I'm going to Edinburgh next week for a few days, apart from the zoo and castle, what are folks recommendations for things to do?
Also looking for suggestions for good restaurants. Good doesn't have to mean expensive...
A half day wandering up Calton Hill, then along the Royal Mile to The Castle taking in the view points and alleyways, if the weather is nice.
For food Howies is reliable, good, fresh food and wine without a high price tag, just a limited menu. Or be a tourist and visit Dishoom!
I haven't been to Edinburgh for probably five years now, but used to be there regularly. Favourites for good food and lack of pretensions were always Petit Paris, Holyrood 9a, and The Hanging Bat. In that order.
Not sure about now during Covid, but I've found that for any restaurant in centre of Edinburgh over a weekend, book in advance.
Walk up Arthur's Seat
Bars on The Shore
The Museum is Worth a couple of hours
If the weather is nice enjoy the sights and sun in Princes St Gardens or The Meadows
There's a restaurant on George IV Bridge called Outsider. They have very nice contemporary food (not particularly geographic location limited) and very reasonable.
White Horse Oyster Bar on Royal Mile/Canongate is good.
I really like Bertie's which is a big sit in chippy that does cocktails etc. Food and service is excellent! It's on Victoria Street.
If you go down to the shore at Leith you can also head along to Newhaven harbour which is nice. They also have a really good sit in chippy called Fishmarket.
Another option for something to do if it's nice would be to get the bus to Cramond. If the tide times work you can walk across the causeway to the island. The promenade along to Silverknowes is good too. You can get ice cream. Lots of interesting human and natural history along the Forth river!
Take a wander down Leith walk, or around the less busy streets round the Royal Mile. Spend some time drinking cocktails in the top floor bar at Harvey Nichols, botanic gardens (if they're open), museum of Scotland has some good stuff.
For eats - I'd avoid anywhere on the Royal Mile. Mussel Inn on Rose Street has been there for a long time for a reason, eat some oysters and have some champagne in The Cafe Royal
Six by Nico is a bit of a blast sometimes. Tasting menu and accompanying wine for a bargain price, they change the menu regularly so it can be a bit hit or miss in my experience but when it's good it's great.
A pint in The Canny Man is worth the short bus trip (or walk if it's a nice day) out to Morningside, there are lots of nice places to eat or have a coffee out there.
Also, avoid Dishoom unless you enjoy waiting for a long time to eat dissapointing food. If you can be more specific on what kind of food you enjoy eating I can probably give you a few more specific recommendations
Dishoom for breakfast is good though!
If you're down Leith and like punchy curry and an unrefined experience, do to Desi Pakwan. It is superb.
Petite Paris on the Grassmarket is a lovely French Bistro
I'll tell you were you shouldn't go...
The castle its the shttest most overpriced con in Edinburgh.
Where you actually want to go is up Scott's monument.
You need to say what sort of food and budget. the shore is certainly worth a visit. 20+ restaurants within 500m of my front door 🙂
Not been myself but The Witchery gets a lot of mentions.
El Cartel for Mexican
Aizle is perhaps the best restaurant in Edinburgh and good value, if not exactly cheap. It's superb.
Makars Mash Bar on the mound is pretty good. Usually busy though so worth booking ahead. Shebeen is very good if you like enormous portion of meat/steak.
El Cartel for Mexican
You can't book that but what you can do is put your name on the door and then go across the road to the pub which is quite nice.
El cartel is a bit hit and miss though. When it's good it's very good but I have also had fairly average food.
Museum on chamber Street is good even if its just to poke your head into.
You need to say what sort of food and budget.
Pretty much any cuisine except Thai.
£30-ish pp but one night could go £50-60pp as this is supposed to be our summer holiday.
Witchery is lovely venue, not cheap but doesn't need to be overly expensive if you avoid the wine menu!
Not been myself but The Witchery gets a lot of mentions.
Not sure it fits with the OP's "doesn't have to mean expensive" subtext! Suspect he'll be lucky to get a table next week anyway.
Other options not mentioned which I have always been impressed with:
- Wedgewood: expensive, fine dining standard, very good and not having a "star" not quite as pretentious as some alternatives.
