L'Alba D'Oro is a seafood restaurant in New Town, Edinburgh.
Editorially verified May 19, 2026 by Elliot Marsh, TableJourney editor. Source.
Why locals love it: Henderson Row is not a tourist strip. The chippy opens at 16:00, serves until 21:15 and has no indoor seating. Named UK's best chip shop by The Times in 2014.
Guided tour · 2h 9m
Savor the best of Scottish cuisine in a hidden traditional restaurant. Five dishes, four pairings, unique stories, and culinary secrets in a VIP and exclusive experien...
Private tour · 3 hours
Sip your way around Edinburgh’s old town with a whisky lover, tasting four of the finest malt whiskies and learning a bit about how they're made.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Join a food tour in Edinburgh to discover the best hidden spots to eat in the city!
Address: 7 Henderson Row, Edinburgh EH3 5DH
Margot wine cafe on Barclay Terrace in Edinburgh Bruntsfield, a neighbourhood wine and small-plates room from the LeftField team, serving seasonal European.
OrderThe weekly-changing small plates with a glass of whatever the owner recommends from the bottle list.
Why locals goBruntsfield is where Edinburgh locals eat. Margot is the wine cafe on the corner of Barclay Terrace with a daily-changing small plates menu, a natural wine list and no social.
TipWalk-in only for brunch; evenings require a booking. The Thursday slot is the least contested.
The Fishmarket on Pier Place in Newhaven Edinburgh, a collaboration between Welch Fishmongers and the Ondine team, serving oysters, langoustines and grilled.
OrderA dressed crab with brown toast and a glass of house white on the outdoor deck.
Why locals goNewhaven Pier is a 20-minute bus from the Royal Mile and feels like a different Edinburgh: working harbour, outdoor tables, Ondine-team seafood at takeaway prices. Most.
TipBook the evening deck table in summer. Buses 16 and 32 from Princes Street reach Newhaven in 20 minutes.
LeftField on Barclay Terrace in Edinburgh Bruntsfield, a neighbourhood seafood bistro serving seasonal small plates with minimal-intervention wines.
OrderWhatever shellfish came in from the West Coast that morning and a glass of Gros Manseng.
Why locals goBruntsfield is a 25-minute walk from the Old Town and most visitors never go. LeftField is Phil White and Rachel Chisholm's seafood bistro with a natural wine list and no PR.
TipNo website booking form; call ahead on 0131 563 1792 or walk in at 12:30 for a lunch table.
Dulse seafood restaurant on Queensferry Street in Edinburgh West End, from the Dean Banks Group, a two-rosette seafood and oyster bar open Wednesday.
OrderHalf a dozen Scottish oysters with the house mignonette, and the monkfish with Highland butter sauce.
Why locals goThe Dean Banks Group is better known for Haar in St Andrews. Dulse slipped into Edinburgh's West End in 2023 without much fanfare despite holding two AA rosettes.
TipThe oyster bar counter at the front takes walk-ins without a booking. The full menu requires a reservation.
Roseleaf Bar Cafe on Sandport Place in Leith Edinburgh, an eclectic all-day pub and cafe in a converted Victorian bar, serving brunch until 17:00 and dinner.
OrderPoached eggs with wild mushrooms on sourdough and a pot of loose-leaf tea.
Why locals goSandport Place sits one street from The Shore in Leith and gets missed by everyone who stops at the waterfront pubs. Roseleaf is a converted pub with tea in china teapots.
TipTea comes in full china pots here, not a bag in a mug. Ask for the printed tea menu.
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.
OrderAsk the staff what they made today and take the one they recommend. They are right every time.
Why locals goA soup cafe sounds like a student canteen. It is. It is also Scotland's most consistent value lunch: six soups daily with artisan bread on Forrest Road.
TipCloses at 16:00 weekdays and 15:00 Saturday. No Sunday service. Arrive at 12:00 for first pick.
