan of any restaurant which thinks of an innovative way to make their outdoor area weather proof and that’s exactly what McLaren’s on the Corner has done. In 2020 McLaren’s installed a number of ski gondolas in the garden allowing you to sit inside them to enjoy the all-day food menu, while imagining you’re skiing in Courchevel.Where: 8 Morningside Road, EH10 4DD"
"Frizzante is a multi-award winning restaurant that’s steeped in local culinary history. Run by the son of famed Italian chef and restaurateur Don Pasquale, Frizzante aims to continue the success of its forebears by providing locals with authentic Italian dishes, a friendly and charming atmosphere, fantastic service and value for money. It’s been a long-standing family motto that the real stars are the regular customers who come and eat time and time again."
"Frizzante is the most recent venture of the charismatic and accomplished Don Pasquale and his son jonathan. Don Pasquale has been serving delicious Italian food to Edinburgh patrons for many years, and his son has clearly inherited his enthusiasm and charm. Frizzante specialises in Neapolitan and Mediterranean food."
"One of my favourite lunch spot in Edinburgh is The City Restaurant on Nicolson Street. I visited this place several times when I lived in Edinburgh, mainly because they serve some of the best seafood dishes in the city, including fish and chips, scampi and tempura prawns. The City Restaurant has a very sleek and colourful interior, with comfortable seats and large windows overlooking the bustling street."
"For a quirky and casual brunch outing, try a visit to Roseleaf, located in the historic Leith area of Edinburgh. It’s a mix of bar, cafe, and bistro, open all day and welcome to all ages. Furnished with second hand items, and a collection of unusual trinkets and treasures, and run by friendly and welcoming staff, you will have a laidback, but still top quality, dining experience."
"This unusual pub is off the beaten track just beyond The Shore in Leith. It's a little bit quirky, offering an imaginative range of food and booze which extends to some great breakfast options. It's very friendly, the furniture is mismatched and you can get cocktails served in teapots for your very own Madhatter's Tea Party."
"Another great Leith favourite, Roseleaf has Schiehallion Craft Lager on tap alongside two guest kegs, a range of guest ales, and a selection of the best bottles."
"Where to stay: Enjoy a luxury stay just a stones throw away from the Chocolate & Pastry Bar in our Stafford Street home in the West End. Italian chef Chiara Scipione decided to make Edinburgh her home and lucky for us, has set up a little shop in the West End full of chocolate and pastries. A shop adorned with hot chocolate bombs, pastries, ruby chocolate, cakes and so much more, it will be wonderful to visit this dream of a shop."
"Another site to open just before lockdown, the Chocolate and Pastry Bar is definitely one on our visiting list. Stocked to the brim with well, chocolate and pastries, the venue will serve up some pretty sweet treats, made by Chef Chiara Scipione. Currently, the Queensferry Street cafe is open for takeaways, which will definitely keep us going until we can sit in again."
"In cute café-peppered Stockbridge, Merienda is a chic little joint (white tables, green tiles, wooden floors) where you design your own tasting menu from ‘farms and pastures’, ‘rivers and seas’ and ‘fields and gardens’. Mediterranean-inspired but made with Scottish ingredients, dishes include sea bass ceviche with beets, lemon sauce and cucumber or roast salmon gravalax with black garlic and dill emulsion."
"Stroll the cobbled streets of North West Circus Place and you’ll come across Mediterranean-inspired eatery Merienda. Part of the ethos of the restaurant (pre-lockdown that is) was communal dining: the ability to pick and choose small plates to share. This allowed you to try a few things on the menu rather than one main meal, in a sense creating your own tasting menu."
"Pictures of this new upmarket Chinese restaurant left people seriously impressed when we reported them earlier this year. The new restaurant is housed in the Mint Building, which makes up one half of The Registers in St Andrew Square. It has a lavish interior and unusual delicacies like the candy floss bonsai tree."
"Adorned with pretty blossom and elegant furniture, Tattu is one of Edinburgh's most picturesque spots. Screaming romance, this restaurant is the stuff of dinner date dreams, with Asian-inspired cuisine and an extensive cocktail menu to boot."
"A post shared by Eilidh Barbour (@eilidh_barbour) on Mar 28, 2017 at 6:35am PDT. Stylish and impressive, this is a lovely restaurant to go to when you are on a special date – or just whenever you want to feel a little fancy. The menu here is a classy one: think aubergine with miso, seared swordfish, and seafood salad to start with."
"Kanpai Sushi has become so popular in Edinburgh, that they have opened a new sister restaurant, Yamato. It's doing just as well, so again, you'll need to book in advance to avoid disappointment. The setting is beautiful and the selection of sushi is mouth-watering and perfectly presented."
"Chizuru Tei is popular for its delicious selection of bento boxes to carry out. You can also eat in at their friendly and welcoming Haymarket restaurant. Either way, you'll fine some fresh and tasty sushi here."