new-townMon-Thu 17:00-21:15, Fri-Sun 16:00-21:15
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.
old-townDaily 11:00-17:00 (or sold out)
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.
southside-newingtonDaily 11:30-19:30
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.
canonmills-inverleithDaily 12:00-22:00
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.
old-townMon-Thu 12:00-23:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-02:00, Sun 12:00-22:00
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.
old-townTue-Sat 09:00-15:00
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.