40 cheap eats rooms in Edinburgh, editor-picked. the best low-budget rooms in Edinburgh: the places editors actually return to. All Edinburgh food.
Twelve Triangles ★ 4.8
leith · 90 Brunswick Street, Edinburgh EH7 5HU
Rachel Morgan and Emily Cuddeford's Brunswick Street bakery in Edinburgh, opened 2014, the city's reference sourdough kitchen and the most-loved doughnut.
Tip: Doughnuts sell out by 11:00 on Saturdays. Order via Square Online by Friday lunchtime for next-day collection.
Lannan Bakery ★ 4.8
stockbridge · 29-35 Hamilton Place, Edinburgh EH3 5BA
Darcie Maher's Lannan Bakery on Hamilton Place in Stockbridge Edinburgh, opened July 2023 and expanded in 2025, a scratch-made viennoiserie counter.
Tip: Queues form from 6am on weekends and the rack often sells out by 11am; the pantry next door stocks loaves and pantry goods past midday.
Cafen ★ 4.8
new-town · 44 Dundas Street, Edinburgh EH3 6JN
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.
Tip: Open 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.
Bostock Bakery ★ 4.7
stockbridge · 42 St Stephen Street, Edinburgh EH3 5AL
Bostock Bakery on St Stephen Street in Stockbridge Edinburgh, opened 2020 by Hamish Saxton, a sourdough-and-pastry kitchen with daily-changing croissants.
Tip: Saturday morning queue runs out the door. Order ahead through the Square online shop to skip the wait.
Twelve Triangles Portobello ★ 4.7
portobello · 300 Portobello High Street, Edinburgh EH15 2AS
Twelve Triangles Portobello on the high street near the beach in Edinburgh, the seaside branch of the Leith bakery that bakes naturally leavened sourdough.
Tip: Takeaway only on this site; doughnuts and morning buns clear out by 10am on summer weekends.
Artisan Roast Broughton Street ★ 4.7
canonmills-inverleith · 57 Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3RJ
Artisan Roast on Broughton Street in Edinburgh, opened 2007, the city's third-wave coffee pioneer roasting on-site in Glasgow and pouring filter and espresso.
Tip: Open from 08:00 weekends and busy by 10:00; the back room takes laptop users for longer sessions and stays open till 18:00.
Twelve Triangles Cafe ★ 4.7
leith · 90 Brunswick Street, Edinburgh EH7 5HU
Twelve Triangles bakery-cafe on Brunswick Street in Edinburgh, opened 2014, a third-wave coffee counter making the city's most popular doughnuts.
Tip: Open from 08:00; the day's doughnuts sell out by 11:00 on Saturdays. Order on Square Online for collection.
L'Alba D'Oro ★ 4.7
new-town · 7 Henderson Row, Edinburgh EH3 5DH
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.
Tip: Evening-only, no lunches. Arrive at 17:00 on a weeknight to avoid the post-work queue that builds fast.
L'Alba D'Oro ★ 4.7
new-town · 7 Henderson Row, Edinburgh EH3 5DH
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.
Tip: Evening-only: opens at 16:00. Arrive at opening to avoid the post-work queue that builds from 17:30.
The Palmerston Bakery ★ 4.6
tollcross-west-end · 1 Palmerston Place, Edinburgh EH12 5AL
The Palmerston restaurant's bakery counter on Palmerston Place in Edinburgh, opened 2021, selling the day's bread from the kitchen at the end of restaurant.
Tip: Stock varies by day; show up at 16:00 sharp. Sourdough and cinnamon buns go first within the first 20 minutes.
Williams and Johnson Coffee Co ★ 4.6
leith · 1 Customs Wharf, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6AL
Williams and Johnson roastery cafe on Customs Wharf in Leith Edinburgh, opened 2017 by two former Square Mile baristas, an in-house roaster and cafe.
Tip: Tour the roaster on the public Saturday morning slot; check the website calendar two weeks ahead.
Oink ★ 4.6
old-town · 34 Victoria Street, Edinburgh EH1 2JW
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.
Tip: Order the haggis-stuffed roll for the proper Edinburgh combo; they close when the pig runs out, often before 15:00.
Oink ★ 4.6
old-town · 34 Victoria Street, Edinburgh EH1 2JW
Oink hog roast counter on Victoria Street in Edinburgh Old Town, carving a whole suckling pig from 11:00 daily, the city's best £8 lunch in a roll.
Tip: Closes when the pig runs out, often before 15:00 on busy days. The haggis-stuffed version is the authentic Edinburgh choice.
The Company Bakery ★ 4.5
leith · 12 Easter Road, Edinburgh EH7 5PJ
The Company Bakery on Easter Road in Edinburgh, opened 2018, a Leith sourdough kitchen and cafe with fresh-from-the-oven pastries and a small lunchtime.
