Edinburgh's medieval high street: the Royal Mile from castle to palace, Grassmarket pubs since the 1500s, and hotel dining rooms with views of the volcano.
Roy Brett's George IV Bridge oyster bar and dining room in the Old Town of Edinburgh, opened in 2009, a Royal-Mile-adjacent seafood kitchen with day-boat fish.
Signature: Native lobster Newburg, Plateau de fruits de mer
Order: The plateau de fruits de mer for two and a half-dozen native rock oysters from Loch Fyne.
Tip: Pre-theatre lunch from 12:00 to 18:00 is the value play. The horseshoe counter holds 10 walk-up seats at any time.
James Thomson's medieval-tavern dining room at the top of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, opened 1979 inside Boswell's Court, the city's heritage-cuisine landmark.
Signature: Scotch beef Wellington, Edinburgh haggis with whisky cream
Order: The Scotch beef Wellington for two and the haggis with whisky-cream sauce as a starter.
Tip: Ask for The Secret Garden, the second dining room down the stairs; the candlelit version of the experience.
The Edinburgh outpost of London's Bombay-Irani cafe chain on St Andrew Square, opened in 2016, a 200-cover all-day room in the old Bank of Scotland HQ building.
Signature: Bacon naan roll, House black daal
Order: The bacon naan roll for breakfast and the 24-hour house black daal at any other meal.
Tip: No dinner bookings under six; walk in from 17:30 and the wait is 30 to 60 minutes. Drinks at the basement bar while you wait.
Howies on Victoria Street in Edinburgh, the Old Town flagship of David Howie Scott's Scottish-bistro mini-chain opened in 1990, the city's everyday Scottish.
Signature: Haggis bonbons with whisky cream, Aberdeen Angus steak
Order: Haggis bonbons with whisky cream as a starter and the Aberdeen Angus steak with peppercorn sauce.
Tip: Pre-theatre two-course menu from 17:30 to 19:00 is the value play. The Waterloo Place branch is the second-best room.
Paul and Lisa Wedgwood's Canongate dining room on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, opened in 2007, a family-run fine-dining kitchen with a focus on Scottish.
Signature: Pigeon with foraged greens, Scallop with chorizo
Order: The pigeon with foraged greens, the kitchen's long-running signature plate.
Tip: The chef's table in the kitchen takes four guests; book a fortnight ahead for the demo-led version of the tasting menu.
James Thomson's heritage dining room at the top of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, opened in 1979 inside Boswell's Court, the city's grand-occasion fine-dining.
Order: The Witchery Theatre menu of three courses at GBP 50 before 18:30 or after 22:00, the only value play.
Tip: Ask for The Secret Garden, the second dining room down the stairs; the candlelit version of the experience.
Paul and Lisa Wedgwood's Royal Mile dining room on Canongate in Edinburgh, opened in 2007, a family-run kitchen with a focus on Scottish foraging and game.
Order: The chef's table in the kitchen takes four for a six-course tasting with kitchen commentary.
Tip: The supper-club Sunday is half the price of weekday dinner and runs a slimmer four-course menu.
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 of Scotland.
Order: Bacon naan roll at breakfast, house black daal at any other time.
Tip: No dinner bookings under six; walk in from 17:30 and wait 30 to 60 minutes. Basement bar pours while you queue.
Howies on Victoria Street in Edinburgh's Old Town, the flagship of David Howie Scott's Scottish-bistro mini-chain opened 1990, an everyday Scottish-classics.
Order: Haggis bonbons with whisky cream and the Aberdeen Angus steak with peppercorn sauce.
Tip: Pre-theatre two-course menu 17:30 to 19:00 is GBP 22, the best value in the Old Town.
Michele Civiera's Hunter Square pizza counter in Edinburgh, opened in 2016, the Old Town slice-counter serving Roman al taglio square-tray pizza into the small.
Order: The salsiccia e friarielli slice and a square of margherita; eat at the counter or on the cobbles outside.
Tip: Open till 02:00 on weekends; the only proper food on the Royal Mile after midnight that is not a kebab shop.
Chef David Bann's vegetarian dining room on St Mary's Street in Edinburgh, opened in 2002, the city's reference vegetarian fine-dining kitchen with a candlelit.
Order: The Sri Lankan coconut curry and the spinach and feta filo parcel.
Tip: Pre-theatre two-course at GBP 22 runs to 19:00; the wine list is genuinely thought through.
Edinburgh Larder bistro on Blackfriars Street in the Old Town of Edinburgh, opened in 2009, an all-day cafe-restaurant serving Scottish-provenance breakfast.
Order: The Larder breakfast with Stornoway black pudding and the daily soup with sourdough at lunch.
Tip: Closes by 16:00 most days; the original cafe on Blackfriars Street is the calmer of the two rooms.
Brew Lab on South College Street in Edinburgh, opened 2012, a third-wave coffee bar pouring filter and espresso into a long basement room near the University.
