Georgian terraces and basement bistros: George Street steakhouses, Rose Street's late-night row, and the boutique-hotel kitchens around Charlotte Square.
Stuart Ralston's Thistle Street dining room in New Town Edinburgh, opened in 2019, a Japanese-inflected small-plates kitchen in a former townhouse basement.
OrderThe wagyu tataki with truffle and the miso-glazed octopus that anchor the menu.
TipBar seats look directly onto the sushi pass. Stuart's other rooms, Aizle and Tipo, sit within a four-minute walk.
Stuart Ralston's Garden Room kitchen inside the Kimpton Charlotte Square in Edinburgh, opened 2014 (relocated 2020), a no-choice market-driven tasting menu.
OrderThe six-course set menu changes weekly; whatever appears on the harvest board that month.
TipThe hotel terrace is open to walk-ups for a glass of fizz before service. Lunch is half the dinner price and runs the same menu.
The New Town offshoot of the Leith Fishers seafood mini-chain in Edinburgh, on Thistle Street since 2001, a brasserie-style room running East Coast fish.
OrderCullen skink for starters and the whole grilled lemon sole with brown butter.
TipThe original Fishers Bistro on the Shore in Leith is the smaller, more ambient sibling if you want the Old Port version.
The Dome on George Street in Edinburgh's New Town, opened in 1996 inside the former Commercial Bank building, a glass-domed grand brasserie room running.
OrderSmoked salmon platter at lunch and the roast beef Wellington at dinner under the central dome.
TipThe Georgian Tea Room at the back is a quieter alternative if the main hall feels too touristy at peak hours.
Mark Donald's basement dining room inside The Balmoral hotel on Princes Street in Edinburgh, Michelin-starred from 2003 to 2024 and still running fine-dining.
OrderThe seasonal tasting menu; lunch sittings include a four-course at half dinner price.
TipThe Bollinger Bar upstairs (also at the Balmoral) takes walk-ins for a glass of fizz before service. Smart-casual dress code enforced.
The Café Royal on West Register Street in Edinburgh New Town, a Victorian pub and oyster bar serving fresh seafood, classic dishes and continental lagers.
OrderOysters and a seafood platter to share, taken at the bar under the Victorian interiors.
TipThe 09:00 opening and the brunch menu run Thursday to Saturday only. Under 18s are not allowed in the bar, though children aged five and over are welcome in the restaurant.
Mark Donald's basement dining room at The Balmoral on Princes Street, Michelin-starred from 2003 to 2024 and still running fine-dining service.
OrderThe seasonal tasting menu; the chef's table takes six guests by 14-day request.
Book2 weeks ahead
TipLunch sittings include a four-course at £55, half the dinner price. The Bollinger Bar upstairs takes walk-ins.
Stuart Ralston's Garden Room kitchen inside the Kimpton Charlotte Square in Edinburgh, opened 2014 and relocated in 2020, a no-choice market-driven tasting.
OrderThe six-course harvest tasting menu changed weekly; lunch is £45 for four courses.
Book3 weeks ahead
TipThe hotel terrace takes walk-ins for a glass of fizz before service; smart casual.
The Edinburgh outpost of the London Bombay-Irani cafe on St Andrew Square in Edinburgh, opened in 2016, a 200-cover all-day room in the former Bank.
OrderBacon naan roll at breakfast, house black daal at any other time.
TipNo dinner bookings under six; walk in from 17:30 and wait 30 to 60 minutes. Basement bar pours while you queue.
Baba on George Street in Edinburgh's New Town, a Levantine mezze and charcoal grill restaurant with a cocktail bar inside the Kimpton Charlotte Square hotel.
OrderBaba ghanoush, the lamb shawarma flatbread and the house pita with za'atar.
TipThe mezze deal at lunch (four plates plus a drink for £22) is one of George Street's best value menus.
Victor and Carina Contini's George Street dining room in Edinburgh, opened in 2004 in the former Lloyds Bank, an Italian-Scottish bistro serving.
OrderThe Contini meatballs, the Sicilian sea bass and a glass of the Continis' own-import Etna Rosso.
TipThe high tea at 15:00-17:00 is a quieter alternative; Sunday family lunch is a long-running tradition.
Stuart Ralston's Thistle Street basement in New Town Edinburgh, opened 2019, a Japanese-inflected small-plates kitchen with sashimi, rice and fermented sides.
OrderWagyu tataki with truffle, miso-glazed octopus and a glass of Aged Junmai sake.
TipCounter seats look directly onto the sushi pass. Lunchtime bento sets are £25 and the best New Town lunch deal.
Hawksmoor's Edinburgh branch on West Register Street in New Town Edinburgh, opened in 2019 inside the former National Bank of Scotland Hall, the steakhouse.
OrderThe 800g porterhouse for two from native Scottish beef and the beef-dripping.
TipExpress menu before 18:30 and after 22:00 runs three courses at £28; the express menu version of the same kitchen.
Cafen on Dundas Street in Edinburgh New Town, a flagship speciality brew bar a few minutes walk from Waverley Station that rotates a short bean list.