Tip: Cinnamon buns sell out by 11:00. Online preorder for collection is the only reliable way on weekends.
Lovecrumbs ★ 4.5
tollcross-west-end · 155 West Port, Edinburgh EH3 9DP
Lovecrumbs cake shop on West Port in Edinburgh, opened 2010, a tea-and-cake counter in a Grassmarket-adjacent townhouse with a daily-changing slice counter.
Tip: Walk in only; the upstairs nook holds four for a quieter window.
Valvona and Crolla Bakery ★ 4.5
canonmills-inverleith · 19 Elm Row, Edinburgh EH7 4AA
Valvona and Crolla's bakery shelf on Elm Row in Edinburgh, baking within the city's longest-running Italian deli opened 1934, with focaccia and Sicilian.
Tip: Panettone preorder list opens 1 October each year; the boxes sell out by mid-December.
Brew Lab ★ 4.5
old-town · 6-8 South College Street, Edinburgh EH8 9AA
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.
Tip: Their training arm runs Saturday public cuppings at 11:00; sign up online for a week or two ahead.
Machina Coffee Marchmont ★ 4.5
marchmont-meadows · 38 Marchmont Road, Edinburgh EH9 1HX
Machina's Marchmont cafe in Edinburgh's south side, a bright sit-in space pouring single-origin espresso and filter from their own roastery.
Tip: Mornings until 11:00 are quietest; rotating lunch pop-ups land midday.
Pizza Geeks ★ 4.5
canonmills-inverleith · 138 Dundas Street, Edinburgh EH3 5DQ
Pizza Geeks counter on Dundas Street in Canonmills Edinburgh, opened 2019, a 60-second wood-fired Neapolitan kitchen with 00-flour dough and Italian San.
Tip: Their second branch on Drum Street takes walk-ins more reliably than the Canonmills original. Vegan dough version available.
Edinburgh Larder Takeaway ★ 4.5
old-town · 15 Blackfriars Street, Edinburgh EH1 1NB
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.
Tip: Pies come out from 11:00. Loaves and sausage rolls sell through the morning; preorder via the website for collection.
Stockbridge Market Food Stalls ★ 4.5
stockbridge · Saunders Street, Stockbridge, Edinburgh EH3 6TQ
Stockbridge Market food stalls on Saunders Street in Edinburgh, trading every Sunday since 2011, with rotating traders serving venison rolls, dim sum, paella.
Tip: Arrive by 11:00 for the best stalls; the market wraps by 17:00 in summer, 16:00 in winter. Bring cash for some stalls.
Civerinos Slice ★ 4.4
old-town · 5 Hunter Square, Edinburgh EH1 1QW
Michele Civiera's Hunter Square pizza counter in Edinburgh, opened in 2016, the Old Town slice-counter serving Roman al taglio square-tray pizza.
Tip: Open till 02:00 on weekends; the only proper food on the Royal Mile after midnight that is not a kebab shop.
Leith Walk Police Box ★ 4.4
leith · Pilrig Street, Leith Walk, Edinburgh EH6 5AS
Leith Walk's converted police-box coffee counter in Edinburgh, opened 2016 inside a 1950s Glasgow-style box, serving filter coffee and seasonal pastries.
Tip: There is no seating; coffee in hand on Leith Walk's central reservation is the local move. Cash only most days.
Edinburgh Larder Bakehouse ★ 4.4
old-town · 15 Blackfriars Street, Edinburgh EH1 1NB
Edinburgh Larder's bake counter on Blackfriars Street in the Old Town of Edinburgh, opened 2009, baking Scotch pies, sausage rolls, sourdough loaves.
Tip: Pies are at the counter from 11:00 to lunch; loaves sell through the morning. Friday list runs on the website.
Lovecrumbs ★ 4.4
tollcross-west-end · 155 West Port, Edinburgh EH3 9DP
Lovecrumbs cake shop on West Port in Edinburgh, opened 2010, a tea-and-cake counter in a Grassmarket-adjacent townhouse with a sun-filled bay window.
Tip: Their daily-changing cake counter is a one-glass-each affair; the upstairs nook seats four for quiet sessions.
Mosque Kitchen ★ 4.4
southside · 31-33 Nicolson Square, Edinburgh EH8 9BX
Mosque Kitchen on Nicolson Square in Southside Edinburgh, opened 1998 inside the Edinburgh Central Mosque courtyard, a counter-service Pakistani-style.
Tip: Order at the till, pick up at the counter; the lamb biryani at £7 is the long-running lunch deal for medical students.
Civerinos Slice ★ 4.4
old-town · 5 Hunter Square, Edinburgh EH1 1QW
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.
Tip: Late-night slice with a negroni at the counter is the local move after midnight. Slice list changes through the day.