- First Coast: a bit of a hidden gem - certainly not cheap, but very good and expect would be 25% more if it was right in the centre
- Ransacked Black Oven: A bit cheaper, but very tasty, and quite different from most other places; don't take people who are hoping for a burger!
- Vietnamese House (BYOB) on Grove St - definitely not expensive, but a bit special.
NOTE: I've not been to any of these since Covid...
Thanks for all the pointers. Is there a good bbq/steak place? I’m not talking Miller & Carter…
For seafood the "ship on the shore" was very good last time I was in. Seafood platters are fabulous
If you like Indian food the restaurants out around Haymrket are all very good.
Aizle is closed down now
The BBQ place on the Royal Mile is good.
For steak there is a Hawksmoor on St Andrews Square in the centre
Thanks for all the pointers. Is there a good bbq/steak place? I’m not talking Miller & Carter…
If you wanna go Steak, chophouse or kyloe
For lunches I always like Valvona and Crolla just below the John Lewis & the theatre. I have been going regularly for over twenty years, although not in the last 18 months :-(. The food is always good and it goes through waves of popularity so sometimes it is busy and others it is quiet. The shop has a huge wine selection and you can pick anything and pay corkage.
I like the walk to the Museum of Modern Art, wander round it a bit, and then Dean Village (is that right?).
Recently been a couple of times to Under The Stairs, near Grassmarket, for a pub-ish sort of meal. Henderson's was always a staple for a healthy lunch, but haven't been for years and I suspect it's unbearable now
Henderson's is shut down now
Food -
Borough down at the Shore for a nice meal
1926 for tasty pizza (Pizza Geeks is also decent, they've a place near haymarket and also down at the Shore)
Outsider as mentioned is great for location if you can get a window seat at the back, you can get a pretty cheap lunch too. Haven't been there for a while though as last couple of times I went the food wasn't overly great.
Depending on if it's open when you're here the Buffalo Truck at the Pitt St market does an excellent buffalo chicken burger.
Wings on the Royal Mile for every possible variation of delicious, messy fried chicken wings you could hope for.
Henderson’s was always a staple for a healthy lunch, but haven’t been for years and I suspect it’s unbearable now
Permanently closed now
Drinks, depends what you like really. Hanging bat has a great selection of craft stuff, if the weather is decent the top terrace of Cold Town House on the grassmarket has good views of the Castle (didn't think much of the castle, got in for free and still felt ripped off). Dreadnought is a bit out of the way but one of my favourite pubs, there's also Bellfield and Lost in Leith.
As an ex Leither, catch the train to Glasgow for some proper food 😀
Chop Chop is one of my favorite places to eat in Edinburgh. Its Chinese and I think they charge per head and just bring you food, sounds daft but it works and is astounding value for Edinburgh where you are lucky to get out for under £50 per head even without drink.
for Edinburgh where you are lucky to get out for under £50 per head even without drink
Lol. what?!
Chop Chop are shut down now
LOL - unless you go to Macdonalds or the Piemaker JoshVegas, both valid choices
The BBQ place on the Royal Mile is good.
Bubba Q is amazing. My kids loved it.
This is incredibly vague and of no practical use but,
There is an astonishingly good curry house, grey-fronted building on the right hand side of one of the uphill-side side streets off of the Royal Mile.
If this rings bells with anyone then please let me know.
There is the wee Italian place few doors down or North from the Playhouse, cheap and cheerful fills the belly for a few hours
LOL – unless you go to Macdonalds or the Piemaker JoshVegas, both valid choices
I've eaten all over the city in the last 10 years and honestly very few restaurants have been that spendy. And that's based on me not even being picky on cost. I go in prepared to spend what it costs for what I want.
I think you are talking nonsense.
Edit. Sorry, hels that's a bit snappy. I do think you're totally wrong though maybe we just have different restaurant types but neither Piemaker or Macky D's are in mine thanks very much.
Lots of good suggestions on here - beware there's been a LOT Of attrition in restaurants. Some nice high end as mentioned but you'll need to ring for a table and many are full full - Kitchin, Six By Nico, Timberyard all faves of mine. Thai in Grindlay St also good. I do like the Omar Khayam for a curry. Lots of pubs and frankly it's such a great city you can't go wrong.
oh yeah and if you like sushi then either Kanpai or Yamato are great