DrinkRotating single-origin filter
TipOpen from 8am every day; the cushioned window seats fill first for morning filter pours, the rotating menu changes when a new lot lands from the roastery.
Cairngorm Coffee on Melville Place in Edinburgh New Town, opened 2014, a basement third-wave coffee bar pouring rotating UK and European roasters.
DrinkFlat white
TipTheir Frederick Street branch is brighter and busier; the Melville Place original is the quiet workspace.
Urban Angel on Hanover Street in Edinburgh New Town, opened 2003, a basement organic-leaning all-day cafe serving breakfast, brunch and light lunches.
DrinkFlat white
TipThe kitchen closes at 15:00 on weekdays and 16:00 at weekends, so treat it as a breakfast and lunch stop rather than an afternoon one.
Cairngorm Coffee Company on Melville Place in Edinburgh New Town, founded 2014, a basement coffee bar pouring rotating UK and European roasters daily.
BeansEthiopia, Colombia, Peru
BrewsEspresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
TipWhole-bean retail is sold from the Melville Place basement counter; the Frederick Street branch runs more sandwiches.
Spry on Haddington Place at the top of Leith Walk in Edinburgh, a neighbourhood natural-wine bar and bottle shop with a basement cafe, pouring rotating.
PourSkin-contact whites by the glass from a rotating chalkboard
WineNaturally made wines from small producers
FoodSeasonal small plates and snacks
TipWalk-ins at the bar most nights, table reservations by email; the bottle shop downstairs sells the same wines at retail to take home.
The Sutherland brothers' natural wine cafe and cellars, moved from Stockbridge to Northumberland Street in the New Town, with growers by the glass and snacks.
PourTasmanian Pinot Noir by the glass
WineNatural wines and growers' Champagne
FoodCheese, charcuterie, daily snacks
TipThe retail cellars double as the drinking list, and online orders deliver free across Edinburgh; tastings run from the same room.
Stuart Ralston's Noto on Thistle Street in Edinburgh New Town, opened 2019, a Japanese small-plates dining room with a wine and sake list pairing modern.
PourAged Junmai sake or Mount Etna red
WineModern Italian and Japanese sake
FoodJapanese small plates
TipCounter seats look at the sushi pass; the wine list is short but unusually well-compiled for sake pairing.
Iain McPherson's Panda and Sons on Queen Street in Edinburgh New Town, opened 2013, a speakeasy cocktail bar in a basement disguised as a barber-shop.
DrinkBourbon and Earl Grey Old Fashioned
FoodBar snacks and small plates
TipEnter through the barber-shop door at street level. Bookings open 30 days ahead; cocktail menu changes seasonally.
Never Really Here on Rose Street North Lane in Edinburgh New Town, a tucked-away speakeasy behind a graffiti-covered black door with seven tables.
DrinkBespoke cocktail crafted to the guest's flavour brief, no fixed menu
FoodNo food
TipCash-only, walk-ins only by knock on the door; arrive before 9pm for a chance of a table on Fridays.
Bramble on Queen Street in Edinburgh New Town, opened 2006 by Mike Aikman and Jas Scott, a basement cocktail bar credited with launching the city's modern.
DrinkOff-menu bartender's choice built from the day's fresh produce
FoodNo food
TipWalk-ins only and the room fills fast after 9pm; ask the bartender for a dealer's-choice rather than the menu.
The Dome cocktail bar on George Street in Edinburgh New Town, opened 1996 inside the former Commercial Bank building, a glass-domed grand-room space pouring.
DrinkScottish Highball with Highland Park 12
FoodBar snacks and full restaurant menu
TipThe Christmas decoration installation in November to January is famously over-the-top; book a window seat ahead.
Hawksmoor's bar on West Register Street in Edinburgh New Town, opened 2019 inside the former National Bank of Scotland Hall, a 30-seat cocktail bar.
DrinkShaky Pete's Ginger Brew (gin, ginger, lemon, beer)
FoodBar steaks, charcuterie, snacks
TipExpress menu before 18:30 runs three courses at £28 from the bar; the cocktails are the same as the restaurant.
L'Alba D'Oro on Henderson Row in Edinburgh New Town, opened 1975 and named UK's best fish and chip shop by The Times, sourcing haddock fresh daily.
TryBattered haddock and chips
TipEvening-only, no lunches. Arrive at 17:00 on a weeknight to avoid the post-work queue that builds fast.
Edinburgh Food Safari runs a 3-hour New Town tour through the Georgian UNESCO quarter with at least five stops: veggie haggis, farmhouse Scottish cheeses, smoked salmon canapes and a Scottish gin cocktail.
TipGuides wear kilts and groups are small; most allergies can be catered for if you flag them at booking.
Chez Jules on Hanover Street in Edinburgh New Town, a basement French bistro serving a two- or three-course set lunch every day until 16:00, the best-value.
TryThree-course French bistro set lunch
TipThe set lunch runs every day of the week, not just weekdays. The croque monsieur and the steak frites are the reliable anchors.
L'Alba D'Oro on Henderson Row in Edinburgh New Town, opened 1975 and named UK's best fish and chip shop by The Times, a takeaway chippy chipping its own.
