Guidebook for Edinburgh
Food Scene
Located in the heart of Stockbridge this provides good cooking and quality scottish produce. For breakfast, lunch or just a coffee and cake. Recommended in The List- eating Guide. (a 10-15min walk away along the Water of Leith)
40 locals recommend
Cowan and Sons
33 Raeburn PlLocated in the heart of Stockbridge this provides good cooking and quality scottish produce. For breakfast, lunch or just a coffee and cake. Recommended in The List- eating Guide. (a 10-15min walk away along the Water of Leith)
Scottish produce meets French style. In one of the most welcoming dining rooms in town. Cosy candlelit tables and great food. Closed Sunday. Recommend booking in advance. Located 5min away on Queensferry Street. (approx £11.50 lunch; dinner approx £25)
173 locals recommend
L'Escargot Bleu Restaurant
56 Broughton StScottish produce meets French style. In one of the most welcoming dining rooms in town. Cosy candlelit tables and great food. Closed Sunday. Recommend booking in advance. Located 5min away on Queensferry Street. (approx £11.50 lunch; dinner approx £25)
Nearby and convenient, also family friendly. Pizza and pasta.
Best booking online for Saturday night.
30 locals recommend
Pizza Express
ShoreNearby and convenient, also family friendly. Pizza and pasta.
Best booking online for Saturday night.
Sunday Food and craft market. Bustling little market. Plenty of great food stalls. Just near the Water of Leith.
325 locals recommend
Stockbridge Market
Saunders StreetSunday Food and craft market. Bustling little market. Plenty of great food stalls. Just near the Water of Leith.
Shop and Deli, with eating. Specialising in Vegetarian. Somewhat of an Edinburgh institution for vegetarians. Wholesome and taste. Good for lunch, but also open late.
60 locals recommend
Hendersons Salad Table Restaurant
94 Hanover StShop and Deli, with eating. Specialising in Vegetarian. Somewhat of an Edinburgh institution for vegetarians. Wholesome and taste. Good for lunch, but also open late.
Professional presented home-grown produce in a cool warehouse conversion. Recommended in The List Eating Guide. (approx £30 lunch/ £55 dinner) Book in advance.
184 locals recommend
TIMBERYARD
10 Lady Lawson StProfessional presented home-grown produce in a cool warehouse conversion. Recommended in The List Eating Guide. (approx £30 lunch/ £55 dinner) Book in advance.
Drinks & Nightlife
A favourite local pub with beer garden, selling good traditional pub grub. Wood panelled setting with nooks and crannies, in the heart of the New Town.
125 locals recommend
The Cumberland Bar
1-3 Cumberland StA favourite local pub with beer garden, selling good traditional pub grub. Wood panelled setting with nooks and crannies, in the heart of the New Town.
The Melville Bar
19-25 William StFairly traditional local pub.
Typical West End Bar which is popular on a Friday after work. Also sells half decent food.
64 locals recommend
Indigo Yard
7 Charlotte LnTypical West End Bar which is popular on a Friday after work. Also sells half decent food.
The Jazz Bar
1a Chambers StAtmospheric, buzzing basement for jazz.
Sandy Bell's
25 Forrest RdFriendly traditional live folk bar.
A very swish, high class interior- once an old bank. Almost jaw dropping setting
285 locals recommend
The Dome
14 George StA very swish, high class interior- once an old bank. Almost jaw dropping setting
Jools Holland’s jazz club lies behind the rather the grand portico of the old BBC broadcasting house on Queen Street – a great, central location. This spacious, relaxed venue attracts a slightly older (30+) crowd. Have a drink or dine upstairs on the balcony, loll in the squashy leather sofas in the chapel bar, then head down to dance to live music — jazz, blues, soul, swing, indie, latin, R&B — from artists such as Ben E King, Jimmy James and the Vagabonds and regular cover band The Jammy Devils.