Leith Walk Police Box ★ 4.4
leith · Pilrig Street, Leith Walk, Edinburgh EH6 5AS
Leith Walk Police Box on Pilrig Street in Edinburgh, opened 2016 inside a 1950s blue police box, a 3-square-metre coffee counter pouring filter and espresso.
Tip: There is no seating; coffee in hand on Leith Walk's central reservation. Cash only on most days.
Valvona and Crolla Deli Counter ★ 4.4
canonmills-inverleith · 19 Elm Row, Edinburgh EH7 4AA
Valvona and Crolla deli counter on Elm Row in Edinburgh, opened 1934, Scotland's longest-running Italian deli with a sandwich counter making prosciutto rolls.
Tip: Sandwich list runs from a chalkboard; the porchetta with rocket and house mayonnaise is the long-running favourite.
Mosque Kitchen ★ 4.4
southside · 31-33 Nicolson Square, Edinburgh EH8 9BX
Mosque Kitchen on Nicolson Square in Edinburgh, serving halal Pakistani and Indian curry, rice and naan at prices barely changed since the 1980s, cash only.
Tip: Peak lunchtime queue moves fast. Order the lamb curry with a naan and bring cash for speed.
Cairngorm Coffee ★ 4.3
new-town · 1 Melville Place, Edinburgh EH3 7PR
Cairngorm Coffee on Melville Place in Edinburgh New Town, opened 2014, a basement third-wave coffee bar pouring rotating UK and European roasters.
Tip: Their Frederick Street branch is brighter and busier; the Melville Place original is the quiet workspace.
The Company Bakery ★ 4.3
leith · 12 Easter Road, Edinburgh EH7 5PJ
The Company Bakery on Easter Road in Edinburgh, opened 2018, a coffee bar and sourdough bakery serving filter coffee, fresh pastries and a small lunchtime.
Tip: The cinnamon morning bun sells out before 11:00. Order ahead via their website for collection most days.
Harajuku Kitchen Counter ★ 4.3
bruntsfield-morningside · 10 Gillespie Place, Edinburgh EH10 4HS
Harajuku Kitchen counter on Gillespie Place in Bruntsfield Edinburgh, opened 2013 by Kaori Simpson, a Tokyo-style izakaya counter selling Japanese dumplings.
Tip: Lunch bento set at £12 is the value play; the Stockbridge offshoot is brighter and easier on weekends.
Chez Jules ★ 4.3
new-town · 109 Hanover Street, Edinburgh EH2 1DJ
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.
Tip: The set lunch runs every day of the week, not just weekdays. The croque monsieur and the steak frites are the reliable anchors.
Stockbridge Market Food Stalls ★ 4.3
stockbridge · Saunders Street, Stockbridge, Edinburgh EH3 6TQ
Stockbridge Market's food stalls on Saunders Street in Edinburgh, every Sunday from 10:00, with 15 or more hot-food vendors rotating weekly through bao buns.
Tip: The vendor list rotates; check the website the night before to see what is on. Arrive at 10:30 for first choice before queues build.
Machina Coffee Bakery Counter ★ 4.2
marchmont-meadows · 38 Marchmont Road, Edinburgh EH9 1HX
Machina's Marchmont cafe and roastery outlet, a bright south-side coffee space with a daily pastry counter stocked from local bakers Company Bakery.
Tip: The pastries are bought-in rather than house-baked; quality is high but stock runs out by 12:00. Machina's earlier Brougham Place espresso bar has closed.
Edinburgh Larder Cafe ★ 4.2
old-town · 15 Blackfriars Street, Edinburgh EH1 1NB
Edinburgh Larder cafe on Blackfriars Street in the Old Town of Edinburgh, opened 2009, a Scottish-provenance all-day cafe serving breakfast.
Tip: Closes 16:00 most days. The cafe on Blackfriars Street is calmer than the larger bistro round the corner.
Union of Genius ★ 4.2
old-town · 8 Forrest Road, Edinburgh EH1 2QN
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.
Tip: Six soups rotate daily; the chilli is always on. Closes at 16:00 on weekdays and 15:00 Saturday, no Sunday service.
Valvona and Crolla Caffe ★ 4.1
canonmills-inverleith · 19 Elm Row, Edinburgh EH7 4AA
Valvona and Crolla caffe on Elm Row in Edinburgh, opened in the 1990s at the back of the city's longest-running Italian deli, pouring espresso and serving.
Tip: Stand at the bar for the proper Italian experience. The deli at the front is open till 17:30; shop on your way out.
Leith Walk Police Box ★ 4.1
leith · Pilrig Street, Leith Walk, Edinburgh EH6 5AS
Leith Walk Police Box on Pilrig Street in Edinburgh, opened 2016 inside a 1950s blue police box, a 3-square-metre coffee counter pouring filter and espresso.
Tip: There is no seating; coffee in hand on the Leith Walk central reservation. Cash only on most days.