TryBattered haddock and chips
TipEvening-only: opens at 16:00. Arrive at opening to avoid the post-work queue that builds from 17:30.
Urban Angel on Hanover Street in Edinburgh New Town, open since 2006, a basement organic-leaning cafe serving ethical breakfasts and brunch plates from 09:00.
OrderBaked eggs with tomato sauce, chorizo and chilli jam.
TipBook ahead for weekend brunch; the basement fills by 10:00 on Saturdays. Ask for the window table at street level for light.
Down the Hatch on Antigua Street in Edinburgh, a Canadian-Scottish diner near the Playhouse serving skillet breakfasts, haggis poutine and burgers.
OrderHaggis poutine or the buttermilk pancake stack with Canadian maple syrup.
TipA stone's throw from the Playhouse; good before or after an evening show. The haggis poutine is the standout dish.
Dishoom on St Andrew Square in Edinburgh, the Bombay-inspired all-day cafe open from 08:00, serving bacon naan rolls, keema per eedu and house-cured meats.
OrderBacon naan roll with cream cheese and chilli jam, or the full Irani cafe breakfast.
TipWeekday breakfast before 10:00 skips the queue. The bacon naan with house chilli jam outsells every other dish on the menu.
Bar Napoli on Hanover Street in Edinburgh New Town, an Italian restaurant and bar open until 03:00 on weekend nights, serving pasta, pizza and Italian bar.
TryPasta, pizza and Italian bar food
TipThe late-night kitchen runs until 02:30 on Friday and Saturday. The last half-hour is takeaway only.
Dishoom on St Andrew Square in Edinburgh New Town, open until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights, serving the slow-cooked Irani cafe menu into the small.
TryRaan and midnight naan
TipThe full menu is available until closing. Book the late slot on weekends if you are coming from a theatre or concert.
L'Alba D'Oro on Henderson Row in Edinburgh New Town, open evening-only since 1975, the city's most decorated chip shop serving fresh-chipped Scottish haddock.
TryBattered haddock and chips
TipCloses at 21:15 sharp. The post-theatre window is 20:30-21:00; go straight there from the Lyceum or Usher Hall.
The opulent first-floor Ballroom above the Cafe Royal off West Register Street is one of the city's most beautiful live rooms, with album launches, cabaret and jazz nightly.
TipThe Speakeasy side bar is the spot for cocktails before a show, and the Ballroom acoustics reward standing centre rather than the side balconies.
The fourth-floor bar and brasserie above Harvey Nichols on St Andrew Square has an outdoor terrace with the most polished view in the New Town across to the Firth of Forth.
TipThe terrace shuts when the wind picks up, the indoor cocktail bar keeps the same view through the floor-to-ceiling glass.
Iain McPherson's basement on Queen Street, entered through a faux barber shop with 25p haircut signs, has been on the World's 50 Best Bars discovery list since 2014.
TipPush the bookcase at the back of the barber shop to find the bar, ask for the bartender's seasonal freezing-technique cocktail off menu.
The Queen Street basement is the Edinburgh cocktail benchmark, a stone-vaulted room with no booking line that has been a fixture on the World's 50 Best Bars list for years.
TipArrive before 19:00 on a Friday or queue, ask the bar for off-menu sours and the team will build to the spirit you prefer.
Open since 1994 next to the Edinburgh Playhouse, CC Blooms is Scotland's longest-running gay bar and club, drag cabaret and dance floor under one roof in the Pink Triangle.
TipPre-theatre cocktails upstairs are quiet, the downstairs dance floor only really fills up after midnight on a Friday or Saturday.
Edinburgh's longest-running gay bar sits next door to CC Blooms in the Pink Triangle, reasonably priced drinks, a snooker table, an arcade and nightly drag and DJ sets.
TipThe Tuesday drag bingo regularly outdraws the Saturday DJ for laughs, arrive by 21:00 to get a booth in the back room.
The glass-fronted independent on the corner of Picardy Place is the daytime cafe end of the Pink Triangle, with outdoor seating, that turns into a busy bar and dance floor.
TipSunday brunch with bottomless mimosas pulls a queue, the downstairs club opens around 22:00 if upstairs feels too bright.
Edinburgh's gay real ale pub at the top of Abbeymount runs a rotating Cask Marque cellar and CAMRA Good Beer Guide listing in a quiet local pub well away from the Pink Triangle.
TipThe walk up from the Playhouse is steep, the rotating five cask lines and friendly regulars are the reward at the top.
Reopened in November 2025 inside The Caledonian Edinburgh, this Japanese jazz-kissa-inspired bar pairs a high-fidelity vinyl rig with a cocktail menu in plush booths.
TipAsk the bartender for the side B requests, the room favours full-album playback rather than interrupting tracks for the next pour.
The Hope Street basement under the corner of Charlotte Square is a candlelit warren of historic wine-cellar vaults serving Scottish seafood and a deep wine list to late night drinkers.
TipFind the entrance under the stair on Hope Street, the back-corner booth in the second vault is the best seat for a long conversation.
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