18 locals recommend
The Jam House
5 Queen StreetJools Holland’s jazz club lies behind the rather the grand portico of the old BBC broadcasting house on Queen Street – a great, central location. This spacious, relaxed venue attracts a slightly older (30+) crowd. Have a drink or dine upstairs on the balcony, loll in the squashy leather sofas in the chapel bar, then head down to dance to live music — jazz, blues, soul, swing, indie, latin, R&B — from artists such as Ben E King, Jimmy James and the Vagabonds and regular cover band The Jammy Devils.
This is a favourite of ours.
The former Edinburgh University Veterinary College is now a creative arts venue with exhibitions and just about every kind of event and music imaginable — including comedy, vinyl club nights with DJs Kinghorror and The Spotlight Kid, and even a roller-skating disco. For an injection of Scottish culture, there is a Ceilidh Club every Tuesday night with a live band and a caller to teach the dances. The Royal Dick Bar and Kitchen in the former small animal hospital feels like a mad scientist’s local, stuffed with antiques and curiosities of all kinds, including animal bone wall art and adjustable operating tables. The food is steadily becoming more ambitious with proper Reuben sandwiches for lunch (£10) and a cryptic three course menu for dinner with single word descriptions like 'duck egg' (£6), 'pigeon' (£14) and rather interestingly - 'fennel' (£5), for dessert. The wine list is short but comprehensive, with several bottles at £20, while the Summerhall Pale Ale is brewed on site. Reservations recommended for tables in the bar on Friday and Saturday nights.
161 locals recommend
Summerhall
This is a favourite of ours.
The former Edinburgh University Veterinary College is now a creative arts venue with exhibitions and just about every kind of event and music imaginable — including comedy, vinyl club nights with DJs Kinghorror and The Spotlight Kid, and even a roller-skating disco. For an injection of Scottish culture, there is a Ceilidh Club every Tuesday night with a live band and a caller to teach the dances. The Royal Dick Bar and Kitchen in the former small animal hospital feels like a mad scientist’s local, stuffed with antiques and curiosities of all kinds, including animal bone wall art and adjustable operating tables. The food is steadily becoming more ambitious with proper Reuben sandwiches for lunch (£10) and a cryptic three course menu for dinner with single word descriptions like 'duck egg' (£6), 'pigeon' (£14) and rather interestingly - 'fennel' (£5), for dessert. The wine list is short but comprehensive, with several bottles at £20, while the Summerhall Pale Ale is brewed on site. Reservations recommended for tables in the bar on Friday and Saturday nights.
Arts & Culture
5 minutes away from the flat, this and Gallery 2 house the national collection of modern and contemporary art dating from around 1900 to the present day. It comprises 2 buildings which face each on either side of Belford Road. Both are surrounded by pleasant parkland and have good cafe/ restaurnts (particularly gallery 1). As with all public galleries and museums these are free, except for some stand alone exhibitions.
1010 locals recommend
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
75 Belford Rd5 minutes away from the flat, this and Gallery 2 house the national collection of modern and contemporary art dating from around 1900 to the present day. It comprises 2 buildings which face each on either side of Belford Road. Both are surrounded by pleasant parkland and have good cafe/ restaurnts (particularly gallery 1). As with all public galleries and museums these are free, except for some stand alone exhibitions.
Something for everyone here and very family friendly. Really worth a visit. Free entry.
1378 locals recommend
National Museum of Scotland
Something for everyone here and very family friendly. Really worth a visit. Free entry.
The national collection of portraits. Recently refurbished.
Free entry
523 locals recommend
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
1 Queen StThe national collection of portraits. Recently refurbished.
Free entry
Sightseeing
Quite expensive, but a must do for anyone interested in Scottish History.
1961 locals recommend
Edinburgh Castle
CastlehillQuite expensive, but a must do for anyone interested in Scottish History.
Parks & Nature
Really worth a visit. Take a picnic or visit one of the cafes. Very busy on Sunday.
1227 locals recommend
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Arboretum PlaceReally worth a visit. Take a picnic or visit one of the cafes. Very busy on Sunday.
Shopping
Sainsbury's
Unit 9-10 Moray Park TerraceEssentials
Sainsbury's Local
32-36 Shandwick PlTesco Express
4-6 Leith WalkBoots
16-20 Earl Grey StPharmacy/ Chemist