Signature drink: V60 filter
Tip: Their training arm runs Saturday public cuppings at 11:00; sign up online for a week or two ahead.
Edinburgh Larder cafe on Blackfriars Street in the Old Town of Edinburgh, opened 2009, a Scottish-provenance all-day cafe serving breakfast, lunch and brunch plates.
Signature drink: Filter coffee and a Stornoway black pudding roll
Tip: Closes 16:00 most days. The cafe on Blackfriars Street is calmer than the larger bistro round the corner.
Edinburgh Larder's bake counter on Blackfriars Street in the Old Town of Edinburgh, opened 2009, baking Scotch pies, sausage rolls, sourdough loaves and short.
Tip: Pies are at the counter from 11:00 to lunch; loaves sell through the morning. Friday list runs on the website.
Worth the queue: Scotch pie
Brew Lab on South College Street in Edinburgh Old Town, founded 2012, a coffee bar and barista-training academy with Saturday cupping sessions and an open.
Tip: Saturday public cuppings at 11:00; sign up online a week ahead. Their training academy runs barista courses through the year.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Kenya
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, V60, Aeropress, Whole bean retail
The Bow Bar on West Bow in Edinburgh Old Town, opened in the 1860s and refurbished in the 1990s as a classic Scottish pub, with 250 single malt whiskies and 8.
Signature drink: A dram of Highland Park 12 and a pint of cask Belhaven
Food: Bar snacks (pies, crisps)
Tip: No cocktails, no music, no kids. Cask ale list rotates daily; ask the bar what is on tonight.
The Devil's Advocate in Advocate's Close off the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, opened 2013 in a former Victorian pump house, a stone-walled whisky and cocktail bar.
Signature drink: Smoke and Mirrors (peated whisky cocktail)
Food: Modern Scottish small plates
Tip: Find the bar by going down the steep close from the High Street; the street-level entrance is unmarked.
Amber whisky bar and restaurant inside The Scotch Whisky Experience on Castlehill in Edinburgh, opened in 1988, a tasting bar pouring 470-plus single malts.
Signature drink: Whisky flight by region
Food: Scottish full menu and afternoon tea
Tip: Book the Region Flight; five drams from five Scottish whisky regions with tutored tasting from a brand ambassador.
Civerinos pizza counter and bar on Hunter Square in Edinburgh Old Town, opened 2016, an all-Italian cocktail and amaro programme beside the slice counter, open.
Signature drink: Amaro spritz
Food: Pizza by the slice
Tip: Slice plus a negroni at the counter is the local move after midnight; the cocktail menu changes monthly.
The Witchery bar in Boswell's Court at the top of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, opened 1979, a heritage candlelit room pouring cocktails and an extensive wine.
Signature drink: Whisky-cream Witchery (house cocktail)
Food: Full Scottish menu
Tip: Ask for The Secret Garden, the second dining room down the stairs; the candle-lit version of the experience.
Oink hog roast counter on Victoria Street in Edinburgh Old Town, opened 2008, the city's whole-pig-on-a-spit lunch counter with three branches selling.
Try: Hog roll with stuffing and apple sauce
Tip: Order the haggis-stuffed roll for the proper Edinburgh combo; they close when the pig runs out, often before 15:00.
Civerinos Slice counter on Hunter Square in Edinburgh Old Town, opened 2016, a Roman al taglio square-tray pizza counter serving slices from a rolling rack.
Try: Roman pizza al taglio
Tip: Late-night slice with a negroni at the counter is the local move after midnight. Slice list changes through the day.
Edinburgh Larder takeaway counter on Blackfriars Street in the Old Town of Edinburgh, opened 2009, the city's reference Scotch pie and sausage roll counter.
Try: Scotch pie and sausage roll
Tip: Pies come out from 11:00. Loaves and sausage rolls sell through the morning; preorder via the website for collection.
Clamshell fish bar on the High Street of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, opened in the 1970s, a Royal Mile chippy serving haddock suppers, hot pies and the famous.
Try: Fish supper and deep-fried Mars bar
Tip: Late-night Royal Mile counter; service runs to 02:00 most nights. Deep-fried Mars bar is a tourist novelty done properly here.
Bertie's Proper Fish and Chips on Victoria Street in Edinburgh Old Town, a sit-down and takeaway chippy opened in the former Grassmarket arch, cooking fresh.
Try: Haddock and chips
Tip: Downstairs seating is first-come only; the takeaway counter is faster for a lunchtime bag of chips.
Grassmarket Saturday Market on the Grassmarket cobbles in Old Town Edinburgh, trading every Saturday afternoon, a smaller-scale market with 30 weekly stalls.
Tip: Combine with a Bow Bar dram and a Victoria Street pizza slice at Civerinos for a full Old Town Saturday.
