The fastest, cheapest, frequently best food on Edinburgh's streets.
Vendors, food trucks and stalls: the cheapest, fastest, frequently best food in Edinburgh.
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.
Mosque Kitchen on Nicolson Square in Southside Edinburgh, opened 1998 inside the Edinburgh Central Mosque courtyard, a counter-service Pakistani-style.
Try: Lamb biryani
Tip: Order at the till, pick up at the counter; the lamb biryani at GBP 7 is the long-running lunch deal for medical students.
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.
Try: Wood-fired Neapolitan pizza
Tip: Their second branch on Drum Street takes walk-ins more reliably than the Canonmills original. Vegan dough version available.
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.
Stockbridge Market food stalls on Saunders Street in Edinburgh, trading every Sunday since 2011, with rotating traders serving venison rolls, dim sum, paella.
Try: Mixed Sunday street food
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.
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.
Try: Filter coffee and cake from a converted police box
Tip: There is no seating; coffee in hand on Leith Walk's central reservation. Cash only on most days.
Harajuku Kitchen counter on Gillespie Place in Bruntsfield Edinburgh, opened 2013 by Kaori Simpson, a Tokyo-style izakaya counter selling Japanese dumplings.
Try: Gyoza dumplings and Japanese curry
Tip: Lunch bento set at GBP 12 is the value play; the Stockbridge offshoot is brighter and easier on weekends.
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.
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.
Try: Italian deli sandwich on house bread
Tip: Sandwich list runs from a chalkboard; the porchetta with rocket and house mayonnaise is the long-running favourite.
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.
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 from Peterhead.
Try: Battered haddock and chips
Tip: Evening-only, no lunches. Arrive at 17:00 on a weeknight to avoid the post-work queue that builds fast.
Peak food season in Edinburgh is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Edinburgh rewards trust.