Eat Walk Tours' Edinburgh Old Town food walk in Edinburgh, founded 2010, a three-hour five-stop guided tour through Royal Mile and Grassmarket food and drink venues with editorial commentary.
Tip: Daytime tours include haggis tasting and whisky sampling; evening tours include a cocktail and a hot dish.
Edinburgh Food Safari's Old Town tour in Edinburgh, a three-and-a-half-hour guided food walk through Royal Mile and Cowgate venues with five tastings and a cheese-pairing finale.
Tip: Includes a Scottish whisky tasting; the cheese flight finale is at I.J. Mellis cheesemonger.
Secret Food Tours' Edinburgh Old Town walk in Edinburgh, a three-and-a-half-hour guided food walk through six tasting stops including haggis, Scottish smoked salmon and shortbread.
Tip: Each tour ends with a 'secret dish' that varies by guide; the daily tours run at 12:30 and 16:00.
The Scotch Whisky Experience tour on Castlehill in Edinburgh, founded 1988, a 90-minute museum tour and tasting with 470 whiskies on display and four flights tutored by a brand ambassador.
Tip: The Gold tour includes four-region whisky tasting at GBP 40; the Silver tour is GBP 25 with a single dram.
Eating Europe's Edinburgh food and drink tour, a three-hour guided walk through five stops covering haggis with whisky marmalade, fish and chips and Scottish cheeses in Old and New Town.
Tip: Each tour guide carries a purple Eating Europe bag near the Paddington Bear statue at the Melville Monument meeting point.
Edinburgh Food Festival in George Square Gardens in Edinburgh, run by Assembly Festival, the annual late-July food festival with chef demonstrations, street food and free entry across 10 days.
Tip: Free entry, pay-as-you-go for food. Lunchtime weekdays are quieter; weekend evenings are the loudest.
Foodies Festival's Edinburgh edition at Inverleith Park in Edinburgh, a touring three-day food festival with chef demonstrations, street food and a wine and cocktail programme each August.
Tip: Weekday tickets are half the weekend price. The Chef's Theatre runs all three days with rotating Edinburgh chefs.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe street food across the Royal Mile, George Square and the Old Town of Edinburgh, the August Fringe's pop-up food scene with 50-plus street-food traders for the full month.
Tip: George Square Gardens is the largest hub; Pleasance Courtyard and Underbelly Cowgate are the smaller programmes.
Burns Night Suppers across Edinburgh on 25 January, the annual celebration of Robert Burns with the traditional haggis, neeps and tatties served in pubs, restaurants and private homes city-wide.
Tip: Most Edinburgh restaurants run a Burns Night menu around 25 January; book a fortnight ahead for the popular pubs.
Edinburgh International Festival's food programme across Edinburgh, the August arts festival's restaurant initiative where the city's kitchens run festival-themed menus and chef collaborations.
Tip: The festival's website lists participating restaurants; book a week ahead for the well-reviewed venues.
Union of Genius on Forrest Road in Edinburgh Old Town, Scotland's first dedicated soup cafe serving six freshly made soups daily with flavour-matched artisan.
Try: Bowl of soup with artisan bread
Tip: Six soups rotate daily; the chilli is always on. Closes at 16:00 on weekdays and 15:00 Saturday, no Sunday service.
Oink hog roast counter on Victoria Street in Edinburgh Old Town, carving a whole suckling pig from 11:00 daily, the city's best GBP 8 lunch in a roll.
Try: Hog roast roll with haggis stuffing
Tip: Closes when the pig runs out, often before 15:00 on busy days. The haggis-stuffed version is the authentic Edinburgh choice.
Civerinos Slice on Hunter Square in Edinburgh Old Town, the counter arm of the Civerinos restaurant, selling New York-style pizza slices from GBP 4 each.
Try: New York-style pizza by the slice
Tip: Slices rotate through the day; pepperoni and margherita are always on. Fold it in half New York-style and eat standing.
Bertie's Proper Fish and Chips on Victoria Street in Edinburgh Old Town, a sit-down and takeaway chippy cooking fresh Scottish haddock battered to order.
Try: Battered haddock and chips
Tip: Takeaway counter at the front is faster than the sit-down section. Order at the counter and eat on the Grassmarket steps.
Edinburgh Larder on Blackfriars Street in Edinburgh Old Town, opened 2009, a seasonal cafe and bakehouse sourcing from Scottish farms, serving the city's most.
Order: Full Scottish breakfast with house-baked bread, or the soup and Scotch pie combination at lunch.
Tip: The full breakfast runs all day, not just mornings. Queue at 12:30 for the lunch crowd to thin out slightly.
OX184 on Cowgate in Edinburgh Old Town, a late-night bar and kitchen open until 03:00 with wood-grill burgers, steaks and loaded fries in an industrial space.
Try: Wood-fired grill burgers, steaks and ribs
Tip: Late-night food runs until 02:00 Wednesday to Sunday only. The craft beer selection is Edinburgh's most serious at this hour.